Earn2Trade vs Topstep
Computed verdict
Topstep costs less per unit of risk: $47.5 vs $85 per $1,000 of drawdown. On the overall score, Topstep comes out ahead (71 vs 57).
The verdict is computed from verified data and recomputes when the data changes. It is not an opinion and no commercial arrangement alters it. Methodology
Rule by rule
In the Gauntlet Mini and Trader Career Path evaluations, an end-of-day trailing drawdown that adjusts at close, is breached intraday against open equity, and freezes at the starting balance (GAU50 = $2,000). Funded Live accounts switch to a continuous intraday trailing drawdown, and the largest Trader Career Path funded accounts use a FIXED minimum balance ($194,000 on the $200K, $388,000 on the $400K) that never trails.
The Maximum Loss Limit trails end-of-day ($2,000–$4,500 by size), is monitored in real time including unrealized P&L, and locks once it reaches your starting balance; in the XFA every payout re-arms the floor at $0.
A hard daily loss limit including open P&L and commissions — touching it for an instant, even without closing the position, fails the evaluation. In the Gauntlet Mini it runs $1,100 (GAU50) to $4,400 (GAU200); the Trader Career Path starts lower (e.g. $550 on the $25K).
Soft daily limit of $1,000–$3,000 by size, optional in the Combine and XFA (automatic only in the Live account), which pauses the session without disqualifying the account.
A 30% rule in the evaluation only: no day may be 30% or more of total PnL (it never fails you, just delays passing); funded accounts have no consistency rule.
In the Combine your best day can't exceed 50% of the profit target (exceeding it raises the target); on the XFA Consistency path no day may exceed 40% of total profit to be payout-eligible.
50K: $3,000 profit target, no minimum days (can pass in 2), with a consistency rule (best day < 50% of target). Single phase.
Weekly Wednesday payouts from $100 minimum net; the split is set by EACH withdrawal's size against your account tier's threshold: TCP 25K–200K switch from 50/50 to 80/20 at $1,500/$2,250/$3,000/$4,000/$5,000 (TCP 400K is a fixed 60/40), and Gauntlet Mini funded accounts GM50–GM200 at $2,250/$3,000/$4,000/$5,000.
Payouts from $125 after 5 winning days of $150+ Net P&L (or 3 days on the 40% Consistency path). The split is a dated cutoff, not a conflict: accounts opened before Jan 12, 2026 keep 100% of the first $10,000 in lifetime profits then 90/10; accounts opened on or after that date are a flat 90/10.
Gauntlet Mini 50K (GAU50): ~$170/month, no activation. Retries come with the monthly renewal.
50K Combine: $49/month (Standard, plus a one-time $149 activation when funded) or $95/month (No Activation). Reset costs the same as the monthly sub. Frequent first-month promos.