Which is better for beginners, FTMO or The5%ers?

If you want to avoid the pressure of an evaluation, The5%ers' Instant Funding fits; if you want to experience the industry-standard process end to end, FTMO is the pick. Both have 10+ years in operation and top-tier trust ratings, so this is a rare two-way choice where neither option is a serious mistake.

Which offers the higher profit split?

On caps, The5%ers goes up to 100% and FTMO up to 90%. However, The5%ers' 100% is a staged figure reached after scaling milestones, and some plans start at 50%. FTMO's 80-90% is the steadier short-term option, while The5%ers is structured to grow over the long run.

Is it reasonable to use both in parallel?

Yes — it's a perfectly sensible approach. The two firms have different characters (Challenge model vs Instant Funding), so you can lean on one or the other depending on market conditions and strategy. See our guide to running multiple prop firms in parallel for details.

FTMO vs The5%ers — Which of the Two Veteran Giants Should You Pick?

The bottom line first

FTMO and The5%ers are the two veteran giants, both with 10+ years in operation and top-tier trust ratings. The first fork in the road: take an evaluation, or start instantly.

Your priority	Pick
Start right now with no evaluation	The5%ers (Instant Funding)
Start cheap on the industry-standard Challenge model	FTMO
Highest profit-split ceiling	The5%ers (up to 100%)
Evaluation fee refund	FTMO (on first payout)
MT4 / cTrader / DXtrade	FTMO
Plans with no daily loss limit	The5%ers (High-Stakes etc.)

Full specs → FTMO / The5%ers

1. Background — twin pillars of the old guard

	FTMO	The5%ers
Founded	2015	2016
Headquarters	Czech Republic (Prague)	Israel
Years in operation	11	10
Trust rating (this site)	High	High
Payout record	Industry-largest, continuously published	Continuously published

Both firms sailed unscathed through industry turmoil like the MyForexFunds enforcement action (2023). By our own count, only 5 of 23 firms have 10+ years in operation — and these two sit at the core of that group.

2. Evaluation model — fundamentally different philosophies

FTMO: the two-step Challenge model (the industry’s template)

Challenge (+10% target) → Verification (+5% target) → funded account
This model itself became the industry standard — FTMO is the original
Built on proving your skill by passing the evaluation

The5%ers: the Instant Funding pioneer

Real-capital trading starts immediately after purchase (no evaluation)
Also offers Challenge-style plans such as High-Stakes and Bootcamp
A natural fit for traders who underperform under evaluation pressure

In short: if you’re confident you can pass an evaluation, go FTMO; if you’d rather skip it entirely, go The5%ers.

3. Profit split — FTMO for stability, The5%ers for growth

	FTMO	The5%ers
Initial split	80%	From 50% depending on plan
Maximum split	90%	100%
Path to the cap	Automatic on meeting conditions	Reaching scaling milestones

If you want a reliable 80% in the short term, FTMO. If you prefer a design where you grow the account and raise your split over time, The5%ers. The5%ers’ “up to 100%” is a post-scaling figure, so factor in the gap between the starting split and that ceiling before you choose.

4. Pricing and refunds

	FTMO	The5%ers
Price range	$89–$1,080	Depends on program and account size
Refund policy	Evaluation fee refunded on first payout (conditions apply)	None (Instant Funding has no evaluation to refund)
Coupon	None	Referral code “HZZS4”

FTMO’s pitch — pass, and the evaluation is effectively free — is psychologically powerful. The5%ers has no evaluation, so your upfront cost is simply the entry fee. At checkout, see how to use referral code HZZS4.

5. Platforms and rule flexibility

	FTMO	The5%ers
MT4 / MT5	Yes / Yes	Partial (plan-dependent) / Yes
cTrader / DXtrade	Yes / Yes	No / No
Daily loss limit	Yes (5%)	Plans without one available
News trading	2-minute window restriction	Allowed depending on plan
Consistency rule	Yes	Plan-dependent

FTMO offers the wider toolset, while The5%ers wins on rule flexibility. “No daily loss limit” in particular matters for swing traders (prop firms for swing trading). For news trading policies, see our restrictions roundup.

6. Who each firm suits

FTMO suits you if

You want to prove your skill on the industry-standard Challenge model
You want MT4 / cTrader / DXtrade
You want the refund policy to cap your downside
You trade well within clearly defined rules

The5%ers suits you if

You want to avoid evaluation pressure (Instant Funding)
You want to grow an account toward the 100% split over the long run
You want to run swing trades without a daily loss limit
You want flexibility on news trading

The third option: run both in parallel

Because the two designs complement each other, running both is a legitimate option. FTMO for Challenge-model discipline, The5%ers for pressure-free trading — splitting the roles this way keeps you adaptable as conditions shift. See the guide to running multiple prop firms in parallel.

Summary

Both have 10+ years in operation and top-tier trust ratings. A rare matchup where you can’t go badly wrong either way
Confident you can pass the evaluation → FTMO; want to skip it → The5%ers
Stable short-term split → FTMO; long-term ceiling of 100% → The5%ers

Always make your final investment decisions yourself. This site does not provide investment advice.

Recommended firms

The5%ers — for those who want to skip the evaluation

10 years in operation (since 2016). The Instant Funding pioneer, with profit splits scaling up to a maximum of 100%.

→ Visit The5%ers official site (how to use referral code “HZZS4”)

FTMO — the reassurance of the industry leader

11 years in operation (since 2015). Publishes one of the industry’s largest cumulative payout records.

→ Visit FTMO official site