The Ultimate Head-to-Head Showdown
When choosing between Blueberry Futures and Topstep in 2026, the decision comes down to what matters most to you as a trader. Topstep holds a TrustPilot rating of 4.5/5 across 3,892 reviews, while Blueberry Futures sits at 4.5/5 with 14 reviews. Both firms are legitimate and pay traders, but they serve fundamentally different trader profiles.
Comparing unadvertised contract terms, trailing mechanics, news buffers, and payout hurdles extracted from official Terms of Service.
Buffer windows before and after red-folder economic events, straddle restrictions, and execution slippage policies.
Allowed on CME/CBOT/NYMEX futures contracts.
Allowed without restrictions.
Whether swing positions may be held across Friday market close, or if automated liquidations apply.
Prohibited. Positions closed before daily market halt.
Prohibited. Close by 3:10 PM CT.
Static balance-based vs End-of-Day (EOD) vs high-risk intraday open-equity trailing traps.
End-of-day trailing drawdown locked at initial balance.
EOD trailing. MLL resets to $0 after payout.
Maximum allowable dormancy duration before account breach or administrative archiving.
Account considered inactive after 30 calendar days.
30 days (Express Funded).
Single-day profit caps (e.g. 30%-50% rule), lot-size variation brackets, and contract ladders.
40% during evaluation phase.
50% (Combine only).
Minimum qualifying profitable days, profit floor requirements, and mandatory buffer reserves.
1–3 dias úteis via Transferência Bancária ou Cripto
1–3 dias úteis via Wise, ACH ou Transferência Bancária
Exact contract stipulations, drawdown formulas, and account closure triggers.
Once transitioning to a funded futures account, traders are responsible for applicable monthly CME exchange market data fees.
Blueberry Futures enforces a 3% daily loss limit, 4% trailing drawdown, and strict adherence to maximum contract position sizes.
Your single best trading day cannot exceed 50% of your total profit target during the Trading Combine. Under the Consistency Payout Path, your best day cannot exceed 40% of net profits.
The Maximum Loss Limit (MLL) recalculates strictly at 4:00 PM CT based on settled account balance, completely eliminating intraday unrealized profit trailing traps. Once your balance reaches Starting Balance + MLL, the trailing floor permanently freezes at the initial starting balance ($0 profit line) and stops trailing forever.
In the Express Funded Account (XFA), the instant your first payout is processed, your Maximum Loss Limit immediately resets and locks permanently at $0 (initial starting balance). Prior profit cushion above $0 cannot be used to absorb losses below starting capital.
Profit Split: Topstep offers up to 90/10%, keeping more money in your pocket compared to Blueberry Futures's 90%%.
Drawdown Mechanics: Blueberry Futures uses trailing (4%) while Topstep uses EOD (4%). Static/balance-based drawdowns are generally considered safer.
Evaluation Path: Blueberry Futures uses a 1-Step evaluation model, while Topstep offers a 2-Step path. Fewer steps generally means faster access to funded capital.
Daily Loss Limit: Blueberry Futures allows a 3% daily loss vs Topstep's 0% — more room for volatile trading sessions.
Trading Platforms: Blueberry Futures uniquely offers none. Topstep uniquely offers TopstepX, Quantower.
News Trading: Blueberry Futures: Allowed on CME/CBOT/NYMEX futures contracts.. Topstep: Allowed without restrictions.. Both firms have nuanced news trading policies — always check the specific rules for your account type before placing trades around major announcements.
Algorithmic Trading (EAs): Topstep allows EAs, making it the better choice for algo traders. Blueberry Futures has tighter restrictions: Permitted on NinjaTrader and Tradovate.. Make sure your trading bot complies before purchasing.
Consistency Rule: Both firms enforce consistency rules but with different thresholds. Blueberry Futures: 40% during evaluation phase.. Topstep: 50% (Combine only).. Understand these limits before you trade — exceeding them can invalidate your evaluation.
Payout Processing: Blueberry Futures processes payouts in 1–3 dias úteis via Transferência Bancária ou Cripto, while Topstep takes 1–3 dias úteis via Wise, ACH ou Transferência Bancária. Faster payouts mean quicker access to your hard-earned profits — an important factor for full-time traders who depend on this income.
Scaling Potential: Blueberry Futures scales up to $150,000 (requiring Performance consistente EOD/trailing nas avaliações da Blueberry Futures profit per tier), while Topstep caps at $150,000 por conta (até $750,000 em 5 contas) (requiring Plano de escala diário dinâmico atrelado ao saldo de fechamento (EOD) da sua conta Express Funded per tier). If your long-term goal is managing large capital, the firm with the higher ceiling offers more growth runway.
Inactivity Policy: Blueberry Futures: Account considered inactive after 30 calendar days.. Topstep: 30 days (Express Funded).. Be mindful of these policies — an inactive account can be terminated, and you would forfeit your challenge fee and any unrealized progress.
Active Discount Codes: Blueberry Futures: Use code "CIRCLE" for 60%. Topstep: Use code "" for a discount. These codes can significantly reduce your upfront investment — always check for active promotions before purchasing.
With a 4.5/5 TrustPilot rating and 3,892 verified reviews, Topstep offers the strongest track record and payout reliability.
Visit TopstepTopstep's 90/10% profit split means you keep more of every dollar you earn — the difference compounds significantly over time.
Visit TopstepTopstep has more permissive EA/bot policies, making it the better fit if you run automated trading systems.
Visit TopstepOur expert conclusion based on the data
When choosing between Blueberry Futures and Topstep in 2026, the decision comes down to what matters most to you as a trader. Topstep holds a TrustPilot rating of 4.5/5 across 3,892 reviews, while Blueberry Futures sits at 4.5/5 with 14 reviews. Both firms are legitimate and pay traders, but they serve fundamentally different trader profiles.
A critical difference lies in their drawdown mechanics. Blueberry Futures uses a trailing drawdown at 4%, while Topstep uses a EOD drawdown at 4%. Understanding this difference is crucial: trailing drawdowns follow your equity high watermark, while static/balance-based drawdowns give you more breathing room.
Our Recommendation: If your priority is trust and track record, go with Topstep. If your priority is affordability, Topstep is the better entry point. For maximum earnings per trade, Topstep wins with a 90/10% profit split.
It depends on your priorities. Topstep has a stronger reputation with a 4.5/5 TrustPilot score. However, Topstep is more affordable at $95. For most traders, Topstep is the safer choice, but Topstep offers better value for those on a tight budget.
Topstep is the more affordable option, with challenges starting at $95 compared to Blueberry Futures's $110.40.
Blueberry Futures offers up to 90%% profit split, while Topstep offers up to 90/10%. Topstep lets you keep more of your earnings.
Blueberry Futures uses a trailing drawdown (4%), while Topstep uses a EOD drawdown (4%). Static and balance-based drawdowns are generally considered easier to manage than trailing drawdowns because they don't chase your equity high watermark.
Blueberry Futures uses a 1-Step evaluation model, while Topstep uses a 2-Step model. Fewer steps generally means faster access to live funded capital.
Blueberry Futures: Permitted on NinjaTrader and Tradovate.. Topstep: Allowed (API access, no manipulative tools).. Always verify your specific EA is compliant before purchasing a challenge.
Blueberry Futures supports NinjaTrader, Tradovate. Topstep supports TopstepX, NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Quantower. Both offer professional-grade execution suitable for serious traders.
Both firms process payouts reliably. Blueberry Futures pays via Bank Transfer, Crypto. Topstep pays via ACH, Bank Transfer, Wise. Check each firm's payout schedule for the most up-to-date processing times.
Complete analysis of scaling milestones, verified payout proofs, and fine-print rules.
Complete analysis of scaling milestones, verified payout proofs, and fine-print rules.