Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
City Traders Imperium vs Topstep
Where City Traders Imperium and Topstep differ
| Compare |  City Traders Imperium |  Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Challenge price | $29 to $549Lower | $49 |
| Profit split | 80% to 100%Higher | 90% |
| Account sizes | USD 2,500 - 100,000 (1-Step and 2-Step), USD 2,500 - 80,000 (Instant and Direct), scaling to USD 4,000,000 | $50K, $100K, $150K buying power |
| Payout frequency | First payout from 7 days, then weekly or anytime payouts by VIP tier | Every 2 weeks |
| Maximum drawdown | 5% to 10% | Not confirmed |
| Daily loss limit | 5% | Not confirmed |
| Regulators | Not confirmed | National Futures Association (NFA) registered introducing broker, Topstep Brokerage LLC, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered FCM / NFA member, Plus500US Financial Services LLC |
Same on both: Evaluation steps (2 step).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Topstep scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.4.
- Founded is lower at Topstep: 2010 vs 2018.
- Challenge price is lower at City Traders Imperium: $29 to $549 vs $49.
- Profit split is higher at City Traders Imperium: 80% to 100% vs 90%.
- Support channels: only Topstep offers Phone.
Our verdict on each
City Traders Imperium
City Traders Imperium suits traders who want a 2 step evaluation with instant and direct routes on the same ladder, plus accounts that scale as the record grows. Fees of $29 to $549 keep the entry affordable, and support runs on email, chat and help centre.
Topstep
Topstep suits beginners who want a low-cost route into futures prop trading, pairing a challenge price of $49 with a profit split of 90% that is competitive without topping the table. The brokerage account adds an account fee of $0 and payouts Every 2 weeks, so it suits a funded account you plan to grow.
Score breakdown
| Area | City Traders Imperium | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.8Higher | 9.4Account fees are $0, the inactivity fee is $0 and the challenge costs $49, against a site median of €56.56. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.7Higher90% paid Every 2 weeks on a 2 step evaluation, with markets limited to futures. |
| Trust | 9.4 | 9.5Higher |
How they place
| Ranking | City Traders Imperium | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Prop trading firms | 8 of 37 | 7 of 37 |
If neither fits
Alpha Capital Group has challenge price at $27, against $29 to $549 for City Traders Imperium and $49 for Topstep.
Alpha Capital Group reviewWhere these facts come from
City Traders Imperium
- citytradersimperium.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Topstep
- topstep.com: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- nfa.futures.org: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | City Traders Imperium | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | City Traders Imperium Limited | Topstep LLC |
| Headquarters | Comoros | United States |
| Founded | 2018 | 2010Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centre, CommunityCovers more |
Brokers
| Fact | City Traders Imperium | Topstep |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | $49 |
| Stock trade fee | Not confirmed | $0.50 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Markets | Not confirmed | Futures |
| Investor protection | Not confirmed | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Features | Not confirmed | Demo account, Futures |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Low fees |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | 1% processing fee on debit card deposits and withdrawals; wire fee $10 outbound, $0 inbound |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | TopstepX |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | City Traders Imperium | Topstep | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Challenge price | $29 to $549lowest quarter | $49below the median | $75 |
| Profit split | 80% to 100%highest quarter | 90%at the median | 90 |
| Maximum drawdown | 5% to 10%at the median | Not confirmed | 10 |
| Daily loss limit | 5%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 26 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
City Traders Imperium
Pros
- Fees of $29 to $549 keep the entry affordable, and the profit share runs 80% to 100%, so the reward on offer is large for the ticket size.
- A ceiling of 80% to 100% matches what Apex Trader Funding publishes at 100%, so the top of the range is not the weak spot.
- The standard route is 2 step, with a 5% to 10% maximum drawdown and a 5% daily loss limit, which keeps the rule set short enough to hold in mind.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so a trader who wants to speak to someone has to write instead.
- Most retail traders lose money: the median retail loss across the site's listings is 70.15%, with the middle band running 65.75% to 74.5%, so a funded account changes the size of the position rather than the odds of keeping money.
- The 5% to 10% maximum drawdown bracket straddles the 8% median recorded across the site's listings, so there is no unusually deep buffer to lean on.
Topstep
Pros
- Entry is priced at $49 for a 2 step evaluation, with a profit split of 90%.
- The brokerage account fee is $0 and the inactivity fee is $0, so an account left open does not slowly bleed money.
- Payouts arrive Every 2 weeks, a steadier rhythm than a single monthly cycle.
Cons
- The split of 90% leaves a share of profits with the firm, where Apex Trader Funding shares 100%.
- Markets are futures only, against 80.6% of the brands here that cover stocks.
- Topstep ranks 7 of 21 on challenge price, and Alpha Capital Group lists $27 for its own challenge.
Who each suits
City Traders Imperium
Who it suits
- Traders who want a 2 step evaluation but also want instant and direct routes on the same page.
- Anyone weighing price against payout share: fees of $29 to $549 sit against a profit share of 80% to 100%.
- Traders who want an account that grows rather than a fixed size, since account sizes scale well past the starting balance.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want the top split with no tier to reach: Apex Trader Funding states 100% as its figure.
- Buyers on the smallest budget: Alpha Capital Group charges $27.
- Traders who want the widest price ladder: Funding Pips' fees of $29 to $555 stretch past the top of the range here.
Topstep
Who it suits
- Beginners testing futures prop trading, since beginners lists beginners and demo account and futures includes a demo account.
- Traders who want low running costs on a funded account: an account fee of $0, an inactivity fee of $0 and 90% kept of profits.
- Anyone weighing entry price against share, since Funding Pips runs challenge prices of $29 to $555, a different price point to Topstep's $49.
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who want the whole profit, since Apex Trader Funding shares 100% against the 90% kept here.
- Anyone trading stocks, ETFs or crypto, because the market list is futures.
- Budget-first buyers, since Alpha Capital Group lists $27 for its challenge.
Current offers
City Traders Imperium
Current offer
Free trial
Free Trial - no card needed: Free
No card needed
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Topstep
Current offer
Discount code
Responsible Trading Advantage discounts: Up to $30/month
Add a Daily Loss Limit to unlock exclusive benefits, including larger payout caps and discounts on eligible accounts; listed as -$10 / -$20 / -$30 on the $50K / $100K / $150K accounts
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Topstep Trading Combine monthly discount: -$10 to -$30
One-time activation fee paid after passing the Trading Combine; discount is shown alongside the eligible account price
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Questions about each
City Traders Imperium
What does a City Traders Imperium challenge cost?+
Fees of $29 to $549 cover the range, so the entry point sits at the lower end and the larger accounts cost more. The median across the listings the site compares is €56.56, and on price alone the brand ranks at 3 of 21.
How much profit do I keep and how fast are payouts?+
The profit share runs 80% to 100%, and the first payout can be requested after a waiting period. After that, payouts are available weekly or at any time, depending on the VIP tier attached to the account. Apex Trader Funding publishes a single figure of 100%, which is the number to set against the top of this range.
Topstep
How much does the Topstep challenge cost?+
The evaluation fee is $49, and the same figure is listed as the minimum deposit, so that is the outlay before any trading. For context, the median challenge price across the brands here is €56.56. A failed attempt means paying the fee again to try, so treat it as a cost of repeated attempts rather than a single ticket.
What profit do I keep and how quickly are payouts made?+
Once funded, you keep 90% of the profit, and payouts go out Every 2 weeks. The split is a percentage of profit rather than a flat fee, so a thin month does not eat into it. The cadence matters as much as the percentage for cash flow, since a good month reaches your account sooner with a frequent schedule.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
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- City Traders Imperium vs Alpha Capital Group
- City Traders Imperium vs Funding Pips
- City Traders Imperium vs Blue Guardian
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- City Traders Imperium vs Uprofit
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