Comparison

TradeDay vs Topstep

Both firms are futures-native and use EOD trailing drawdown — so the core structure is similar. But TradeDay runs tighter daily limits and a lower payout split. Here's how they differ in practice for traders running automated Pine Script strategies.

Rule-by-rule comparison

The daily loss limit difference — and why it matters for algos

TradeDay: $500 daily limit on the 25k

TradeDay's $500 daily loss limit on the 25k account is the tightest major daily limit in the futures prop firm space relative to account size. That's 2% of the account per day — meaning your strategy can take only a small number of losing trades before the session is over.

On MES at $5/point: a 4-point stop costs $20. You have 25 losing trades before the daily limit triggers. That sounds like a lot, but a volatile session with 10 losing trades and a few larger losses can wipe $300–$400 quickly. Build your daily kill switch at $400 on a TradeDay 25k — leaving a $100 buffer above the $500 hard limit.

On MNQ at $2/point: a 10-point stop costs $20, same math. The tighter daily limit is manageable with micro contracts but requires strict per-trade sizing discipline.

Topstep: $1,000 daily limit on the 50k

Topstep's $1,000 daily limit on the 50k gives twice the absolute dollar room of TradeDay's 25k, but you're also targeting twice the profit. The math is proportionally similar — but the higher dollar limit is more forgiving for strategies that occasionally have a wider-stop losing trade.

For Topstep, we recommend setting the Pine Script kill switch at $800 — $200 below the hard limit. See our full Topstep Combine guide for the complete rule breakdown and daily limit coding approach.

Cost breakdown

Topstep's 50k account runs $99/month — one of the better-priced 50k evaluations in the industry. TradeDay's 25k is approximately $150/month, which is notable: you're paying more for a smaller account with a tighter daily limit. The higher cost per dollar of account size is TradeDay's biggest weakness versus Topstep.

If you're considering TradeDay primarily on cost, it's worth comparing Topstep's 25k evaluation at $49/month against TradeDay's 25k at ~$150/month. Topstep is significantly cheaper for the same account size, and Topstep's 25k has a $500 daily limit which is the same as TradeDay's 25k.

Payout split: Topstep wins clearly

TradeDay pays 80% of profits. Topstep pays 90%. That's a 10-percentage-point advantage for Topstep on every single payout. For a funded trader making $2,000/month, the difference is $200/month — $2,400/year from the same trading performance.

There is no scenario where an 80% payout split is better than a 90% payout split unless there's a compelling difference in rules or cost. Topstep's rules are also more favorable (higher daily limit, lower eval cost), so the payout advantage is not even a trade-off here — Topstep simply wins on payout.

Automation setup: identical infrastructure

Both TradeDay and Topstep use Tradovate as the primary executing broker. The automation stack is identical: TradingView Pine Script → TradersPost webhook → Tradovate execution. If you already have TradersPost set up for Topstep, switching to TradeDay is a matter of updating the account in TradersPost and adjusting your daily kill switch parameter.

The only Pine Script changes needed when moving between these two firms:

• Update the Daily Loss Floor parameter ($800 for Topstep 50k → $400 for TradeDay 25k)
• Verify contract sizing is appropriate for the smaller account if switching from 50k to 25k
• Confirm the profit target variable matches the new account's target ($1,500 for 25k vs $3,000 for 50k)

Instruments

Both firms trade CME futures exclusively. MES and MNQ are the workhorses for smaller accounts at both firms. TradeDay's 25k and $500 daily limit strongly pushes toward MES and MNQ — full-size ES or NQ can blow the daily limit in a single losing trade.

Topstep's 50k with a $1,000 daily limit gives slightly more room, but micro contracts are still the right choice for keeping per-trade risk inside the daily limit with multiple trades per day. See our guide on MES vs MNQ for prop firms for the full instrument breakdown.

Which firm should you choose?

FAQ

Does TradeDay allow automated trading?

Yes. TradeDay permits automated trading during the evaluation and on funded accounts. The TradingView → TradersPost → Tradovate setup used for Topstep works identically with TradeDay. The main adjustment is the Pine Script's daily kill switch — set to $400 on a 25k account versus $800 for Topstep's 50k.

What is TradeDay's daily loss limit?

TradeDay's daily loss limit on the 25k account is $500. Set your Pine Script kill switch at $400 to maintain a $100 buffer. For TradeDay 50k accounts, the daily limit scales proportionally — verify current numbers on their website.

Which is better for beginners — TradeDay or Topstep?

Topstep is generally better for beginners due to its longer track record, established community, better pricing ($99/month for 50k vs ~$150/month for TradeDay 25k), and the 90% payout split. TradeDay's tighter daily limit is an additional challenge for strategies that haven't been fully calibrated.