The bottom line first
This matchup used to reduce to a clean trade-off: better headline terms (FundedNext) versus a longer verified record (The5%ers). The 2026-08-01 re-rating changed that framing. This site now rates The5%ers Low trust (★3.3, down from High ★4.6) — the ten-year record is still a fact, but it can no longer carry the argument by itself.
| Your priority | Pick |
|---|---|
| Lowest entry fee | The5%ers ($19; FundedNext from $59.99) |
| Getting paid during the evaluation | FundedNext (15% challenge-profit reward) |
| Menu of evaluation models | FundedNext (4 Stellar variants) |
| Years in operation | The5%ers (since 2016, 10 years) |
| Trust rating (this site) | FundedNext (Medium ★4.0 vs Low ★3.3) |
| Profit-split ceiling | The5%ers (up to 100%; about 96.5% after its 3.5% deduction) |
| Lowest withdrawal costs | FundedNext (The5%ers deducts a flat 3.5%) |
| Skipping the evaluation | FundedNext (Stellar Instant) |
Full specs → FundedNext / The5%ers
1. Operating background — years and trust now point in opposite directions
| FundedNext | The5%ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | UAE (Dubai) | Israel |
| Years in operation | ~4 | 10 |
| Trust rating (this site) | Medium | Low (re-rated 2026-08-01; previously High) |
| Score (this site) | ★4.0 | ★3.3 (previously 4.6) |
| Acknowledged payout delays | No | Yes — March 2026, on its official X account |
The5%ers traded through the MyForexFunds enforcement shock of 2023 and every industry storm since 2016. FundedNext has grown extremely fast, but a ten-year record cannot be compressed into four years. On years alone, The5%ers wins.
Trust is another matter. On 2026-08-01 this site re-rated The5%ers to Low, for three reasons: the firm itself acknowledged payout delays in March 2026; dated, specific withdrawal-denial and account-suspension reports accumulated on Forex Peace Army between November 2025 and July 2026; and its official documentation is inconsistent — the help center returns 404 across the board, and the maximum-funding figure differs eightfold between the firm’s own pages. The forum reports are third-party accounts we have not adjudicated, but a firm that admits delays no longer meets our bar for Medium.
The practical consequence: the old advice — “the bigger your allocation and the longer your horizon, the more The5%ers’ record should weigh” — no longer holds. Larger and longer commitments are precisely where an unresolved payout problem costs the most. Background in The5%ers reputation review.
2. Evaluation models
FundedNext: four Stellar variants
| Model | Steps | Targets | Loss limits (daily / max) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stellar 2-Step | 2 | 8% → 5% | 5% / 10% |
| Stellar 1-Step | 1 | 10% | 3% / 6% |
| Stellar Lite | 2 | 8% → 4% | 4% / 8% |
| Stellar Instant | none | — | — / 6% |
The 8% phase-1 target is a step easier than the 10% on FTMO or The5%ers High Stakes New — though The5%ers’ High Stakes Classic variant also runs an 8% phase 1.
The5%ers: three programs, one to three steps
- Hyper Growth (1-step): +10% target, 3% daily loss, 6% stop-out, split from 75%
- High Stakes (2-step): 10% (New) / 8% (Classic) → 5% targets, 5% daily / 10% max loss
- Bootcamp (3-step): +6% per stage, lowest fees
A correction: this article previously said “only The5%ers lets you avoid the evaluation entirely,” citing Instant Funding and describing Hyper Growth as evaluation-free. Both claims were wrong. Hyper Growth is a one-step evaluation, and Instant Funding has been discontinued — its product page returns 404. Between these two firms, the only way to start without an evaluation today is FundedNext’s Stellar Instant. For picking between The5%ers’ programs, see The5%ers programs compared.
3. Profit split — FundedNext early, The5%ers late (on paper)
| FundedNext | The5%ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting split | 80% | High Stakes 80% / Hyper Growth 75% |
| Maximum split | 95% (with add-on) | 100% (after scaling) |
| Withdrawal deduction | None | Flat 3.5% (0% only as non-cashable Hub Credits) |
| Paid during evaluation | 15% of challenge profits | No |
| Salary program | No | Monthly salary at $350K+ tiers |
FundedNext’s 15% challenge-phase reward, paid with the first payout, is genuinely unusual — most firms pay nothing for evaluation-phase performance. The5%ers counters at the other end of the timeline: scale far enough and you reach a 100% split plus a salary component. As a design, that endpoint is stronger.
Two caveats cut against it in practice. First, the 3.5% deduction applies to every cash withdrawal, whatever the method — an 80% split nets about 77.2% of profits, and even the 100% ceiling nets 96.5%. Comparing split percentages alone overstates The5%ers’ hand. Second, reaching the ceiling means leaving capital with the firm for a long time, and while withdrawal-denial reports remain unresolved, that is currently the riskiest way to use it. Separate the quality of the destination from the odds of arriving.
4. Pricing and refunds
| FundedNext | The5%ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical fees | $59.99 ($6K) – $1,099.99 ($200K) | High Stakes New $19–$491 / Classic $22–$545 |
| Refund | Stellar 2-Step fee refunded with 1st reward | Staged: 10% + 20% as Hub Credits, 70% cash with first payout |
| Withdrawal deduction | None | Flat 3.5% |
| Coupon | — | Referral code “HZZS4” |
On the cheapest ticket, The5%ers ($19) undercuts FundedNext ($59.99) — this article previously gave entry cost to FundedNext, which stopped being true once The5%ers’ pricing was corrected. Note that The5%ers adds $10 for cTrader and takes 3.5% on the way out, so total cost depends on account size and how often you withdraw. Fees change; confirm current pricing on the official sites.
5. Payout cadence and reliability
- FundedNext: first payout after 21 days on Stellar 2-Step (5 business days on 1-Step), then a 14-day rhythm
- The5%ers: first request 14 days after the funded account is activated, then bi-weekly; the 14-day count resets when the account scales up
FundedNext wins on speed to first payout. On reliability, this article previously argued that The5%ers’ longer verified record made it the safer payer. We withdraw that argument: the firm itself acknowledged payout delays in March 2026, and its payout processing times are no longer published (the help center returns 404), so there is currently no basis for choosing The5%ers on payout certainty. See how to verify payout proof.
6. Who should pick which
Pick FundedNext if you (the default pick)
- Want the lower-firm-risk option (Medium trust versus Low)
- Value being paid for challenge-phase profits (15%)
- Want the easier 8% phase-1 target, or the no-evaluation Stellar Instant
- Want withdrawals without a percentage deduction
Pick The5%ers if you
- Want the cheapest possible ticket ($19 — the one axis it clearly wins)
- Want to compare one-, two-, and three-step programs inside a single firm
- Accept the flat 3.5% withdrawal deduction
- Understand the current payout-delay reports and are deliberately testing small with money you can afford to lock up
Summary
On the spec sheet, FundedNext wins more rows — that deserves to be said plainly. This article used to close by arguing that The5%ers’ longer payment record settled the deciding question of “will profits keep getting paid out.” That conclusion is withdrawn: operating for ten years and paying reliably right now are different claims, and after the firm’s own March 2026 delay admission, payment certainty cannot be The5%ers’ selling point.
The current picture: The5%ers for the $19 minimum ticket, FundedNext for nearly everything else. We do not currently recommend The5%ers for large or long-horizon scaling plans. Whichever you pick, start small and confirm your first payout actually arrives before adding capital — and if you plan to withdraw monthly from The5%ers, price the 3.5% into your annual cost first.
Always make your final investment decisions yourself. This site does not provide investment advice.
Recommended firms
FTMO — the reassurance of the industry leader
11 years in operation (since 2015). Publishes one of the industry’s largest cumulative payout records, with no withdrawal fee of its own.
The free trial lets you test everything at no cost, and the 2-Step Challenge fee is refunded with your first payout after passing (no refund if you fail). See the FTMO free trial guide.
Fintokei — for Japanese/Korean-language support
Fully localized site and support with three programs from one to three steps.
→ Visit Fintokei official site (the public code “FINTO5KEI” gives 5% off, but Fintokei confirmed on 2026-08-19 that using a coupon code overrides referral attribution, so this site earns nothing on those purchases)
The5%ers — for building up from a small ticket
Operating since 2016. Three plans run in parallel — the one-step Hyper Growth, the two-step High Stakes and the three-step Bootcamp — with fees from $19. The profit split climbs in steps toward 100%, but a flat 3.5% is deducted from every withdrawal. On 2026-08-01 this site re-rated The5%ers from High to Low trust (★4.6→3.3) after the firm itself acknowledged payout delays in March 2026. If you use it, keep the ticket small and confirm your first payout arrives before scaling up.
→ Visit The5%ers official site (referral code “HZZS4” — 0% discount as of 2026-08-19)