Topstep vs The 5%ers – Elite Prop Firms Comparison
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 Comparison |
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|---|---|---|
| Feature | Topstep | The 5%ers |
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| Founded | 2012 (Chicago, IL) | 2016 (Israel) |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.4/5 (13,872+ reviews, April 2026) | 4.8/5 (21,000+ verified reviews) |
| Account Sizes | $50K – $150K Trading Combine® | $5K – $100K (scaling to $4,000,000) |
| Profit Split | 100% on first $10K, 90/10 thereafter | Starts at 80%, scales to 100% |
| Evaluation Style | Trading Combine® (single-phase) | High Stakes (2-Step), Hyper Growth (1-Step), Bootcamp |
| Review | Read full review | Read full review |
Program Types – Which experience fits your goals? |
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|---|---|---|
| Program | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Standard Evaluation | Trading Combine® at $50K, $100K or $150K | High Stakes (2-Step) – flagship program |
| Express / Single-Step | Combine is single-phase by default | Hyper Growth – single-phase, 10% profit target, $10K–$40K accounts |
| Disciplined / Educational | Education ecosystem available | Bootcamp – mandatory stop-loss, 2% account-risk cap |
| Educational Support | Discord (150K+ traders), live trading rooms, daily sessions | Long-form trader-development materials and 24/7 support |
| Account Scaling | Limited beyond largest Combine size | Scaling plan up to $4,000,000 through performance milestones |
Assessment Criteria – How can you pass the test? |
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|---|---|---|
| Criteria | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Profit Target (Phase 1) | Single profit target per Combine size | Hyper Growth: 10%; High Stakes: per-program target |
| Profit Target (Phase 2) | N/A – single phase | High Stakes Phase 2 has its own target |
| Maximum Daily Loss | None – no daily loss limit | Per-program daily loss rules apply |
| Maximum Trailing Drawdown | Trailing MLL (end-of-day only); stops trailing at starting balance | Per-program drawdown rules; static where applicable |
| Minimum Trading Days | 5 trading days | No minimum on most programs |
| Time Limit | None | None |
| Consistency Rule | Best day cannot exceed 50% of total profits at payout | Mandatory stop-loss and 2% risk cap on Bootcamp |
Fees and Pricing – How much will you pay? |
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|---|---|---|
| Option | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Entry Level | $50K Combine: monthly subscription | High Stakes 5K: from $39 |
| Mid Tier | $100K Combine: higher monthly subscription | Mid-tier High Stakes pricing scales with account |
| Premium | $150K Combine: highest monthly subscription | High Stakes 100K: up to $545 |
| Reset Fee | Continued monthly subscription pays the reset | Reset fees published on the firm’s pricing page |
| Refundable? | $149 activation fee path or No-Activation-Fee path | One-time fee model; failed challenges forfeited |
| Coupons | Learn More | Promo Code |
| Review | Read full review | Read full review |
Platforms/Tools – What can you use? |
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|---|---|---|
| Platform | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Trading Platforms | TopstepX only (new accounts since July 2025) | MetaTrader 5; cTrader added 2025 |
| Data Feed | Included with TopstepX | Included via platform providers |
| Mobile Trading | Mobile-browser support | MT5 and cTrader native mobile apps |
| Custom Indicators | TradingView charting + Tilt™ indicator | MT5 and cTrader indicator libraries |
| Automated Trading | EAs permitted | EAs permitted; latency arbitrage, tick scalping, reverse arbitrage banned |
| News Feed | Integrated within TopstepX | Available via MT5 / cTrader |
Available Markets/Products |
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|---|---|---|
| Market | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Forex | Not offered | Major, minor, and exotic currency pairs |
| Index Futures / Indices | ES, NQ and full CME index suite | Major global stock indices (CFDs) |
| Energy / Commodities | CL and full CME energy complex | Oil and other commodity CFDs |
| Metals | GC and CME metals | Gold, silver and other metals |
| Crypto | Not offered on standard accounts | No crypto futures or stocks – primarily Forex and CFDs |
| Stocks | Not offered | Not offered |
| Total Coverage | Full CME futures suite | Forex-first multi-asset CFD coverage |
Technical Capabilities/Performance |
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|---|---|---|
| Feature | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Execution Speed | Direct via TopstepX infrastructure | Standard for MT5 / cTrader |
| Automated Trading | EAs permitted | EAs permitted with prohibited-strategy list |
| Order Types | Standard futures order set (Market, Limit, Stop, OCO) | Full Forex/CFD order set across MT5 and cTrader |
| Platform Reliability | Established since 2012, $1B+ payouts processed | Founded 2016; 30,000+ verified payouts processed |
| Data Feed Quality | TopstepX-bundled data feed | Provider-bundled retail-grade Forex/CFD feeds |
| Trading Hours | Standard CME futures sessions | 24/5 across most CFD instruments; weekend holding allowed |
Support and Community |
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|---|---|---|
| Support Feature | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Customer Support Hours | Live chat, email, phone, SMS, WhatsApp | 24/7 customer support |
| Response Time | Same-day during business hours | Standard SLAs (not specified) |
| Live Coaching | Daily live trading sessions, webinars | Trader-development resources; long-form support |
| Trading Community | 150,000+ Discord members | Long-running community; 21,000+ Trustpilot reviews |
| Educational Resources | Multiple tracks, courses, podcasts | Established trader-development library |
| Success Stories | $1B+ in cumulative payouts | 30,000+ verified payouts processed |
Conclusion and Final Recommendation |
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|---|---|---|
| Key Element | Topstep | The 5%ers |
| Strengths | Longest live track record in futures, deep education ecosystem, no daily loss limit, EAs permitted | Verified 30,000+ payouts, 4.8/5 Trustpilot, scaling to $4M, three program flavours, 24/7 support |
| Weaknesses | Monthly subscription compounds; TopstepX-only platform; CME futures only | Restricted in many countries (US, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Russia, North Korea); not regulated; news trading limits on High Stakes |
| Best For | Futures traders who want pedigree and the best US-futures evaluation experience | Forex traders outside the restricted-country list seeking a long-term scaling path |
| Final Grade | 4.4/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Discount Codes | – | Coupon Code |
| Review | Read full review | Read full review |
FAQ
Are Topstep and The 5%ers offering the same instruments?
No. Topstep is exclusively CME Group futures (ES, NQ, CL, GC and similar). The 5%ers offers Forex, indices CFDs, and commodities – no crypto futures or single-name stocks. The two firms barely overlap on instruments; pick based on what you actually trade.
Is The 5%ers available to US traders?
No. The 5%ers’ restricted-country list includes the United States, Israel, Iran, Iraq, Russia, North Korea, and several others. US-based traders cannot fund evaluations there. Topstep, by contrast, is built for the US futures market.
Which firm has the higher scaling ceiling?
The 5%ers’ scaling program goes up to $4,000,000 in allocated capital through performance milestones. Topstep’s funded accounts top out at the largest Combine size ($150K) with no formal scaling ladder beyond that.
Can I use EAs or automated strategies?
Both firms permit EAs. Topstep allows them with no specific restriction. The 5%ers permits EAs but explicitly bans latency arbitrage, tick scalping, and reverse arbitrage – strategies designed to exploit feed delays or pricing inconsistencies.
How are payouts processed?
Topstep funded accounts can request bi-weekly payouts after a minimum holding period; daily payouts unlock after 30 consecutive winning days. The 5%ers pays bi-weekly with a $150 minimum, and offers four routes: bank wire (3% commission), Wise (2%), crypto (2%), and Hub Credits (0%, redeemable for new challenges).
How was this 2 companies Comparison Created?
1. We Collect
We pull each firm’s public-facing rules, fees, drawdown parameters, profit splits, platforms, and supported markets from their official documentation and our own JoinProp reviews.
2. We Examine
Each criterion is normalised so the two firms are compared on the same axis – for example, “drawdown” is broken down into trailing vs static, intraday vs end-of-day, and any reset conditions.
3. We Score
Where one firm offers a meaningfully better term – lower fees, broader markets, more permissive rules – we identify it and explain the trade-off.
4. You Choose
The conclusion is written so you can match a firm to your trading style: instrument coverage, evaluation tolerance, and payout cadence are the three filters most traders should care about.
