Build your comparison
FTMO vs Topstepwhich prop firm deserves your challenge fee?
Quick verdict
Safer counterparty
FTMO
Faster payouts
Too close to call
Better for smaller budgets
Topstep
Rule stability
Too close to call
Feature comparison
| Feature |  FTMO |  Topstep | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $79 | $49 | Topstep |
| Challenge model | 1-step, 2-step | 1-step | Tie |
| Max funding | $2M | $750K | FTMO |
| Max profit split | 90% | 90% | Tie |
| Payouts | On demand | Weekly at best | Tie |
| Track record | Established 2015 | Established 2012 | Topstep |
| Trader rating | New — no ratings yet | New — no ratings yet | Tie |
| Headquarters | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 🇺🇸 United States | Tie |
| Overall score | 90 | 66 | FTMO |
Both firms are scored from our ongoing research — the score dials above update as new data and trader input land. Read the full breakdowns on the FTMO review and the Topstep review.
FTMO — strengths & weaknesses
Pros
- Ten-year payout record, now backed by ownership of the OANDA brokerage group
- On-demand payouts averaging ~8 hours to process, with the challenge fee refunded at first payout
- New 1-Step Challenge pays 90% from the first payout; 2-step rules unchanged and time-unlimited
- Stable, transparent rules that are never applied retroactively — plus the excellent MetriX dashboard
Cons
- Pricing above newer discount-driven rivals
- Standard funded accounts restrict news trading (2-minute window) and weekend holding — you must pick Swing to avoid both
- No futures product, no TradingView or DXtrade; crypto is a handful of CFDs
Topstep — strengths & weaknesses
Pros
- Longest track record in futures funding (2012), FIA member, published pass-rate and payout statistics
- Genuine live progression backed by an FCM — not sim-only payouts
- TopstepX discipline tools (personal loss limits, trade limits) and next-business-day payout processing
- $49/month entry with a reset credit included in each renewal
Cons
- 2026 changes cut the deal: flat 90/10 split, lower per-payout caps, and reserve-locked live accounts
- Combine Maximum Loss Limit trails intraday on open equity — unrealized wicks can breach you
- Monthly subscription costs stack during long evaluations
- Trustpilot fell to 3.4 amid the payout-policy backlash
90
VS66
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