FTMO vs The5ers: 2026 Comparison From a Funded Trader

Quick overview before we dig in.

• FTMO. Founded 2014. Czech Republic-based. Largest brand-name prop firm in retail prop trading. Two-step evaluation. Conservative rule set. Multi-year continuous operating record.
• The5ers. Founded 2016. Israel-based. Continuous operation under same ownership since launch. Hyper-Growth model is the cheapest entry in the industry. Where my own funded account lives.

Both offer funded accounts on forex, indices, metals, and crypto CFDs. Both pay out actual withdrawals to verified funded traders. Both have weathered multiple regulatory environments and competitor collapses without operational disruption. The differences are in the specific rules, the costs, and the scaling models.

Pulled from each firm's public documentation. Always confirm on the firm's site before purchase since rules change.

Profit targets

• FTMO. Phase 1 10%, Phase 2 5%
• The5ers Hyper-Growth. Phase 1 6%, Phase 2 6%, scaling thereafter

Daily drawdown

• FTMO. 5%
• The5ers. None on most plans (overall drawdown only)

Maximum overall drawdown

• FTMO. 10%
• The5ers. 5% on Hyper-Growth, 6% on Bootcamp, 4% on Premium

Minimum trading days

• FTMO. 4 days minimum on standard, 0 on certain newer plans
• The5ers. None on most plans

News trading

• FTMO. Restricted on certain plans (no positions during major news on Swing accounts). Allowed on Aggressive plans.
• The5ers. Allowed on most plans

Weekend holds

• FTMO. Allowed only on Swing accounts
• The5ers. Allowed

Headline takeaway: The5ers is more permissive on minimum days, news, and weekend holds. FTMO is stricter but with the consolation of the longest brand-recognition track record.

Evaluation fees for the smallest account size at each firm. Refundable on first payout in most cases. Always confirm before buying.

• FTMO $10K Challenge. €89 (around $97 at typical FX rates).
• The5ers Hyper-Growth $5K. $39. The cheapest entry in the prop firm industry.

For most traders, the first attempt fails. That's normal, even for experienced traders entering an unfamiliar prop firm framework. The cost difference between $39 and $97 matters when you're paying for two or three attempts. The5ers Hyper-Growth is the cheapest way to feel out the prop firm process before committing to a bigger account.

Once you scale to a $100K account size, the fees converge to roughly $300 to $400 at both firms.

This is what actually matters once you're funded. A great rule set with broken payouts is worse than a stricter rule set that pays.

• FTMO. Long-established reliable payout reputation. 14-day fixed cycle. Multi-year continuous track record.
• The5ers. Payouts on demand once eligible (no fixed cycle on most plans). I can personally vouch for $64K+ in verified withdrawals on the High Stakes plan.

Both firms have multi-year continuous payout histories. FTMO has the longer brand recognition. The5ers has the personal verification I can speak to from firsthand experience. For payout flexibility, The5ers edges ahead because there's no fixed payout cycle.

Here's how I'd sort the recommendations.

You're new to prop firms and want the cheapest first try

The5ers Hyper-Growth $5K at $39. No daily drawdown stress, no minimum trading days, lowest cost in the industry. Perfect for getting comfortable with the prop firm framework before scaling.

You want the most established brand

FTMO. The household name with the longest continuous brand recognition in retail prop trading. Stricter rules (5% daily drawdown, 4-day minimum on standard) but the most predictable operation. Best fit if you're risk-averse and prefer the most well-known operator.

You want news trading and weekend holds without paying extra

The5ers. Both allowed on most standard plans. FTMO allows them only on Swing accounts (which cost more).

You want to scale to a six-figure funded account

The5ers Premium track. The scaling program adds 25% to your account every time you hit a 10% profit target. You can compound to $1.28M+ over time. FTMO scales similarly but slower per cycle.

You're a swing trader holding multi-day positions

FTMO Swing. Built for it specifically. Wider drawdown buffer for overnight gaps.

My main funded account is The5ers. Three reasons.

• Continuous operating record under the same team since 2016. No regulatory restructure, no rebrand, no ownership change.
• $64K+ in verified personal payouts on the High Stakes plan.
• Hyper-Growth scaling. The 25% account boost compounds aggressively if you're consistent.

I've also tested FTMO evaluations. The platform works as advertised, payouts are reliable, and the brand stability is real. The reason it didn't replace The5ers as my main account is the firsthand payout history I have with The5ers and the lower minimum entry cost.

Whichever you pick, the framework to pass the challenge is the same. Risk under 0.5% per trade, only take A-grade setups during the NY session. The firm you choose only matters once you're funded.