The5ers

The5ers review: our verdict

The5ers suits patient forex and CFD traders who want unlimited time to pass, a long operating history and a scaling path that can lift both account size and profit share. Its flagship High Stakes program is a conventional 2-step evaluation with a 1:100 leverage cap, while Hyper Growth, Pro Growth and Bootcamp cater to traders who prefer a single step or very low entry costs. The trade-offs are real: only 70% of the High Stakes fee is refunded, early High Stakes payouts are capped, profitable-day requirements apply, and the firm runs several overlapping products and promotions that make pricing harder to compare than at most rivals.

The5ers scores 8.4/10 in FundedTime's ratings and currently ranks second of the firms we track. It earns marks for its track record since 2016, unlimited evaluation time and strong Trustpilot feedback, and loses some for pricing transparency and payout caps. See our scoring methodology for details.

Programs and pricing

The5ers' CFD programs, as described on its own site, are:

• High Stakes (2-step): the main evaluation, with a "New" version (10% then 5% targets) and a "Classic" version (8% then 5%). Account sizes run from $2,500 to $100,000, scaling up to $500,000.
• Hyper Growth (1-step): 10% target, 6% stop-out and a 3% daily pause that suspends trading for the day rather than ending the account; the profit share starts at 50%.
• Pro Growth (1-step): 10% target, 6% stop-out and a 3% daily loss that ends the account; the profit share starts at 75%.
• Bootcamp (3-step): 6% target per step with 5% maximum loss and a low entry price, scaling up to $4 million, with a 50% starting share.
• Instant funding: no evaluation and a 6% static maximum loss.

Prices are the weakest part of The5ers' disclosure. The High Stakes page renders its price table dynamically and, in the version we could read, shows only a $19 Step 1 cost for the "New" plan without a clear mapping to each account size. A separate official article says High Stakes starts "at just $39". We therefore do not publish a per-size price table; check the live checkout before buying.

The5ers also runs time-limited promotions. Its Summer Plan page (marked "limited time only" with no end date) lists a $100,000 2-step account at $149 (10%/5% targets) or $179 (8%/5%), and $200,000 versions at $249 and $279. That plan uses a 3% daily loss measured from the higher of end-of-day balance or equity and a 50% consistency rule on the funded Pro account, so it is not the same product as High Stakes.

Instead of discounted resets, The5ers awards non-withdrawable Hub Credit: 10% of the program fee for passing Step 1 and 20% for passing Step 2, usable toward a new challenge. The 70% refund only applies to fees paid with external funds, not Hub Credit.

Trading rules explained

Profit targets

High Stakes New requires 10% in Step 1 and 5% in Step 2; High Stakes Classic requires 8% then 5%. Funded (Pro Trader) accounts have a 10% target, but it is used for scaling, not to keep the account. There is no time limit.

Daily loss limit

The High Stakes table lists a 5% maximum daily loss. The product page we reviewed does not explain whether it is measured on balance or equity or when it resets; The5ers' 2-step FAQ for its promotional plan measures daily loss from the previous day's closing balance or equity, whichever is higher, so traders should assume equity counts. We could not confirm the reset time on the official site.

Maximum loss

High Stakes lists a 10% maximum loss. The page does not label it static or trailing; the official comparison article describes 10% "overall", and nothing we read suggests it trails. Hyper Growth and Pro Growth use a 6% stop-out. Read our drawdown explainer for how these limits work in practice.

Minimum days

High Stakes requires 3 profitable days per step. A profitable day is one where closed positions make at least 0.5% of the initial balance, measured against the lower of midnight balance or equity versus the previous day's balance. Hyper Growth and Bootcamp have no minimum days in evaluation.

Consistency rules

The High Stakes program does not list a consistency rule in evaluation. Instead, early funded payouts are capped (see Payouts). The promotional Summer Plan does carry a 50% consistency rule.

News trading

Holding trades through news is allowed. Executing orders from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after high-impact news is prohibited, using server time and the Forex Factory calendar. Profits from orders placed in that window are deducted and do not count toward the target; losses stay on the account. See our news trading rules guide.

EAs, copy trading and hedging

EAs are allowed provided the trader owns the source code and the EA does not copy other people's signals, tick-scalp, run latency, reverse or hedge arbitrage, trade at high frequency or use emulators. Stop-losses must be visible on the platform, so "stealth" stops are not allowed. Copy trading with other traders and coordinated opposite positions across accounts are prohibited.

Weekend and overnight holding

Overnight and weekend holding is allowed on High Stakes. The5ers notes that holding indices over the weekend carries a high swap.

Inactivity

Evaluation accounts expire after 30 consecutive days without activity, counted from registration. Funded Pro accounts have a 60-day window.

Worked example

Consider a $100,000 High Stakes New account in Step 1. The target is 10%, so the balance must reach $110,000. The 5% daily limit equals $5,000, and the 10% maximum loss puts the floor at $90,000. A profitable day needs at least $500 of closed profit (0.5% of $100,000).

1. Day 1: +$1,200. Balance $101,200. Counts as a profitable day (1).
2. Day 2: +$300. Balance $101,500. Positive, but below $500, so it does not count.
3. Day 3: -$2,000. Balance $99,500. Well inside the $5,000 daily allowance and above the $90,000 floor.
4. Day 4: +$4,500. Balance $104,000. Profitable day (2).
5. Day 5: +$6,200. Balance $110,200. Profitable day (3).

Total profit is $10,200, so the 10% target is met with three qualifying profitable days and Step 1 is passed. Step 2 would then require $5,000 (5%). On a Classic account, the same sequence would have hit the $8,000 (8%) Step 1 target on Day 5 as well. Once funded, the first payout on a $100,000 High Stakes account is capped at $4,000 and requires at least $500 of P&L. Try your own figures in our drawdown calculator.

Payouts

High Stakes payouts are only processed on the funded account. The first payout requires at least 14 days of account activity and at least $150 of profit, and it includes the 70% fee refund. After that, payouts can be requested every two weeks from the dashboard. The minimum withdrawal is $150 after the split.

The profit share starts at 80% and rises with scaling: each time the account gains 10% it grows, with the split moving to 85%, 90% and eventually 100% plus fixed payouts of $4,000 to $10,000 at the top balances, up to $500,000. Early High Stakes payouts are capped at $3,000 on the $50,000 account and $4,000 on the $100,000 account, with minimum P&L of $300 and $500 respectively. Methods are Rise, bank transfer and crypto, with crypto limited to $1,500 per transaction. Profits can also be left in the account to widen the drawdown buffer. Our The5ers payout guide walks through the process.

Platforms and instruments

Non-US traders can choose MetaTrader 5, cTrader (with a $10 surcharge) or TradingView. US traders can use TradingView only; cTrader is no longer offered to new US accounts. The platform cannot be changed after purchase. High Stakes lists FX, metals, indices, oil and crypto, with leverage up to 1:100; Bootcamp uses 1:30. The5ers runs separate futures and stock products, which this review does not cover.

Who can join

Anyone aged 18 or over can join, regardless of experience. The5ers says it cannot accept residents or citizens of certain jurisdictions, naming Iran, Iraq, Russia, Syria, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela among others. US traders are accepted but limited to TradingView. The5ers publishes an AML policy; the "Who can join" FAQ we reviewed does not describe the KYC steps, so we could not verify exactly when identity checks happen. The company is Five Percent Online Ltd, registered in the UK.

Reputation and trader feedback

In November 2026 The5ers held a Trustpilot rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 40,892 reviews, with 90% five-star and 3% one-star ratings. Reviewers commonly praise fast payouts, a user-friendly dashboard, responsive support and clear evaluation rules. Some reviewers report funded accounts being closed or suspended unexpectedly, slow resolution of technical issues and a consistency-rule change they felt was poorly communicated. Trustpilot reports that the company replies to most negative reviews.

Secondary industry news sites reported that The5ers changed High Stakes pricing and tightened risk limits for new purchases in September 2026. We could not confirm those figures on The5ers' official High Stakes page, which still listed 5% daily and 10% maximum loss when we checked, so verify the rules shown at checkout.

Alternatives to The5ers

• FTMO: a fully refundable 2-Step fee, a static 10% maximum loss and no payout caps.
• FundedNext: clearly published USD prices and several reward-cycle choices.
• FundingPips: weekly, bi-weekly or on-demand reward cycles on low-cost 2-step models.
• Maven Trading: very low entry prices for small test accounts.

Compare directly in FTMO vs The5ers and FundedNext vs The5ers, or read about scaling plans and multiple funded accounts.

How we verified this review

Checked November 2026. We reviewed The5ers' High Stakes page, its 2-step challenge article, the challenge programs overview, the High Stakes general rules and payout policy FAQs, the 2-step plan FAQ, the Summer Plan page, the EA, prohibited practices, platform and eligibility FAQs, and The5ers' Trustpilot profile.

We could not verify per-size High Stakes prices, the daily loss reset time, or whether the High Stakes maximum loss is formally static. Reports of September 2026 changes come from a secondary news source and were not confirmed on the official site. Most traders do not pass prop firm evaluations, and fees are at risk. This review is not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

Is The5ers legit?

The5ers is run by a UK-registered company, has operated since 2016 and had a 4.7 Trustpilot rating from more than 40,000 reviews in November 2026. Its accounts are simulated, and payouts depend on meeting its rules.

Does The5ers allow news trading?

You can hold trades through news, but you cannot open or close orders from 2 minutes before to 2 minutes after high-impact news. Profits from orders in that window are deducted.

How long does The5ers take to pay out?

On High Stakes, the first payout needs at least 14 days of funded activity and $150 profit, then payouts are available every two weeks.

Is The5ers High Stakes fee refundable?

Partly. 70% of the fee is added with your first funded payout, and only for fees paid with external funds rather than Hub Credit.

Can US traders join The5ers?

Yes, but US clients can only trade on TradingView; cTrader is no longer available for new US accounts.

Does The5ers allow EAs?

Yes, if you own the EA's source code and it avoids prohibited methods such as copying others' signals, high-frequency trading and arbitrage.