The Trading Combine rules as Topstep publishes them, and a journal that tells you how much room you have left before each session.
Who this page is for
For traders working through a Topstep Trading Combine or an Express Funded Account who want to know, before each session, how far they are from the Maximum Loss Limit, and why previous Combines were lost.
Topstep rules at a glance
As published by Topstep, checked on November 4, 2026. Amounts in US dollars.
Trading Combine
End-of-day trailing
Account
Profit target
Max loss
Daily loss limit
50K
$3,000
$2,000
$1,000
100K
$6,000
$3,000
$2,000
150K
$9,000
$4,500
$3,000
Max loss
Trails your highest end-of-day balance and locks once it reaches the starting balance. A breach counts in real time, open P&L included.
Daily loss limit
Optional in the Combine. Hitting it pauses trading until the next session (5 PM CT); it is not a rule violation.
Consistency
Your best day must stay at or below 55% of your total profit. Above that, the profit target increases (best day ÷ 0.55).
Also
The trading day runs from 5 PM CT to 3:10 PM CT.
Topstep updates its rules regularly, especially for funded accounts: check the current terms on Topstep's site before you trade.
How Kova helps you track your Topstep account
Loss limits as gaugesEnter your daily loss limit, maximum loss and profit target: Kova shows how much of each you have used, from your closed trades.
Warnings before the limitKova flags the account once you have used 70% of a limit, then again at 90%, so you stop before the firm stops you.
Your challenge replayed (Pro)Trade by trade, with your firm's drawdown type (end-of-day or intraday trailing): the first rule broken, the day and the trades involved.
What prop firms really cost you (Pro)Evaluation fees, resets, activations and payouts, firm by firm, in My prop firms.
My Edge on your futures tradesWhich instruments, sessions and setups make or cost you money, and what your departures from the plan cost.
Session reviewAfter each session, the facts of your day and one rule to apply at the next one.
Importing your futures trades
Kova imports TopstepX trade exports, Tradovate exports (orders, positions or performance report) and NinjaTrader trade exports as CSV files, on the free plan. For any other CSV file, Kova recognises the columns and you check everything before importing.
Kova works from your closed trades: your firm's dashboard remains the reference for your account's status.
How do I track the Topstep Maximum Loss Limit in Kova?
Add your Combine as a prop firm account with its limits (with Pro, the Topstep rules fill in from Kova's firm catalog). Kova shows how much of your daily and maximum loss you have used, and the Pro challenge replay applies the end-of-day trailing limit, locked at your starting balance.
Can I import my Topstep trades into Kova?
Yes. Export your trades from the Trades tab of TopstepX (not the Orders tab) and drop the CSV file into Kova: contract, side, times, prices, size and net result after fees are read automatically. NinjaTrader CSV exports are imported too.
Does going over the consistency target fail the Combine?
According to Topstep's help center, no: if your best day goes above 55% of your total profit, your profit target increases instead. Profit made later the same session adds to that best day, so the rest has to come from other days.
Is Kova affiliated with Topstep?
No. Kova is an independent trading journal. The rules on this page come from Topstep's own help pages, listed in the sources below; Topstep's site and dashboard remain the reference.
Is Kova free for futures traders?
Yes. The Free plan has no time limit: journal, dashboard, TopstepX, Tradovate and NinjaTrader file import, and one prop firm account with its loss gauges. Pro ($29/month, cancel anytime) adds all your accounts, the challenge replay and My prop firms, which totals fees, resets and payouts firm by firm.
Official sources: FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis), ECB, Bank of England, Bank of Canada, Eurostat. This product uses the FRED® API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
