Take Profit Trader vs TopStep for Beginners

Take Profit Trader is more beginner-friendly. There is no consistency rule, so you will not be penalized for having one great trading day. The 1-step evaluation means fewer hurdles to clear. Updated March 2026.

Verdict for Beginners

Recommendation: Take Profit Trader is the better choice for beginners.

Take Profit Trader is more beginner-friendly. There is no consistency rule, so you will not be penalized for having one great trading day. The 1-step evaluation means fewer hurdles to clear.

	Take Profit Trader	TopStep
Evaluation Type	1-step	1-step
Drawdown Type	Trailing EOD (floor moves up at end of day)	Trailing EOD (floor moves up at end of day)
Consistency Rule	None	No single day > 50% of total profit
Min Trading Days	None	None
Daily Loss Limit	2.2%	2%
News Trading	allowed	allowed
Cheapest Entry	$150	$49

Beginner Analysis

As a beginner, the most important factor is how forgiving the rules are. Take Profit Trader uses trailing eod (floor moves up at end of day), 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. Take Profit Trader has no consistency rule, keeping things simple. TopStep has a consistency rule (No single day > 50% of total profit). Fewer rules means fewer ways to accidentally fail.

Start with the smallest, cheapest account to limit the cost of learning. Take Profit Trader's entry point is $150 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 Take Profit Trader or TopStep easier for beginners?

For beginners, both firms use trailing drawdown, which requires more experience. Take Profit Trader has no consistency rule, making it simpler.

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. Take Profit Trader 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 Take Profit Trader or TopStep?

Start with the smallest account size to minimize risk. Take Profit Trader's cheapest option is $25,000 for $150. TopStep's cheapest is $50,000 for $49. A smaller account means smaller losses during the learning phase.

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