Last updated: April 4, 2025
Code: FWLVSSYW (auto-copied)
At first glance, Apex is more appealing. However, this may not be true for all traders and situations. Since trading behavior and strategies differ, you may need to prioritize certain plan features and not the overall comparison. It's important to put greater weight in key plan features like fees, drawdown rules and consistency requirements.
You've finally mastered your trading strategy and are consistently profitable while paper trading. Now, it's time to scale your account. Prop firms are great for making money, but if you're not careful the wrong plan will cost you hundreds of dollars in fees and payout limitations. We'll compare Apex 150K Full Tradovate and Topstep 150K (TopstepX) to help you find the best plan for you to get started. I'll walk you through the pros and cons of each plan.
There are 4 key areas we'll compare:
As a reminder, here's how starting up your prop firm account will work. First, you'll need to pass an evaluation. In the evaluation phase, you'll be asked to demonstrate your proficiency. You must reach a profit target while following the rules of the evaluation to pass. You'll pay a fee (usually monthly, occasionally one time only) while in the evaluation phase. If you fail, most accounts will let you pay to try again but this can be come expensive fast. This is why understanding plan rules using Prop Firm Genius is so important.
After the evaluation, you will have to pay an activation fee (if required by the plan) and then you'll be funded with a certain amount of capital. Again, if you don't adhere to the risk rules laid out by the prop firm, your account will fail and you'll need to reset. Some firms may require you to start back at the evaluation phase.
During the funded phase, you finally have the opportunity to qualify for a payout on the profit you make. The payout rules between firms can vary and effect how much of the money you are entitled to and how fast you will receive them.
Let's walk through each of these areas and see how Apex 150K Full Tradovate and Topstep 150K (TopstepX) compare.
Apex requires 1 evaluation step with a profit target of $9,000 (6%), while Topstep needs 1 step targeting $9,000 (6%). While a smaller profit target is better, Prop Firm Genius doesn't consider it a major factor. Most plans have similar targets and it's much more important to pay attention to the rules to hit that target than the target itself. Traders must complete 7 minimum trading days with Apex compared to 2 with Topstep.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Balance | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Steps Required | 1 | 1 |
| Profit Target | $9,000 (6%) | $9,000 (6%) |
| Min Trading Days | 7 | 2 |
| Time Between Trades | N/A | N/A |
| Payouts Available Post Pass | Yes | Yes |
Drawdown rules may be the single most important rule. One of our key pieces of advice we give traders is pay attention to the drawdown type not just the amount.
Apex allows a maximum drawdown of $5,000 (3.3333333333333335%) with Intra-Day rules, while Topstep permits $4,500 (3%) End of Day.
End of Day drawdowns are more trader friendly, as you have time to recover and stick through a trade.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Max Drawdown Amount | $5,000 | $4,500 |
| Max Drawdown Rate | 3.3333333333333335% | 3% |
| Drawdown Type | Intra-Day | End of Day |
| Drawdown Calculation | Trailing | Unrealized | Trailing | Realized |
| Drawdown Timeframe | Intra-Day | End of Day |
| Balance Buffer After DD | $100 | $0 |
| Balance That Ends DD | $155,100 | $154,500 |
Apex enforces a daily loss limit of $0 (0%) with None rules, while Topstep allows up to $0 (0%) None.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Loss Limit | $0 (0%) | $0 (0%) |
| Daily Loss Limit Type | None | None |
| Max Loss After DD | $150,100 | $150,000 |
| Loss Limit Formula | Starting Balance + Buffer
| Starting Balance
|
| DLL Auto-liquidation | No | No |
Apex allows up to 17 full contracts and 170 micro contracts during evaluation, while Topstep permits 15 full and 150 micro contracts.
The contract ratios are important to know based on your strategy. A higher max contract will give greater flexibility but also greater risk.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Max Full Contracts | 17 | 15 |
| Max Micro Contracts | 170 | 150 |
| Full:Micro Ratio | 1:10 | 1:10 |
Apex has no consistency requirements and does not offer scaling, while Topstep requires 50% consistency and does not offer scaling.
Consistency is one of the most common rules that causes evaluation failures.
Topstep has a lower consistency rate, making it easier to pass evaluation. However, make sure to keep in mind 2 things. 1. The consistency requirement may be different in the funded phase (see our section below) and 2. The consistency requirement is a good measure of risk. If you don't pass consistency, it may be a good sign you're running a volatile strategy.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency Required | No | Yes |
| Consistency Rate | N/A | 50% |
| Scaling Available | No | No |
| Scaling Details | N/A | N/A |
| Inactivity Limit | N/A | N/A |
Apex charges monthly evaluation fees of $297, while Topstep charges monthly fees of $375.
For evaluation resets, Apex charges $105 for evaluation resets, while Topstep charges $149 for evaluation resets.
Once funded, Apex requires a $280 activation fee and charges a monthly fee of $105. Topstep requires a $149 activation fee and charges no monthly fees.
For funded accounts, Apex does not allow funded resets, while Topstep does not allow funded resets.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation Fee | $59.4 (80% off $297) Monthly | $149 (60% off $375) Monthly |
| Eval Reset Fee | $105 | $149 |
| Eval Resets Allowed | 0 | 0 |
| Funded Activation Fee | $280 | $149 |
| Funded Monthly Fee | $105 | $0 |
| Funded Reset Fee | $0 | $0 |
| Funded Resets Allowed | No | No |
| Funded Reset Count | 0 | 0 |
| Reset Recovery Window | 0 days | 0 days |
Payout rules affect both the amount you get paid and how fast that money gets to your bank account.
Apex offers a 90% profit split requiring 7 trading days per payout, while Topstep provides 90% with 5.25 trading days needed.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Split | 90% | 90% |
| Min Trading Days | 0 | 0 |
| Trading Days Per Payout | 7 | 5.25 |
| Min Winning Days | 5 | 5 |
| Min Profit Per Winning Day | $50 | $200 |
| First Payout Ends Drawdown | No | Yes |
Apex requires a minimum account balance of $155,100 and minimum payout of $500, with limits of Yes (More Info) per payout (short-term) and $2750 x 5 payouts, then 100% (full-term). Topstep requires $0 balance and $125 minimum payout, with limits of Yes (More Info) per payout (short-term) and Up to $5000 or 50% of account balance per request until 30 non-consecutive winning days, then 100% anytime (full-term).
You are entitled to $25,000 pre-split with Apex and $10,000 with Topstep before profit sharing is applied.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Min Account Balance | $155,100 | $0 |
| Min Payout Amount | $500 | $125 |
| Amount Pre-Split | $25,000 | $10,000 |
| Max Amount (Short) | Yes (More Info) | Yes (More Info) |
| Max Amount (Full) | $2750 x 5 payouts, then 100% | Up to $5000 or 50% of account balance per request until 30 non-consecutive winning days, then 100% anytime |
| Max Payouts Per Month | 3 | 4 |
| Before Drawdown Ends | $/
| $Ends drawdown
|
Apex requires 0 days for short-term and 0 days for full-term payout requests, with 2 Days approvals needed for short-term and 2 Days for full-term payouts. Their deposit timeline is 3-4 days.
Topstep requires 0 days for short-term and 0 days for full-term requests, with 1-3 Days approvals needed for short-term and 1-3 Business Days for full-term payouts. Their deposit timeline is 1-10 days.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Request Days (Short) | 0 days | 0 days |
| Request Days (Full) | 0 days | 0 days |
| Approvals (Short) | 2 Days | 1-3 Days |
| Approvals (Full) | 2 Days | 1-3 Business Days |
| Deposit Timeline | 3-4 Days | 1-10 Days |
Apex allows 20 concurrent accounts, while Topstep allows 5 concurrent accounts. Concurrent accounts are a great way to scale up your account. You'll pay more in fees but there's less trade management for a higher return potential.
A max risk:reward can limit your trading, make sure your backtest results are in line withe the plan's limits.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Balance | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Concurrent Accounts | 20 | 5 |
| Max Risk:Reward | 5:1 | N/A |
Drawdown rules may be the single most important rule. One of our key pieces of advice we give traders is pay attention to the drawdown type not just the amount.
Apex has a Intra-Day drawdown limit of $5,000 (3.3333333333333335%) with Trailing calculation, while Topstep uses a End of Day limit of $4,500 (3%).
End of Day drawdowns are more trader friendly, as you have time to recover and stick through a trade.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Max Drawdown | $5,000 (3.3333333333333335%) | $4,500 (3%) |
| Drawdown Type | Intra-Day | End of Day |
| Calculation Method | Trailing | Unrealized | Trailing | Realized |
| Drawdown Timeframe | Intra-Day | End of Day |
| Balance Buffer After DD | $100 | $0 |
| Balance That Ends DD | $155,100 | $154,500 |
Apex enforces a funded daily loss limit of $0 (0%) with None rules, while Topstep allows up to $0 (0%) None.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Loss Limit | $0 (0%) | $0 (0%) |
| Daily Loss Limit Type | None | None |
| Max Loss After DD | $150,100 | $150,000 |
| Loss Limit Formula | Starting Balance + Buffer
| Starting Balance
|
| DLL Auto-liquidation | No | No |
Apex allows up to 17 full contracts and 170 micro contracts in funded accounts, while Topstep permits 15 full and 150 micro contracts.
Higher max contracts means more potential return, but also more risk.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Max Full Contracts | 17 | 15 |
| Max Micro Contracts | 170 | 150 |
| Full:Micro Ratio | 1:10 | 1:10 |
Apex requires 30% consistency and does not offer scaling, while Topstep has no consistency requirements and offers scaling. Consistency is one of the most common rules that causes account blow ups.
Apex has a lower consistency rate, making it easier to pass evaluation.
| Metric | Apex 150K Full TradovateApex | Topstep 150K (TopstepX)Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Consistency Required | Yes | No |
| Consistency Rate | 30% | N/A |
| Scaling Available | No | Yes |
| Scaling Details | N/A | - Below $1,500: 3 Contracts
- $1,500 - $2,000: 4 Contracts
- $2,000 - $3,000: 5 Contracts
- $3,000 - $4,500: 10 Contracts
- Above $4,500: 15 Contracts
|
| Inactivity Limit | N/A | 30 days |
Looking for alternatives? Here are some similar plans you might want to consider comparing:
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