Apex Trader Funding vs The5ers
On the numbers: The5ers has the cheaper entry point; The5ers rates higher on Trustpilot. The right choice depends on which of those you weigh most - the rules, pricing and payout detail below is where they really separate.
At a glance
| Apex Trader Funding | The5ers | |
|---|---|---|
| TradingBay Rating | 8.3 | 8.8 ★ |
| Category | Futures | Forex |
| Founded | 2021 | 2016 |
| Profit Split | 100% | Up to 100% |
| Payout Cycle | Every 8 days | Bi-weekly |
| Account Sizes | $25K–$150K | $2.5K–$250K |
| Cheapest Challenge | $199 | $19 ★ |
| Platforms | NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Rithmic / R|Trader Pro, TradingView (via Tradovate), WealthCharts | MetaTrader 5 (Hedge), cTrader |
| Trustpilot | 4.2 | 4.7 ★ |
Which is cheaper at $50K and $100K?
Lowest listed price for that account size, across each firm's challenge types.
| Apex Trader Funding | The5ers | |
|---|---|---|
| $25K account | $199 | - |
| $50K account | $249 ★ | $309 |
| $100K account | $399 ★ | $545 |
Rules head-to-head
Drawdown type is the rule that catches most traders out - read it before the profit split.
| Apex Trader Funding | The5ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Rules grade | C+ - Simple rules, restrictive payout structure | B - Fair and transparent, but growth is gradual ★ |
| Drawdown type | EOD: trailing threshold recalculated once daily at market close, enforced next session (includes unrealized PnL on PA). Intraday: real-time trailing on peak balance incl. unrealized gains; never resets down. | Hyper/Pro Growth: 6% static stop-out from initial balance. High Stakes: 10% absolute max loss. Bootcamp: 5% max loss per step, 4% when funded. |
| Daily loss limit | EOD plans: fixed DLL ($500/$1,000/$1,500/$2,000 by size; tier-scaled on PA) - hitting it pauses trading for the session, no fail. Intraday plans: none. | Hyper Growth: 3% daily pause (not a breach). Pro Growth: 3% daily loss = account termination. High Stakes: 5% daily (from higher of balance/equity at server midnight). Bootcamp: 3% daily pause on funded stage only. |
| Profit target | - | Hyper/Pro Growth: 10%. High Stakes: 10% then 5%; 10% per funded scaling step. Bootcamp: 6% per step, 5% per funded milestone. |
| Consistency rule | None during evaluation. 50% on funded PA: no single day may be >=50% of profit since last approved payout. | No fixed best-day percentage; profitable-day minimums serve the same purpose. |
| News trading | Permitted (no blanket restriction). | Allowed; bracket strategies around high-impact news prohibited. High Stakes: no new orders within 2 minutes before/after high-impact news. |
| EAs / automation | Prohibited activities ban rule circumvention and cross-account hedging; evaluations must be passed with independent directional trading. Up to 20 PAs concurrently. | EAs allowed except tick-scalping, HFT, arbitrage, emulators, copy/coordinated trading - banned EAs void the account without refund. |
| Weekend holding | Not applicable - positions are closed by session end; no overnight/weekend holding. | Overnight and weekend holding allowed (indices carry very high weekend swaps). |
| Min trading days | None in evaluation (one-day pass possible). PA payouts need 5 qualifying profit days per cycle. | - |
| Time limit | 30 calendar days of access per one-time fee; no extensions, no resets - failed or expired evals require a new purchase. | Unlimited time to pass; accounts inactive for 30+ consecutive days expire. |
Payouts head-to-head
| Apex Trader Funding | The5ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Profit split (full terms) | 100% of approved payouts (no split on sim-funded Performance Accounts) | Starts at 50/50 (Hyper Growth, Bootcamp), 75/25 (Pro Growth) or 80/20 (High Stakes) and scales to 100% - top High Stakes tiers pay 100% plus $4,000-$10,000 fixed payouts |
| Payout frequency | Up to weekly - after 5 qualifying profit days per cycle; review within ~2 business days, funds sent in 3-4 business days | First payout 14 days after receiving the funded account, then every two weeks; the cycle resets each time the account scales |
| First payout | After 5 qualifying profit days (min daily profit $100-$350 by size) and balance above safety net (drawdown limit + $100) plus $500 | 14 days after the funded account is issued |
| Minimum payout | $500 per request | $150 (after profit split); crypto withdrawals capped at $1,500 per request |
| Scaling | Tier-based scaling on Performance Accounts: contract limits and daily loss limits increase with end-of-day balance; payout ladder rises from $1,000-$2,500 (payout #1) to $1,000-$5,000 (payout #6) by size | Hyper Growth doubles the account at every 10% target up to $4M; Pro Growth scales incrementally to $500K; High Stakes scales 10% steps to $500K with split rising 80/20 to 100/0 + fixed payouts; Bootcamp scales every 5% up to $4M |
Who should choose which?
· You're buying a $50K account ($249 vs $309).
· You trade the news.
· You want the cheaper entry ($19 vs $199).
· You want no clock on the evaluation.
· You swing trade and hold over the weekend.
· You want clearer, more stable rules (rules grade B vs C+).
· Independent reputation matters to you (Trustpilot 4.7 vs 4.2).
Is Apex Trader Funding better than The5ers?
It depends what you weigh: The5ers has the cheaper entry point; The5ers rates higher on Trustpilot.
Which is cheaper, Apex Trader Funding or The5ers?
The5ers has the lower-priced entry challenge ($19 vs $199). At the $50K size, Apex Trader Funding is cheaper ($249 vs $309).
Does Apex Trader Funding or The5ers allow EAs?
Apex Trader Funding: Prohibited activities ban rule circumvention and cross-account hedging; evaluations must be passed with independent directional trading. Up to 20 PAs concurrently.. The5ers: EAs allowed except tick-scalping, HFT, arbitrage, emulators, copy/coordinated trading - banned EAs void the account without refund..
Can US traders join Apex Trader Funding or The5ers?
Apex Trader Funding: yes, the US is not on its restricted list. The5ers: yes, the US is not on its restricted list.
Which pays out faster, Apex Trader Funding or The5ers?
Apex Trader Funding: Up to weekly - after 5 qualifying profit days per cycle; review within ~2 business days, funds sent in 3-4 business days. The5ers: First payout 14 days after receiving the funded account, then every two weeks; the cycle resets each time the account scales.
Terms last verified against each firm's own site: 2026-06-12 / 2026-06-12. How we rate.