FTMO vs The5ers: every rule side by side
Two of the oldest CFD prop firms, both with static drawdown and no consistency rule. The differences are in the daily loss mechanics, the minimum-day definitions and the split ladder, and for a systematic strategy those three rows decide the choice.
Every rule side by side
| Rule | FTMO | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| Programs | not published on the card | High Stakes (2-Step), Hyper Growth (1-Step), Pro Growth (1-Step, newest), Bootcamp (3-Step). Futures Basecamp accounts exist separately |
| Drawdown (evaluation) | Static: 10% maximum loss, 5% daily loss on standard accounts | Static from initial balance: 10% on High Stakes, 6% on Hyper Growth and Pro Growth, 5% on Bootcamp (per phase) |
| Drawdown (funded) | not published on the card | Same model; one tracker reports the funded maximum loss tightened from 5% to 4% on some programs. Verify with firm |
| Daily loss limit | not published on the card | High Stakes: 5%, breach ends the account. Hyper Growth: 3% daily pause, trading resumes next day. Pro Growth: 3%, breach ends the account. Bootcamp: 3–5% by source |
| Profit targets | 10% Phase 1, 5% Phase 2 on the standard two-step | High Stakes: 10% then 5%; Hyper Growth and Pro Growth: 10%; Bootcamp: 6% per phase |
| Consistency | None on the challenge; MetriX review on funded | None on any program (the5ers.com, thepropfirmguide, fxempire); one review claims a 50% rule before the first payout, contradicted by the firm’s own program pages |
| Minimum days | 4 trading days per phase | High Stakes: 3 profitable days per step, a day counting at 0.5% of initial balance; Pro Growth: 3 profitable days; Hyper Growth and Bootcamp: none |
| Automation (EAs, bots) | EAs permitted under anti-HFT restrictions, own logic only — third-party signal copying may violate terms | Allowed on all programs; HFT and latency arbitrage prohibited (the5ers.com, tradetanto, thepropfirmguide, 2026) |
| Copy trading | Own accounts allowed; opposing positions across accounts count as hedging violations | Between your own accounts only, and only from an external account you own; the same trades across accounts stop being possible above $500K under management |
| News | Restricted on standard; Swing accounts allow holding through news and overnight | Holding through news allowed; on High Stakes no new order (market or pending) within 2 minutes either side of high-impact releases; Hyper Growth and Bootcamp permit news trading except bracket strategies around releases |
| Overnight and weekend | not published on the card | Holding permitted on all programs; index swaps can be high |
| Payout | 80/20 to 90/10 by scaling tier; on demand after the first | First payout 14 days after the funded account is issued, then every two weeks; the cycle resets on each scaled account |
| Leverage | $400,000 per trader or per strategy across accounts | 1:100 on High Stakes, 1:30 on Hyper Growth and Pro Growth |
| Fees | not published on the card | Hyper Growth fee refunded on the first payout; Bootcamp unlock fee $350 after passing |
| Platforms | not published on the card | MT5 (hedge mode), cTrader |
| Instruments | NAS100, XAUUSD and full forex/CFD range | Forex, gold and silver, index CFDs (NAS100), oil, crypto CFDs |
Every cell taken from the two rules cards, verified September 2026; all 24 firms on the comparison table.
Where they differ
FTMO runs one rulebook: 10% maximum loss, 5% daily loss, 4 trading days per phase, 80/20 rising to 90/10 through scaling, EAs allowed with your own logic. The5ers runs four programs with different floors: High Stakes matches FTMO on room (10%) but its 5% daily loss ends the account, while Hyper Growth halves the room (6%) and turns the daily rule into a pause. The5ers counts minimum days as profitable days (0.5% each) on High Stakes and Pro Growth, which is a different test from FTMO’s calendar count.
Best for a systematic strategy
FTMO for a strategy with wide stops and a few trades a day: the 5% daily limit is a breach, but 10% of static room and no news restriction beyond the 2-minute Tier-1 window keep the rule set predictable. The5ers Hyper Growth for a strategy that clusters trades on volatile sessions: the 3% daily pause stops the day without ending the account, and weekend holding is allowed. Neither firm has a consistency rule, so lumpy equity curves are fine at both.
The cost of a mistake
At FTMO a daily loss breach fails the phase; the fee is refunded only on the first payout. At The5ers High Stakes the same breach ends the account; on Hyper Growth it pauses the day. The split is the long-term cost: FTMO starts at 80%, The5ers Hyper Growth and Bootcamp at 50%, climbing to 100% only through milestones over a year or more.
FAQ
Does FTMO or The5ers have a consistency rule?
Neither. FTMO applies a MetriX review on funded accounts; The5ers has no consistency rule on any program.
Which has the better daily loss rule for a systematic strategy?
The5ers Hyper Growth: its 3% daily limit is a pause, not a breach. FTMO’s 5% daily loss and The5ers High Stakes’ 5% both end the phase or account.
Which pays more?
FTMO from the first payout (80%, scaling to 90%). The5ers High Stakes starts at 80% too, but Hyper Growth and Bootcamp start at 50% and reach 100% only at the top of the scale-up ladder.
Sources: the two rules cards and the firm help centers, cross-checked September 2026. Rules change quarterly; the firm’s documentation is binding.