Separate the account label, loss budget and fees

A 50 K label, a$2,000 loss distance and a$49 subscription measure different things. None is a forecast of what a trader will receive.

Nominal size is not a cash grant

A simulated account can be labelled 50 K even when the funded-stage balance starts at zero. The label may describe nominal buying power. Use the official starting balance, loss floor, contract limits and stage definition rather than treating the label as a withdrawable deposit.

The loss floor can move

An EOD floor updates from end-of-day highs under its stated convention. An intraday floor can rise with unrealized equity highs. Both may be enforced during a session. A daily loss guard is another constraint and can have a different consequence from a maximum-loss breach.

Account size and loss distance should therefore be separate comparison columns. A funded plan can have a smaller drawdown than its own evaluation. Tradeify Select Daily and Elite ACCESS 150 K provide examples of why a single brand-level number loses information.

Count the fee events

A monthly evaluation can charge again while a trader continues. A one-time evaluation may expire after 30 calendar days and require a new purchase, without automatically renewing. A paid reset is not the same transaction as buying another account. A zero-activation option can have a higher entry price.

Model the same horizon and the same number of purchased and activated accounts. Add actual tax, commissions, data and optional services when applicable. An activation deducted later from profits can still be a cost commitment. A missing price should remain unknown rather than making a provider appear free.

A cost example does not estimate success

Three charged months at$49 plus one$149 activation is$296 before excluded costs. Three months at$95 with zero activation is$285. These are arithmetic scenarios using the listed Topstep billing paths, not an estimate of pass time, future pricing or expected return. Change the horizon or activation count and the comparison can change.

The directory does not apply another firm's pass rate to estimate how many purchases you will need. Provider-specific pass statistics can use different populations and periods; a shared expected-profit calculation would conceal those differences.

Build an explicit fee scenario · Inspect a generic floor illustration