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Do I Need to Pass an Eval for Topstep?
Yes. Topstep requires every trader to pass their Trading Combine before receiving a funded account. There is no way to skip it — the Combine is how Topstep verifies you can trade profitably within their risk rules.
If you're new to prop firms, this is the part that catches people off guard. Unlike a traditional brokerage where you deposit capital and trade immediately, Topstep is a funded trading program — they put up the capital, so they need to verify you can manage risk before giving you access to real money. That verification is the Trading Combine.
The good news: the Combine is actually very passable if you approach it systematically. And with an automated Pine Script strategy, you remove the emotional variables that cause most traders to fail.
What is the Topstep Trading Combine?
The Trading Combine is Topstep's evaluation account. You subscribe to it monthly, trade as if it were a real account, and if you hit the profit target without breaking any rules, Topstep moves you to a funded account where you keep 90% of profits.
| Rule | 25k Account | 50k Account | 100k Account |
|---|---|---|---|
| Profit target | $1,500 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Daily loss limit | $500 | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Max trailing drawdown | $1,500 | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Drawdown type | EOD Trailing — moves at end of day only | ||
| Min trading days | 5 | ||
| Automation allowed | Yes | ||
| Monthly cost | $49 | $99 | $149 |
| Payout split (funded) | 90% to trader | ||
How the Combine works step by step
Purchase a Combine subscription. Choose your account size (25k, 50k, or 100k). The 50k is the most popular — it costs $99/month and has a $3,000 profit target with a $1,000 daily loss limit.
Trade the simulated account. You get access to a Tradovate paper account mirroring your chosen size. Trade it exactly as you would a live account — your job is to hit the profit target while staying within the daily loss limit and trailing drawdown.
Hit the profit target in at least 5 days. You must complete a minimum of 5 trading days. There is no maximum — you can take as long as you need. Most traders with a consistent strategy pass the 50k in 10–25 trading days.
Get funded. Once you hit the target and satisfy all rules, Topstep reviews your account and moves you to a funded account. You then trade with real Topstep capital and keep 90% of your profits.
The two rules that fail most traders
1. The daily loss limit
The $1,000 daily loss limit on the 50k Combine is the most common failure point. If your account drops $1,000 in a single session, trading is suspended for that day. For automated strategies, this means a volatile news event — FOMC, NFP, a surprise gap open — can wipe the day before you even react.
The fix: set your Pine Script's internal daily kill switch to $800. That leaves a $200 buffer before Topstep's hard limit, enough to absorb slippage and execution latency on the final exit. Our strategies include this parameter built in, labeled "Daily Loss Floor."
2. The EOD trailing drawdown
Topstep's trailing drawdown is end-of-day (EOD) — it only moves when you close a day at a higher balance. Unrealized intraday gains don't affect the trail. This is actually more forgiving than Apex's intraday trailing, but it still catches traders who let losing sessions compound over multiple days without hitting their daily limit.
On the 50k Combine: you start with a $50,000 balance and a $48,000 floor ($2,000 cushion). If you close a day at $50,400, your new floor becomes $48,400. If you then have a $2,000 losing day, you'd be at $48,400 — exactly at your floor. Two consecutive max-loss days can wipe the cushion entirely.
Can you use automation to pass the Topstep Combine?
Yes — and it's the best approach for most traders. Topstep explicitly permits automated trading during both the Combine and on funded accounts. The standard setup is:
TradingView Pine Script → TradersPost webhook → Tradovate
Your Pine Script generates entry and exit signals. TradingView sends those signals as webhook alerts to TradersPost, which routes the orders to your Tradovate Combine account. Everything is automated — you don't need to watch the screen or manage trades manually.
Automation removes the two biggest failure modes: emotional overtrading after a loss, and missing the daily limit because you were "just trying to make back" a down day. The script follows the rules. Every session.
Ready to automate your Topstep Combine?
Our Pine Script strategies are pre-configured for Topstep's rule set — $800 daily kill switch, MES/MNQ sizing, session filters, and EOD drawdown awareness built in. Delivered by email in minutes.
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What happens if you fail the Combine?
If you breach the daily loss limit or trailing drawdown, your Combine resets. You can purchase a new subscription and start over. Topstep occasionally offers free resets as promotional offers — check their site before paying for a new one.
This is why risk management inside your strategy is non-negotiable. A single reckless session on a news day can wipe an otherwise successful Combine. Redundant protection — an $800 script kill switch and a $950 Tradovate platform risk control — is the correct setup.
Topstep vs other prop firms — do they all require an eval?
Yes. Every major futures prop firm requires some form of evaluation before funding. The differences are in the structure:
| Firm | Eval type | Drawdown type | Automation on funded? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topstep | Trading Combine (subscription) | EOD Trailing | Yes |
| Apex Trader Funding | Evaluation (subscription) | Intraday Trailing | Yes |
| MyFundedFutures | Evaluation (one-time fee) | Static | Yes |
| Bulenox | Evaluation (subscription) | Static | Yes |
| FTMO | 2-phase challenge | Trailing (intraday) | Coded strategies only |
Topstep's EOD trailing drawdown makes it one of the more forgiving evaluations for algo traders, compared to Apex's tick-by-tick intraday trailing. If you want to compare them directly, see our Apex vs Topstep breakdown.
FAQ
Do I need to pass an evaluation to get funded by Topstep?
Yes. The Trading Combine is required before any funded account. There is no way to skip it. Topstep's funded accounts are only accessible after you demonstrate you can trade profitably within their rules.
How long does the Topstep Combine take?
Minimum 5 trading days, no maximum. Most traders with a consistent automated strategy complete the 50k Combine in 10–25 trading days. The 5-day minimum actually works in your favor — it prevents the temptation to rush with oversized positions.
Can I use an automated strategy to pass the Topstep Combine?
Yes. Topstep explicitly allows automated trading on both the Combine and funded accounts. TradingView Pine Script with TradersPost and Tradovate is the standard stack. Your strategy must comply with all Topstep rules — especially the daily loss limit — from within the automation logic itself.
What happens if I fail the Topstep Combine?
Your Combine resets. You purchase a new subscription to start over. Topstep runs reset promotions periodically — check before paying. This is why building an $800 internal kill switch and a $950 Tradovate platform limit as a backstop is essential. Redundant protection prevents accidental breaches on volatile days.