Lucid Trading vs Topstep: One-Time Fee or Monthly, 50K Rules and Payouts Compared
NoteLucid Trading's terms of use are written for US persons; use from outside the US is under review. Check the eligible regions in the terms on the official site before you sign up.
Lucid Trading vs Topstep comes down to how you pay: Lucid Trading charges a one-time evaluation fee with no activation fee after you pass, while Topstep bills $49 a month for the Standard Path and adds a $149 activation fee once you pass. Both accounts share the same profit target and max drawdown. We compared the two firms on 50K accounts, and every figure comes from their official sites and help centers as checked on 2026-11-04.
- They charge differently. LucidPro is a one-time payment (the 50K price is under review) with no activation fee after you pass. Topstep's Trading Combine 50K Standard Path costs $49 every 30 days, plus a $149 activation fee after you pass.
- The 50K profit target of $3,000 and max drawdown of $2,000 are the same, and at both firms the drawdown line rises based on end-of-day balances. The differences are the evaluation consistency rule (none at LucidPro, 55% at Topstep), the daily loss limit amount, where the line stops, and the daily close-out time.
- The profit split is 90% in sim for both LucidPro and Topstep's XFA. Outside the US, Lucid Trading pays through WorkMarket by ADP or crypto, while Topstep mainly uses international wire (Wire/SWIFT). Lucid Trading's terms of use are written for US persons; use from outside the US is under review. Check the eligible regions in the terms on the official site before you sign up.
Quick answer: which firm fits which trader?
You want to pay once and avoid monthly charges
Lucid Trading evaluations are a one-time payment with no monthly billing or auto-renewal. The LucidPro 50K list price is under review. Lucid Trading's terms of use are written for US persons; use from outside the US is under review, so check the eligible regions in the terms before you sign up.
You prefer a monthly plan with no deadline to pass
Topstep's Trading Combine renews automatically every 30 days and continues until you pass or cancel, with no deadline to pass. The 50K Standard Path costs $49 per month (before tax).
You do not want to pay an activation fee after passing
Both firms offer a $0 activation fee option
Lucid Trading charges no activation fee after passing on any of its public plans. At Topstep, the No Activation Fee Path costs $95 per month and the activation fee is $0. You cannot switch paths after purchase.
You want to reach your first payout quickly
Check the day counts for each plan
LucidPro can be passed in as little as 1 trading day. After passing, payouts require at least $500 in profit per cycle and a 40% consistency rule (a minimum number of days is not stated officially and is under review). Topstep's evaluation takes at least 2 days, and with XFA Consistency you can request a payout after 3 trading days.
You want to avoid a drawdown that rises with intraday open profit
Both firms' main accounts are end-of-day
At both LucidPro and Topstep, the max loss line rises with end-of-day balances. LucidPro's line stops at $50,100 once the balance passes $52,100, and Topstep's stops at the $50,000 starting balance. Note that Lucid Trading's LucidDaily uses intraday drawdown after passing.
You want to use NinjaTrader or Rithmic-based platforms
Lucid Trading lists NinjaTrader, Tradovate and TradingView, plus Rithmic-based Quantower, Sierra Chart, ATAS and others. Topstep centers on its own TopstepX, and its help center does not mention support for NinjaTrader and similar platforms.
This is not a ranking. Pick the firm that matches your own conditions, such as how you want to pay, how you trade and how fast you want to reach a payout.
How do the 50K accounts compare? LucidPro vs Topstep Trading Combine (Standard Path)
Lucid Trading sells four plans to the public: LucidPro, LucidFlex, LucidDaily and LucidDirect, which has no evaluation. For the main comparison we use LucidPro 50K, which has end-of-day (EOD) drawdown and a list price published officially, against Topstep's Standard Path, which charges an activation fee after passing.
| Item (50K) | Lucid Trading LucidPro | Topstep Trading Combine (Standard Path) |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation fee and billing | One-time payment (list price under review), no monthly billing or auto-renewal | $49 per month, auto-renews every 30 days |
| Activation fee after passing | None | $149 |
| Profit target | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| Max drawdown and type | $2,000, trails the highest end-of-session balance (EOD) | $2,000, trails end-of-day balance (MLL) |
| Where the line stops | Locks at $50,100 once the balance passes $52,100 (same in evaluation and Funded) | Locks at the $50,000 starting balance |
| Daily loss limit | Choose ON or OFF at purchase. ON is $1,200 (hitting it stops trading for the day) | Optional, $1,000 if added (decided at purchase) |
| Consistency rule | None in evaluation. 40% for Funded payouts | 55% in evaluation (exceeding it raises the target). 40% for XFA Consistency |
| Deadline and minimum days | No evaluation deadline stated officially (forfeited after 30 calendar days without trading). At least 1 trading day | No deadline, at least 2 days |
| Profit split | 90% (sim funded account) | 90% (XFA, sim) |
| Main payout conditions | At least $500 profit per cycle, 40% consistency rule, paid from the amount above a $52,100 balance. Minimum days under review | 5 winning days of $150 or more, positive net profit since the last payout |
| Payout methods outside the US | WorkMarket by ADP (bank transfer or PayPal), crypto | International wire Wire/SWIFT ($30). Wise only for China, Canada and the UK |
| Restricted countries | 82 countries and regions. Check whether your country is listed. Terms written for US persons; use from outside the US under review | 34 and 25 countries and regions. Check whether your country is listed |
1The plan closest to Topstep: LucidFlex (50K)
Among Lucid Trading's plans, LucidFlex is the closest to Topstep's Trading Combine and XFA Standard on three points: end-of-day drawdown, an evaluation consistency rule and profit days required for payouts. Because its list price cannot be confirmed on the official site, we left it out of the main comparison.
| LucidFlex 50K | Official terms |
|---|---|
| Evaluation list price (one-time) | Under review |
| Drawdown | $2,000, end-of-day (EOD). Locks at $50,100 once the balance passes $52,100. Adjusts automatically to the locked value when you request a payout |
| Consistency rule | 40% in evaluation (50% with an add-on option, allowing up to $1,560 against $1,500). None after passing |
| Minimum days | Evaluation takes at least 3 days (2 days with the 50% option) |
| Position size after passing | Increases with profit (mini 2 contracts, micro 20 contracts at $0 to 999 profit) |
| Payout conditions | 5 profit days of $150 or more, positive net profit for the cycle, up to 50% of profit per payout and up to $2,000 |
| Number of payouts | Payout article: moves to a live account after up to 5 payouts per account. New live structure article: the move is at the risk team's discretion, and "Payout 5" (the 5th payout) is a cap, not a guarantee of the move |
Lucid Trading's other plans (50K)
Every Lucid Trading 50K plan has the same $3,000 profit target and $2,000 max drawdown (LucidDirect, which has no evaluation, has only the max drawdown). What differs is the price, the stage where a consistency rule applies and the drawdown type.
| Lucid Trading 50K | Evaluation list price (one-time) | Activation fee after passing | Drawdown type | Evaluation consistency rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LucidPro | Under review (check the official site) | None | End-of-day (EOD) | None (40% for payouts after passing) |
| LucidFlex | Under review | None | End-of-day (EOD) | 40% (50% as an option) |
| LucidDaily | Under review | None | Choose EOD or intraday in evaluation, intraday after passing | 50% (40% also available) |
| LucidDirect | No evaluation. Account fee under review | No evaluation | End-of-day (EOD) | No evaluation (20% for payouts) |
Topstep's 50K also comes as the No Activation Fee Path, which costs $95 per month with a $0 activation fee when you pass. The rules are the same as the Standard Path, and you cannot change paths after purchase.
Read the full Lucid Trading guide
Sources for this section (34)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Article 3 / Official help: Payouts / Official help: Consistency / Official help: Daily loss limit / Official help: Article 4 / Official help: Article 5 / Official help: Consistency 2 / Official help: Article 6 / Official help: Article 7 / Official help: Scaling / Official help: Article 8 / Official help: Payouts 2 / Official help: Article 9 / Official help: Article 10 / Official help: Article 11 / Official help: Article 12 / Official help: Article 13 / Official help: Article 14 / Official help: Payouts 3 / Official help: Article 15 / Official help: Payouts 4 / Official help: Article 16 / Official terms of use / Official help: Pricing / Official help: Subscriptions / Official help: Combine rules / Official help: Max drawdown / Official help: Consistency 3 / Official help: XFA / Official help: XFA 2 / Official help: Payouts 5 / Official help: Eligible countries
Which costs less to get funded? One-time Lucid Trading vs monthly Topstep
Lucid Trading evaluations are a one-time payment with no monthly billing or auto-renewal. When you pass, the sim funded account becomes active in about 5 to 30 minutes, with no activation fee. Resets are paid purchases from the dashboard; there are no automatic or free resets. The LucidPro 50K reset fee is under review.
Topstep's Trading Combine renews automatically every 30 days and continues until you pass or cancel. When you pass, that Combine subscription is canceled automatically, but the current month's payment is not refunded or prorated.
The table below shows the total if you pass in month 1, 2 or 3. Because LucidPro's list price and reset fee are under review, its totals are also under review. Topstep assumes you pay the monthly fee each month and buy no separate resets.
Prices are official list prices as of 2026-11-04. Sale and discount prices are not included. Taxes and payment fees are not included either (Topstep shows prices before tax, and local VAT, GST or sales tax may be added). The LucidPro price is the one shown with the daily loss limit ON; the price with it OFF is under review.
| 50K (evaluation fee + activation fee) | Pass in 1 month | Pass in 2 months | Pass in 3 months |
|---|---|---|---|
| LucidPro (passing without failing) | Under review | Under review | Under review |
| LucidPro (1 reset per month) | Under review | Under review | Under review |
| Topstep Standard Path | $198 | $247 | $296 |
| Topstep No Activation Fee Path | $95 | $190 | $285 |
If you pass in 1 month, Topstep's Standard Path costs $198: the $49 monthly fee plus the $149 activation fee. Topstep's No Activation Fee Path costs only the $95 monthly fee. If it takes 3 months, Topstep's Standard Path comes to $296. LucidPro's totals are under review because its list price and reset fee are under review.
At Topstep, hitting the max loss only costs you eligibility; the subscription continues, and you get one Reset Credit at the next renewal. To restart mid-month, you can buy a separate reset for $49 on the 50K Standard. LucidDirect 50K, which has no evaluation, is a one-time payment (list price under review), so the idea of a cost to get funded does not apply. LucidFlex and LucidDaily, whose list prices are under review, are not in the table.
Refunds and payment methods
- Lucid Trading: accounts that have been traded are not refunded, regardless of the number of trades, results or technical problems. Untraded accounts are considered at the firm's discretion. Accepted cards are Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club and Maestro.
- Topstep: no refunds as a rule. The exception is a satisfaction guarantee that refunds up to one monthly fee if you have not passed within 14 calendar days of your first Combine purchase. Accepted payments are Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Google Wallet and Apple Pay; PayPal is not accepted.
1See Lucid Trading plans and pricing
Sources for this section (10)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Article 3 / Official site: Refunds / Official help: Article 4 / Official help: Pricing / Official help: Subscriptions / Official help: Resets / Official help: XFA activation / Official help: Refunds
How do the rules differ? Drawdown, daily loss limit, consistency rule and trading hours
How the drawdown line moves
LucidPro's max drawdown rises with the highest end-of-session balance. A 50K account starts with the line at $48,000, and once the balance passes $52,100 (the Initial Trail Balance), the line locks at $50,100, which is the starting balance plus $100. This works the same in evaluation and in the Funded account after passing.
Topstep's Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) is monitored in real time, including intraday open profit and loss, and the line rises with end-of-day balances and never falls. In the Combine, the line locks once it reaches the $50,000 starting balance. The help center states there are no adjustments or exceptions to the MLL.
The line stops at $50,100 at Lucid Trading and at $50,000 at Topstep. At Lucid Trading, the balance has to reach $52,100 before the line locks; at Topstep, the line reaches $50,000 once the end-of-day balance hits $52,000.
Daily loss limit and consistency rule
With LucidPro, you choose at purchase whether the daily loss limit is ON or OFF, and you cannot change it later. With ON, the 50K limit is $1,200. In the Funded account after passing, it is optional at a fixed $1,200, switching to 60% of the highest EOD profit once the balance passes $52,100. Every Lucid Trading daily loss limit only stops trading for the day; you do not lose the account unless you hit the max drawdown. Topstep's daily loss limit is optional; if added at purchase, the 50K limit is $1,000. It cannot be changed later and carries over to the XFA after passing.
1LucidPro has no consistency rule in evaluation. For payouts after passing, the largest daily profit in the payout cycle must be 40% or less of total profit. This 40% applies to accounts bought or reset on or after 2025-11-28 3:00 PM EST; earlier accounts use 35%. Topstep's evaluation has a 55% consistency rule, and exceeding it raises the profit target to your best day divided by 0.55. On a 50K, keeping your best day under $1,650 keeps the target at $3,000.
| Item (50K) | Lucid Trading LucidPro | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Max position size (evaluation) | mini 4 contracts, micro 40 contracts | mini 5 contracts, micro 50 contracts |
| Max position size (after passing) | mini 4 contracts, micro 40 contracts (no scaling, full size from day one) | XFA size is set by the scaling plan based on balance (table for general products under review) |
| Minimum trading days | At least 1 trading day | At least 2 days |
| After passing | Activated 5 to 30 minutes after passing, no activation fee | Activate from the dashboard, ready in minutes, $149 |
| Number of accounts | Up to 10 evaluations per household, up to 5 sim funded accounts per household | No limit on Combines, up to 5 XFAs |
| Inactivity | Forfeited and deleted if no trade with net P&L of $1 or more within 30 calendar days | XFA may be closed after more than 30 days without trading |
Trading hours and prohibited activity
Neither firm allows holding overnight or over the weekend. Lucid Trading's Pro, Flex and Direct accounts must close all positions by 4:45 PM EST, Monday to Friday. The official page says EST, and how this applies during US daylight saving time is under review. Positions left open are closed automatically, which is not a violation by itself. Topstep requires all positions to be closed by 3:10 PM CT on weekdays, and risk management starts closing positions after 3:08 PM CT.
- Economic news: LucidFlex, LucidPro and LucidDirect allow trading during news. LucidDaily prohibits trading around major releases. Topstep does not allow opening new equity index and metals mini positions within 5 minutes before and after CPI, FOMC, NFP and PPI (up to 3 micro contracts on a 50K).
- Automated trading: Lucid Trading's help center allows automated trading and trade copying, and you are responsible for any malfunctions. Topstep allows it with conditions, and orders from a VPS, VPN or remote server are prohibited.
- Short holding times: at Lucid Trading, an account is reviewed if more than 50% of profit comes from trades held 5 seconds or less. High-frequency trading is also prohibited.
- Hedging: both firms prohibit holding opposite positions in the same or correlated products across your own accounts. Lucid Trading states that opposite trades in correlated products such as ES and NQ are prohibited even in separate accounts.
1Read Lucid Trading rules in detail
Sources for this section (24)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Daily loss limit / Official help: Article 3 / Official help: Article 4 / Official help: Consistency / Official help: Article 5 / Official help: Article 6 / Official help: Article 7 / Official help: Article 8 / Official help: Prohibited conduct / Official help: Prohibited conduct 2 / Official help: Prohibited conduct 3 / Official help: Max drawdown / Official help: Combine rules / Official help: XFA / Official help: Consistency 2 / Official help: XFA 2 / Official help: Scaling / Official help: XFA activation / Official help: Hours and products / Official help: Product limits / Official help: Prohibited conduct 4 / Official help: TopstepX
How do payouts compare? Conditions, caps and methods outside the US
At both firms, payouts come from the sim funded account after passing: the Funded account at Lucid Trading and the Express Funded Account (XFA) at Topstep. Moving to a live account is decided by each firm's risk team.
| Item (50K) | Lucid Trading LucidPro | Topstep XFA Standard | Topstep XFA Consistency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days required | Under review (the payout article states no minimum days) | 5 winning days of $150 or more (need not be consecutive) | 3 trading days (at least 1 trade each day) |
| Other conditions | At least $500 profit per cycle, 40% consistency rule, paid from the amount above a $52,100 balance | Positive net profit since the last payout (waived for the first) | Consistency rule of 40% or less |
| Cap per payout | $2,000 for the 1st, $2,500 from the 2nd | 50% of balance, up to $2,000 | 50% of balance, up to $3,000 |
| Minimum amount | $500 | $125 | $125 |
| Profit split | 90% | 90% | 90% |
| Time to transfer | Deducted from the account minutes after approval, within 2 business days | 1 to 3 business days for internal approval | 1 to 3 business days for internal approval |
LucidPro's profit split is 90%, but accounts bought or reset before 2025-11-28 3:00 PM EST keep the old terms of 100% on the first $10,000. LucidPro's consistency rule also changed from 35% to 40% for purchases and resets from that date. At Topstep, only traders who joined the new dashboard before 2026-01-12 get 100% on the first $10,000.
LucidPro accounts with the daily loss limit ON can use On Demand Payouts, requesting from that day's profit during the session (6:00 PM to 3:45 PM ET). Requesting a payout stops trading until the end of that trading day, and requests cannot be canceled or edited.
How many payouts can you take?
Lucid Trading's new live structure article treats LucidPro's 5th payout as the last, after which the account is reviewed for a move to live. The move is at the risk team's discretion and is not guaranteed. A cap on the number of Topstep XFA payouts was not found in the help center articles we checked. For LucidFlex, the table above lists the differing wording across official articles.
Topstep's XFA starts at a $0 balance, the line trails from -$2,000, and it locks at $0 after the first payout. Withdrawing lowers your balance and brings you closer to the loss floor, so Topstep recommends building the balance until the line reaches $0 before requesting.
Receiving payouts outside the US
| Item | Lucid Trading | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Methods outside the US | "WorkMarket by ADP" (bank transfer or PayPal, as fast as the next business day), crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT, USDC) | "Wire/SWIFT" (international transfer, 5 to 10 business days). "Wise" only for China, Canada and the UK |
| For US residents | Plaid (instant bank transfer) | Prop-to-Brokerage, Aeropay, ACH |
| Receiving fee | Under review (not stated officially) | $30 (Wire/SWIFT) |
| Tax forms | Under review | Non-US traders submit a W-8BEN; payouts go only to an account in your own name |
If you receive $500 from Topstep by international wire, you get $420 after the 10% split ($50) and the $30 fee. A $500 payout from Lucid Trading is $450 after the split, but the receiving fees for WorkMarket and crypto are not stated officially, so the final amount cannot be confirmed.
1Read about Lucid Trading payouts
Sources for this section (11)
Source: Official help: Payouts / Official help: Consistency / Official help: Article / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Payouts 2 / Official help: Payouts 3 / Official help: Payouts 4 / Official help: XFA / Official help: Max drawdown / Official help: Consistency 2 / Official help: Live funded
What should you check before signing up? Eligibility, ID checks and support
Lucid Trading's terms of use are written for US persons; use from outside the US is under review. Check the eligible regions in the terms on the official site before you sign up.
Neither firm officially states that it can be used from a particular country. This section lists only what the two firms' official terms and help pages say. Points the official pages do not cover are marked "Not stated officially. Check the official site before you sign up."
Lucid Trading terms of use and restricted countries
- Lucid Trading's terms of use are written for US persons; use from outside the US is under review. Check the eligible regions in the terms on the official site before you sign up.
- A separate help article lists 82 restricted countries and regions whose citizens or residents cannot use the service (as of 2026-11-04). Check whether your country is on the list before you sign up.
- We found no official explanation of how the terms of use relate to the restricted-country list, so use of Lucid Trading from outside the US remains under review.
How Topstep decides eligibility
Topstep decides eligibility based on both citizenship and permanent residency. As of 2026-11-04, it lists 34 countries and regions where neither trading nor payouts are possible, and 25 where you can use the sim funded XFA but cannot move to a live account. The official homepage says "140+ Countries", meaning more than 140. The lists can change at any time, so check whether your country is listed; not being listed is not a guarantee of eligibility.
ID verification, payouts and support
| Item | Lucid Trading | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Who the terms cover | Under review (check the official site) | Decided by citizenship and permanent residency. Check whether your country is listed |
| ID verification timing and documents | Not stated officially. Check the official site before you sign up | Before your second purchase. Original passport, driver's license or national ID card, plus a selfie |
| Payouts outside the US | "WorkMarket by ADP" or crypto | "Wire/SWIFT" (international transfer, $30) |
| Fees charged by your bank | Not stated officially. Check the official site before you sign up | Not stated officially (beyond Topstep's $30). Check the official site before you sign up |
| Support in languages other than English | Not stated officially. Check the official site before you sign up | No dedicated non-English desk stated officially (phone support is English only). Check the official site before you sign up |
| Tax treatment in your country | Not stated officially. Check the official site before you sign up | Not stated officially. Check the official site before you sign up |
Lucid Trading's support is live chat staffed by people (24 hours a day, Monday to Friday, usually answering within 2 to 4 hours); email support and the community are under review. At Topstep, the AI assistant Windy handles first contact and is said to reply in the language you write in, but phone support (Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CT) is English only. Neither firm's official information explains how to report this income for tax purposes, so check with a tax professional in your country.
Also consider your local time. Convert both firms' daily close-out deadlines from the rules section to your own time zone, and keep in mind that Lucid Trading's handling during US daylight saving time is under review.
See how to start with Lucid Trading and what to check
See how to start with Topstep (sign-up to ID verification)
Sources for this section (12)
Source: Official terms of use / Official help: Article / Official help: Payouts / Official site / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Eligible countries / Official help: ID verification / Official help: Prohibited conduct / Official help: Payouts 2 / Official help: Support / Official help: Hours and products / Topstep official site
Which platforms, data and commissions does each firm offer?
Lucid Trading lists these platforms for all account types: CQG-based NinjaTrader, Tradovate and TradingView, and Rithmic-based Quantower, Tradesea, MotiveWave, Sierra Chart, Jigsaw, Bookmap, ATAS, R|Trader Pro and MultiCharts. Data fees and platform license fees are not stated officially and are under review.
Topstep's platform is its own TopstepX. It runs in the browser with TradingView charts built in, and while there is no mobile app, it works in a mobile browser. Quantower is available through TopstepX in the evaluation and XFA only. Support for NinjaTrader, Rithmic and similar platforms is not stated in the help center and is under review.
| Item | Lucid Trading | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Main platforms | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, TradingView, Quantower, Sierra Chart, ATAS and others | TopstepX, Quantower (evaluation and XFA only) |
| Basic price data | Under review (not stated officially) | Level 1 free |
| Market depth (Level 2) | Under review (not stated officially) | $38 per month (not prorated, non-refundable) |
| ES commission (sim) | $1.75 per side | $3.78 round turn (commission, NFA and exchange fees combined) |
| MES commission (sim) | $0.50 per side | $1.22 round turn |
| Automated trading | Allowed per the help center (must follow the rules; you are responsible for malfunctions) | Allowed with conditions (API for sim, $29 per month) |
The ES commission is $1.75 per side at Lucid Trading and $3.78 round turn at Topstep. Lucid Trading's official list does not break out whether exchange fees are included, so we do not simply double the per-side amount to compare.
1Read about Lucid Trading platforms
Sources for this section (8)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Commissions / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: TopstepX / Official help: Quantower / Official help: Market data / Official help: Commissions 2 / Official help: TopstepX 2
FAQ
What is the biggest difference between Lucid Trading and Topstep?
How you pay. Lucid Trading evaluations are a one-time payment with no monthly billing, no auto-renewal and no activation fee after passing. Topstep's Trading Combine is billed every 30 days until you pass or cancel, and the Standard Path charges a $149 activation fee after you pass. Both firms use a $3,000 profit target and a $2,000 max drawdown on 50K (checked 2026-11-04).
Lucid Trading plansTopstep pricing
Sources for this section (6)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Subscriptions / Official help: XFA activation / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Consistency / Official help: Max drawdown
Why compare LucidPro instead of LucidFlex?
LucidPro is Lucid Trading's main plan, and its evaluation terms (profit target and max drawdown) are published in the help center, so it lines up with Topstep's Standard Path on the same 50K terms (the LucidPro list price is under review). LucidFlex is closer to Topstep on the evaluation consistency rule and the profit days required for payouts, but its list price is under review.
Lucid Trading plansTopstep payouts
Sources for this section (4)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Payouts / Official help: Pricing / Official help: XFA activation
Which 50K account costs less to get funded?
Because the LucidPro list price and reset fee are under review, the two cannot be compared in dollars as of 2026-11-04. For reference, Topstep's Standard Path costs $198 for 1 month and $296 for 3 months, and the No Activation Fee Path costs $95 for 1 month and $285 for 3 months.
Lucid Trading plansTopstep pricing
Sources for this section (3)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Pricing / Official help: XFA activation
How do the drawdown types differ?
At both LucidPro and Topstep, the max loss line rises based on end-of-day balances. Topstep says it also monitors intraday open profit and loss in real time. The line stops at $50,100 for LucidPro after the balance passes $52,100, and at the $50,000 starting balance for Topstep. Lucid Trading's LucidDaily uses intraday drawdown after passing.
Lucid Trading rulesTopstep rules
Sources for this section (3)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Article 2 / Official help: Max drawdown
Which firm lets you take a payout sooner?
The conditions are shaped differently. LucidPro can be passed in as little as 1 trading day, and after passing, payouts require at least $500 profit per cycle and a 40% consistency rule, with no payout window (a minimum number of days is not stated officially and is under review). Topstep's evaluation takes at least 2 days; XFA Standard needs 5 winning days of $150 or more, and XFA Consistency needs 3 trading days and a consistency rule of 40% or less.
Lucid Trading payoutsTopstep payouts
Sources for this section (6)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: Payouts / Official help: Consistency / Official help: Combine rules / Official help: XFA / Official help: Payouts 2
How do you receive payouts outside the US?
Lucid Trading pays traders outside the US through WorkMarket by ADP (bank transfer or PayPal) and crypto (BTC, ETH, LTC, USDT, USDC), and receiving fees are not stated officially. Topstep mainly uses international wire (Wire/SWIFT, 5 to 10 business days, $30), and Wise is available only for China, Canada and the UK.
Lucid Trading payoutsTopstep payouts
Sources for this section (2)
Can I use these firms from outside the US?
Neither firm officially states that it can be used from a particular country. Lucid Trading's terms of use are written for US persons; use from outside the US is under review. Check the eligible regions in the terms before you sign up. Lucid Trading also publishes a list of 82 restricted countries, and Topstep publishes lists of 34 and 25 countries and regions (checked 2026-11-04). Check whether your country appears on both firms' official pages before you sign up.
How to start with Lucid TradingHow to start with Topstep
Sources for this section (3)
Source: Official terms of use / Official help: Article / Official help: Eligible countries
Can I use the same trading platforms at both firms?
No. Lucid Trading lists NinjaTrader, Tradovate and TradingView, plus Rithmic-based Quantower, Sierra Chart, ATAS and others. Topstep centers on its own TopstepX, and Quantower is available through TopstepX in the evaluation and XFA only. Topstep's support for NinjaTrader and similar platforms is not stated in the help center and is under review.
Lucid Trading platformsTopstepX guide
Sources for this section (3)
Source: Official help: Article / Official help: TopstepX / Official help: Quantower
More on each firm
Sources and check dates
Every figure was checked on 2026-11-04 against 63 official pages.