Apex Trader Funding vs TopStep for Beginners

TopStep is more beginner-friendly. The 1-step evaluation means fewer hurdles to clear. Updated March 2026.

Verdict for Beginners

Recommendation: TopStep is the better choice for beginners.

TopStep is more beginner-friendly. The 1-step evaluation means fewer hurdles to clear.

	Apex Trader Funding	TopStep
Evaluation Type	1-step	1-step
Drawdown Type	Trailing Intraday (floor moves with every tick)	Trailing EOD (floor moves up at end of day)
Consistency Rule	No single day > 30% of total profit	No single day > 50% of total profit
Min Trading Days	7	None
Daily Loss Limit	None	2%
News Trading	restricted	allowed
Cheapest Entry	$147	$49

Beginner Analysis

As a beginner, the most important factor is how forgiving the rules are. Apex Trader Funding uses trailing intraday (floor moves with every tick), which is harder to manage. The floor moves up with your profits, so a winning streak followed by losses can still breach you. TopStep uses trailing eod (floor moves up at end of day).

Rule complexity matters when you are learning. Apex Trader Funding has a consistency rule (No single day > 30% of total profit), which adds another variable to track. TopStep has a consistency rule (No single day > 50% of total profit). Apex Trader Funding requires 7 minimum trading days. Fewer rules means fewer ways to accidentally fail.

Start with the smallest, cheapest account to limit the cost of learning. Apex Trader Funding's entry point is $147 for $25,000. TopStep starts at $49 for $50,000. Treat the first 1-2 attempts as tuition. Once you understand how the drawdown rules actually feel in practice, you can size up.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Apex Trader Funding or TopStep easier for beginners?

For beginners, both firms use trailing drawdown, which requires more experience. Both have similar rule complexity.

Should beginners choose 1-step or 2-step evaluations?

A 1-step evaluation has fewer phases to pass, which means less time and fewer opportunities to fail. Apex Trader Funding uses 1-step, while TopStep uses 1-step. For a first-time prop trader, fewer steps means a simpler path to funding.

What is the cheapest way to start as a beginner with Apex Trader Funding or TopStep?

Start with the smallest account size to minimize risk. Apex Trader Funding's cheapest option is $25,000 for $147. TopStep's cheapest is $50,000 for $49. A smaller account means smaller losses during the learning phase.

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