Topstep vs Tradeify
Every rule that actually affects your account — drawdown, daily loss, consistency, payout split, news, platforms — with a clear winner per category.
Rule by rule
Green = winner on that row. Ties show as "—".
| Rule | Topstep | Tradeify | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drawdown type | Trailing | Trailing | — |
| Daily loss limit | Optional add-on since April 14, 2026 ($1K/$2K/$3K by size). Always mandatory on Live Funded. | None | Tradeify |
| Payout split | Post-Jan 2026: 90/10 from day one. Pre-Jan 2026: 100% first $10K then 90/10. | Select: 90/10. Growth: 100% first $15K then 90/10. Lightning: 100% first $15K then 90/10. | — |
| Min trading days | 0 | 3 | Topstep |
| Consistency rule | Combine: 50% (best day < 50% of total). Funded Standard: none. Funded Consistency tier: 40%. | Eval: 40%. Funded Select: removed. Growth funded: 35%. Lightning: progressive 20%/25%/30%. | — |
| News trading | Yes | Yes | — |
| Weekend holding | No | No | — |
| Copy trading | Yes | Yes | — |
| Platforms | TopstepX (all new accounts), Quantower (exception) | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, WealthCharts, Rithmic | — |
Real talk
What traders actually experience beyond the marketing copy.
Most established firm. Free resets are huge. Automated trading allowed on TopstepX. But: all new accounts forced to TopstepX (no NinjaTrader/Tradovate choice). Post-payout MLL reset is dangerous. Scaling starts at only 2-3 contracts on funded.
EOD trailing is fair - intraday swings don't move the floor. Locks once profit exceeds drawdown amount. CRITICAL: After a payout, your MLL resets to $0 - one bad day right after withdrawing can blow the account instantly.
90/10 from day one for new traders. Post-payout MLL reset to $0 is the biggest hidden risk. Free resets are genuinely valuable. Back2Funded ($599-829) lets you revive a blown funded account.
After payout, MLL resets to $0 - extremely vulnerable. New accounts TopstepX only (no NinjaTrader/Tradovate). Funded starts at 2-3 contracts (must scale up). VPS/VPN usage PROHIBITED. Positions must close by 3:10 PM CT. $30 ACH payout fee.
One-time pricing + $0 activation + no monthly fees = lowest total cost of funding. Select Daily vs Flex choice is unique. News trading fully unrestricted. Automation allowed. No resets is the main downside.
EOD trailing locks at starting balance + $100 after first payout on Flex - becomes a static floor. This is genuinely favorable. Growth and Lightning also have EOD trailing.
Two funded paths on Select is smart design. Daily path has DLL but faster payouts. Flex has no DLL but needs 5 winning days. No resets means a blown account = buy new eval.
No resets - blown account means buying a new eval. Positions must close by 4 PM CT. Select Daily has daily loss limits. Max 5 funded accounts. 1 trade/week minimum activity.
Related head-to-heads
Other comparisons worth your time.