Earn2Trade vs Topstep (2026)
Two monthly-subscription futures programs with end-of-day drawdown that look alike on paper. The differences show up after you pass: how the profit split works, what the funded stage costs and what each firm caps.
Disclosure: this page contains affiliate links. If you sign up through the Earn2Trade link I may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. My Topstep affiliate application is pending, so Topstep earns me nothing yet. Neither firm has paid me out.
Short answer: they're closer at the evaluation stage than after it. Topstep pays a flat 90/10 split but caps each request. Earn2Trade pays 50% on small withdrawals and 80% on larger ones, charges a $139 activation fee, and its Live account switches to trailing drawdown. I couldn't confirm either price in one place, so check both checkouts before you decide.
Side by side
| Checked November 2026 | Earn2Trade | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Has it paid me? | No, and I haven't traded it | No, though I've bought Combines |
| Programs | Trader Career Path and Gauntlet Mini, then LiveSim, then Live | Trading Combine, then Express Funded Account, then Live Funded Account |
| Sizes | Ladder up to $400K in the help center; the program pages show fewer sizes (sources differ) | 50K, 100K, 150K |
| Price | Program pages: $150 a month (TCP25) and $170 a month (GAU50), "starting at". The homepage shows "from $75" and "from $85", exactly half; those look promotional, so check at checkout | Not readable on an official page I could reach, and third-party sources differ. Check Topstep's page |
| Billing | Monthly subscription; no refunds, including renewals | Monthly subscription; passing cancels it. No general refund found |
| Profit target | $1,750 (TCP25); $3,000 (GAU50 and TCP50) | $3,000 / $6,000 / $9,000 (50K / 100K / 150K) |
| Drawdown | Labelled end-of-day in evaluation and LiveSim, but open losses count in real time. Live is trailing | End-of-day trailing; locks at the starting balance |
| Daily loss limit | Yes, hard: breaching it fails the evaluation ($550 on TCP25, $1,100 on GAU50) | Optional add-on at checkout |
| Consistency (evaluation) | 30%: a day at 30% or more of total profit means you need more profit, not a fail | No single day above 55% of the profit target; breaching it raises the target |
| Consistency (funded) | None on LiveSim or Live | 40% on the Consistency path; none on the Standard path |
| Minimum days | None | None stated |
| Profit split | Set per withdrawal: 50% below a size threshold, 80% at or above it (the threshold is $1,500 on TCP25) | 90/10 |
| Payout limits | LiveSim cumulative caps ($1,750 on TCP25; $5,000 on every Gauntlet Mini size), then Live | Per request: 50% of balance up to $2,000 / $3,000 / $5,000 (Standard path); higher on the Consistency path; Live Funded uncapped |
| First payout | $100 minimum. Weekly (Wednesdays); request emailed by 2:00pm CT the Friday before. The first payout also covers the $139 activation | $125 minimum. Standard path: 5 winning days of $150+; Consistency path: 3 trading days |
| Funded-stage costs | $139 LiveSim activation; data fees on Live; withdrawal fees depend on the provider | Third-party sources report an activation fee (check Topstep); ACH and wire payouts cost $30 each |
| Firm's own pass figure | 8.89% of candidates passed in 2025 | 16.8% of Combines completed and advanced in 2025 |
Where Earn2Trade fits
- Smaller entry size. A 25K tier exists, with a $1,750 target.
- Fewer funded-stage rules. No minimum days and no consistency rule on LiveSim or Live; the help center says news trading isn't restricted.
- Weekly payout schedule. The help center describes weekly processing.
Watch out (Earn2Trade): "end-of-day" drawdown still breaches on open equity in real time, and the hard daily loss limit fails the evaluation. Live accounts move to trailing drawdown. The split is 50% on withdrawals below the threshold. Funded-stage costs add up ($139 activation, data fees, withdrawal fees). Subscriptions renew and aren't refundable. Earn2Trade describes itself as an educational company, and funding comes from a separate firm I couldn't identify on the pages I read. Its own figure is that 8.89% of candidates passed in 2025, and only 5.23% of those traded Live. Trustpilot showed 4.5 from 5,046 reviews in late October, but 1-star themes include contract-limit failures and slow support (unverified). I couldn't find an official rule on copy trading or bots, and sources disagree: ask support.
Where Topstep fits
- Flat 90/10 split. It doesn't depend on withdrawal size.
- No mandatory daily loss limit. It's an optional add-on.
- Long-established name. Over a decade in business; sources differ on the exact year.
Watch out (Topstep): I couldn't verify the Combine price from an official page, and monthly billing means a slow pass costs more. The 55%-of-target consistency rule applies while you're trying to pass. Payout requests are capped at 50% of balance up to a fixed amount on the Standard path. The split and caps changed during 2026 (the policy page mentions traders who joined the new dashboard before 12 January 2026 having different terms), and a limited-time offer to raise caps has no announced end date, so check the policy page. Passing closes the Combine, and profits don't transfer to the funded account. Only 16.8% of Combines complete (Topstep's own 2025 figure). There is no 25K size. My affiliate link here is pending, so I earn nothing from it yet, and I've applied the same scrutiny as to Earn2Trade.
The difference that decides it for most traders
Both firms use a monthly subscription and a $3,000 target on a 50K-class account, so the evaluation stage is close on paper. The gap opens once you're funded. Topstep's 90% split is predictable, but each request is capped. Earn2Trade lets a larger withdrawal earn 80% instead of 50%, but you pay the activation fee and the Live account moves to trailing drawdown. Work out your likely withdrawal size before you compare.
Earn2Trade may fit if…
- You want a 25K entry size
- You want no funded-stage consistency rule
- You can accept a hard daily loss limit
- You're fine with extra funded-stage costs
Topstep may fit if…
- You want a flat 90/10 split
- You prefer an optional daily loss limit
- You want a long-established brand
- You can live with per-request payout caps
FAQ
Is Earn2Trade or Topstep cheaper?
I can't say. Earn2Trade's program pages show $150 and $170 a month "starting at", with lower "from $75" and "from $85" figures on the homepage that look promotional. I couldn't read a Topstep price on an official page, and third-party sources disagree. Check both checkouts.
Do either of them have a discount code?
Earn2Trade: the partner link and code LEDGER are listed, but the exact discount isn't confirmed, so check the price at checkout. I have no code for Topstep.
Which has the better profit split?
Topstep is a flat 90/10. Earn2Trade pays 50% on withdrawals below a size threshold and 80% at or above it, so it depends on how large your withdrawals are.
Does either one use end-of-day drawdown?
Topstep does. Earn2Trade calls its evaluation and LiveSim drawdown end-of-day, but open equity losses count in real time, and its Live account is trailing.
Have you been paid by either?
No. I've bought Topstep Combines, but Topstep hasn't paid me. I haven't traded Earn2Trade.
Full reviews: Earn2Trade · Topstep · Apex vs Topstep · all futures firms