Take Profit Trader
Take Profit Trader Rules: Static Trailing Drawdown and Automation Setup
Take Profit Trader runs the same static trailing drawdown mechanic as Apex and explicitly allows automation on both the evaluation and the funded account. Here's how that drawdown behaves, what the Express vs Starter accounts trade off, and how to run the whole thing hands-free through TradersPost.
Take Profit Trader overview
Take Profit Trader (TPT) is a US-based futures prop firm known in the community for a clean rule set, fast payouts, and an automation-friendly policy. Where some firms restrict algorithmic trading or layer on complex consistency requirements, TPT keeps things simple — which makes it a strong fit for systematic Pine Script strategies running on TradingView.
The structural facts that shape strategy design at TPT:
- Static trailing drawdown — the worst-case floor locks once enough profit has been banked, identical in behavior to Apex.
- No daily loss limit during the evaluation — session P&L can move freely as long as the trailing threshold isn't breached.
- Automated trading explicitly permitted, including TradingView + TradersPost webhook setups.
- 80% payout split, upgradeable to 90%.
- Weekly payouts available on funded accounts.
Drawdown rules at Take Profit Trader
TPT's trailing drawdown locks in place once it reaches a set point. In practice:
- At account start, the drawdown threshold is fixed relative to the starting balance.
- As equity rises above the starting balance, the trailing floor rises with it — dollar for dollar — until it reaches the initial starting-balance level.
- Once the floor has climbed to starting balance, it stops moving. From there the drawdown floor is fixed for good — the "static" half of the static-trailing model.
That's meaningfully different from Topstep's end-of-day trailing, which only rises when a profitable day actually closes. TPT's version trails intraday, so unrealized gains can raise the floor before a trade is even closed. The practical implication matches Apex Trader Funding: measured exits that don't give back a large open gain are what work best.
Take Profit Trader 50k eval — the key numbers
| Account | Profit Target | Max Drawdown (Trailing) | Eval Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50k (Express) | $3,000 | — | $500 |
| 50k (Starter) | $4,000 | — | $150/month subscription |
| 100k | — | — | $600 |
Drawdown type
Trailing until it locks (called "static trailing" by the firm)
Floor rises dollar-for-dollar with equity gains (intraday, not just closed days) until it reaches the starting-balance level, then locks permanently.
Daily loss limit
None on the evaluation, for both Express and Starter.
Consistency rule
None stated in the source.
Min trading days
Not specified
Payout split
80%, upgradeable to 90%.
Weekly payouts available on funded accounts. Primary broker: Tradovate.
Automation policy
Explicitly allowed on both the evaluation and funded accounts — stated as a differentiator vs. firms that restrict automation once funded.
Account types: Express vs Starter
Express Account
A one-time evaluation fee — $500 for the 50k tier, $600 for 100k. Clear the 6% profit target without breaching the trailing drawdown and the account is funded. No monthly fees accrue if it takes longer than expected; the one-time payment covers the full duration. This suits a trader confident in an existing edge who wants to avoid a recurring subscription.
Starter Account
A $150/month subscription. The profit target is higher — 8% ($4,000 on a 50k account) — but the monthly fee resets access if a restart is needed. This fits traders still refining an approach who want the flexibility to keep iterating without a new one-time fee each time.
Automation setup for Take Profit Trader
TPT connects to Tradovate as its primary broker interface. The standard stack:
- TradingView — the Pine Script strategy runs on the chart, generating entries and exits on bar close.
- TradersPost webhook — TradingView fires an alert to the TradersPost webhook URL, passing order action and quantity automatically through the alert message.
- TradersPost → Tradovate — TradersPost routes the order to a Tradovate account connected to the TPT evaluation or funded account.
- Execution — Tradovate fills the order with no manual interaction after the initial setup.
Because TPT permits automation on funded accounts — unlike Apex, which restricts it on Performance Accounts — the same TradingView strategy can run through the entire lifecycle: eval, funding, and live trading.
Which strategies work best for Take Profit Trader
Because TPT shares Apex's static-trailing architecture, strategies built for Apex evaluations translate directly. The key requirements:
- Fixed-target exits. A trailing stop that gives back a large open gain pushes the floor up and then reverses on you — fixed profit targets step equity up cleanly instead.
- A soft kill switch. TPT has no hard daily loss limit on the eval, but stopping after 2-3 consecutive losses per session is good practice under any trailing-drawdown structure.
- A session filter. Restricting entries to RTH (9:30 AM-4:00 PM ET) avoids overnight gaps that could move against an open position and touch the trailing floor.
- Bar-close confirmation. Prevents repainting and keeps backtest results aligned with live execution through TradersPost.
Recommended contracts for TPT evaluations
| Contract | Account size | Plan | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| MES | 50k | Starter | $1.25/tick — very granular risk sizing against the trailing floor. |
| MNQ | 50k | Starter | Higher daily range than MES — reaches the profit target faster. |
| NQ | 100k | Pro | Full-size NQ only makes sense on 100k with experienced sizing. |
| ES | 100k | Pro | Steady daily range, clean technical levels, high liquidity. |
| YM | 50k | Starter | Dow micros available — MYM tick value is similar to MES. |
MES gives the finest risk control on a 50k Express account; MNQ trades higher dollar returns per contract for a faster run at the 6% target. The Starter plan covers both.
Payout structure and funded account rules
Funded accounts start at an 80% profit split with a path to 90% for consistent performers. Weekly payouts are available — faster than most of the industry, which typically runs monthly or bi-monthly. Being US-based, TPT's payout infrastructure is stable, with payments arriving by standard ACH or wire.
Automation on funded accounts is one of TPT's strongest differentiators — the same TradingView + TradersPost setup used to pass the eval keeps running once funded, with no behavioral change between the two stages. For a systematic trader, that continuity is about as clean as this business gets.