Both are futures-only. Both run evaluations on simulated accounts. Both pay a split, topping out around 90%. On a feature grid, they look close enough that most traders pick on price, then find out price was the least important variable.
Hola Prime, where I coach, is the third firm in this comparison. We run a futures program on the same simulated model, so treat our section as interested rather than neutral.
I trade the E-Mini S&P 500 out of London and coach traders here at Hola Prime, most of whom have failed an evaluation before they reach me. The pattern is rarely a bad strategy. It is a rule they did not model. Trailing drawdown behaves nothing like static. A consistency rule reshapes how you size.
So this is not a review, and not a verdict. It is a breakdown of what each firm asks of you, so you can work out which constraints you can trade inside.
Every number was checked against all three firms' live pages in July 2026. Prop firm rules move fast. Check them again before you buy.
Alpha Futures vs. Topstep vs. Hola Prime Comparison
The two firms diverge on three things: how the drawdown moves, how often you can withdraw, and what happens after you qualify.
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Both use trailing drawdowns, so neither is the static model some traders assume they are buying. Hola Prime's futures account is trailing too, at 4%, tightening to 3% on the larger sizes.
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Topstep is cheaper to enter at $49/month against Alpha's $79, and has run continuously since 2012. Hola Prime uses a one-time $99 challenge fee rather than a monthly subscription, a different cost model from both.
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Alpha's Zero account has no consistency rule at evaluation, which no Topstep path matches.
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Topstep's loss limit resets to $0 after every payout, a no-buffer window Alpha does not replicate.
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Neither offers forex or CFDs. Both are CME-focused futures firms. Hola Prime's futures program is also futures-only, though the firm runs a separate forex arm outside this comparison.
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Hola Prime pays weekly at a 90% split and processes approved withdrawals within one hour under defined conditions, a firm-stated average of near 33 minutes.
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Both restructured heavily in early 2026, so guides written before then describe a product that no longer exists.
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Read the drawdown row before the fee row. It determines more outcomes than price does.
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基準
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Alpha Futures
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トップステップ
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Hola Prime (Futures)
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Entry fee
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From $79/month ($50K)
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From $49/month ($50K)
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From $99 one-time ($25K); 100% refund on pass
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Account sizes
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$50K to $150K
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$50K, $100K, $150K
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$25K to $150K
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利益配分
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最大90％
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90/10 from dollar one (accounts opened after 12 Jan 2026)
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90%, weekly cadence
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Payout timeline
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Processed in 48 business hours or less
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Approval in 1 to 3 business days
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Within 1 hour under defined conditions; firm-stated avg ~33 min
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支払いの頻度
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Up to 4 per month, after every 5 winning days of $200+
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Standard path: 5 winning days. Consistency path: 3 days
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Weekly requests
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ドローダウンタイプ
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終値追従
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Trailing Maximum Loss Limit
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End-of-day trailing max loss (4%, 3% on $100K and $150K)
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一貫性のルール
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50% in evaluation (Standard, Advanced); none on Zero; 40% when funded
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50% in the Combine; 40% on the Consistency path when funded
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None published
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楽器
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CME futures. No forex or CFDs
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CME Group futures, including FX futures. No spot forex
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Index, currency, metals, commodity futures. No spot forex
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プラットフォーム
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Tradovate and connected platforms
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TopstepX with TradingView charts
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DX Futures, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, WealthCharts
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Scaling / path to live
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Sim account caps at $40,000 payable, then reviewed for a live funded account
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Express Funded, then Live Funded with a reserve structure
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Sim. Funded account; no separate live-capital step published
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アクティベーション料金
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$149 on Standard and Advanced Qualified
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No activation fee on some plans since Nov 2025
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None; one-time challenge fee, no subscription
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US availability
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はい
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Yes, US-domiciled
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Yes; serves 175+ countries
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The drawdown row is doing more work than the fee row, and most traders read it the other way round.
What Each Firm Offers Prop Traders
Alpha Futures and Topstep are futures-only firms, which means neither funds forex or CFDs. If you want those, this is the wrong comparison entirely. Hola Prime's futures program is also futures-only, though the firm runs a separate forex arm outside this comparison.
Alpha Futures launched in 2024, is UK-registered, and is part of Alpha Group alongside Alpha Capital Group and ACG Markets. It runs a single-phase evaluation across three account types (Standard, Advanced, Zero), reports $70M in performance fees to date, and serves over 150 countries.
Topstep has operated from Chicago since 2012, the longest continuous operating history in this category. Its Trading Combine is a one-step evaluation on CME Group products. It is US-domiciled and publishes a documented path from a simulated Express Funded Account through to a Live Funded Account.
Hola Prime runs a one-step futures evaluation from $99, on account sizes from $25K to $150K, funding a Hola Prime (Sim. Funded) account at a 90% split. Its distinctive angle is payout speed: approved withdrawals are processed within one hour under defined conditions, a firm-stated figure rather than a guarantee. The trade-off is that weekend holding is not allowed.
The models are more alike than the marketing suggests. You pay a fee (recurring at Alpha and Topstep, one-time at Hola Prime), hit a target inside a drawdown limit, qualify, and earn a share of simulated profits. The fine print separates them.
All Three Run Simulated Accounts. Here Is What That Means
This is the part almost nobody explains, and it is the part that changes how you should read every other number on this page.
Alpha Futures states that all of its accounts operate inside a simulated trading environment and that traders earn a performance fee based on simulated profits. Topstep runs a simulated Express Funded Account and publishes a separate progression into a Live Funded Account backed by an FCM. Our own accounts are labeled Hola Prime (Sim. Funded).
None of that is a criticism. It is the standard structure of this industry, and all three firms say so in their own materials.
It matters practically, though. Your "profit" is a performance fee calculated on simulated results, not a withdrawal from a brokerage balance. That is why payout caps, consistency rules, and winning-day requirements exist at every firm here. Any firm that lets you believe otherwise is the one to worry about.
How Alpha Futures vs. Topstep Works in Practice
Here is what each evaluation actually requires. Hola Prime's futures model is broken out in the "Where Hola Prime Fits" section below.
The Alpha Futures Challenge Model
One phase, no time limit, end-of-day trailing drawdown tracked from your end-of-day balance rather than intraday equity highs. That gives you room to be underwater during a session without breaching.
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口座残高
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利益目標
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Drawdown (EOD trailing)
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Minimum Days
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手数料
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$50K
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6%
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3%
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なし
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$79/month
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$100K
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6%
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3%
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なし
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$159/month
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$150K
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6%
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3%
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なし
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From $239/month
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The consistency rule is where the account types split. Standard and Advanced apply a 50% rule during evaluation, so no single day's profit can exceed half your total net profit, and you cannot pass until that resolves. Zero has no consistency rule at evaluation, so it can be passed in a single day.
Once qualified, a 40% rule applies to Standard and Zero between payout requests. Breaching it does not kill the account. It locks the payout button until you trade the ratio back down.
Standard and Advanced Qualified accounts carry a $149 activation fee. No news restrictions apply to any evaluation account.
The path to live is unusual: a simulated qualified account caps at $40,000 payable, or five payouts. You are then reviewed for promotion, contribute $5,000 against the firm's $5,000, and trade a $10,000 live account with a static drawdown. From there, you choose a salaried Alpha Prime route at a 60% split, or a generic live route at 80%.
The Topstep Challenge Model
Also, one phase, also no minimum trading days, but the drawdown is a trailing Maximum Loss Limit that follows your peak end-of-day balance upward and never moves back down.
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口座残高
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利益目標
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Trailing Max Loss Limit
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Minimum Days
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手数料
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$50K
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$3,000
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$2,000
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なし
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From $49/month
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$100K
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$6,000
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$3,000
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なし
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月次
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$150K
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$9,000
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$4,500
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なし
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月次
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Notice the ratio. Target to loss limit is 1.5 to 1 at every size, so you need $1.50 of profit for every $1.00 of risk you can absorb. Achievable with positive expectancy, but the trailing mechanism means a losing run after a peak shrinks your working room permanently.
On Topstep, what can I trade: CME Group products only. Equity index futures including ES, MES, NQ and MNQ, plus CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX contracts, and CME FX futures such as 6E and 6B. No spot forex.
The topstep futures rules changed substantially in 2026, and this is the part to read twice. Since 5 February 2026, funded traders choose between a Standard path requiring five winning days and a Consistency path that unlocks a payout in as few as three trading days but caps any single day at 40% of net profit in that window. You choose at activation and cannot switch mid-cycle. Accounts opened after 12 January 2026 ran a 90/10 split from the first dollar, and per-payout caps were revised again on 28 April 2026.
Two rules deserve attention. After every payout, your Maximum Loss Limit resets to $0, leaving no buffer immediately after withdrawing. And from 10 February 2026, Live Funded Accounts start with 20% of the balance tradable and 80% in reserve, unlocking milestones.
Our guide on how to pass a futures prop challenge covers the mechanics independent of any firm.
Key Differences Across the Three Firms
Four differences decide this for most traders.
Drawdown behavior
Both are trailing, so neither is the "static drawdown" some traders assume. The practical difference: Topstep's post-payout reset to $0 creates a danger window Alpha does not replicate. Hola Prime is also trailing, at 4% tightening to 3% on the $100K and $150K accounts, without a post-payout reset to zero.
Payout rhythm
Both are structured; neither is on-demand. Alpha caps each request at 50% of profit; Topstep caps by account size and path. Hola Prime runs a weekly request cadence at a 90% split. Model whichever ceiling applies before you plan around the money.
一貫性が重要
Alpha's Zero account removes the consistency rule at evaluation entirely, which no Topstep path offers. Topstep applies a 50% target in the Combine across the board. Hola Prime's futures challenge publishes no consistency rule, though the trailing max loss is the hard constraint. If your edge concentrates into a few big sessions, this single row may decide the comparison for you.
What happens after you qualify
The biggest structural gap. Alpha routes you through a co-funded $10,000 live account with a salaried option at a reduced split. Topstep moves you from Express Funded to Live Funded with a reserve unlock. Hola Prime keeps you on a Hola Prime (Sim. Funded) account and does not publish a separate live-capital progression. Different philosophies about what "funded" means, and none is hiding it.
Most traders lose accounts due to rules rather than strategy. Our piece on why traders fail futures prop challenges covers the psychology behind that.
Which Firm Fits Different Trader Types
Match the rule set to how you actually trade, not to the headline split.
Scalpers and high-frequency traders. An end-of-day trailing drawdown forgives intraday heat, so Alpha suits traders who take a drawdown during a session and close flat or better. Topstep's Consistency path pays inside three days, but its 40% cap penalizes a strategy built on one enormous session. Hola Prime's futures account is also end-of-day trailing, so intraday heat is forgiven there too.
Swing traders holding overnight. Neither trailing drawdown is comfortable for multi-day positions, because the loss floor ratchets against your peak while you hold. Alpha's no-time-limit evaluation gives room to be patient. Topstep's post-payout reset to $0 is the rule to model first. Hola Prime does not allow weekend holding, so it is the wrong fit if you carry positions across the weekend.
Beginners in futures. Topstep's $49 entry is the lowest here and its documentation is the most thorough, which matters more than price when you are learning. No futures evaluation is beginner-friendly, though, and any firm implying otherwise is selling you something.
Traders who need broad instrument selection. All three are futures-focused, so this is close, with Topstep's list slightly broader. If you need forex or CFDs alongside futures, neither Alpha nor Topstep covers it and you want a multi-asset firm instead.
For a wider view, our piece on choosing the best futures prop firm covers the diligence process.
Where Hola Prime Fits
We run a futures program too, so treat this section as interested rather than neutral. Here are the numbers and the conditions attached.
Hola Prime Futures runs a one-step evaluation at $25K, $50K, $100K, and $150K, starting at $99. The profit target is 6%, with a 4% trailing max loss tightening to 3% on the $100K and $150K accounts. There is no daily loss limit and no minimum trading days, but the trailing max loss is the hard rule.
Payouts run weekly at a 90% split. Approved withdrawals are processed within one hour under defined conditions, measured from when complete and accurate information is received through to approval. Our published figures show an average processing time of 33 minutes and a fastest recorded payout of 36 seconds as of July 2026. Those are firm-stated figures describing what typically happens, not what is assured on any request. We hold the Fastest Payout Prop Firm award for MEA 2026 from UF Awards, a regional award for one year rather than a global claim.
Where we are weaker: weekend holding is not allowed, and our trailing drawdown tightens as the account grows. If you hold through weekends, we are the wrong fit, and Alpha serves you better.
Platforms are DX Futures, Tradovate, NinjaTrader, and WealthCharts, across equity index, currency, metals, and commodity futures.
One number worth your attention: our pass rate was 35% between 10 November 2024 and 29 May 2025, and our own disclosure states the evaluation is difficult to pass even for experienced traders. Read that before you buy, not after you fail.
If the weekly cadence and the rules set fit how you trade, you can start a challenge and read the full rules before committing.
まとめ
The Alpha Futures vs Topstep decision comes down to trade-offs, not quality. Alpha is built around a forgiving intraday drawdown, no consistency rule on its Zero account, and a co-funded route to live capital with a salaried option. Topstep is built around the longest track record in futures prop trading, the clearest documentation, and a published path to real capital, at the cost of a trailing limit that resets to zero every time you get paid. Hola Prime sits alongside them on a one-step model with weekly payouts and fast processing for 1-hour payouts,, at the cost of no weekend holding and a drawdown that tightens as the account grows.
Both were restructured heavily in early 2026. Whichever you choose, read the current rules, this one included, and model the drawdown before you model the profit.
If neither rule set fits, our futures challenge comparison lays out the 1-Step Prime Challenge against the same criteria.
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