Apex Trader Funding vs The5ers: Compared Rule by Rule for 2026
Two firms, two operating philosophies. Apex Trader Funding was founded in 2021 out of Austin; The5ers followed in 2016 from Raanana, and the product design reflects that lineage. Apex Trader Funding focuses on CME futures instruments via Rithmic and Tradovate, while The5ers covers the broader multi-asset offering. That alone makes them shortlisted together only when a trader is choosing an asset class rather than a firm. On the numbers that matter, Apex Trader Funding prices its 100K challenge at ~"67 one-time, roughly a hundred dollars below The5ers, and Apex Trader Funding uses a trailing drawdown while The5ers runs a static one.
Side-by-side comparison
| Rule | Apex Trader Funding | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | Futures (CME) | Forex, Indices, Metals, Crypto, Futures |
| Audited variants | 2 on watchlist | 5 |
| Evaluation | 1-Step | 1/2/3-Step |
| Account sizes | $25K to "50K | $5K to $250K |
| Fee (100K) | ~"67 one-time (promos to ~$30) | ~$74 to $595 |
| Profit split | 100% (flat — Apex 4.0) | 80 to 100% (scales) |
| Max drawdown | Trailing ($3K on 100K) | 4 to 6% |
| Drawdown type | Trailing | Static |
| Daily loss | None | 3% (pause) |
| Consistency rule | 50% | Min profitable days (no % cap) |
| Min trading days | 5 | None |
| Payout speed | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 3 days |
| Payout frequency | Weekly (2x/month) | Bi-weekly |
| News trading | Allowed | Allowed |
| EAs / bots | Allowed | Varies by programme |
| Weekend holding | Not allowed | Allowed |
| Scaling cap | 6 payouts per PA | $4M |
| US traders | Yes | Yes |
| Trustpilot | 4.3 (17,860+) | 4.7 (21,000+) |
| Value score | 84 | 80 |
Verdict
Pick Apex Trader Funding if you want US futures on Rithmic or Tradovate rather than spot FX, or the ~"67 one-time entry fee at the 100K tier changes your break-even maths. Pick The5ers if you want MT4, MT5 or cTrader access to forex, indices and metals, or a 1 to 3 days first payout window fits your cashflow. Traders who plan to hold overnight or through news should read the specific policy on each firm's site before committing capital.
Heads up: Apex Trader Funding has announced model changes in the past 90 days. We re-audit watchlisted firms every 7 days; double-check the live rules page before purchasing.
Apex Trader Funding strengths
Flat 100% profit split, one-time eval fee, large funded account base, simplified rule set
Apex Trader Funding weaknesses
Trailing drawdown, 6 payouts per PA cap, $85/month PA fee, ongoing Riot v. Apex litigation
The5ers strengths
Scale to $4M, 100% split at top tier, 10 year track record, 4.8 Trustpilot
The5ers weaknesses
Low starting split (50% on Hyper Growth), tight 4 to 6% drawdown, MT5 only