Apex Trader Funding vs Topstep: the rules, side by side
Rules verified 2026-07-15 · official source
Apex Trader Funding uses a trailing (intraday) drawdown and no daily loss limit; Topstep uses trailing (end-of-day) and no daily loss limit. Same market (futures) — the rule differences below are the real decision.
The differences that fail accounts
Drawdown style is the biggest difference: Apex Trader Funding is trailing (intraday), Topstep is trailing (end-of-day). An intraday trail follows open profit — it punishes letting winners breathe. EOD/static lines don't move mid-session, which most traders find far easier to manage.
Neither firm has a daily loss limit — on both, discipline is self-imposed.
Minimum days: Apex Trader Funding none vs Topstep 2 in the evaluation. Consistency: Apex Trader Funding 50% (PA (Funded)); Topstep 50% (Trading Combine), 40% (Funded Account).
| Rule | Apex Trader Funding | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | 50K Evaluation | 50K Trading Combine |
| Market | futures | futures |
| Profit target | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Max drawdown | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| Drawdown type | Trailing (intraday) | Trailing (end-of-day) |
| Daily loss limit | None | None |
| Min trading days | None | 2 |
| Consistency | 50% (PA (Funded)) | 50% (Trading Combine), 40% (Funded Account) |
Same rules, tracked either way
Whichever you pick, the failure mode is identical: not knowing your live distance to a line that moves. TradersGuild encodes both firms' exact rules and recomputes them on every trade you log — free for your first account.
FAQ
Apex Trader Funding or Topstep — which has easier rules?
Neither is universally easier. Apex Trader Funding is trailing (intraday), no daily cap; Topstep is trailing (end-of-day), no daily cap. Pick the drawdown style that fits how you hold trades.
Can I run Apex Trader Funding and Topstep accounts at the same time?
Yes — many traders run evaluations at several firms in parallel. The hard part is tracking different rule mechanics simultaneously, which is exactly what TradersGuild does.
Stop memorizing rules. Track them.
TradersGuild encodes these exact rules and recomputes every line the moment you log a trade — live meters, and a warning while you still have room. Runs on the trades you log. Free for your first account.