Apex vs Topstep: 50K futures evaluation rules compared (EOD Evaluation vs Trading Combine)

The headline numbers match: a $3,000 profit target and a $2,000 maximum drawdown on both 50K plans. The details do not. Both floors are set from the end-of-day balance and enforced in real time, so an open loss that touches either one liquidates you. Apex's Max Drawdown (EOD) is calculated at market close and enforced during the next session, a touch fails the Evaluation, and where it stops depends on the platform. The EOD Evaluation also carries a fixed $1,000 Daily Loss Limit and no consistency rule until the Performance Account. Topstep's Maximum Loss Limit updates at the end of each trading day but is monitored in real time on realized and unrealized P&L and liquidates immediately on a touch, the Daily Loss Limit is optional, and the Combine adds a Consistency Target that keeps your best day at or below 55% of total profit.

What this means for you: Same target and same drawdown size. The choice is where the floor stops, a built-in vs optional daily limit, the consistency rule, and one-time vs monthly pricing.

Apex's 50K EOD Evaluation has a $2,000 Max Drawdown (EOD). It is calculated at market close and enforced the next session, so intraday swings do not move it. It is still enforced in real time: if the balance touches or falls below it at any moment during the session, open positions are liquidated and the Evaluation fails, and continuing means buying a new Evaluation. Apex's own 50K example starts the threshold at $48,000 ($50,000 minus the $2,000 Max Drawdown). It rises only when a higher end-of-day balance is set and never moves down. Where the EOD trailing stops depends on the platform: Rithmic and Wealthcharts Evaluations stop at the profit-target balance ($53,000 on a 50K Evaluation), Tradovate Evaluations trail indefinitely, and Performance Accounts stop at Starting Balance + $100 ($50,100 on a 50K PA). Topstep's 50K Trading Combine has a $2,000 trailing Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) that cannot be adjusted. It rises as your end-of-day balance grows, never moves down, and locks permanently once it reaches your starting balance; Topstep's example starts at $50,000 with an MLL of $48,000, trails to $48,500 after a $500 day and stays there after a $500 loss. It is monitored in real time on realized and unrealized P&L, so an open trade that touches the limit is liquidated by market order even if slippage leaves the final balance above it. In the Combine a breach liquidates you for the rest of the day and makes the account ineligible for funding until you Reset. In the Express Funded Account (XFA) the balance starts at $0, so the MLL starts at -$2,000 and locks at $0 once the balance reaches $2,000.

What this means for you: On both, an open loss that touches the floor gets you liquidated. On Apex that fails the Evaluation and you buy a new one; on Topstep the account cannot be funded until you Reset.

Apex's 50K EOD Evaluation carries a fixed $1,000 Daily Loss Limit (DLL). If your net intraday loss, including open positions, reaches it, positions are liquidated and trading pauses for the rest of the session; the account remains active and the trading day resets at 6 PM ET. Apex also sells an Intraday Trailing Evaluation with the same $3,000 target and $2,000 max drawdown but No Daily Loss Limit on the Intraday Evaluation; this guide uses the EOD Evaluation as the comparison baseline. Topstep's 50K Trading Combine has no DLL unless you add it at checkout: $1,000 fixed, no later changes, and it carries into your XFA when you pass. When net P&L hits it during the trading day, open positions are flattened, pending orders are cancelled and no new trades are allowed until 6 PM ET the next session. Topstep calls this a forced break, not a rule violation, and the account stays eligible for funding.

What this means for you: On Apex a bad day stops at $1,000 and you trade again next session. On Topstep that cap exists only if you add it at checkout.

Apex lists Consistency as Not Applied on the Evaluation, and there are no minimum trading days, so you may pass in one day once the $3,000 target is reached. A 50% consistency rule applies later on the Performance Account: your largest profitable day must account for less than 50% of total profit since your last approved payout, and being above 50% does not fail the account but keeps the payout request unavailable until the percentage falls below 50%. Topstep's Trading Combine requires your single best day to be at or below 55% of total profit, with a recommended best day of less than $1,650 on 50K. Exceeding 55% does not fail the account; instead the Profit Target rises to Best Day divided by 0.55, and Topstep's example is a $1,800 best day that makes the target $3,273. Topstep also says you cannot pass in one day but can pass in as few as 2 days, with no time limit.

What this means for you: On Apex one big day can pass the Evaluation. On Topstep a $1,800 best day raises the target to $3,273, so aim for a best day below $1,650.

Apex allows 6 standard contracts or 60 micro contracts on the 50K Evaluation (10 micro contracts equal 1 standard contract). Topstep allows 5 contracts or 50 micros on the 50K Combine, with micros and minis counted at a 10:1 ratio. On price the models differ more than the figures. Apex's new Evaluation plans are a one-time fee for 30 calendar days of access, not a subscription, with no reset fees; a failed or expired Evaluation requires purchasing a new one. Apex does not publish a fixed Evaluation price table in its help center, so we list no dollar fee; confirm at checkout. Topstep's 50K Combine is a monthly subscription at $49/month on the Standard path or $95/month on the No Activation Fee path, rebilling every 30 days with no time limit to pass. A Reset costs the same as a month, $49 or $95 by path. The Standard path adds a $149 one-time activation fee per XFA when you pass; the No Activation Fee path charges $0.

What this means for you: Apex gives one more contract (6 vs 5) but a 30-day clock and no resets. Confirm its one-time price at checkout; its help center lists no dollar fee.

Apex: passing lets you activate a Performance Account (PA) of the same size within 7 calendar days, with a one-time activation fee whose amount is promotional and not listed here. The 50K PA keeps the $2,000 max drawdown and adds tier-based scaling: Level 1 is 2 contracts and a $1,000 DLL, the top level is 4 contracts and a $3,000 DLL. Payouts use a 100% payout split when eligible. On a 50K EOD PA you need 5 qualifying trading days with $250 minimum daily profit, Safety Net $52,100, minimum balance to request $52,600, minimum payout $500, 50% consistency and 6 payouts per Performance Account; maximum payout per request by payout number 1 to 6 is $1,500 / $1,500 / $2,000 / $2,500 / $2,500 / $3,000. Topstep: the XFA pays 90/10, you keep 90%, and you choose Standard or Consistency at activation. Standard needs 5 winning days of $150+; Consistency needs 3 trading days with at least 1 trade and largest day at or below 40% of total net profit. Each request is 50% of balance up to $2,000 Standard or $3,000 Consistency, doubled to $4,000 or $6,000 with a DLL added at Combine checkout (limited time; the article gives no year or end date). Minimum payout is $125. After the first payout the MLL is set to $0 permanently.

What this means for you: Apex pays a 100% split when eligible, inside per-request caps of $1,500 to $3,000 and 6 payouts per account. Topstep pays 90/10 with a $125 minimum and $2,000 or $3,000 caps.

Topstep's two help pages word the Consistency Target differently: the parameters page says below 55%, the consistency page says at or below 55%; the recommendations say less than $1,650. Apex's help center publishes no frozen Evaluation price matrix and no PA activation fee by size, so this guide lists neither; its homepage promotions change. Topstep's doubled payout cap article gives no year for its start date and no expiry. Apex's EOD drawdown stop differs by platform (Rithmic and Wealthcharts stop at the profit-target balance, Tradovate trails indefinitely), while Topstep's lock at the starting balance applies to every Combine. Topstep publishes its times in Central Time; we converted them to Eastern Time, one hour later. Where a firm does not state something, ask its support rather than assume.

What this means for you: Where a firm is silent, especially Apex on prices and activation fees, ask its support before you buy.

• Apex Trader Funding: EOD Evaluations
• Apex Trader Funding: Intraday Trailing Drawdown Evaluations
• Apex Trader Funding: EOD Drawdown Explained
• Apex Trader Funding: Position Sizing (Evaluation)
• Apex Trader Funding: Evaluation Plan Fees and Access Explained
• Apex Trader Funding: PA Activation Process and Deadline Explained
• Apex Trader Funding: EOD Performance Accounts (PA)
• Apex Trader Funding: Daily Loss Limit Explained
• Apex Trader Funding: PA Scaling Levels Explained
• Apex Trader Funding: 50% Consistency Requirement
• Apex Trader Funding: EOD Payouts
• Topstep: Trading Combine Parameters
• Topstep: What Is the Maximum Loss Limit
• Topstep: Consistency at Topstep
• Topstep: Daily Loss Limit in the Trading Combine and Express Funded Account
• Topstep: Trading Combine Subscriptions
• Topstep: Pricing and Payment Questions
• Topstep: Express Funded Account Activation
• Topstep: Express Funded Account Parameters
• Topstep: Payout Policy

Last checked 2026-10-15.