Top One Trader vs Maven Trading: Which Prop Trading Firm Is Better in 2025?

Introduction

Prop trading firms are competing fiercely to offer traders flexible evaluations, quick payouts and pathways to significant funding. Two firms gaining attention are Top One Trader (often shortened to TOT) and Maven Trading. While both provide simulated capital and generous profit shares, their models differ in important ways. TOT is headquartered in the United States and offers one‑step, two‑step and instant funding programs that emphasize scaling and long‑term growth. Maven operates out of the United Arab Emirates and structures its one‑, two‑ and three‑phase programs with trailing or static drawdown rules and higher leverage. We reviewed their latest rules and trader feedback to explain the distinctions and help you decide which firm best suits your strategy.

Top One Trader Overview

Top One Trader emerged in 2023 and quickly built a reputation for transparent rules and responsive support. The firm offers four core products:

• One‑Step Challenge: Traders aim to earn ten percent profit without hitting a four percent daily loss or a seven percent trailing drawdown. There is no time limit, and the drawdown follows the account’s equity until it locks at breakeven. The default leverage is 1:10 on forex (with lower leverage on indices, metals and crypto). Profit splits start at eighty percent and climb by ten points with each successful withdrawal, maxing at ninety or one hundred percent depending on add‑ons. Weekend holds and news trading are allowed with optional upgrades.
• Two‑Step Challenge: Phase 1 requires an eight percent return; Phase 2 requires five percent. The maximum drawdown is static at eight percent, and the daily loss cap remains four percent. A consistency score requires that no single day’s profit exceed half of total profits, encouraging steady performance. As with the one‑step, traders have unlimited time and can add extras for weekend and news trading. Profit shares mirror the one‑step plan.
• Instant Funding: There is no profit target; instead, traders must stay within a six percent trailing drawdown and a three percent daily loss. A fifteen percent consistency rule caps any single day’s gain relative to cumulative profits. Payouts begin thirty days after the account is funded and then occur monthly. Profit splits are tiered: sixty percent on the first payout, seventy on the second, eighty on the third and ninety thereafter. With a paid add‑on, traders can request payouts immediately after meeting the profit buffer.
• Instant Prime: A premium plan with no profit target, a five percent trailing drawdown and a two point five percent daily loss cap. Traders must maintain an Equity Stability Score below twenty percent, which measures how evenly profits are distributed. First withdrawals are available after fourteen days, and profit splits progress from eighty to ninety to one hundred percent. News trading and weekend holding are allowed out of the box, and leverage reaches up to 1:50 on forex.

Across all programs, TOT processes withdrawals within twenty‑four hours and caps monthly payouts at twenty‑five thousand dollars. Accounts can be scaled to multi‑million‑dollar levels; the firm advertises a road map that extends to five million dollars in simulated capital. Trades may be executed on TradeLocker, Match Trader, cTrader or MetaTrader 5, giving users a range of platforms. Overnight and weekend holds are permitted if the trader purchases the appropriate add‑ons, and expert advisers are welcome.

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Maven Trading Overview

Maven Trading brands itself as a versatile prop firm that rewards profitable traders with on‑demand payouts. The company divides its offerings into several plans:

• One‑Step Program: A single‑phase evaluation with a ten percent profit target. Traders must avoid a six percent trailing drawdown and a three percent daily loss. The drawdown follows the account’s highest equity until the balance grows by six percent, at which point it locks. There is no minimum trading day requirement, so skilled traders can pass quickly. Profit splits are eighty percent, and withdrawals are available every ten business days. However, because the trailing drawdown locks at breakeven, traders must keep a buffer when withdrawing profits or risk triggering an immediate stop‑out. Weekend holds and news trading are allowed, but trades placed within five minutes of major announcements must remain open for at least two minutes.
• Two‑Step Pro Plans: Maven offers two variants: Pro 8% and Pro 10%. In Pro 8%, the first phase requires an eight percent return and the second phase requires five percent. The maximum loss is static at eight percent, and the daily loss is four percent. The Pro 10% raises the first target to ten percent while increasing the maximum drawdown to ten percent and the daily loss to five percent. Both versions impose a minimum of three trading days per phase. Foreign exchange leverage can reach 1:100, and account sizes up to three‑hundred thousand dollars are available. Weekend holding is allowed in evaluation, but the funded Pro accounts restrict holding trades over the weekend. News trading is permitted with a two‑minute buffer around red‑flag events. Payouts are on demand rather than tied to a fixed schedule.
• Three‑Step Plan (Alpha Three): This slower pathway requires an eight percent return in phase 1 and four percent in phases 2 and 3. The maximum static drawdown is six percent, and the daily loss limit is four percent. Each phase requires three trading days. Leverage on forex is 1:50 with lower ratios on metals and indices. Weekend holding is allowed throughout the evaluation and in the funded account, and trades may be held over news if the trader respects a five‑minute buffer. Profit splits remain eighty percent, and withdrawals are on demand.
• Swing Plan: Designed for longer‑term traders, the Swing plan uses the same ten percent and five percent targets as the Pro 10% plan but increases the static drawdown to ten percent and maintains a five percent daily loss. Leverage is reduced to 1:30 on forex, and lot exposure limits are scaled down to suit the slower pace. Weekend holds and news trading are fully permitted, though trades placed within two minutes of a release must stay open for a minimum period. Payouts are on demand, and the plan is only offered with that withdrawal method.

Maven also offers a miniature “instant” program that runs over twenty‑four hours with a three percent profit requirement and a one percent maximum floating loss. Such accounts pay out after a single day but must maintain a twenty percent consistency score, meaning no single day can exceed one‑fifth of total profits. Across all plans, Maven caps total capital at four‑hundred thousand dollars per trader and restricts lot exposure based on account size.

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Evaluation Model & Trading Rules Comparison

Top One Trader and Maven Trading share some basic principles: they provide unlimited time in the evaluation, enforce daily and overall loss limits and allow a high degree of strategy freedom. Yet the specifics diverge.

TOT’s one‑step challenge is straightforward: one target, one trailing drawdown and a four‑percent daily loss limit. Once the trailing drawdown locks at the starting balance, traders can relax because subsequent withdrawals will not shrink the buffer. Maven’s one‑step program similarly requires a ten percent gain but ties the drawdown lock to hitting six percent profit. Because the drawdown remains at breakeven, withdrawals must leave a cushion to avoid instantly breaching the account. Thus, Maven’s one‑step plan demands more careful withdrawal timing than TOT’s.

In the two‑step arena, TOT and Maven differ on targets and risk. TOT uses an eight percent target in phase 1 and five percent in phase 2, with a static eight percent max drawdown and a four percent daily limit. Maven offers a choice: the Pro 8% plan matches TOT’s eight‑percent goal but uses the same eight percent drawdown, while the Pro 10% raises the target to ten percent and increases the drawdown to ten percent. Maven’s daily loss limit is four or five points respectively. Both firms enforce minimum trading days (three per phase) and allow unlimited time, but TOT adds a consistency score requiring no single day to account for more than half of total profits.

Maven’s three‑step plan spreads risk over smaller targets—eight percent followed by two four percent goals—and a six percent static drawdown. This structure offers more breathing room and may appeal to traders who prefer a gradual build‑up. TOT does not offer a three‑phase program. Instead, TOT’s instant and prime programs provide alternative models: no profit target but a trailing or static drawdown, daily loss caps of three or two point five points and consistency or equity stability rules to encourage steady performance.

Leverage policies also differ. TOT caps forex leverage at 1:10 in its challenges and 1:50 in its prime program, while Maven’s Pro plans allow up to 1:100 on forex, giving experienced traders more buying power. However, Maven balances this by imposing strict lot exposure limits tied to account size. TOT does not limit lot sizes but warns traders to stay within the drawdown limits. TOT restricts news trading and weekend holding unless traders purchase add‑ons, whereas Maven allows these practices by default but enforces brief buffer windows around economic releases.

Payouts, Profit Split and Scaling

Payout structures highlight another major difference. TOT uses fixed cycles for most programs: one‑step and two‑step traders can request their first withdrawal fourteen days after funding, with subsequent withdrawals every fourteen days. Instant funding accounts pay out every thirty days, while instant prime accounts return to a fourteen‑day cycle. Profit splits start at eighty percent, climb to ninety with the first two payouts and can reach one hundred percent with certain add‑ons. TOT also refunds challenge fees and promises to process withdrawals within one business day. The firm’s scaling plan raises account sizes by increments and can expand a trader’s balance up to five million dollars, provided the trader consistently meets profit targets and avoids drawdowns.

Maven pays on demand. There is no waiting period once the profit target is met; traders can withdraw whenever they like, subject to the drawdown buffer. Profit splits are generally eighty percent, though the company hints that top performers may negotiate higher splits. Because Maven uses a trailing drawdown on some plans, withdrawing profits reduces the available buffer; traders must therefore decide between taking money out and maintaining margin for future trades. Maven does not offer a formal scaling plan, but traders can combine multiple accounts across different plans up to a four‑hundred‑thousand‑dollar cap.

Platforms, Markets and Trading Flexibility

Both firms support MetaTrader 5, and TOT additionally offers Match Trader, TradeLocker and cTrader. TOT’s multiple platforms may appeal to traders who favour certain order types or charting tools. The instruments offered are broadly similar—major and minor currency pairs, indices, metals, energies and select cryptocurrencies. TOT’s leverage is moderate, especially in its challenges where forex trades are limited to 1:10. Maven offers higher leverage on Pro accounts (up to 1:100) and moderate leverage on its swing and three‑step plans. Both firms permit algorithmic trading and discretionary strategies but ban practices considered exploitative, such as grid trading, high‑frequency scalping or hedging across multiple prop firms. TOT imposes a consistency score or equity stability requirement on its instant accounts, while Maven uses a trailing drawdown and lot exposure limits to encourage balanced trading. Weekend and news trading are possible with both firms, although TOT often requires an add‑on, whereas Maven includes it by default with buffer restrictions.

Reputation, Trust and User Feedback

Top One Trader is relatively new yet has quickly gained a loyal following. Traders often highlight the clarity of the rules, the responsive support and the reliability of payouts. The firm’s add‑ons—allowing weekend or news trading—give traders flexibility to tailor the program to their strategies. Some criticisms include the low leverage in the one‑step and two‑step challenges and the consistency requirement on the instant account, which can penalise traders with a big winning day.

Maven Trading receives praise for its flexible withdrawal policy and variety of plans. Traders appreciate being able to choose between a high‑target, single‑phase challenge or a gentler multi‑step path. The generous leverage and on‑demand payouts appeal to experienced traders. However, the trailing drawdown rules have led to confusion; some traders withdraw profits too aggressively and then accidentally breach the account. Others mention that high leverage combined with strict lot limits requires careful position sizing. Overall, Maven is viewed as professional and innovative but may require a steeper learning curve to master its risk framework.

Which Firm Is Better for Different Trader Types?

• Beginners and cautious traders: TOT’s two‑step challenge with modest leverage and clear drawdown limits offers a structured environment for learning. Maven’s three‑step plan also suits conservative traders, with smaller profit targets and a lower overall drawdown.
• Aggressive and experienced traders: Maven’s one‑step and Pro 10% plans provide high leverage and no forced delay between funding and withdrawal. TOT’s instant and prime accounts can also appeal to professionals comfortable managing trailing drawdowns and consistency scores.
• Swing traders: Maven’s Swing plan explicitly supports holding positions over weekends and around news events. TOT allows weekend holds only with an add‑on, and its standard accounts restrict news trading to avoid volatility.
• Scalpers and intraday traders: TOT’s moderate leverage and fixed drawdown levels cater to disciplined day traders who prioritise capital preservation. Maven’s higher leverage might entice scalpers, but they must stay within strict lot limits and trailing drawdown rules.
• Traders seeking fast payouts: Maven’s on‑demand model means profits can be withdrawn immediately after hitting targets. TOT uses scheduled withdrawals, though instant prime accounts offer a shorter two‑week cycle. Traders who prefer regular, predictable paydays may lean toward TOT.
• Long‑term growth seekers: TOT’s scaling plan offers a clear roadmap to multi‑million‑dollar accounts with profit splits rising to one hundred percent. Maven caps total funding at four‑hundred thousand dollars, so long‑term scaling potential is more limited.

Final Verdict

Top One Trader and Maven Trading both provide valuable options for traders, but they prioritise different trade‑offs. TOT offers lower leverage, a simple profit‑target structure and a defined scaling plan. Its scheduled payouts and tiered profit splits foster consistency and provide a straightforward path to seven‑figure simulated funding. The firm’s add‑ons let traders customise their experience, although they come at extra cost.

Maven Trading emphasises flexibility. Traders can select one‑, two‑ or three‑phase programs with varying drawdowns and leverage levels, and they can withdraw profits on their schedule. This freedom comes with complexity; trailing drawdown locks and lot exposure limits demand careful management. Maven is ideal for traders who already manage risk well and appreciate high leverage and quick access to profits.

There is no universal answer to which firm is “better.” If you prefer a well‑tested model with moderate risk and a clear path to scale to millions, Top One Trader may be your choice. If you seek high leverage, multiple program variations and immediate access to profits without waiting for scheduled payout cycles, Maven Trading might be a better fit. As always, review the full rules and consider how each firm’s risk management aligns with your trading plan before committing.

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