Side-by-side comparison of TopStep, Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify, and Lucid Trading. Real data, no affiliate rankings, no "top 5 best" listicles. Just the numbers and the fine print so you can decide for yourself.
| TopStep The original | Apex Trader Funding Biggest scale, biggest promotions, most rule changes | Tradeify Most flexible | Lucid Trading Newest entrant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2021 | 2022 | 2025 |
| Evaluation cost | $49 / $99 / $149 per month | $147 - $517/mo (frequent 50-80% off sales) | $97 - $359 one-time (Growth/Select) | $110 - $350 one-time (varies by account type) |
| Evaluation type | 1-step (Trading Combine) | 1-step evaluation | 1-step (Growth: 1-day min, Select: 3-day min) | 1-step (LucidFlex, LucidPro) or instant (LucidDirect) |
| Min. trading days | No minimum | 1 day (eval), 8 days (funded payout) | 1 day (Growth) or 3 days (Select) | 1 day (Pro) or 5 days (Flex) |
| Profit target | $3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 (6%) | $1,500 - $20,000 (varies by size) | $3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 | $3,000 - $9,000 (varies by size) |
| Drawdown type* | End-of-day trailing | Trailing (EOD or intraday option) | End-of-day trailing (locks after buffer) | End-of-day trailing |
| Drawdown amount | $2,000 / $3,000 / $4,500 | Varies by account ($2,500 - $7,500) | $2,000 - $4,500 (locks at starting balance + drawdown + $100) | 4% of initial balance |
| Daily loss limit* | None (EOD MLL only) | None (trailing drawdown only) | Growth: yes, Select: no (Flex option) | LucidPro: yes, LucidFlex: no |
| Profit split* | 100% of first $10K, then 90/10 | 100% of first $25K, then 90/10 | 90/10 (80/20 on some plans) | 90/10 (100% of first $10K on Pro/Direct) |
| Activation fee | $149 | Varies (new model as of March 2026) | $0 | $50 (Pro) / $0 (Flex) |
| Payout speed | 1-3 business days | 5 business days via Deel | 24-48 hours (1 hour on live accounts) | 15 minutes average |
| Payout frequency | Daily (after 30 winning days) | Twice monthly | Every 5 days (Flex) or daily (Daily option) | Every 3 days (Pro) or per cycle (Flex) |
| Consistency rule* | None during evaluation | None in eval, 50% in funded (March 2026) | 35% (Growth funded), 40% (Select eval), 0% (Select Flex funded) | 50% (eval only on Flex), 35-40% (Pro/Direct funded) |
| Platforms | TopstepX (exclusive) | Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, WealthCharts | Tradovate, NinjaTrader 8, TradingView (via Tradovate) | Rithmic, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, Quantower |
| Max accounts | 5 simultaneous | 20 simultaneous | 5 simultaneous | 5 (10 total across all phases) |
| News trading | Allowed | Allowed (with conditions) | Allowed (unrestricted) | Allowed |
| Overnight holding | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed | Not allowed (until Live phase) |
| Pricing model | Monthly subscription | Monthly subscription (transitioning to one-time) | One-time fee (no subscriptions) | One-time fee (no subscriptions) |
* highlighted rows = most impactful rules for your success. Scroll horizontally on mobile.
Before you compare prices, profit splits, or payout speed, look at one thing: how the firm calculates drawdown.
End-of-day (EOD) drawdown checks your balance at market close. You can be down $1,800 intraday and fight back to positive by the close. Your drawdown limit is evaluated once, at end of day. TopStep, Tradeify, and Lucid all use EOD drawdown.
Intraday trailing drawdown follows your equity in real time. If you're up $2,000 and pull back $1,500 during the session, your drawdown limit ratchets up and never comes back down. A trade that pulls back before reaching your target can fail your account even if you close the day in profit. Apex offers this as one of their drawdown options.
For most traders, especially beginners, EOD drawdown dramatically increases your odds of survival. The price difference between firms is negligible compared to how drawdown type affects your probability of passing.
> I'm brand new to futures and prop firms
Start with TopStep. The education resources and community support are unmatched, and the end-of-day drawdown is forgiving while you learn. The $50K account at $49/month is a low-risk entry point.
> I want the cheapest path to a funded account
Wait for an Apex sale (50-80% off regularly) or use Tradeify Growth. With Apex sales, a $50K evaluation can drop to $35/month. Tradeify Growth is a one-time $97 fee for a $50K account.
> I want the simplest, cleanest rules
Lucid Trading's LucidFlex has the fewest restrictions once funded: no daily loss limit, no consistency rule, EOD drawdown. The tradeoff is it's the newest firm with the shortest track record.
> I want maximum flexibility in my funded account
Tradeify Select lets you pass one evaluation and then choose between two different funded paths (Flex or Daily). No other firm offers this. $0 activation fee is a bonus.
> I'm an experienced trader who wants to scale
Apex lets you run up to 20 simultaneous accounts. If you have a proven edge and want to maximize capital deployed, nobody matches Apex's scale potential.
Before choosing a prop firm, make sure you understand these concepts. Each links to a full deep-dive in our glossary.
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