Topstep vs GOAT Funded Futures: prop firm rules compared

GOAT Funded Futures' Instant Classic plan trails the drawdown intraday: the floor follows the highest balance the account reaches during the session, open profit included, and never moves back down — a winning trade given back before it is closed still lifts it. For example, at GOAT Funded Futures' Instant Classic plan a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $47,500, $2,500 under the start.

On Topstep and GOAT Funded Futures' EOD Challenge, 1-Day-Pass and Flex plans the drawdown trails at end of day: the floor is recalculated once, from the closing balance, so open profit given back during the session does not raise it — but equity touching the floor during the session still counts. For example, at Topstep and GOAT Funded Futures' EOD Challenge, 1-Day-Pass and Flex plans a $50,000 account starts with its floor at $48,000, $2,000 under the start.

On Topstep and GOAT Funded Futures' EOD Challenge, 1-Day-Pass and Instant Classic plans the trailing floor stops rising once it reaches breakeven and stays there.

A soft daily loss limit pauses the day instead of failing the account: reach it and open positions are flattened, trading stops until the next session, and the account stays open. GOAT Funded Futures' 1-Day-Pass and Instant Classic plans set it at $1,000 on $50,000. Topstep and GOAT Funded Futures' EOD Challenge and Flex plans have no daily loss limit, so a losing day is bounded only by the max drawdown.

Topstep starts the trading day at 6:00 PM ET (5:00 PM CT); a daily loss limit counts from that reset, not from midnight.

A consistency rule caps how much of the total profit one day may carry. Topstep caps any single day at 55% of total profit, so it takes at least 2 profitable days to finish inside the rule. One day may then carry at most $1,650 of a $3,000 target. GOAT Funded Futures' EOD Challenge and Flex plans cap any single day at 50% of total profit, so it takes at least 2 profitable days to finish inside the rule. One day may then carry at most $1,500 of a $3,000 target. GOAT Funded Futures' Instant Classic plan caps any single day at 20% of total profit, so it takes at least 5 profitable days to finish inside the rule. One day may then carry at most $700 of a $3,500 target. GOAT Funded Futures' 1-Day-Pass plan applies no consistency rule in the evaluation, so one large day can count in full.

Topstep requires at least 2 trading days before a pass; GOAT Funded Futures' Instant Classic plan requires at least 7 trading days before a pass; GOAT Funded Futures' EOD Challenge and 1-Day-Pass plans set no minimum number of days.

On automated trading — a strategy or bot sending the orders — at Topstep it is allowed in the evaluation and on a funded account; GOAT Funded Futures has no written answer on record. Written answers: Topstep (read Oct 21, 2026).

Topstep and GOAT Funded Futures differ on 4 of the evaluation rules compared here: drawdown model, daily loss limit, consistency rule and minimum trading days. If your trades often run into open profit that you give back before closing them, start with the drawdown: Topstep trails at end of day, while GOAT Funded Futures trails intraday or at end of day, depending on the plan. If one or two large days make up most of your profit, the consistency rule sets how fast you can finish: Topstep caps one day at 55% of total profit; GOAT Funded Futures caps one day at 20–50% of total profit on some plans and has no cap on others. If you keep trading after a losing morning, look at what the daily loss limit does: Topstep has no daily loss limit; GOAT Funded Futures pauses the day at its daily loss limit on some plans and has no limit on others. To finish in as few sessions as possible, compare the minimum days: Topstep needs at least 2 trading days, GOAT Funded Futures sets no minimum on some plans and up to 7 trading days on others.

Once funded, the profit split is 90/10 at Topstep and 80/20 default (90/10 add-on) at GOAT Funded Futures. Payout terms — Topstep: Per cycle: 5 winning days of $150+ (Standard) or 3 days at ≤40% consistency; GOAT Funded Futures: Request windows 5th–8th and 20th–23rd. Topstep sells one evaluation model; GOAT Funded Futures sells 4 plans: EOD Challenge, 1-Day-Pass, Flex and Instant Classic. Each plan carries its own version of the rules above, which is why they are listed plan by plan. If a strategy or bot will send your orders, Topstep's written answer is allowed in the evaluation and on a funded account, and GOAT Funded Futures has no written answer on record.

Read both rule sets against your own average day, then confirm the current terms on Topstep's site and GOAT Funded Futures' site. PassTraq tracks challenges at both firms using the same rule presets shown here.