The verdict
Facts checked October 22, 2026
This is not a ranking and neither firm wins it. The two are different doors, and the right comparison is what each door costs a beginner, under which rules, with what evidence.
| FTMO 2-Step (CFD) | Topstep Combine (futures) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price shape | One ticket per attempt (€89–€1,080) | Subscription ($49–$199/mo) + $149 activation |
| 50K-equivalent entry | €345 | $49/mo — $296 on a 3-month pass, activation included |
| Drawdown | 10% static maximum, 5% daily | $2,000 end-of-day trailing on the 50K |
| Rates used here | FPFX industry base rates (firm publishes none) | Firm's own: 16.8% complete, 33.3% of funded paid |
| Expected cost to funded | ≈ €2,464 (50K) | ≈ $1,024 (50K) |
| The signature trap | Funded-stage news ban after a free evaluation | The subscription meter running while you learn |
| US access | Separate US product (via OANDA) | US-native |
Neither door wins in general. The futures door is cheaper per funded account on published numbers and publishes its denominators; the CFD door has no meter running and a static floor. For a US beginner with no journaled demo record, both verdicts are the same word — yet — and the free rehearsal under either rulebook is the correct first purchase: none.
The verdict gives you the expected cost and the rule that applies to you. The Challenge Odds Kit gives you, program by program, the before-you-buy checklist, the style-versus-rules worksheets, the expected-cost workbook, and the payout-protection playbook: how to never hand a firm the excuse to refuse your payout.
Included in the $39 Challenge Odds Kit
Sources: the firms' own published pages (price grids and program terms), the FPFX Technology dataset of 300,000+ accounts reported by Finance Magnates (2024), pass and payout figures published by the firms themselves, and regulator publications (CFTC, FSMA, Consob, CNMV). Recorded and checked October 22, 2026. Prices on this site are the list prices recorded on that date, promotions excluded; if a price or a rule has moved since, the firm's own page wins — and write to help@doogex.com so we can correct ours.