Topstep vs The5ers – Elite Prop Firms Comparison
Published: · Last updated:
Introduction
Topstep and The 5%ers are both veteran prop firms with very different specialties. Topstep, founded in Chicago in 2012, is the original CME-futures prop firm – exclusively futures, exclusively TopstepX, with more than a billion dollars paid out to funded traders. The 5%ers, founded in Israel in 2016 by CEO Saul Lokier, is one of the oldest Forex-focused prop firms still operating, with 30,000-plus verified payouts and a 4.8/5 Trustpilot score from 21,000+ reviews. The two firms barely overlap on instruments – Topstep is futures-only, The 5%ers covers Forex, indices CFDs, and commodities – so the choice mostly comes down to what you trade. The 5%ers is also unavailable to US traders, which is a hard gate to consider upfront.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
|  | |
| Founded | 2012 | 2016 |
| Profit Split | 100% first $10,000, then 90/10 | 80-100% |
| Maximum Account Size | $150,000 | $4,000,000 |
| Evaluation Phases | 1 | 3 |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.4 | 4.8 |
| Expert Grade | 9 | 9 |
Program Types
| Program | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level Program | Yes | High Stakes (2-Step) |
| Advanced Program | — | Hyper Growth (1-Step) |
| Scaling Options | No | Bootcamp (3-Step) |
| Demo Account | No | Available |
Rules & Assessment
| Criteria | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Profit Target | 6% | 5-10% |
| Maximum Drawdown | Trailing MLL: $2,000-$4,500 | 10% |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 | 3 |
| News Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fees & Pricing
| Option | Topstep | 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 | Not offered | USD 69 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $25K Account | Not offered | USD 176 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $50K Account | Not offered | USD 278 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| CFD $100K Account | Not offered | USD 491 / High Stakes New / One-time |
| Futures $25K Account | Not offered | USD 59 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Futures $50K Account | USD 49 / Trading Combine / Monthly | USD 100 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Futures $100K Account | USD 99 / Trading Combine / Monthly | USD 170 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Futures $150K Account | USD 149 / Trading Combine / Monthly | USD 199 / Day Trade / One-time |
| Coupons / Discount | Topstep discount | The5ers discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | TopstepX | MetaTrader 5, cTrader |
| Forex | Yes | Yes |
| Stocks | No | No |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | No | No |
| Bonds | Yes | Not available |
| EA/Algo Trading | Yes | Yes |
Payout
| Feature | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | Bi-weekly via ACH, wire, or Rise; $50 minimum | Bi-weekly; minimum $150 threshold; bank 3%, Wise/crypto 2%, Hub Credits 0% |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | Industry pioneer, generous first $10K profit split, no time limits, EAs permitted, no daily loss limit, $1B+ paid to traders | Established 2016, 30,000+ verified payouts, Profit scales to 100%, No time limits, Multiple program options |
| Weaknesses | Monthly subscription fees compound, $149 activation fee, TopstepX platform exclusive, futures-only, trailing MLL can catch intraday profit-takers | Non-refundable fees, Strict drawdown rules, US traders restricted, Withdrawal fees (2-3%), News trading prohibited on High Stakes |
| Best For | Serious futures traders seeking established firm with forgiving evaluation | Structured traders seeking established firm with clear scaling path |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation
Choose Topstep if you want a shorter evaluation at 1 phase and coverage of bonds that the other does not offer. Choose The5ers if a larger funded ceiling at $4M, a lower 3-day minimum 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 Topstep’s programs?
Topstep distinguishes Express Funded Account Standard and Consistency paths, followed by a separate Live Funded Account stage. Topstep 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 Topstep and The5ers?
The current payout policy lists a 90/10 split and a $125 minimum. Standard requires five winning days of $150 or more; Consistency requires three days and a 40% consistency target. Requests are subject to account-size caps. Topstep 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 Topstep and The5ers?
Express payouts are generally limited to 50% of account balance up to the applicable cap. Legacy eligibility and optional daily-loss-limit arrangements can change the caps or split treatment. Topstep 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 Topstep or The5ers automatically the better choice?
No, neither is the default pick. Topstep has the shorter evaluation at 1 phase and market access the other lacks, namely bonds, and The5ers has the larger funded ceiling at $4M and the lower 3-day minimum. 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 Topstep and The 5%ers
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