FTMO vs Topstep

FTMO is the better choice for forex and CFD traders, while Topstep is my default pick for most futures traders. However, FTMO Futures has changed this comparison significantly in 2026. Futures traders who prioritise higher payout caps, more platform choice and FTMO's new Pro rules may now prefer FTMO Futures over Topstep.

The decision is therefore simpler than most FTMO vs Topstep comparisons make it:

• Choose classic FTMO if you trade forex, indices, commodities, stocks or crypto through CFDs.
• Choose Topstep if you trade futures and want the more established futures-specific programme.
• Choose FTMO Futures Pro if you trade futures and care more about account economics, payout caps and platform flexibility than the programme's shorter operating history.

FTMO has operated since 2015, while Topstep was founded in Chicago in 2012. FTMO Futures is considerably newer and was still labelled as a beta product in September 2026.

FTMO vs Topstep at a glance

The biggest mistake is treating FTMO and Topstep as identical products with different challenge fees. They are not. The market you trade should decide the comparison before minor differences in pricing or payout rules do.

Topstep remains futures-only and does not offer spot forex trading. Classic FTMO is primarily built around simulated CFD trading, while the newer FTMO Futures product now provides access to futures contracts on CME Group markets.

Is FTMO or Topstep better?

If you trade EUR/USD, XAU/USD, CFD indices or similar products, Topstep is not really a competing option because Topstep only supports futures. Classic FTMO gives traders access to its established 1-Step and 2-Step evaluation programmes instead.

If you trade ES, NQ, MES, MNQ, CL, GC or other CME futures, compare FTMO Futures against Topstep, rather than comparing Topstep against FTMO's CFD Challenge.

For most futures traders, I would currently choose Topstep because it has been operating in futures trader funding since 2012, has a mature programme built specifically around futures and offers a cheaper starting price on its mainstream Trading Combine.

That does not mean Topstep has the better rules in every category. FTMO Futures Pro is particularly competitive on drawdown allowance, payout caps and platform choice.

FTMO Futures vs Topstep: the comparison futures traders actually need

The $50K account is the cleanest way to compare the two programmes because both FTMO Futures and Topstep offer it.

FTMO Futures figures above come directly from FTMO's current Growth and Pro comparison, while Topstep's pricing, Trading Combine rules and payout conditions come from its current Help Center documentation.

Which evaluation is easier to pass?

All three $50K options have a $3,000 profit target.

The important difference is how much room you get underneath it:

• FTMO Futures Growth gives a $2,000 maximum drawdown and no Daily Loss Limit during evaluation.
• FTMO Futures Pro gives a larger $3,000 maximum drawdown but imposes a $1,000 hard Daily Loss Limit.
• Topstep's $50K Trading Combine uses a $2,000 Maximum Loss Limit that trails based on end-of-day balance.

Topstep also uses a 50% consistency target. Your best trading day should remain below 50% of the Profit Target, otherwise the amount required to pass increases.

For a trader with controlled daily risk, FTMO Futures Pro has the strongest raw evaluation geometry on the $50K account because the $3,000 target is matched by $3,000 of maximum drawdown.

For a trader whose biggest problem is occasionally having one ugly session, that advantage disappears quickly because FTMO Pro's $1,000 Daily Loss Limit is hard.

Which is cheaper: FTMO or Topstep?

A standard Topstep $50K Trading Combine currently costs $49 per month, followed by a $149 Express Funded Account activation fee after passing. Topstep also offers a $95-per-month $50K path with no activation fee.

FTMO Futures charges $119 per month for the $50K Growth Evaluation and $139 for the $50K Pro Evaluation, with no activation fee.

That makes the Topstep No Activation Fee path particularly attractive to traders who expect to pass quickly.

Do not choose a prop firm purely because its evaluation costs $40 less, though. A rule that clashes with your trading strategy can cost considerably more through resets and failed evaluations than the initial subscription difference.

FTMO vs Topstep payouts

FTMO Futures Growth allows traders to request up to 50% of available profit per payout cycle, with caps from $2,500 to $4,000 depending on account size. Growth payout eligibility begins after four qualifying trading days.

FTMO Futures Pro allows up to 100% of available profit to be requested, subject to payout conditions, with standard caps from $5,000 to $8,000 depending on account size. Pro requires five qualifying days.

Topstep's Express Funded Account has two payout paths. The Standard path requires five winning days of at least $150. The Consistency path can qualify after three trading days if the trader remains within a 40% consistency target. On a standard $50K XFA, payout caps are currently $2,000 on the Standard path and $3,000 on the Consistency path.

FTMO Futures Pro therefore wins on standard simulated-funded payout capacity at the $50K level.

Topstep becomes more interesting if you progress to a Live Funded Account. Topstep states that Live Funded Account payouts do not have the same dollar caps as Express Funded Accounts, and traders who accumulate 30 qualifying winning days can unlock daily payout access.

Which has better trading platforms?

FTMO Futures supports:

• NinjaTrader
• Tradovate
• TradingView

Traders can move between the available FTMO Futures platforms using shared credentials.

Topstep has moved heavily towards its own TopstepX platform. TopstepX includes TradingView charting, order management, risk controls and futures-specific tools, but Topstep's current onboarding documentation describes TopstepX as its main available trading platform. Quantower can also connect using TopstepX credentials in eligible account stages.

A trader already deeply embedded in NinjaTrader or Tradovate may therefore find FTMO Futures easier to slot into an existing setup.

A trader who wants an integrated prop-firm platform with built-in risk management may prefer TopstepX.

Can you hold trades overnight with FTMO or Topstep?

Topstep requires positions to be closed by 3:10 PM Central Time each weekday, with trading reopening at 5:00 PM CT. Topstep explicitly describes its programme as a day trading programme and does not permit positions to be carried from one session into the next.

FTMO Futures also requires positions and resting orders to be closed before 4:10 PM Eastern Time or the relevant market close, whichever comes first.

Classic FTMO is different. FTMO's CFD Evaluation Process allows overnight and weekend holding, while restrictions on a funded FTMO Account depend on whether the trader uses a Standard or Swing account. FTMO Swing accounts allow overnight and weekend holding.

That makes classic FTMO a materially better fit for genuine swing traders.

What can you trade with FTMO and Topstep?

Classic FTMO and Topstep serve different markets.

Classic FTMO is aimed at simulated CFD trading and supports forex alongside indices, commodities, stocks and cryptocurrency products.

FTMO Futures currently lists 30 futures instruments across equity indices, metals, energy, currencies and cryptocurrency markets. Available contracts include ES, MES, NQ, MNQ, GC, MGC, CL, MCL, 6E and M6E.

Topstep supports a broader range of CME Group futures, including equity index, foreign exchange, energy, metals, agricultural and interest-rate futures. Topstep does not offer spot forex.

For pure futures market breadth, Topstep has the edge.

Classic FTMO 1-Step vs 2-Step

Traders looking for FTMO because they trade forex or CFDs can currently choose between a 1-Step and 2-Step Challenge.

The FTMO 1-Step Challenge has one evaluation phase, a 10% Profit Target, 3% Maximum Daily Loss, 10% Maximum Loss and a 50% Best Day Rule. Successful traders receive a 90% reward ratio. The one-time 1-Step fee is not refundable.

The FTMO 2-Step Challenge requires a 10% target in the FTMO Challenge followed by a 5% Verification target. Maximum Daily Loss is 5%, Maximum Loss is 10%, and there are four minimum trading days. FTMO refunds the 2-Step fee with the first eligible Reward withdrawal.

For many CFD traders, I would still lean towards FTMO 2-Step unless getting through the evaluation in one stage is especially valuable. The wider daily loss allowance and refundable fee can matter more than avoiding Verification.

FTMO vs Topstep: which should you choose?

More specifically:

Choose classic FTMO if:

• You trade forex or CFDs.
• You use MetaTrader or cTrader.
• You want a choice between one-step and two-step evaluations.
• You swing trade and need an account structure that can permit overnight or weekend positions.
• You prefer FTMO's established CFD programme.

Choose Topstep if:

• Futures are your primary market.
• You want a firm focused specifically on futures trading.
• A low-cost entry point matters.
• You value Topstep's longer futures-specific operating history.
• You want the possibility of progressing through Express Funded to a Live Funded Account.
• You are comfortable using TopstepX and closing positions each session.

Choose FTMO Futures Pro if:

• You already trade futures consistently.
• You prefer NinjaTrader, Tradovate or TradingView.
• You can operate comfortably inside a hard Daily Loss Limit.
• Higher simulated-funded payout caps matter to you.
• You prefer a $3,000 maximum drawdown against a $3,000 target on the $50K Pro Evaluation.
• You are comfortable using a comparatively new futures programme.

FTMO vs Topstep: final verdict

Topstep has the stronger futures-specific history and cheaper mainstream entry pricing. That makes it the lower-friction default for someone asking which futures prop firm to choose.

FTMO Futures Pro has the more interesting rule set for experienced traders. Its $50K account combines a $3,000 Profit Target with $3,000 Maximum Drawdown, no activation fee, multiple established futures platforms and a $5,000 standard payout cap at the Sim-Funded stage.

The thing I would not do is choose between FTMO and Topstep using somebody else's generic “8.9/10 vs 9.2/10” score. Choose based on the instrument you actually trade, then compare the loss mechanics and payout restrictions against your own trading distribution.

That is what determines whether a prop firm is cheap or expensive in practice.

Prop firm terms can change, so confirm the current programme conditions before purchasing an evaluation.