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Discover the complete breakdown of two industry-leading prop firms with real data, trader experiences, and profit potential analysis
Max Profit Split Available
Maximum Account Size
Traders Fail Evaluation
Prop Trading Market 2025
Join our Futures Trading Mastery course - Pass prop firm challenges & scale to $100K+
Choosing the right prop firm is one of the most critical decisions you'll make as a trader. Get it right, and you could be trading six-figure accounts within months. Get it wrong, and you'll waste thousands on evaluation fees with nothing to show for it.
In this comprehensive comparison, we'll break down Topstep and MyFundedTrader across 12 critical categories, using real data from thousands of trader experiences. By the end, you'll know exactly which prop firm matches your trading style, risk tolerance, and profit goals.
85% of traders fail their first evaluation. This isn't because prop firms are scams—it's because most traders lack proper risk management, trading psychology, and realistic expectations. The firms we're comparing today are legitimate, but they make money from evaluation fees. Your job is to be in the profitable 15%.
| Account Size | Topstep | MyFundedTrader |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 Account | $3K profit target $2K max daily loss $3K max total loss | $3K profit target $2.5K max daily loss $2.5K max trailing drawdown |
| $100,000 Account | $6K profit target $3K max daily loss $5K max total loss | $6K profit target $4K max daily loss $4K max trailing drawdown |
| $150,000 Account | $9K profit target $4K max daily loss $7.5K max total loss | $9K profit target $6K max daily loss $6K max trailing drawdown |
$50K Account:
Perfect for beginners or traders testing a new strategy. Lower pressure, but profit targets still require consistent 6% gains. Most traders start here.
$100K Account:
Ideal for intermediate traders with proven strategies. Requires disciplined risk management—one bad day can wipe out your progress.
$150K Account:
For experienced traders only. Daily loss limits of $4K-$6K demand exceptional discipline. The reward? Potential $13.5K monthly income at 90% split.
Phase 1: Trading Combine (5-10 days minimum)
Phase 2: Funded Account
Pass Rate: ~15% of traders pass on first attempt
Average Time: 12-25 trading days
Single-Phase Challenge
Funded Account Benefits
Pass Rate: ~18% (slightly higher due to flexibility)
Average Time: 8-20 trading days
MyFundedTrader enforces a 50% consistency rule: your best trading day cannot exceed 50% of your total profits. This prevents "lottery ticket" trading where you hit profit targets with one lucky trade. Topstep doesn't have this explicit rule, but favors consistent daily gains. Bottom line: Both firms reward disciplined, systematic trading over gambling.
Example: Make $10K in month 1 → You keep $4K (80% of first $5K) + $4.5K (90% of next $5K) = $8.5K total
Example: Make $10K in month 1 → You keep $8K (80%) or $9K (90% with add-on). Simpler, but check add-on costs!
✅ Allowed:
❌ Prohibited:
✅ Allowed:
❌ Prohibited:
NinjaTrader 8
Industry-standard platform with advanced charting and automation
TradingView
Cloud-based with beautiful UI, perfect for swing traders
Trader Dashboard
Proprietary risk monitoring and performance analytics
Rithmic
Ultra-fast execution for scalpers and day traders
NinjaTrader
Full support with all indicators and strategies
Real-Time Dashboard
Track drawdown, profits, and rules compliance live
| Cost Item | Topstep | MyFundedTrader |
|---|---|---|
| $50K Evaluation | $165/month | $99 one-time |
| $100K Evaluation | $325/month | $199 one-time |
| $150K Evaluation | $375/month | $299 one-time |
| Reset Fee (if you fail) | Same monthly fee | $99-$299 (same as initial) |
| Platform/Data Fees | $0 (included) | $0 (included) |
If you pass quickly (10-15 days): MyFundedTrader is dramatically cheaper. One-time fee vs. monthly subscription.
If you need multiple attempts: Costs are similar. Topstep's monthly fee = MFT's reset fees over time.
Long-term funded traders: No ongoing fees for either once funded. Focus on profit splits instead.
Winner: MyFundedTrader for confident traders who believe they'll pass fast. Topstep for those who want unlimited attempts per month.
Best For: Conservative swing traders, beginners learning discipline, and traders who need educational support
Best For: Aggressive day traders, experienced scalpers, and self-directed traders who don't need handholding
Both Topstep and MyFundedTrader are legitimate, trustworthy prop firms with thousands of successful funded traders. Your choice should depend on your trading personality, experience level, and financial situation.
Topstep wins for traders who need structure, education, and a proven track record. It's the safer choice for beginners.
MyFundedTrader wins for experienced traders who want flexibility, lower costs, and faster access to profits.
The truth? Both firms are excellent. The real challenge isn't choosing between them—it's developing the discipline, strategy, and psychology to join the profitable 15%.
The difference between passing and failing your evaluation often comes down to strategy selection. Here are proven approaches that work for both Topstep and MyFundedTrader challenges.
Best For: Topstep & MyFundedTrader
Trade the first 30-minute range breakout during market open. This strategy has a 55-60% win rate with excellent risk/reward ratios.
Why It Works: You're trading with institutional flow during the highest volume period. Clear entries and exits prevent overtrading.
Best For: MyFundedTrader (more flexible)
Fade extreme moves away from VWAP for high-probability reversions. 65-70% win rate in ranging markets.
Why It Works: Institutional algorithms gravitate toward VWAP. You're trading with statistical probability, not hope.
Best For: Both (ideal for consistency rules)
Don't chase trends—wait for pullbacks to key levels. This prevents overleveraging and maintains consistent profit days.
Why It Works: Better entry prices mean better risk/reward. Avoids getting caught in trend exhaustion at extremes.
The Problem: Traders panic when they're behind schedule and start taking low-quality setups. This violates daily loss limits and creates revenge trading cycles.
The Solution: Quality over quantity. One good trade per day is enough. The profit target will be hit naturally with patience.
The Problem: Trying to trade overnight or lunch hours leads to choppy price action, wider spreads, and false breakouts that violate risk limits.
The Solution: Only trade 9:30-11:30 AM ET and 3-4 PM ET. Walk away during low-volume periods.
The Problem: Trading too many contracts relative to stop loss size. One bad trade wipes out days of progress.
The Solution: Never risk more than 1% of account balance per trade. For a $50K account, that's $500 max risk—calculate contracts accordingly.
The Problem: Hoping a losing trade will reverse instead of cutting it quickly. This is how traders hit daily loss limits.
The Solution: Set hard stop losses immediately upon entry. No exceptions, no "watching" the trade.
The Problem: Making 80% of profits in one "lottery ticket" trade. MyFundedTrader will disqualify you.
The Solution: Aim for consistent daily gains. If you hit a big winner early, take partial profits and trade smaller the rest of the period.
Background:
Mark, a 32-year-old former retail manager, had $150K in student loan and credit card debt. He started learning futures trading while working full-time, dedicating early mornings to practice.
His Journey:
"The key was patience. I stopped trying to hit profit targets quickly and focused on perfect execution. The profits came naturally." - Mark
Background:
Sarah, 27, lost $40K trading crypto with 50× leverage. She decided to learn proper trading and discovered prop firms as a path to redemption.
Her Journey:
"Prop firms taught me discipline I never had. The rules force you to trade professionally or fail." - Sarah
Document every trade with screenshots, entry/exit reasons, and emotional state. After 50 trades, patterns emerge showing what actually works for YOU.
Track: Time of day, setup type, win/loss, emotions, market conditions. This data is GOLD for improvement.
Paper trade your strategy for 2 weeks before starting evaluations. If you can't profit in sim, you definitely can't in live markets with pressure.
Requirement: Hit your profit target in sim with ZERO rule violations. Only then start paid evaluations.
Limit yourself to 3-5 trades maximum per day. This prevents overtrading and keeps you selective about setups.
Rule: If you hit 3 losses in a day, STOP. Walk away and come back tomorrow. Revenge trading kills accounts.
Not every signal is worth taking. Wait for setups that check ALL your boxes: volume, time of day, risk/reward, trend alignment.
Better to take 2 perfect trades per week than 20 mediocre trades. Quality beats quantity in evaluations.
Before worrying about strategy, nail down position sizing and stop losses. You can have a 40% win rate strategy and still be profitable with 1:3 risk/reward.
Formula: Account Size × 1% = Max Risk Per Trade. Always calculate before entering.
Once funded, your goal shifts from hitting profit targets to consistent performance. Here's how to scale from one funded account to multiple six-figure accounts.
| Month | Account Size | Monthly Target | Your Split (80-90%) | Next Step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | $50K | $3K-$5K | $2.4K-$4.5K | Build consistency |
| 4-6 | $100K | $6K-$10K | $4.8K-$9K | Apply for second account |
| 7-12 | $150K × 2 | $18K-$30K | $14.4K-$27K | Trade multiple firms |
| 12+ | $300K+ total | $30K-$60K | $24K-$54K | Full-time funded trader |
Phase 1 (Months 1-3): Pass evaluation and maintain funded status. Focus on rule compliance, not maximum profits.
Phase 2 (Months 4-6): Build track record of consistent monthly profits. Request account size increase or pass second evaluation.
Phase 3 (Months 7-12): Diversify across 2-3 prop firms. Trade multiple accounts simultaneously with same strategy.
Phase 4 (12+ months): 4-6 funded accounts totaling $300K-$500K. Replace full-time income with trading.
Yes! Many traders diversify across multiple prop firms. Just ensure you can manage the risk and meet all evaluation requirements simultaneously. Having 2-3 funded accounts across different firms reduces dependency on any single firm's policies.
Both firms will immediately terminate your evaluation. You'll need to pay for a reset or new evaluation to try again. This is why understanding the rules is critical before starting. Read the rule book 3× before trading a single contract.
Topstep: 14-day hold on first withdrawal, then 7-10 business days for subsequent withdrawals. MyFundedTrader: 3-5 business days for standard payouts, 1-2 days for on-demand (premium feature, extra cost).
Both firms allow automation, but you must develop and fully understand your systems. Using someone else's bot without comprehension is grounds for account termination. Most prop firms require proof that you understand the logic and can manually intervene if needed.
No withdrawal limits at either firm. If you make $50K in a month and maintain rules compliance, you can withdraw your profit split ($40K-$45K depending on percentage). However, be realistic—consistent $5K-$10K months are more achievable than occasional $50K lottery tickets.
Topstep offers more structure and educational resources, making it better for beginners who need guidance. MyFundedTrader is better for self-directed traders who have a proven strategy and want lower costs/faster payouts.
Yes, both firms allow news trading. However, high volatility during major announcements (FOMC, NFP) can lead to slippage and rule violations. Most successful traders avoid trading 15 minutes before and after major news releases.
Topstep average: 12-25 trading days (no time limit helps). MyFundedTrader average: 8-20 trading days (one-time fee motivates faster completion). However, rushing increases failure risk. Focus on perfect execution, not speed.
Yes, if you're a US trader. You'll receive a 1099 for tax reporting. Prop firm income is typically treated as self-employment income. Consult a tax professional familiar with trader tax status for deductions and optimization strategies.
No! That's the beauty of prop firms. Your maximum loss is the evaluation fee ($99-$375). You cannot lose personal capital beyond that. This is why prop firms are perfect for undercapitalized traders—defined risk with unlimited upside potential.
Join our Futures Trading Mastery course - Pass prop firm challenges & scale to $100K+