Side-by-side comparison
Topstep vs Goat Funded Trader
Rules, drawdown model, fees, and trading conditions compared side by side. Data verified from official sources.
Topstep vs Goat Funded Trader: Full Comparison
| Rule |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Drawdown | EOD trailing EOD trailing max loss: the limit trails up on the end-of-day closing balance, not on intraday unrealised peaks. CME futures accounts. | Static Static. 1-Step: 6% max, 3% daily (4% before Aug 1 2026). 2-Step Standard 10%/5%, 2-Step GOAT 10%/4%. Goat Guard triggers at a combined 2% floating loss on funded accounts. |
| Consistency rule | Varies | Varies |
| News trading | Yes Allowed in all phases; only bars entering a full max-size position into scheduled major news. | Varies Allowed in both phases, but profit made within 5 min of high-impact news is capped at 1%. |
| Weekend holding | No Futures day-trading only — positions auto-flatten daily (~3:10 PM CT); no overnight or weekend holds. | Yes Allowed in all phases; funded accounts apply a weekend-gap profit adjustment. |
| EAs / bots | Varies Automation permitted via the TopstepX/ProjectX API; no firm-published statement that the API is the ONLY route. Bans VPS/VPN/remote servers outright (all activity must originate from the trader's own device), plus HFT and SIM-fill-exploit algos. | Varies Self-coded EAs allowed; third-party and off-the-shelf EAs banned, with source code demandable as proof. CONTRADICTION: the article titled 'Can I use Expert Advisors (EAs)?' answers 'Yes, you can use them' and names only HFT and Gold-arbitrage EAs as exclusions, while the prohibited-practices article bans every third-party EA. Also bans martingale, hedging and latency exploits. |
| Daily loss limit | - | 3% |
| Overall loss limit | - | 6% |
| Profit split | up to 90% 90/10 on Express Funded Accounts (100% of the first $10K for traders who joined before Jan 12 2026). Live Funded: up to 100% daily after 30 winning days. Crypto only via CME Micro Bitcoin/Ether futures. | 80% base, 100% add-on 80% standard, bi-weekly; 100% split is a checkout add-on. Funded daily profit capped at $3,000; first two payouts capped at 6% or $10K. Scales to $2M. |
| Fee refund | No Subscription-based pricing, not one-time fee. | Yes 100% of the evaluation fee refunded with the fourth payout (help centre, Sep 2026). |
| Platforms | TopstepX | MT4, MT5, TradeLocker, cTrader |
| Assets | Futures, Indices | Crypto, FX, Stocks, ETFs, Indices |
| Account sizes | $50K, $100K, $150K | $5K, $10K, $25K, $50K, $100K, $200K, $400K |
| Payout methods | - | - |
Last verified: 2026-09-29 (Topstep), 2026-09-29 (Goat Funded Trader). Always verify current terms on each firm's official site before purchasing.
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