FTMO vs Topstep
On 25 Oct 2026, FTMO and Topstep differed on 5 of 8 rules checked for both: Payout frequency (FTMO: First Reward request from the 14th day after the first trade on the FTMO Account; FTMO reviews within 1-2 business days, Topstep: Express Funded Account: a payout request after every 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L (count restarts after each request); Live Funded Account: daily payout access after 30 winning days); Profit split (FTMO: 80% default on 2-Step accounts (90% with Scaling Plan or Premium Programme); 90% on 1-Step and Instant accounts, Topstep: 90/10 (trader keeps 90%)); Hedging (FTMO: Allowed with conditions, Topstep: Not allowed); Weekend holding (FTMO: Allowed with conditions, Topstep: Not allowed); Account, device and IP rules (FTMO: VPN/VPS generally allowed; do not log in to MetaTrader/cTrader from, or set VPN geolocation to, the United States, Topstep: VPNs, proxies, TOR and other identity-masking services not permitted).
Receipts: FTMO 0, Topstep 0.
Which fits you
- If you copy trade: FTMO (allowed with conditions), Topstep (allowed with conditions).
- If you run EAs: FTMO (allowed with conditions), Topstep (allowed with conditions).
- If you trade the news: FTMO (allowed with conditions), Topstep (allowed with conditions).
- If you hedge: FTMO (allowed with conditions), Topstep (not allowed).
- If you hold trades over the weekend: FTMO (allowed with conditions), Topstep (not allowed).
Side by side
| Rule | FTMO | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Payout frequency Differs | First Reward request from the 14th day after the first trade on the FTMO Account; FTMO reviews within 1-2 business daysThis can be done on the 14th or any following day after the first trade is placed on the specific account. | Express Funded Account: a payout request after every 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L (count restarts after each request); Live Funded Account: daily payout access after 30 winning daysAfter you request a Payout, your winning day count restarts. You'll need 5 new winning days before you're eligible to request your next Payout. |
| Profit split Differs | 80% default on 2-Step accounts (90% with Scaling Plan or Premium Programme); 90% on 1-Step and Instant accountsBy default, you receive a Reward according to 80% of the simulated profit. If the Scaling Plan or Premium Programme conditions are met, the Reward Ratio is increased to 90%. | 90/10 (trader keeps 90%)90/10 profit split — you keep 90% |
| Copy trading | Allowed with conditions: Copying between your own accounts is allowed if each account follows the rules; copying third-party signals, master accounts or trade copiers is forbidden (stated on the FTMO Futures rules page; the CFD rules forbid third parties trading for you)Copy trading across your own accounts is permitted, provided each account independently and fully complies with all applicable rules. | Allowed with conditions: A trade copier may duplicate your trades across multiple accountsYou can also use a trade copier to duplicate trades across multiple accounts. |
| EAs and bots | Allowed with conditions: EAs allowed; third-party EAs risk breaching the maximum capital allocation rule; server limits of 200 open orders and 2,000 positions per dayIf you intend to use trading robots (Expert Advisors – EAs), keep in mind that if you use an EA from a third party ... you potentially run a risk of being denied the FTMO Account | Allowed with conditions: Automated strategies allowed with conditions; no support or exceptions for malfunctions; scalping algorithms exploiting SIM fills prohibitedCan I use automated trading strategies? Yes, with conditions. |
| News trading | Allowed with conditions: On the FTMO Account, no orders 2 minutes before or after selected news releases; Challenge, Verification and Swing accounts can trade news freelyFTMO restricts order execution for 2 minutes before and 2 minutes after selected news releases for all accounts, excluding the exceptions mentioned below. | Allowed with conditions: News trading allowed, but purposely trading full maximum position size into a scheduled major news event is a prohibited strategyPurposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size directly into a scheduled major news event. |
| Hedging Differs | Allowed with conditions: Opposite positions on a single account allowed; forbidden across connected accounts or when used to get around the Best Day or Consistency rulessimultaneously entering into opposite positions (with the exception of entering into such positions on a single simulated account) | Not allowed: Cross-account hedging prohibited (long and short the same or correlated instrument across accounts)Cross-account hedging is prohibited at Topstep. |
| Weekend holding Differs | Allowed with conditions: Allowed on Swing accounts and during Challenge/Verification; standard FTMO Accounts must close positions before market breaks longer than 2 hoursFTMO restricts holding positions through market breaks longer than 2 hours for all accounts, excluding the exceptions mentioned below. | Not allowed: No overnight or weekend holding; all positions closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekdayCan I swing trade or hold positions overnight? No. All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday. |
| Account, device and IP rules Differs | VPN/VPS generally allowed; do not log in to MetaTrader/cTrader from, or set VPN geolocation to, the United StatesThe use of VPN/VPS is also generally allowed. | VPNs, proxies, TOR and other identity-masking services not permittedDo not use a VPN. VPNs, proxy services, TOR, geo-location obfuscation, and other identity-masking services are not permitted at Topstep. |
Payout receipts compared
FTMO: 0 receipts forwarded to us, 0 denials. Topstep: 0 receipts forwarded to us, 0 denials.
Share of receipts forwarded to us, not of all payouts. People forward denials more often than approvals, so absolute numbers run high; compare firms with each other, not with zero.
Rule changes in the last 90 days
None detected in the last 90 days.
FAQ
Does FTMO or Topstep allow copy trading?
FTMO's own rules say allowed with conditions: Copying between your own accounts is allowed if each account follows the rules; copying third-party signals, master accounts or trade copiers is forbidden (stated on the FTMO Futures rules page; the CFD rules forbid third parties trading for you). Topstep's own rules say allowed with conditions: A trade copier may duplicate your trades across multiple accounts.
Does FTMO or Topstep allow EAs and bots?
FTMO's own rules say allowed with conditions: EAs allowed; third-party EAs risk breaching the maximum capital allocation rule; server limits of 200 open orders and 2,000 positions per day. Topstep's own rules say allowed with conditions: Automated strategies allowed with conditions; no support or exceptions for malfunctions; scalping algorithms exploiting SIM fills prohibited.
Does FTMO or Topstep allow news trading?
FTMO's own rules say allowed with conditions: On the FTMO Account, no orders 2 minutes before or after selected news releases; Challenge, Verification and Swing accounts can trade news freely. Topstep's own rules say allowed with conditions: News trading allowed, but purposely trading full maximum position size into a scheduled major news event is a prohibited strategy.
Does FTMO or Topstep allow hedging?
FTMO's own rules say allowed with conditions: Opposite positions on a single account allowed; forbidden across connected accounts or when used to get around the Best Day or Consistency rules. Topstep's own rules say not allowed: Cross-account hedging prohibited (long and short the same or correlated instrument across accounts).
See also
- FTMO
- Topstep
- Prop firms that allow copy trading
- Prop firms that allow EAs and bots
- Prop firms that allow news trading
- Prop firms that allow hedging
- Prop firms that allow weekend holding
- Alpha Capital Group vs FTMO
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- Audacity Capital vs FTMO
- Blue Guardian vs FTMO
- FTMO vs FTUK