TopstepX platform guide: how to get the most out of its features

TopstepX isn't just another trading platform—it's the only platform you'll use if you're trading with Topstep in 2026.

Since July 2025, every new Trading Combine account runs exclusively on TopstepX.

No NinjaTrader. No Tradovate. No Quantower. Just TopstepX.

I'll be honest—when I first heard "proprietary platform," I expected clunky execution and a stripped-down interface. What I actually got was integrated TradingView charts, commission-free trading, and a sentiment tool that I now check before every ES open. This guide covers everything you need to squeeze maximum value out of TopstepX, from the features nobody talks about to the settings that'll keep you from blowing your account on a bad Thursday.

What TopstepX Actually Is (And Why Topstep Killed Everything Else)

TopstepX runs on ProjectX technology—a web-based futures execution engine that multiple prop firms now white-label. But Topstep didn't just slap their logo on it. They built custom modules on top, including The Tilt™ sentiment indicator, integrated TopstepTV coaching, and risk management tools designed specifically for prop traders.

Here's the thing most people miss: TopstepX isn't competing with NinjaTrader or Sierra Chart. It's competing with the idea that prop traders need a separate charting platform, a separate execution platform, and a separate risk management tool. TopstepX puts everything in one browser tab.

The Core Stack

The platform sits on three pillars that actually matter for daily trading:

• TradingView charts (fully licensed): Not a knockoff. Not "TradingView-style." Actual TradingView with 100+ built-in indicators, drawing tools, multiple timeframes, and the chart customization you already know. You don't need a separate TradingView subscription.
• CQG data feed: Unfiltered 50ms market data. That's faster than what most retail traders get through their broker. For scalpers working ES or NQ, this latency difference shows up in fill quality.
• Commission-free execution: No per-contract commissions. NFA and clearing fees still apply (they always do), but you're not paying $0.79/side like Tradovate charges. Over hundreds of contracts, this adds up fast.

What You Can Trade

TopstepX supports every CME Group product that Topstep allows:

One detail that saves headaches: TopstepX automatically rolls to the current front-month contract. No more checking volume during rollover week and accidentally trading a back month with zero liquidity.

The Tilt™: Topstep's Secret Weapon (or Gimmick?)

The Tilt™ is TopstepX's proprietary sentiment indicator, and it's genuinely unlike anything on other platforms. It shows the real-time long/short bias of all Topstep traders—tens of thousands of them—currently positioned in a given product. Updated every 10 seconds.

Here's what it actually shows you:

• Percentage of traders long vs. short
• Average entry price of longs and shorts
• Which side is currently profitable
• Products covered: S&P (ES/MES), NASDAQ (NQ/MNQ), Crude Oil (CL/MCL), and Gold (GC/MGC)

How I Actually Use The Tilt

I don't use it as a buy/sell signal. That would be naive—if 70% of retail traders are long, that doesn't mean price is going down. But here's where it gets interesting:

Contrarian filter on high-conviction setups. When my technical setup says short NQ at a resistance level AND The Tilt shows 80%+ of traders are long, that's added confluence. The crowd tends to pile in at exactly the wrong moments. I've used this combination on NQ opens maybe a dozen times, and the hit rate was noticeably better than my setups without The Tilt confirmation.

Fade tool during news spikes. When a CPI or NFP number drops and The Tilt swings 90% one direction within seconds, that's usually the crowd chasing. I wait for the swing, then look for reversal patterns. Not always right—but the risk/reward is excellent.

What The Tilt won't do: predict direction. Don't use it in isolation. It's a context tool, not a crystal ball.

Risk Management Tools That Actually Prevent Blown Accounts

This is where TopstepX earns its keep for prop traders. The built-in risk controls aren't just reporting tools—they're automated lockouts that protect you from yourself.

Self-Imposed Limits

You can set custom limits that lock your account when hit:

• Daily loss limit: Set your own threshold below Topstep's official maximum. If you know your worst sessions happen after losing $500, set the lockout at $500. Account goes read-only. No "just one more trade" spiral.
• Daily profit target: Hit your number? Account locks. Walk away. I set this at 2x my daily risk budget—if I'm risking $400/day, profit lockout triggers at $800. Forces me to take the win.
• Maximum trade count: Limit yourself to, say, 8 trades per day. Prevents overtrading during choppy sessions. This single feature probably saved more Topstep accounts than any rule change.

The Auto-Liquidation Safety Net

If you approach Topstep's Maximum Loss Limit, the platform auto-liquidates your position. Is it annoying? Yes. Has it saved me from a catastrophic loss during a flash crash? Also yes. The auto-liquidation triggers when your unrealized P&L pushes your account balance to within $100 of the Maximum Loss Limit. Tight, but it's there for a reason.

TradingView Integration: What You Get (and What You Don't)

The TradingView integration is legitimately good. Not "good for a prop firm platform"—actually good. Here's the breakdown:

The missing piece that bothers some traders: no custom Pine Script indicators. If you've built a proprietary indicator on TradingView that you rely on, you can't port it to TopstepX yet. Topstep says it's coming. For now, you're limited to standard built-in indicators. For 90% of futures day traders, that's plenty. For the 10% running custom scripts—it's a real limitation.

My Chart Setup on TopstepX

After testing various configurations, here's what I run daily:

• Main chart: 5-minute ES with VWAP, 9/21 EMA, and volume profile. The Tilt™ overlaid.
• Secondary chart: 1-minute NQ for timing entries during the first 30 minutes.
• DOM (Depth of Market): Open alongside the chart for reading order flow on entries.
• Trades tab: Always visible for real-time P&L tracking. I check this after every trade—not during. Watching P&L mid-trade is how you panic-exit winners.

Copy Trading: The Feature Nobody Expected

TopstepX has a built-in copy trading feature. You can mirror trades from other Topstep traders directly within the platform. This caught me off guard when it launched—prop firms don't typically offer this.

How it works: navigate to Settings > Copy Trading, browse available traders (filtered by performance metrics), and allocate a portion of your position sizing to follow their trades. The system adjusts for your account size.

My honest take: it's interesting as a learning tool. Watching how a consistently profitable trader manages entries and exits in real-time teaches you more than any YouTube video. As a primary strategy? Risky. You're trusting someone else's risk management with your funded account. I've used it to shadow one NQ scalper for a week just to study their timing—learned more about NQ opens in 5 days than in months of solo screen time.

Platform Limitations You Need to Know

TopstepX is solid, but it's not perfect. Here's what you'll bump into:

Single device limitation. You can only have TopstepX open on one device at a time. No phone and desktop simultaneously. No two browser windows on different computers. You can have multiple tabs in the same browser on one device, but that's it. This is a deal-breaker for traders who monitor on desktop and execute on mobile.

No algorithmic trading support. Bots and automated strategies aren't supported on TopstepX. If your edge relies on automation, this platform doesn't work for you. Period.

No standalone TradingView connection. You can't connect TopstepX to your existing TradingView account. The TradingView charts are embedded within TopstepX, not synced with your external TradingView workspace. Your saved templates and indicators from TradingView.com won't carry over.

Level 2 data costs extra. Level 1 data is free and included. Level 2 (full order book depth) costs $34.25/month. If you trade off order flow, this is essentially mandatory. Budget for it.

Getting the Most Out of TopstepX: Practical Tips

After months on the platform, here are the settings and habits that made the biggest difference:

Set up chart executions immediately. Go to Settings > Trading and enable "Show executions on chart." Every trade gets marked on your chart with entry and exit. At the end of each session, you have a visual journal without lifting a finger. Review it. Every day.

Favorite your products. Click the contract dropdown on the order ticket, then star your 2-3 most-traded instruments. Switching between ES and NQ should take one click, not five. Small friction compounds over hundreds of sessions.

Use the practice account first. TopstepX offers free practice accounts. Before you risk a dime of evaluation fee, spend a week on the practice account getting muscle memory with the interface. Learn where every button is during calm markets so you're not searching during volatile ones.

Configure audio alerts with Hoag's voice. This sounds like a joke, but TopstepTV's John Hoagland recorded custom voice alerts for TopstepX. Go to Settings > Misc to enable them. Having a human voice say "order filled" instead of a generic ding actually helps you stay focused. Or it drives you crazy. Your call.

Set your daily loss limit at 60% of Topstep's maximum. If your 50K account has a $2,000 Maximum Loss Limit, set your personal daily lockout at $1,200. This gives you buffer room for the trailing drawdown calculation while still protecting against tilt. I learned this the hard way after a session where I was "only down $1,800" and convinced myself one more trade would fix it. It didn't.

Who TopstepX Works Best For

TopstepX is built for a specific type of trader: someone who wants clean execution, simple charting, and built-in risk controls without managing multiple software subscriptions. If you're a discretionary futures day trader who uses standard technical indicators, this platform delivers.

It doesn't work for algo traders, multi-platform operators, or anyone married to custom Pine Script indicators. That's not a flaw—it's a design choice. Topstep built TopstepX for prop traders who need structure, not freedom. And honestly? For most traders trying to pass a funded evaluation, structure is exactly what's missing.

The platform is evolving fast. Features that weren't there six months ago—copy trading, enhanced DOM, improved mobile rendering—are live now. If custom indicators and API access arrive as promised, TopstepX could genuinely challenge standalone platforms. For now, it's the best prop-firm-integrated trading platform I've used. Not the most powerful. Not the most customizable. But the most purposeful.

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