FTMO now runs two products: the classic FTMO Challenge on CFDs and FTMO Futures on CME futures, which competes directly with Topstep. On 50K futures accounts both use a $3,000 profit target and an end-of-day trailing loss limit, both flatten positions at 4:10 p.m. ET (3:10 p.m. CT), and both pay 90/10. Topstep costs $49 a month plus $149 when you pass, or $95 a month with no activation fee; FTMO Futures costs $119 a month on Growth or $139 on Pro, with no activation fee. The FTMO Challenge is a one-time fee, from €79, for CFD trading rather than futures. Terms change, so confirm them before paying.
Fees and rules checked on FTMO's and Topstep's official sites and help centers on October 1, 2026. An earlier version of this page left out FTMO Futures and listed outdated fees, invented failure rates and trader counts, payout-speed estimates, income examples and incorrect tax and closing-time rules. That material has been removed.
FTMO Has Two Products; Topstep Has One
- FTMO Challenge: a one-time-fee evaluation on simulated CFDs, including forex, indices, metals and commodities, on MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and cTrader.
- FTMO Futures: a monthly-subscription evaluation on CME Group futures, on NinjaTrader, Tradovate or TradingView. This is the product that competes with Topstep.
- Topstep: futures only, through the monthly Trading Combine on its TopstepX platform. Topstep does not offer forex.
A CFD on the S&P 500 tracks the index but is not the CME futures contract: it is the provider's own product, with its own prices, hours and leverage. So if you trade ES or MES, compare FTMO Futures with Topstep. If you trade EUR/USD or gold CFDs, only the FTMO Challenge applies.
FTMO Futures vs Topstep: 50K Accounts
| 50K account | Topstep Trading Combine | FTMO Futures Growth | FTMO Futures Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $49 a month plus $149 activation when you pass, or $95 a month with no activation fee | $119 a month, no activation fee | $139 a month, no activation fee |
| Reset | $49 or $95, by path | $109 | $129 |
| Profit target | $3,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Maximum loss | $2,000, end-of-day trailing, locks at the starting balance | $2,000, end-of-day trailing, locks at the starting balance | $3,000, end-of-day trailing, locks at the starting balance |
| Daily loss limit in the evaluation | Optional $1,000; pauses trading for the session | None | $1,000, hard: breaching it fails the evaluation |
| Daily loss limit once funded | Optional (automatic in the Live Funded Account) | $1,000, soft: closes positions and pauses trading for the day | $1,000, hard: breaching it ends the account |
| Consistency rule | Best day at or below 55% of the profit target, or the target rises | Best day at most 40% of total profit | Best day at most 50% of total profit |
| Maximum size | 5 minis or 50 micros | 5 minis or 50 micros | 5 minis or 50 micros |
| Daily flat time | 3:10 p.m. CT (4:10 p.m. ET) | Flattened at 4:10 p.m. ET | Flattened at 4:10 p.m. ET |
| Payout eligibility | 5 winning days of $150 or more | 4 days of $150 or more | 5 days of $200 or more |
| Payout size | Up to 50% of the balance, capped at $2,000; $125 minimum | 50% withdrawable, capped at $2,500, every 4 days | 100% withdrawable, capped at $5,000, every 5 days |
| Profit split | 90/10 | 90/10 | 90/10 |
| Platforms | TopstepX only | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView |
Sources: Topstep pricing, Trading Combine parameters, Maximum Loss Limit, Daily Loss Limit, trading hours and payout policy; FTMO's futures comparison table, futures trading objectives, instruments and trading hours and platforms.
The Differences That Change Outcomes
Cost and billing
Both futures programs bill monthly. Topstep's Standard path is the cheapest monthly price but adds $149 when you pass; its No Activation Fee path and both FTMO plans have no fee at that point. At FTMO, a breached evaluation stays subscribed and you get a new account at the next billing date, or you pay the reset fee to restart sooner. For budgeting only, two months at the October 1 prices costs $98 plus $149 at Topstep on the Standard path, $190 on its No Activation Fee path, $238 on FTMO Growth and $278 on FTMO Pro.
Drawdown and daily limits
All three plans trail the maximum loss from the end-of-day balance and lock it once it reaches the starting balance, and all three check it against open profit and loss during the day. The daily rules are where they part:
- Topstep: the daily loss limit is optional in the Combine and Express Funded Account, and hitting it only ends that session.
- FTMO Growth: no daily limit in the evaluation; once funded, a soft $1,000 limit closes positions and stops trading for the day without closing the account.
- FTMO Pro: a hard $1,000 daily limit in both stages. Breaching it fails the evaluation or permanently closes the funded account, in exchange for a wider $3,000 maximum loss.
Consistency rules, with the same numbers
Suppose your best day in the evaluation is $2,000. At Topstep the target rises from $3,000 to about $3,636, because the best day must be no more than 55% of the target. On FTMO Growth you need $5,000 of total profit (40%), and on FTMO Pro $4,000 (50%). None of these is a rule breach; each means trading longer. Neither FTMO plan has a consistency rule once funded, and neither has a minimum number of trading days.
Payouts
All three pay 90/10. Topstep's Express Funded Account needs 5 winning days of $150 or more before each request and caps it at 50% of the balance, up to $2,000 on 50K; a limited-time offer doubles that cap for traders who add a daily loss limit when buying the Combine, and Live Funded Account payouts are uncapped. FTMO Growth allows a request every 4 days after 4 days of $150 or more; Pro every 5 days after 5 days of $200 or more, with a larger cap and 100% withdrawable. FTMO also requires new profit equal to at least 50% of the amount you request.
Who can join
Topstep accepts traders aged 18 or older worldwide, apart from a list of sanctioned or restricted countries (eligibility FAQ). FTMO Futures accepts US residents except those in Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana and South Carolina, and US traders need a US tax ID and a W-9 before their first payout (FTMO Futures eligibility). For CFD challenges, FTMO serves US clients through a separate entity, FTMO US; FTMO Futures is sold to everyone, US clients included, on ftmo.com (FTMO FAQ).
Live capital
Neither firm lets you apply for live capital. Topstep's risk team calls traders up to its Live Funded Account, and FTMO's Trading Department decides who moves from a Sim-Funded to a Live Funded Account, and FTMO lists countries whose residents are not eligible for the live stage (FTMO live account FAQ).
Tax forms
Both firms collect IRS forms before payouts: FTMO Futures requires a W-9 from US traders, and Topstep a W-9 from US persons or a W-8BEN from everyone else. The 60/40 split between long-term and short-term gains described in IRS Publication 550 applies to regulated futures contracts you hold, which is not the same thing as a prop firm payout. Ask a tax professional how your payouts are treated.
The FTMO Challenge: FTMO's CFD Product
The FTMO Challenge is a one-time-fee evaluation on simulated CFDs with percentage-based rules. Topstep has no equivalent.
| FTMO Challenge | 2-Step | 1-Step |
|---|---|---|
| Fee, one time | €89 for $10,000 up to €1,080 for $200,000 (€345 for $50,000) | €79 for $10,000 up to €999 for $200,000 (€319 for $50,000) |
| Profit target | 10%, then 5% in the Verification | 10% |
| Maximum daily loss | 5% of initial capital | 3% of initial capital |
| Maximum loss | 10%, static | 10%, end-of-day trailing |
| Minimum trading days | 4 per phase | None |
| Best day rule | None | Best day at most 50% of positive days' profit |
| Reward split | 80%, rising to 90% through the Scaling Plan or Premium Programme | 90% |
| Fee refund | Refunded with the first reward | Not refunded |
Sources: FTMO's Challenge comparison table, pricing, trading objectives, reward FAQ and fee FAQ. Prices are in euros as shown on ftmo.com; on October 1, 2026 the $100,000 accounts were discounted to €439 (2-Step, from €540) and €399 (1-Step, from €499). Our FTMO Challenge guide walks through these rules in detail.
What the Published Numbers Say
Topstep publishes its 2025 results on its homepage: 16.8% of Trading Combines started were completed, 33.3% of participants who reached the Funded Level received a payout, and 0.71% of Express Funded Account participants were called up to a Live Funded Account. FTMO's site notice says all accounts it provides are demo accounts with fictitious funds. Treat any evaluation fee as money you may not get back.
How to Choose
- Instrument: CME futures points to FTMO Futures or Topstep; forex and CFDs point to the FTMO Challenge.
- Daily stop: do you want no daily limit (FTMO Growth evaluation), an optional one (Topstep) or a hard one with more total room (FTMO Pro)?
- Best days: would your largest recent day break a 40%, 50% or 55% rule?
- Platform: TopstepX only, or NinjaTrader, Tradovate or TradingView?
- Where you live: check both eligibility lists before buying.
- Evidence: run your last 30 trading days through each rule set. If they fail, practise in simulation first.
For MyFundedFutures and Apex alongside these firms, see our prop firm comparison and Topstep vs MyFundedFutures. To size ES and MES trades from the stop, read the ES futures trading strategy guide.
Evaluation fees are a cost at risk, passing does not guarantee a payout, and trading futures in your own account can lose more than you deposit.
FTMO vs Topstep FAQ
Is FTMO or Topstep better?
Neither is better for everyone. For futures, FTMO Futures and Topstep use the same $3,000 target and 4:10 p.m. ET flat time on 50K accounts, but they differ on price, activation fees, daily loss rules, consistency rules, payout schedules and platforms. For forex and CFDs, only FTMO's Challenge applies, because Topstep does not offer forex.
Does FTMO offer futures now?
Yes. FTMO Futures runs on CME futures and is separate from the CFD-based FTMO Challenge. On October 1, 2026 its 50K Growth plan cost $119 a month and its 50K Pro plan $139 a month, with no activation fee.
Which is cheaper, FTMO or Topstep?
At the 50K size on October 1, 2026, Topstep cost $49 a month plus a $149 activation fee when you pass, or $95 a month with no activation fee. FTMO Futures cost $119 (Growth) or $139 (Pro) a month with no activation fee. The FTMO Challenge for CFDs is a one-time fee, for example €345 for a $50K 2-Step, refunded with the first reward.
Can US residents trade with FTMO?
For FTMO Futures, yes, except residents of Arkansas, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana and South Carolina, and US traders need a US tax ID and a W-9 before their first payout. For CFD challenges, FTMO serves US clients through a separate entity, FTMO US.
Can I hold positions overnight at FTMO or Topstep?
Not in futures. FTMO Futures flattens positions at 4:10 p.m. ET and Topstep requires you to be flat by 3:10 p.m. CT, the same moment. In FTMO's CFD Challenge, overnight and weekend limits apply only to Standard accounts once you trade an FTMO Account; the Swing account type has none.
Which platforms do FTMO and Topstep use?
Topstep runs only on TopstepX. FTMO Futures offers NinjaTrader, Tradovate and TradingView. FTMO's CFD Challenge offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and cTrader, plus TradingView through the OANDA broker profile.
Are prop firm payouts taxed like futures profits?
Not necessarily. The 60/40 treatment for regulated futures contracts applies to futures you trade in your own account. Prop firm payouts come from simulated trading under a contract, and both firms collect tax forms such as the W-9 from US traders. Ask a tax professional how payouts are treated in your situation.
Are FTMO and Topstep accounts real money?
The evaluation and funded stages are simulated. FTMO says the accounts it provides are demo accounts with fictitious funds, and both firms move traders to live capital only at the discretion of their risk or trading teams. Payouts are made under each firm's terms, which can change.
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