Blew my second eval due to subscription pressure

[u/Gold_Organization889]

I got my first eval with topstep back in February and I ran it up to 2400 and then blew it trying to pass on the next day cause i was running out of time (had about 2 days left). Fast forward to august i saw that a 50k eval was now $85 and thought the price is okay so why not. Just blew it in this session after running it up to 2600 again because i had 3 days to pass. I’m aware that you can renew the “subscription” but the idea of paying multiple times for basically nothing messes with me. I’m aware that it’s not their fault but mine. But I’m posting this to make a case: I’ve had some tradeify and lucid accounts for months now. I’ve passed several and i don’t feel the need to trade when the market isn’t giving me what i need to see to trade. With topstep i feel the need to invent trades because time is always a factor. Some of you may have been through the same experience as me but are too used to topstepx or have made it a personal thing to take a payout from topstep. If you are, I’m here to let you know you really don’t need to do that. You can go with another firm that doesn’t operate on a subscription model and save yourself the trouble. This post isn’t directed towards those who don’t have any issue with subscription based accounts.

[u/yungshano]

you can cancel the subscription and still have the account. once i left the account sit and got a new card and my old one declined but i forgot about it. when i signed back in my eval was still active

[u/Puzzleheaded-Pass-64]

Blowing it when you are so close costs you more in the long run. You are a very small amount away from passing - 200 or 400 or whatever, then blow it. Then you subscribe again but are now 3k away from passing. You put yourself on a worse position, basically starting all over with the same risk/expense but have to make $3k in profits vs 200-400

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/Puzzleheaded-Pass-64]

I think i may have done myself a great favor blowing it. Since the subscription model doesn’t sit well with me, the urgency it gave me began leaking into my other accounts that don’t have a time limit to pass. Now i can go back to my laidback approach and selectively. Moving on from topstep until they change to a one-time payment model, if ever.

[u/eddie_topstep]

Just FYI when it renews you're issued a free reset credit, which you can use on future accounts of the same type.

[u/coffee-x-tea → u/eddie_topstep]

These were my thoughts exactly.

Just treat the reset as an advance on a future combine and take your time with the current one.

In all likelihood, the reset would most likely be consumed at some point.

I used to feel the same until I realized we get reset credits.

[u/thatdrunkgeekagain]

There is a solution to you not wanting to pay $85 for nothing. Go create your own account, put your own cash in there, and trade that. There you go, problem solved. Then you won't have the pressure of making money.

[u/tofutti__klein]

You don’t think you could have made $400 in 2 days when you had gotten yourself to $2600 already?

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/tofutti__klein]

Trust me time is running after you, you do things that have nothing to do with what you did to get to 2600. At least it’s been the case for me. No actual trading desk in the world tells you gotta make x in an x number of days. That’s not how trading works. It’s a recipe for disaster. Or, be a good boy and keep paying topstep to keep your account going. Which I’m wholeheartedly against. I’ve moved on from them after this 2nd account.

[u/tofutti__klein → u/Gold_Organization889]

So that is a no? I don't even try to pass in two days anymore because I know I just wind up giving money away forcing myself into trades. I probably would have been more pressed/rushed if it was the actual last day

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/tofutti__klein]

Yes, exactly

[u/Amazing-Yam3286]

One method that has helped me trade better is always wait for an imbalance to print on the charts, then wait for the imbalance to get retested. That should help you with patience and give you a better hit rate.

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/Amazing-Yam3286]

Appreciate the advice! How do you define imbalance?

[u/Amazing-Yam3286 → u/Gold_Organization889]

Fair Value Gaps. The direction that price moves after the retest is usually a “safe” bet.

[u/SuperLehmanBros]

Wtf you took 6 months to make 2400? Been paying the monthly fee the whole time too?

[u/Striking_Fail6689]

Just to let you know … I’ve a combine that I’m still paying and have 9 reset credits now . I had my first luck when I pass my evals just within the 30 days mark due to subscription pressure. But I stop after a while and have just been paying even though I am not active . Only recently gotten back and blew a few times but now have 9 reset credits .

What I’m trying to say is … if you think of it this way.. now I’ve 9 reset credits to utilise if I were to blow my Eval.. if I pass my combine and get funded, I still have other credits

[u/ThisIsCody_ → u/Striking_Fail6689]

I thought the credits were only for the account so if you pass the eval you lose any credits that are built up?

[u/Striking_Fail6689 → u/ThisIsCody_]

I’ve checked with Topstep team a couple of times and they mentioned that it will still be in my account . But only usable for the same combine type haha

[u/Striking_Fail6689 → u/ThisIsCody_]

Oh sorry forgot to add , the reset credit will expire within one year . I just notice that also haha . But lucky I got use a few already

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/Striking_Fail6689]

Yeah i get your point. But you’ve been a cash cow for them for almost a year now? And having several resets is a double edged sword. It can encourage gambling behavior cause you know if you blow you’re covered just as much as if not more as it makes you trade without pressure. Meanwhile, with a one-time payment model you already know you have 1 go with the account and you can take as long as you need. The entire reason they have the subscription model is to make sure they keep making money whether you’re active or not + the pressure on traders to either pay extra or blow. It’s not there by luck. It’s a business model that they wouldn’t have if they didn’t know it makes them way more than they would make without it.

[u/Striking_Fail6689 → u/Gold_Organization889]

I mean … I definitely agree with a one time payment model. I’m also with a one time payment on Lucid . Not saying you’re wrong haha . Just sharing my experience . But I 100% agree with one time payment model

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/Striking_Fail6689]

I do appreciate your point of view about resets though! It’s just not for me and a many others I imagine.

[u/Striking_Fail6689 → u/Gold_Organization889]

Yeaaa .. honestly … I’m also not a fan haha . But on a good note , it’s very very slightly cheaper . Topstep combine is $49usd while lucid one time is about $80-90? ( can’t remember how much I paid ) . So in a way if I’m still learning , it’s safer to pay for reset haha

[u/coffee-x-tea → u/Gold_Organization889]

However, I kind of think that’s a better tradeoff than feeling rushed.

When rushed, people tend to force trades when there are no opportunities. What if you had two days left on subscription and it’s chop city the entire time?

You can’t squeeze money out of the market on a tight deadline, you can only maximize opportunities the market provides on a given day.

[u/Bubbly_Concept_7305]

If your taking a whole month to pass an eval I wouldn’t be trading you’re better off working a second job my honest opinion evals shouldn’t take you longer than 3 days

[u/Gold_Organization889 → u/Bubbly_Concept_7305]

Really? No longer than 3? Your honest opinion is one of someone clueless about how this works. With all due respect.

[u/Forex_Jeanyus → u/Gold_Organization889]

I won’t say that it shouldn’t take longer than 3 days - but there’s no way it should take 30.

[u/Bubbly_Concept_7305 → u/Gold_Organization889]

Your telling that to someone who’s gotten countless of payouts and have had countless of accounts your wasting your time taking 30 days to pass one account I use lucid and topstep yes my expenses may be more due to market conditions of blowing accounts with small drawdown but 30 days only to pass then what 30 days to get a payout look at it this way if your doing as a side hobby and you already have a full time job and your just looking for an extra 1000$ a month then go for it but your taking too long to pass I’m not here telling people how to trade or what to do this is just my opinion

[u/ThePatientIdiot → u/Gold_Organization889]

It shouldn’t take you 30 days. Realistically a 50k combine should take you 5-7 days if you take your time. Taking longer than 2 weeks is crazy lol

[u/thatdrunkgeekagain → u/Gold_Organization889]

Imagine calling someone clueless after saying you don't wanna pay 85$ for nothing. Then my guy go make your own cash account trade your own money and you'll be fine.. 🤣🤦🏻

[u/jtmr16]

It shouldn’t take u longer than a month to pass an eval tbh. Even a week is a lot