The program as Topstep publishes it, then what Backtrex does with it when you put a strategy through.
The program rules
- Profit target
- +6%
- Max daily loss
- 2%
- Max overall loss
- 4%
- Drawdown
- Trailing (end of day), locks at the starting balance
- Minimum trading days
- 2 days
- Consistency
- 55% of the profit
- Max days per phase
- No limit
- Daily reset
- Midnight UTC+1
Rules and fees read on September 28, 2026. This is a dated snapshot, not the current offer from Topstep: prop firms change both prices and rules several times a year. Check on help.topstep.com
What one attempt costs
What Topstep charges for one attempt, per account size. Every failed attempt is paid for again.
| Account size | Price per attempt | What the price is made of |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $198 | $49 a month + $149 on activation, once the program is passed |
This program is rented by the month. The total above counts 1 month of subscription: a longer attempt costs one more month each time.
Fees in USD, read on September 28, 2026. They are billed in that currency whatever your country.
Does your position size hold the daily limit?
No account and no strategy needed: two numbers you already know are enough.
Above 0.5% per trade, 4 losses on the same day is enough to break the rule.
This only looks at the daily loss rule. Holding it does not clear the program: the overall loss, the profit target and the time limit remain. It is a necessary condition, not a sufficient one.
What Backtrex does with these rules
You test your strategy in the app, on up to ten years of data. Backtrex then replays the resulting trades through this program, starting on the first day of the period tested.
- Whether the strategy would have cleared the phases, or the exact day the account would have burned.
- The breach reason: daily loss, overall loss, or a target never reached.
- How many attempts the period would have taken, and what the failed ones would have cost in fees.
- The largest risk per trade you could hold: above it, one losing trade alone passes the 2% daily loss limit.
The verdict covers the period tested, on closed trades: drawdown inside an open trade is not measured. It is a necessary condition, not a guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Topstep Trading Combine rules?
Target +6%, daily loss capped at 2%, overall loss capped at 4%, static drawdown. Read on September 28, 2026 on help.topstep.com.
How much does one attempt at Topstep cost?
From $198 to $198 depending on account size, from $50,000 to $50,000. Fees read on September 28, 2026, billed in USD.
Can a strategy be tested against these rules before paying?
Yes. Backtrex replays your backtest through this program and tells you whether the strategy would have cleared the phases, which day the account would have burned, how many attempts the period tested would have taken and what the failed ones would have cost in fees.
The other programs in the catalogue
The same rules, read the same way, at the other firms in the catalogue.
Daily loss 5%, overall loss 10%
Daily loss 5%, overall loss 10%
Daily loss 5%, overall loss 10%
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