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Home › Comparisons › The5ers vs Funded Squad — Which is Better?
The5ers
9.4/10
★★★★½
VS
Funded Squad
8.9/10
★★★★½

The5ers vs Funded Squad — Which is Better? (2026)

Our editorial team compared every key metric — fees, rules, profit split, payouts — so you can pick the right firm.

Get Funded Now — The5ers View Firm — Funded Squad

The5ers vs Funded Squad — Side-by-Side

Feature The5ers Funded Squad
Payout
Profit Split 75% → 100% 100% (most programs)
First Payout 16 —
Payout Frequency Monthly (avg 16 days) On-demand / Daily / Every 5–7 days (by program)
Max Account Size $250,000 $200,000
Our Verdict — The5ers vs Funded Squad

Winner: The5ers

The5ers vs Funded Squad — Executive Summary (2026)

In this independent head-to-head comparison of The5ers vs Funded Squad, we break down challenge rules, pricing, profit splits, and payout conditions to help you decide which prop firm is the better fit for your trading style.

The5ers: Scale to $4 Million. No Upfront Fee Required.

Funded Squad: $1K Missed-Payout Penalty. 100% Fee Refunds. Reward Protection.

Based on our independent scoring methodology, The5ers scores 9.4/10 overall — but the best choice depends on your specific needs. Read the full comparison below.

Quick Stats: The5ers vs Funded Squad

BestProp Score: The5ers scores 9.4/10 vs Funded Squad at 8.9/10.

Minimum Fee: The5ers starts from From $15; Funded Squad starts from $49. The5ers is cheaper at entry level.

Profit Split: The5ers offers 75% → 100%; Funded Squad offers 100% (most programs). The5ers has the higher split.

Platforms: The5ers supports MT5 Hedge; Funded Squad is on Platform 5, Match Trader.

Tradeable Markets: The5ers covers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Stocks, Commodities; Funded Squad offers Forex, Metals, Indices, Crypto, Commodities.

Pricing Comparison: The5ers vs Funded Squad

Challenge fees are typically the biggest factor when choosing a prop firm. Here is how The5ers and Funded Squad compare on pricing.

The5ers challenge fees start from From $15. The firm has operated since 2016. They have funded over 262,000+ traders.

Funded Squad challenge fees start from $49. They have funded over 30,000+ traders. Total payouts to date: $2,000,000+.

On entry-level pricing, The5ers offers a lower starting fee — an important factor if you are testing with a smaller account first.

Challenge Rules: The5ers vs Funded Squad

Drawdown Rules

Trading Conditions

Payout Comparison: The5ers vs Funded Squad

The5ers profit split: 75% → 100%. Funded Squad profit split: 100% (most programs). The5ers delivers the higher cut to traders.

Payout frequency: The5ers pays Monthly (avg 16 days); Funded Squad pays On-demand / Daily / Every 5–7 days (by program). Faster payouts are better for cash flow management.

The5ers — Full Review

Here is our full independent review of The5ers:

Introduction to The5ers

The5ers has been funding traders since January 2016, making it one of the two oldest major prop firms in the industry alongside FTMO. Founded by Saul Lokier and headquartered in Raanana, Israel, the firm has funded over 262,000 traders across 149 employees in 23 countries. That track record — nearly a decade of consistent operation — is the foundation of its reputation.

The firm’s standout program is Hyper Growth: a no-upfront-fee model where traders enter a scaling account that doubles with every 10% profit milestone, growing toward a maximum of $4,000,000. For experienced traders with a proven system, it is one of the highest-ceiling funded trading opportunities available.

Who Is The5ers For?

The5ers suits experienced forex and multi-asset traders who value long-term capital scaling over fast payouts or high initial splits. The progression from small accounts to multi-million dollar funding is the core appeal — the trade-off is slower payout cycles and lower initial profit splits compared to newer competitors.

The Hyper Growth program’s no-fee entry model also makes The5ers uniquely accessible for skilled traders who can’t or prefer not to pay upfront challenge fees. If your strategy produces consistent 10% gains, the doubling scaling plan is one of the most powerful funding structures available.

Challenge Programs

The5ers offers four distinct programs:

  • Hyper Growth (1-Step, no upfront fee): Enter with as little as $5,000 in evaluation capital. No entry fee — pay a small bonus contribution from $15. 10% profit target per scaling milestone. 3% daily drawdown, 6% stop-out. Account doubles at each milestone, scaling to $4,000,000. No minimum trading days at Level 1. Split: 75% up to $300K balance, 80% at $350K+, up to 100%.
  • Pro Growth (1-Step): One-time fee of $74. 75/25 profit split from the start. Single evaluation phase, structured entry into the scaling system.
  • High Stakes (2-Step): Account sizes $2,500–$100,000. Step 1 fee: $19 (refundable on completion). Step 1: 10% target. Step 2: 5% target. 5% daily drawdown, 10% max drawdown. 3 minimum profitable days per phase. Split: 80% rising to 100% at scale, with fixed payouts of $4,000/month at $350K and $10,000/month at $500K.
  • Bootcamp (3-Step): Three-phase evaluation with the most capital available upfront — up to $250,000. $95 upfront for a $100K account ($205 due after passing Phase 1), or $225 for $250K ($350 due after Phase 1). Scales at every 5% profit milestone. Best for methodical traders who prefer a step-by-step progression.

Trading Rules

  • News trading: Permitted, with restrictions on bracket/straddle strategies around news events
  • Weekend holding: Allowed on forex, metals, and crypto
  • Leverage: 1:30 (Hyper Growth / Pro Growth), 1:100 (High Stakes)
  • Platform: MT5 Hedge — supports hedging strategies
  • Inactive accounts: Expire after 30 days of no trading activity
  • Minimum profitable days: 3 required for High Stakes (a profitable day = closed positions with at least 0.5% profit on initial balance)
  • No time limits on any phase

Payouts

  • Average payout time: 16 days
  • Frequency: Monthly
  • Methods: Cryptocurrency, Rise
  • Payment accepted: Crypto, credit/debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal
  • High Stakes fixed payouts: $4,000/month at $350K balance, $10,000/month at $500K balance
  • Fee refund: High Stakes evaluation fee ($19) returned with first funded payout

Our Verdict

The5ers earns an 8.6 BestProp score. Nearly a decade of operation, 262,000+ funded traders, and the Hyper Growth program’s $4M ceiling make it one of the most legitimate and ambitious funded trading programs available. The no-upfront-fee Hyper Growth entry is genuinely unique at this scale.

The trade-offs are real: monthly payouts with a 16-day average are slower than most competitors, and the initial 75% split on Hyper Growth is below the 80%+ standard elsewhere. Traders who prioritise payout speed or initial split percentage will find better options. But for those building a long-term funded trading career, The5ers’ scaling architecture and decade-long track record are hard to match.

Funded Squad — Full Review

Here is our full independent review of Funded Squad:

Introduction to Funded Squad

Funded Squad is operated by Devionics Technology FZCO, headquartered at Dubai Silicon Oasis, UAE. With 30,000+ traders across 130+ countries and $2M+ in distributed rewards, the platform has grown quickly since launch on the back of a notably trader-friendly ruleset: 100% fee refunds on evaluation accounts, reward protection that lets traders keep profits even after failing the funded phase, and the strongest payout penalty we have reviewed — a $1,000 bonus if their 12-hour processing window is missed.

Six distinct program types give traders genuine choice across instant funding and evaluation paths, all with 100% profit splits (except Instant Pro at 70%) and no time limits.

Who Is Funded Squad For?

Funded Squad suits traders who want low drawdown risk with high profit retention. The 2-Step Squad account’s 12% max drawdown is one of the most forgiving in the space, while the 1-Step Evaluation’s 7% max drawdown with a refundable fee and 100% split is an attractive combination for traders who are confident in their edge but want fee protection if things go wrong.

The scaling plan doubles account size for every 10% profit milestone — a path that reaches $1,000,000 in total allocation. For systematic and EA traders, automated trading is permitted on all platforms and no consistency rules apply on instant accounts.

Challenge Programs

  • Instant Lite ($2.5K–$200K): No profit target, no consistency rules. 3% daily loss limit, 6% max drawdown (trailing). 100% profit split. On-demand payouts. From $49 + $10 platform fee. Leverage 1:50.
  • Instant Pro ($2.5K–$100K): No profit target. 3% daily loss limit, 6% max drawdown (static). 70% profit split. Payouts every 5 days. From $49 + $10 platform fee. Leverage 1:20.
  • 1-Step Evaluation ($5K–$200K): 8% profit target. 3% daily loss limit, 7% max drawdown (static). 100% split. On-demand payouts. From $79 + $10 platform fee. Fee 100% refundable. Leverage 1:100.
  • 1-Step Pro Evaluation ($5K–$200K): 10% profit target (Phase 1); 6% static max DD (Phase 2). 3% daily loss limit. 100% split. Daily payouts. Min 3 trading days Phase 1, min 1 day Phase 2. News trading and weekend holding permitted in Phase 1 only. From $79 + $10 platform fee. Fee 100% refundable. Leverage 1:30.
  • 2-Step Fast ($5K–$200K): 6% target per phase. 4% daily loss limit, 8% max drawdown (static). 100% split. Payouts every 7 days. From $69 + $10 platform fee. Fee 100% refundable. Leverage 1:100.
  • 2-Step Squad ($5K–$200K): 8% Phase 1 / 6% Phase 2 targets. 5% daily loss limit, 12% max drawdown (static) — one of the most generous drawdown buffers available. 100% split. Payouts every 7 days. From $69 + $10 platform fee. Fee 100% refundable. Leverage 1:100.

Reward Protection

Funded Squad offers an unusual guarantee: if a trader fails the funded phase after already receiving payouts, those payouts are not clawed back. Earned rewards remain with the trader regardless of what happens to the account afterward. This removes the risk of a firm claiming back previously paid profits — a practice that has occurred at other firms and caused significant community backlash.

Trading Rules and Platforms

Two platforms: Platform 5 (their proprietary platform, built for speed and advanced order types) and Match Trader. Instruments: forex, metals, indices, crypto, commodities. EAs and automated strategies permitted on all platforms. No consistency rules on instant accounts.

Note: a $10 platform fee applies per account in addition to the challenge fee.

Payouts

  • Guarantee: 12 hours — missed deadline triggers a $1,000 bonus payment (the strongest payout penalty we have reviewed)
  • Frequency: On-demand (1-Step Eval/Instant Lite) | Daily (1-Step Pro) | Every 5 days (Instant Pro) | Every 7 days (2-Step)
  • Methods: Crypto, Rise
  • Scaling ceiling: $1,000,000 (account doubles per 10% profit milestone)
  • Reward protection: Previously paid rewards retained even after funded account failure

Our Verdict

Funded Squad earns a 7.9 BestProp score. The combination of 100% fee refunds, $1,000 payout penalty, reward protection, no consistency rules, and six program types with 100% splits makes the trader-value proposition among the strongest we have reviewed. The 2-Step Squad’s 12% drawdown buffer stands out for traders who need breathing room. Platform 5 is proprietary but capable.

The firm is newer and $2M+ in total payouts — while real — is modest compared to larger firms. No public Trustpilot data was available at time of writing. Overall, Funded Squad is a strong contender for traders who want maximum split retention and fee protection, with the payout guarantee providing a meaningful safety net.

The5ers — Key Strengths

  • BestProp score: 9.4/10
  • Competitive 75% → 100% profit split
  • Challenge fees from From $15
  • 262,000+ funded traders
  • Available on MT5 Hedge
  • Operating since 2016

Funded Squad — Key Strengths

  • BestProp score: 8.9/10
  • Competitive 100% (most programs) profit split
  • Challenge fees from $49
  • 30,000+ funded traders
  • $2,000,000+ total paid out
  • Available on Platform 5, Match Trader

Final Verdict: The5ers vs Funded Squad (2026)

Overall, our independent scoring gives The5ers the edge in this 2026 comparison. However, both firms have their merits. If Funded Squad better matches your specific trading style, instruments, or preferred platform, it may still be the right choice for you.

Use our comparison table above and review the challenge fees at both firms before making your final decision. Both offer risk-free evaluation programs — the challenge fee is the only money at risk.

Frequently Asked Questions: The5ers vs Funded Squad

Which is better, The5ers or Funded Squad?

Based on our independent scoring, The5ers scores higher overall (9.4/10). The best choice depends on your trading style, preferred instruments, and account size.

Is The5ers cheaper than Funded Squad?

The5ers offers a lower entry-level challenge fee. However, always compare the full account sizes you plan to trade before deciding purely on price.

Which has a better profit split, The5ers or Funded Squad?

The5ers offers the higher profit split. The5ers: 75% → 100%. Funded Squad: 100% (most programs).

Can I use an EA or trading bot?

EA policies: The5ers — check the review. Funded Squad — check the review. Always verify the latest policy directly with the firm.

Which is better for news trading?

News trading: The5ers — check the review. Funded Squad — check the review.

Read the full The5ers review →  ·  Read the full Funded Squad review →

Who should choose The5ers?
  • Traders wanting 75% → 100% profit split
  • Users of MT5 Hedge
  • Anyone looking for a top-rated funded challenge
Who should choose Funded Squad?
  • Traders wanting 100% (most programs) profit split
  • Users of Platform 5, Match Trader
  • Anyone looking for a top-rated funded challenge

Frequently Asked Questions — The5ers vs Funded Squad

Based on our scoring methodology, The5ers edges ahead in this comparison. However, the best choice depends on your trading style, preferred platform and account size. Read the full breakdown above for a detailed verdict.

The5ers offers 75% → 100% profit split, while Funded Squad offers 100% (most programs) profit split. Check each firm's current terms as these can change.

Check our offers page for the latest verified deals on both firms.

The5ers processes first payouts in 16 day(s), while Funded Squad takes approximately a variable timeframe. Always verify current payout timelines on the firm's website.

Neither The5ers nor Funded Squad are regulated in the traditional financial sense — prop firms operate as private companies providing traders access to simulated or real capital. Always read the terms and conditions carefully before participating in any prop challenge.

The5ers
9.4/10
Read Review →
Funded Squad
8.9/10
Read Review →