Head-to-head
Top Tier Trader vs Topstep
A direct, side-by-side comparison of Top Tier Trader and Topstep — profit splits, evaluation fees, payout cadence, supported assets, and trading rules. Data pulled live from our firm directory.
Quick verdict
Top Tier Trader is best for
scaling toward larger allocations (up to $400,000); swing traders holding overnight.
Full Top Tier Trader profile →Quick verdict
Topstep is best for
traders who prefer Evaluation-Based Funding and a Chicago, USA-based firm.
Full Topstep profile →Cost to first payout
Cost to first payout
What it actually costs to reach payout — a normalized estimate built from each firm's lowest published evaluation cost, monthly fees, and first-payout window. Estimates, not guarantees. Each card shows the assumptions used.
Top Tier Trader is roughly $39 cheaper to reach a first payout than Topstep, based on published fees alone.
Top Tier Trader
estimateApprox. total
$59
to reach first payout eligibility
Approx. time
24days
from sign-up to first eligible request
- Start cost
- $59
- Monthly fee
- None
How we estimated this
- Evaluation path: lowest published one-time evaluation fee.
- Adds ~10 calendar days for evaluation completion (most firms require ≥5 minimum trading days).
- Firm advertises no monthly fee.
- Source — eval fee: $59–$1,099 one-time; monthly: No monthly fee; first payout: 14 days after first funded trade.
Topstep
estimateApprox. total
$98
to reach first payout eligibility
Approx. time
15days
from sign-up to first eligible request
- Start cost
- $49
- Monthly fee
- $49/mo
How we estimated this
- Evaluation path: lowest published one-time evaluation fee.
- Adds ~10 calendar days for evaluation completion (most firms require ≥5 minimum trading days).
- Monthly fee ($49) × 1 month added to startup cost.
- Source — eval fee: $49–$149/month (Trading Combine); monthly: Combine $49–$149; Funded $135/mo flat after first payout; first payout: 5 winning days, $0 trailing drawdown breach.
Trade-offs
Where each firm is weaker
No firm wins on every axis. These are the most meaningful drawbacks of each option — derived from the same structured fields shown in the table, never invented.
Top Tier Trader trade-offs
No structural disadvantages versus the other firm based on the fields we track.
Topstep trade-offs
Lower scaling ceiling
Scales to $150,000 vs $400,000 at Top Tier Trader — caps long-term capital growth.
No overnight holds
Closes positions intraday. Top Tier Trader allows overnight holds.
Decision guide
Best for your trader type
- Highest profit share
Tie
Both pay 90%.
- Biggest scaling ceiling
Up to $400,000.
- Swing & overnight
Permits holding positions overnight.
| Attribute | Top Tier Trader Evaluation Based · est. 2021 | Topstep Evaluation Based · est. 2012 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Evaluation fee | $59–$1,099 one-time | $49–$149/month (Trading Combine) |
| Monthly fee | No monthly fee | Combine $49–$149; Funded $135/mo flat after first payout |
| Evaluation required | Yes | Yes |
| Instant funding | No | No |
| Capital | ||
| Profit split | 90% | 90% |
| Max allocation | $400,000 | $150,000 |
| Account sizes | $10K, $25K, $50K, $100K, $200K (futures + FX) | $50K, $100K, $150K |
| Scaling | 25% scale every 4 months at 10%+ profit. | Scale via larger Combine accounts; no automatic in-account scaling. Up to 5 funded accounts. |
| Payouts | ||
| Frequency | Bi-weekly | Weekly (after 5 profitable days) |
| First payout | 14 days after first funded trade | 5 winning days, $0 trailing drawdown breach |
| Assets | ||
| Futures | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| Options | No | No |
| Forex | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Trading rules | ||
| News trading | Yes | Yes |
| Overnight holding | Yes | No |
| Weekend holding | Yes | No |
| Copy trading | No | No |
| Technology | ||
| Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, DXtrade, NinjaTrader, Rithmic | TSTrader, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower, Tradovate |
| Data feed | Multiple (FX brokers + Rithmic) | CME Group (real-time included) |
| Company | ||
| Headquarters | Toronto, Canada | Chicago, USA |
About Top Tier Trader
Canadian evaluation prop firm with 1-step, 2-step and instant funding programs.
Full Top Tier Trader profile →Trust & stability
Reputation and rule-change activity
Two added decision signals: a weighted reputation score from independent review sources, and a 90-day view of structural rule-change activity where monitored sources are available.
Reputation
canonical- Sources used
- 1
- Confidence
- medium
Weighted blend of independent trader-review sources. See methodology.
Rule Stability
last 90d- Last change
- —
- Type
- —
- Sources monitored
- —
- Status
- No changes detected in monitored sources
Weekly diff of the firm's published rule pages (terms, rules, FAQ, legal). "No changes detected" only means none of the monitored monitored sources changed — other surfaces (Discord, email, dashboards) are not covered. "Limited" or "unavailable" means our monitor cannot reach enough sources to make an honest call.
Reputation
canonical- Sources used
- 1
- Confidence
- medium
Weighted blend of independent trader-review sources. See methodology.
Rule Stability
last 90d- Last change
- —
- Type
- —
- Sources monitored
- —
- Status
- No changes detected in monitored sources
Weekly diff of the firm's published rule pages (terms, rules, FAQ, legal). "No changes detected" only means none of the monitored monitored sources changed — other surfaces (Discord, email, dashboards) are not covered. "Limited" or "unavailable" means our monitor cannot reach enough sources to make an honest call.
Frequently asked
Common questions
- Which has a higher profit split — Top Tier Trader or Topstep?
- Top Tier Trader pays 90%; Topstep pays 90% of trader profits once funded. Both firms offer the same profit share.
- Is Top Tier Trader cheaper to start than Topstep?
- Top Tier Trader: evaluation from $59–$1,099 one-time. Topstep: evaluation from $49–$149/month (Trading Combine).
- Which pays out faster — Top Tier Trader or Topstep?
- Top Tier Trader payouts: Bi-weekly. Topstep payouts: Weekly (after 5 profitable days). First-payout eligibility: Top Tier Trader — 14 days after first funded trade; Topstep — 5 winning days, $0 trailing drawdown breach.
- What's the maximum allocation at Top Tier Trader vs Topstep?
- Top Tier Trader scales up to $400,000. Topstep scales up to $150,000.
- Can I trade news at Top Tier Trader or Topstep?
- Top Tier Trader: permits news trading. Topstep: permits news trading.
- Can I hold positions overnight at Top Tier Trader or Topstep?
- Top Tier Trader: allows overnight holds. Topstep: does not allow overnight holds.
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