Head-to-head comparison
Alpha Futures vs Topstep: Which Futures Prop Firm Wins? (2026)
A side-by-side breakdown of the rules that decide which prop firm fits your strategy — drawdown type, profit splits, payout speed, account sizes, and total cost.
Alpha Futures
- From
- $71
- Account sizes
- $25K – $150K
- Profit split
- 90%
- Payout
- 14 days
Topstep
Verified payouts
- From
- $95
- Account sizes
- $50K – $150K
- Profit split
- 90%
- Payout
- 3 days
The verdict
Alpha Futures has the lower starting price ($71.1 vs $95 for Topstep). Topstep pays out faster (3-day vs 14 days). Topstep has an instant-funding path with no evaluation phase. Topstep has third-party verified payout history.
Rules side by side
Each value is the best (or full range) across all of the firm's products.
| Rule | Alpha Futures | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge type | Evaluation | Evaluation + Instant Funding |
| Drawdown type | EOD | Static |
| Account sizes | $25K – $150K | $50K – $150K |
| Starting price | $71 | $95 |
| Profit split | 90% | 90% |
| Payout speed | 14 days | 3 days |
| Payout frequency | — | On demand |
| Consistency rule | Eval: 0–50% / Funded: 40–40% | Eval: 0–50% |
| Payment model | Subscription | Subscription |
| Verified payouts | No | Yes |
| Sage rating | — | 4.5 / 5 |
About each firm
Alpha Futures
Alpha Futures runs a one-step evaluation across Standard, Advanced, and Zero plans, all using EOD trailing drawdown (3.5–4%) that updates only at session close rather than intraday. Profit splits reach 90% (Advanced and Zero from day one), and the firm provides its own AlphaTicks platform with TradingView charting and one-click trading.
Products
- Zero Plan — 90% split · 14 days
- Advanced Plan — 90% split · 14 days
- Premium Plan — 90% split · 14 days
Topstep
Topstep is a long-running futures prop firm offering Trading Combine evaluations, Live Funded Accounts, and Express Funded Accounts. Restricted to CME, COMEX, NYMEX, CBOT futures.
Highlights
- Pass Trading Combine in as little as 2 days, no minimum time
- 90% profit split with payouts as fast as next trading day
- CFTC-registered Topstep Brokerage (NFA member)
- Run on proprietary TopstepX platform
Products
- Trading Combine — 90% split · 3 days
- Live Funded Account — 90% split
- Express Funded Account — Instant funding · 90% split
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to start, Alpha Futures or Topstep?
Alpha Futures has the lower starting price at $71 for its smallest evaluation account, compared to $95 for the other.
Which firm pays out faster?
Topstep processes payouts in 3 days, vs 14 days on the other side.
Are payouts verified at Alpha Futures and Topstep?
Alpha Futures does not have third-party verified payout history. Topstep has third-party verified payout history.