Top One Trader vs The 5ers: Which Prop Trading Firm Is Better in 2025?

Introduction

As proprietary trading firms proliferate, traders must compare program structures carefully to choose the right fit. Top One Trader and The 5ers both offer multiple evaluation models and instant‑funding options, but their approaches to profit targets, drawdown limits and scaling are distinct. This comparison highlights how each firm structures its programs in 2025, so traders can align their choice with their risk tolerance and trading goals.

Top One Trader Overview

Top One Trader positions itself as a flexible prop firm catering to different trading styles. Traders can select one‑step or two‑step challenges or skip straight to funded accounts through instant models. Account sizes range from $5 k to $200 k, and the firm supports MetaTrader 5, TradeLocker, cTrader and Match Trader. Payouts are processed within 24 hours once eligible.

• Flash Challenge: A single‑phase test where traders aim for a 10 % profit target while respecting a 4 % daily loss cap and a 7 % trailing drawdown. There’s no time limit, and traders may use automated strategies and hold positions over weekends and during news events (with optional add‑ons). Profit splits start at 80 % and can reach 90 % with an upgrade.
• Pro Challenge: Two phases with profit targets of 8 % in Phase 1 and 5 % in Phase 2. The drawdown is static at 8 %, and the daily loss limit remains 4 %. Traders must maintain moderate consistency across their trading days. Profit splits match those of the Flash program.
• Instant Funding: Traders bypass the evaluation and begin with a funded account. They must adhere to a 3 % daily loss limit and a 6 % trailing drawdown, and no single day’s gain may exceed 15 % of cumulative profits. Payout splits improve from 60 % to 90 % over successive withdrawals, and the first payout is available after 30 days.
• Instant Prime: An advanced instant model requiring traders to keep daily losses under 2.5 % and a trailing drawdown below 5 %. Instead of a profit target, they must maintain a 20 % equity stability score. Profit splits progress from 80 % to 100 % over three payouts, and withdrawals can be requested every two weeks.

Top One Trader offers optional add‑ons for unrestricted news trading and weekend holding. A structured scaling plan allows successful traders to grow accounts up to $5 million while earning higher profit splits at each milestone.

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The5ers Overview

The 5ers is an established prop firm known for its structured training programs and risk‑management focus. Founded in 2016, it offers three main funding routes—Bootcamp, High Stakes and Hyper Growth—each with its own risk profile and scaling scheme. All accounts are denominated in U.S. dollars and traded through MetaTrader 5. Traders must place stop‑loss orders, avoid “bracket” strategies around major news events and respect specific risk rules.

• Bootcamp (3‑step program): Designed as an affordable entry point, Bootcamp requires traders to hit a 6 % profit target in each of three evaluation steps. Each step has a 5 % maximum loss limit, and the funded account has a 4 % limit. A 3 % daily pause applies only to the funded stage: if equity drops 3 % below the starting balance during a trading day, trading is disabled until the next day. Leverage is conservative—1:10 on forex (lower on indices and metals). There is no time limit, but traders must risk no more than 2 % per trade. After funding, payouts can be requested every 14 days. The scaling plan increases account size with each 5 % profit milestone; profit splits start at 50/50 and rise to 100 % as accounts grow.
• High Stakes (2‑step program): This program targets traders comfortable with higher leverage. Phase 1 requires an 8 % profit target and Phase 2 requires 5 %. A static 10 % drawdown and a 5 % daily loss limit apply. Traders must complete at least three profitable days (0.5 % profit per day) per phase. Leverage is 1:100, and there is no time limit. Payouts begin 14 days after funding, and profit splits start at 80 % and climb toward 100 % through a scaling plan that can grow accounts to about $500 k. High Stakes prohibits opening or closing trades within two minutes of high‑impact news but allows positions to be held overnight and over weekends.
• Hyper Growth (1‑step program): A single‑phase challenge requiring a 10 % profit target. Traders must avoid a 6 % stop‑out level and a 3 % daily pause. Leverage is 1:30. There is no minimum number of trading days. Once funded, traders double their account with every 10 % profit milestone. Profit splits start at 50 % and increase through 75 %, 80 % and 90 % up to a maximum of 100 %. First payouts are available after 14 days.

Across all programs, The 5ers enforces stop‑losses on every trade, limits the number of active accounts per trader and discourages high‑frequency or “tick” scalping strategies. The firm emphasises long‑term development with unlimited evaluation periods and structured scaling paths.

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Evaluation Model & Trading Rules Comparison

Evaluation structure:  Top One Trader and The 5ers both offer one‑step and multi‑step evaluations, but their profit targets and drawdowns differ. Top One Trader’s Flash challenge demands a 10 % target in one phase, while The 5ers’ Hyper Growth requires the same target with a comparable 6 % stop‑out. Top One Trader’s Pro challenge sets lower targets (8 % and 5 %) than The 5ers’ High Stakes (8 % and 5 %) but with lower leverage and smaller daily loss caps. The 5ers’ Bootcamp uses a much lower 6 % target but spreads it across three steps, making it accessible for cautious traders.

Risk management:  Top One Trader’s risk rules are straightforward: daily loss limits between 2.5 % and 4 % and trailing or static drawdowns of 5–8 %. It does not mandate stop‑loss orders, though it penalises large profit spikes via consistency scores. The 5ers insists on stop‑losses and uses a combination of maximum loss and daily pause levels. Bootcamp’s 3 % daily pause automatically disables trading, while High Stakes and Hyper Growth apply 5 % and 3 % daily stops that reset at midnight. Leverage differences also affect risk: The 5ers offers up to 1:100 on High Stakes, whereas Top One Trader’s highest leverage is 1:50 on instant accounts.

Time limits and trading days:  Both firms allow unlimited time to complete evaluations once minimum trading days are met. Top One Trader’s Flash and Pro challenges have no hard deadlines. The 5ers likewise has no time limit for Bootcamp, High Stakes or Hyper Growth. Minimum trading day requirements vary: Top One Trader’s challenges require a modest number of profitable days only for payout eligibility on instant accounts, while The 5ers mandates three profitable days per phase in High Stakes and Bootcamp and none for Hyper Growth.

News trading and overnight holds:  Top One Trader sells optional add‑ons for unrestricted news trading and weekend holding. Without these, traders must avoid trading around certain events. The 5ers prohibits bracket strategies around high‑impact news, and High Stakes traders may not open or close trades within two minutes of such announcements. All The 5ers programs allow overnight and weekend holds, but Bootcamp warns that swaps on indices can be high.

Payouts, Profit Split and Scaling

Top One Trader:  The firm offers bi‑weekly payouts for challenge programs and 30‑day or 14‑day cycles for instant accounts. Profit splits start at 80 % and rise to 90 % on Flash and Pro, while Instant Prime can reach 100 % on the third withdrawal. A generous scaling plan enables traders to grow accounts up to $5 million, with higher splits awarded as targets are met. Payouts are typically processed within 24 hours, and a $25 k monthly cap applies to most accounts.

The5ers:  Payouts begin 14 days after funding and repeat every two weeks across all programs. Bootcamp splits profits 50/50 initially and progressively increases the trader’s share to 75 % and eventually 100 % as the account grows. High Stakes starts at 80 % and scales to 100 % after successive 10 % targets. Hyper Growth begins at a 50 /50 split, increasing through 75 %, 80 % and 90 % to reach 100 %. Scaling paths vary: Bootcamp and Hyper Growth can lead to accounts of $4 million or more, while High Stakes caps around $500 k. Withdrawals are processed quickly, but traders must meet profitable day requirements before each payout.

Platforms, Markets and Trading Flexibility

Top One Trader supports multiple trading platforms and offers a broad range of instruments—major and minor forex pairs, indices, commodities, metals and cryptocurrencies. Leverage is modest on challenge accounts and higher on instant accounts, reflecting the firm’s emphasis on risk control. Traders can use expert advisors and copy trading, and add‑ons allow trading through news events and holding positions over weekends.

The5ers operates exclusively on MetaTrader 5. It offers forex, indices, metals, oil and crypto, with leverage varying by program: Bootcamp uses conservative leverage (1:10), High Stakes offers up to 1:100, and Hyper Growth sits in between at 1:30. Stop‑loss orders are mandatory, and the firm prohibits certain high‑frequency strategies but allows discretionary and algorithmic approaches within those boundaries.

Reputation, Trust and User Feedback

Top One Trader has built a reputation for transparency, responsive customer service and fast payouts. Traders appreciate the variety of programs and optional add‑ons for news and weekend trading. Some criticisms focus on the cost of these add‑ons and the low leverage on challenge accounts.

The5ers is widely respected for its stability and risk‑management focus. Its Bootcamp program attracts newcomers with affordable entry fees and structured progression, while High Stakes and Hyper Growth appeal to experienced traders seeking higher leverage. Complaints usually relate to the required stop‑losses and the daily pause feature in Bootcamp, which can limit trading freedom.

Which Firm Is Better for Different Trader Types?

• Cautious learners:  The 5ers’ Bootcamp, with its small profit targets, low leverage and structured scaling, is ideal for traders who want to build skills gradually. Top One Trader’s Flash challenge can also suit beginners who accept moderate risk and prefer a shorter, single‑step evaluation.
• Aggressive traders:  High Stakes and Hyper Growth allow for higher leverage and bigger payouts. Traders comfortable with risk and looking for rapid growth might favour these programs or Top One Trader’s Instant Prime, which offers higher profit splits without evaluation.
• Swing and news traders:  Top One Trader’s optional add‑ons for news and weekend trading give swing traders flexibility. The 5ers also allows holding positions over weekends but enforces stop‑losses and restricts bracket orders around news.
• Scaling enthusiasts:  Top One Trader offers the most ambitious scaling plan, potentially growing accounts to $5 million. The 5ers also provides generous scaling, particularly in Hyper Growth, but its caps are lower. Traders aiming for large capital may lean toward Top One Trader.

Final Verdict

Both Top One Trader and The 5ers deliver solid prop‑trading opportunities, yet they cater to different risk appetites. Top One Trader emphasises flexibility: traders can choose between one‑step, two‑step or instant funding, adjust their trading around news and weekends with add‑ons, and scale accounts to multi‑million‑dollar levels. Its moderate drawdown limits and variable profit splits suit traders who value a balanced approach to growth and risk.

The 5ers, on the other hand, centres on disciplined risk management. Bootcamp’s lower targets and conservative leverage provide a gentle learning curve, while High Stakes and Hyper Growth deliver higher leverage and bigger rewards for experienced traders. Mandatory stop‑losses and daily pauses help protect capital, though they may limit aggressive strategies.

Ultimately, traders seeking high leverage and a variety of scaling options may find Top One Trader more appealing, whereas those who prefer structured progression and strict risk controls might choose The5ers. As always, reading each firm’s rules carefully and aligning them with your trading style is crucial before committing to any program.

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