Topstep vs The5ers – Elite Prop Firms Comparison
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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, with TopstepX and Quantower connectivity for Trading Combine and Express Funded accounts, 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 | 90% trader share; first-$10,000 lifetime-profit exception for traders who joined the new dashboard before Jan 12, 2026 | The Four Programmes — High Stakes (2-step): 80% The Four Programmes — Pro Growth (1-step): 75% The Four Programmes — Hyper Growth (instant): 50% The Four Programmes — Bootcamp (3-step): 50% |
| Maximum Account Size | $150,000 | Up to $4M on applicable Growth/Bootcamp scaling plans; High Stakes has its own lower ceiling |
| Evaluation Phases | 1 | High Stakes: 2 steps; Growth: 1 step; Bootcamp: 3 steps. Separate Futures programs. |
| 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 | Trading Combine Parameters — 50,000: 3,000 Trading Combine Parameters — 100,000: 6,000 Trading Combine Parameters — 150,000: 9,000 | The Four Programmes — High Stakes (2-step): 10% then 5% (New) / 8% then 5% (Classic) The Four Programmes — Pro Growth (1-step): 10% The Four Programmes — Hyper Growth (instant): 10% per milestone The Four Programmes — Bootcamp (3-step): 6% / 6% / 6% |
| Maximum Drawdown | Trailing MLL: $2,000-$4,500 | The Four Programmes — High Stakes (2-step): 10% The Four Programmes — Pro Growth (1-step): 6% The Four Programmes — Hyper Growth (instant): 6% The Four Programmes — Bootcamp (3-step): 5% eval / 4% funded |
| Minimum Trading Days | Trading Combine can pass in as few as 2 days, subject to 55% consistency; funded payout paths have separate day requirements | High Stakes: 3 profitable days per evaluation phase, each meeting the 0.5% threshold; other plans have their own requirements. |
| News Trading | Yes | High Stakes: holding allowed, but order execution prohibited 2 minutes before/after high-impact news. Growth permits news subject to prohibited-strategy rules. Separate Futures rules. |
| Daily Loss Limit | Trading Combine Parameters — 50,000: Optional (1,000) Trading Combine Parameters — 100,000: Optional (2,000) Trading Combine Parameters — 150,000: Optional (3,000) | The Four Programmes — High Stakes (2-step): 5% (breach) The Four Programmes — Pro Growth (1-step): 3% (breach) The Four Programmes — Hyper Growth (instant): 3% — a pause, not a breach The Four Programmes — Bootcamp (3-step): None in evaluation |
| Maximum Contracts | Trading Combine Parameters — 50,000: 5 (50 micros) Trading Combine Parameters — 100,000: 10 (100 micros) Trading Combine Parameters — 150,000: 15 (150 micros) | — |
Fees & Pricing
| Option | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| CFD $2.5K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | High Stakes New / USD 19 / One-time Official rendered page default, 2-step High Stakes New. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| CFD $5K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | High Stakes New / USD 35 / One-time Official rendered page default, 2-step High Stakes New. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| CFD $10K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | High Stakes New / USD 69 / One-time Official rendered page default, 2-step High Stakes New. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| CFD $25K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | High Stakes New / USD 176 / One-time Official rendered page default, 2-step High Stakes New. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| CFD $50K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | High Stakes New / USD 278 / One-time Official rendered page default, 2-step High Stakes New. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| CFD $100K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | High Stakes New / USD 491 / One-time Official rendered page default, 2-step High Stakes New. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $25K Account | Not listed in review pricing source | Day Trade / USD 59 / One-time Official rendered page default; price refunded on 3rd payout. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $50K Account | Trading Combine / USD 49 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Day Trade / USD 100 / One-time Official rendered page default; price refunded on 3rd payout. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $100K Account | Trading Combine / USD 99 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price; tier was marked temporarily on hold when verified. Source Checked 2026-08-10 | Day Trade / USD 170 / One-time Official rendered page default; price refunded on 3rd payout. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Futures $150K Account | Trading Combine / USD 199 / Monthly Standard Trading Combine monthly price. Source Checked 2026-09-27 | Day Trade / USD 199 / One-time Official rendered page default; price refunded on 3rd payout. Source Checked 2026-08-10 |
| Refund Policy | — | No |
| Coupons / Discount | Topstep discount | The5ers discount |
Platforms & Markets
| Feature | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | TopstepX; Quantower connectivity for Trading Combine and Express Funded accounts | CFDs: MT5, cTrader and TradingView for non-US traders; TradingView only for US traders |
| Forex | Currency futures, not spot Forex | Yes |
| Stocks | No | No |
| Indices | Yes | Yes |
| Commodities | Yes | Yes |
| Cryptocurrencies | No | Yes on applicable CFD programs, including High Stakes; symbol and leverage limits vary. |
| Bonds | Yes | Not available |
| EA/Algo Trading | Yes | Yes |
Payout
| Feature | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Payout Terms | $125 minimum; eligibility by funded-account path, not a bi-weekly schedule. XFA Standard: 5 winning days of $150+; XFA Consistency: 3 trading days and 40% consistency. Balance limits, account caps and method availability apply. | First withdrawal 14 days after funded activation, then every 2 weeks from the last approved withdrawal; minimum and caps vary by plan. Approved requests typically processed within 3 business days. Rise, crypto and bank transfer: 3.5%; bank fees may also apply. Hub Credits: 0%, non-cash. |
| See all prop firm payouts → | ||
Verdict
| Key Element | Topstep | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Strengths | Trading Combine has no maximum completion deadline while the subscription remains active; automated strategies permitted subject to rules; 90% current trader share; Standard or Consistency Express payout paths. Daily-loss-limit arrangements vary. | Multiple evaluation routes; eligible scaling can increase profit share to 100%; no maximum completion deadline on core CFD evaluations, subject to inactivity limits |
| Weaknesses | Recurring Combine subscription; $149 XFA activation on Standard pricing path; futures-only; end-of-day trailing MLL can be breached intraday on unrealised losses | Plan-specific drawdown, news and profitable-day rules; cash withdrawal fees; US platform choice restricted; fee reimbursement depends on the program and eligibility |
| 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 carry a JoinProp Rating out of 10, scored on the same nine weighted factors, led by payout reliability at 20%, then fee structure, drawdown rules and profit split at 15% each. The scores come from our own firm reviews, built from each firm’s current terms rather than its marketing pages and re-checked at least every 90 days. Affiliate relationships have no effect on any rating, and ratings are never sold. The tables above are the evidence behind those scores. Read our full ranking methodology.