Sway Funded vs The5ers: Elite Prop Firms Comparison
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Introduction
Sway Funded and The5ers represent two leading prop trading firms that offer traders the opportunity to access substantial capital. Sway Funded stands out with its modern approach to prop trading, offering transparent evaluation processes and competitive profit splits. The5ers, established earlier in the industry, has built a strong reputation for its trader-centric policies and multi-phase funding model. On Trustpilot, Sway Funded maintains a 4.1/5 rating while The5ers holds a 4.7/5, both demonstrating strong trader satisfaction in the competitive prop firm landscape.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
|  | |
| Founded | 2024-02 | 2016 |
| Profit Split | 80-90% | 80-100% |
| Maximum Account Size | $200,000 | $4,000,000 |
| Evaluation Phases | 2 | 3 |
| Trustpilot Rating | — | 4.8 |
| Expert Grade | 8.1 | 9 |
Program Types
| Program | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Program | Yes | High Stakes (2-Step) |
| Advanced Program | Yes | Hyper Growth (1-Step) |
| Scaling Options | Yes | Bootcamp (3-Step) |
| Demo Account | Yes | Available |
Rules & Assessment
| Criteria | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | 10% p1, 5% p2 (Standard); 8% p1, 4% p2 (Professional) | 5-10% |
| Maximum Drawdown | 10-12% | 10% |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 (challenge), 3 (verification) | 3 |
| News Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fees & Pricing
| Option | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| CFD $2.5K Account | Not offered | USD 19 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $5K Account | Not offered | USD 35 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $10K Account | USD 66 / Listed challenge / One-time | USD 69 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $25K Account | USD 156 / Listed challenge / One-time | USD 176 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $50K Account | USD 289 / Listed challenge / One-time | USD 278 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $100K Account | USD 499 / Listed challenge / One-time | USD 491 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $200K Account | USD 849 / Listed challenge / One-time | Not offered |
| Futures $25K Account | Not offered | USD 59 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Futures $50K Account | Not offered | USD 100 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Futures $100K Account | Not offered | USD 170 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Futures $150K Account | Not offered | USD 199 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Coupons / Discount | Sway Funded discount | The5ers discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | Liquid Charts, Liquid Charts Pro | MetaTrader 5, cTrader |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks | Yes | No |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | Yes | No |
| Bonds | — | Not available |
| EA/Algo Trading | No | Yes |
Payout
| Feature | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT (1.5% withdrawal fee, typically 24 hours) | Bi-weekly; minimum $150 threshold; bank 3%, Wise/crypto 2%, Hub Credits 0% |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | Sway Funded | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | No trailing drawdown, No consistency rule, No overnight holding restrictions, Weekend holding permitted, No time limits, Active in 150+ countries | Established 2016, 30,000+ verified payouts, Profit scales to 100%, No time limits, Multiple program options |
| Weaknesses | Relatively new firm (founded Feb 2024), Proprietary platform only, 1.5% withdrawal fee, No phone support, Not regulated broker | Non-refundable fees, Strict drawdown rules, US traders restricted, Withdrawal fees (2-3%), News trading prohibited on High Stakes |
| Best For | Traders seeking flexible challenge formats with no time pressure | Structured traders seeking established firm with clear scaling path |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation
Choose Sway Funded – Elite if you want a shorter evaluation at 2 phases and coverage of stocks and cryptocurrencies that the other does not offer. Choose The5ers if a higher profit split, up to 100%, a larger funded ceiling at $4M and a cheaper entry, from USD 19 matter more to you. Neither firm is better in the abstract. The right choice depends on your strategy, your budget and the instruments you trade, so read both full reviews before you commit. Verify current rules and pricing on each firm’s own site before purchasing.
Frequently asked questions
What should I know about Sway Funded’s programs?
Sway Funded lists Rapid, Regular and Instant options and uses simulated accounts. Its challenge selector shows different targets and loss-limit configurations. Sway Funded official rules.
What should I know about The5ers’s programs?
The5ers High Stakes is a two-step program with a scaling ladder. Its advertised maximum profit share is reached through scaling rather than being the standard starting share. The5ers official rules; The5ers official program information.
How do payouts differ between Sway Funded and The5ers?
Sway advertises rewards of up to 90% of simulated profits. The exact share and reward eligibility should be taken from the selected account configuration, rather than treating that maximum as every account’s starting share. Sway Funded official rules.
High Stakes starts at 80% and the published ladder reaches 100% at advanced levels. Its payout guide allows funded-stage requests on a biweekly basis and specifies a $150 minimum after the split. The5ers official rules; The5ers official program information.
Which account rules matter when comparing Sway Funded and The5ers?
The displayed challenge has four minimum trading days and no overall time limit. Its configurable drawdown limits mean a headline maximum is not the loss allowance on every Sway account. Sway Funded official rules.
High Stakes fee benefits are divided into 10% and 20% non-withdrawable Hub credits after the evaluation steps and a conditional 70% refund at the funded stage. Passing alone does not return the whole fee as cash. The5ers official rules; The5ers official program information.
Is Sway Funded or The5ers automatically the better choice?
No. The two firms lead on different things: Sway Funded – Elite has the shorter evaluation at 2 phases and market access the other lacks, namely stocks and cryptocurrencies, while The5ers has the higher profit split at 100% and the larger funded ceiling at $4M. Which of those matters more depends on how you actually trade, so compare how each firm measures drawdown, the total fee once add-ons and resets are included and the evaluation objectives for the exact program you buy, rather than the headline numbers. If you fail an evaluation, do not assume either firm offers a fixed reset discount: check the reset terms for the specific account you bought.
How We Compared Sway Funded and The5ers
Both firms on this page carry a JoinProp Rating out of 10. We produce that rating with the same 9-factor methodology we apply to every firm we review: payout reliability (20%), fee structure (15%), drawdown rules (15%), profit split (15%), evaluation terms (10%), trading rules (10%), support access and responsiveness (5%), scaling plan (5%), and track record and transparency (5%).
The inputs come from our firm reviews, not from this page. For each firm we work from the current terms and conditions rather than marketing pages, track rule and pricing changes over time, and read payout and support reports across Trustpilot, Reddit and Discord, looking for recurring patterns rather than isolated complaints. Every firm is re-checked at least every 90 days, or sooner after a material change. Affiliate relationships have no effect on any rating, and ratings are never sold.
The tables above show the evidence behind those factors. A few rows, including trading platforms, available instruments, maximum account size and demo availability, are there to help you judge fit and do not affect either rating.
Read our full ranking methodology
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