Side-by-side comparisons for the tools and firms covered in this hub. Numbers are 2026; always verify at the source before committing. PHASE 3 REFERENCE
| Topstep | MyFundedFutures (Builder) | Apex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly eval fee | ~$99/mo (50K) | Check current at myfundedfutures.com | ~$137/mo (~90–130 on promo) |
| Profit target | $3,000 (50K) | $4,000 (50K Builder) | Varies by plan |
| Max loss limit | $2,000 trailing (50K) | $1,000 soft pause daily (both eval + funded) | Varies |
| Consistency rule | None | 50% at payout (funded stage) | 50% (4.0 update) |
| Profit split | 100% first $10K, then 90% | Builder: 80/20 · Rapid: 90/10 | 100% first $25K, then 90% |
| Payout cap | $6,000 (official) ⚠ verify | Varies by plan | Varies |
| Payout speed | 1–3 days | Instant (Rapid) | 5–11 days |
| Force-close after X payouts | No | No | Yes — 6 payouts |
| Monthly fee while funded | None | None | ~$85–105/mo (Tradovate PA) |
| Platforms supported | TopstepX, Tradovate, Rithmic | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView, Quantower, R Trader Pro | Tradovate, NinjaTrader, TradingView |
| Activaton fee | ~$150 (Standard path) · No activation fee path available | None | ~$79–99 (check for current promos) |
| Est. | 2012 | 2021 | 2012 |
Start with Topstep — no consistency rule, no force-close, account stays open, simplest rules to manage. The 100% split on first $10K is the best payout structure in the space.
MFFU if you want instant payouts and can tolerate the 50% payout-stage consistency rule. Apex if you want 100% split and can manage the monthly fee — but factor in $85–105/month even when you're not trading.
| TradingView (Essential) | TradingView (Plus) | TopstepX | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $14.95/mo · $12.95/mo annual | $34.95/mo · $24.95/mo annual | Included with Topstep |
| Charts per tab | 2 | 4 | Proprietary |
| Saved layouts | 5 | 10 | Proprietary |
| Real-time CME data | Via Tradovate broker (free) or $7/mo add-on | Via Tradovate broker (free) or $7/mo add-on | Included — free with account |
| Data refresh rate | ~750ms (retail standard) | ~750ms (retail standard) | 50ms (proprietary) |
| Broker integration | Tradovate, many others | Tradovate, many others | Native to Topstep |
| ICT indicators | Free community scripts (LuxAlgo ICT Concepts + others) | Free community scripts | Built-in ICT tools |
| Best for | Starting out, switching firms | Multi-screen traders | Topstep-only traders who want max data speed |
TradingView Essential + Tradovate broker connection — cheapest path to real-time data, most flexible for switching firms. The 50ms refresh on TopstepX is real, but the $7–15/month tradingview data add-on saves you the $39/month Rithmic cost if you're on TopstepX anyway.
| Pay As You Go | Monthly | Lifetime | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Free | $99/month | $1,499 one-time (or 4×$499) |
| Micro ES (MES) / side | $0.39 | $0.29 | $0.09 |
| Standard ES / side | $1.29 | $0.99 | $0.59 |
| Micro NQ (MNQ) / side | $0.39 | $0.29 | $0.09 |
| Standard NQ / side | $1.50 | $1.20 | $0.70 |
| Best for | Testing, light trading | 5+ trades/week | Full-time traders |
| Contract | Ticker | Point value | Tick size | $/tick | Day margin (micro) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-mini S&P 500 | MES | $5/pt | 0.25 pt | $1.25 | ~$50 |
| E-mini Nasdaq | MNQ | $2/pt | 0.25 pt | $0.50 | ~$50 |
| E-mini Dow | MYM | $0.50/pt | 1 pt | $0.50 | ~$50 |
| E-mini Russell | M2K | $5/pt | 0.10 pt | $0.50 | ~$50 |
| Micro Gold | MGC | $10/oz | 0.10 pt | $1.00 | ~$40 |
| Micro Crude Oil | MCL | $100/pt | 0.01 pt ($1/bbl) | $1.00 | ~$50 |
Sources: Topstep pricing (topstep.com, June 2026), MFFU (myfundedfutures.com), Apex (apextraderfunding.com), Tradovate (tradovate.com/pricing, June 2026), CME (cmegroup.com, April 2026 fee update), TradingView (tradingview.com/pricing, June 2026)