Payout Court · compare

The5ers vs Topstep

Case file

The5ers

Futures and forex / CFD

NRNo verdict yet

  • 0 of 10 weighted receipts
  • 0 of 5 senders
  • 8 of 8 rule facts

Case file

Topstep

Futures

NRNo verdict yet

  • 0 of 10 weighted receipts
  • 0 of 5 senders
  • 8 of 8 rule facts

On 25 Oct 2026, The5ers and Topstep differed on 6 of 8 rules checked for both: Payout frequency (The5ers: First withdrawal 14 days after funded account activation, then every 2 weeks from the last approved withdrawal; scaling resets the timer, Topstep: Express Funded Account: a payout request after every 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L (count restarts after each request); Live Funded Account: daily payout access after 30 winning days); Profit split (The5ers: Varies by program; e.g. 80% on the $200K Summer Plan funded account, Topstep: 90/10 (trader keeps 90%)); Copy trading (The5ers: Not allowed, Topstep: Allowed with conditions); Hedging (The5ers: Allowed with conditions, Topstep: Not allowed); Weekend holding (The5ers: Allowed, Topstep: Not allowed); Account, device and IP rules (The5ers: Account sharing or reselling accounts prohibited, Topstep: VPNs, proxies, TOR and other identity-masking services not permitted).

Receipts: The5ers 0, Topstep 0.

Last checked

Which fits you

  • If you copy trade: The5ers (not allowed), Topstep (allowed with conditions).
  • If you run EAs: The5ers (allowed with conditions), Topstep (allowed with conditions).
  • If you trade the news: The5ers (allowed with conditions), Topstep (allowed with conditions).
  • If you hedge: The5ers (allowed with conditions), Topstep (not allowed).
  • If you hold trades over the weekend: The5ers (allowed), Topstep (not allowed).

Read each rule before you buy.

The docket · 8 rules, each from the firm's own pages

Side by side

Highlighted rows: the two firms' rules differ.

RuleThe5ersTopstep
Payout frequency DiffersFirst withdrawal 14 days after funded account activation, then every 2 weeks from the last approved withdrawal; scaling resets the timer
You can request your first withdrawal 14 days after your funded account is activated.

the5ers.com · checked

Express Funded Account: a payout request after every 5 winning days of $150+ net P&L (count restarts after each request); Live Funded Account: daily payout access after 30 winning days
After you request a Payout, your winning day count restarts. You'll need 5 new winning days before you're eligible to request your next Payout.

help.topstep.com · checked

Profit split DiffersVaries by program; e.g. 80% on the $200K Summer Plan funded account
Profit Share: You receive an 80/20 profit split (80% to the trader).

the5ers.com · checked

90/10 (trader keeps 90%)
90/10 profit split — you keep 90%

help.topstep.com · checked

Copy trading Differs Not allowed: Trade coordination or copy trading with other traders or accounts is prohibited
Trade coordination or copy trading with other traders or accounts

the5ers.com · checked

Allowed with conditions: A trade copier may duplicate your trades across multiple accounts
You can also use a trade copier to duplicate trades across multiple accounts.

help.topstep.com · checked

EAs and bots Allowed with conditions: EAs allowed but third-party EAs where other traders hold the same trades, EAs whose source code you do not own, and rollover-scalping EAs are prohibited
Using an EA from a provider where the trader does not own the source code.

the5ers.com · checked

Allowed with conditions: Automated strategies allowed with conditions; no support or exceptions for malfunctions; scalping algorithms exploiting SIM fills prohibited
Can I use automated trading strategies? Yes, with conditions.

help.topstep.com · checked

News trading Allowed with conditions: News trading allowed except bracketing with pending orders; the program page linked as the source lists a restriction on trading 2 minutes before or after high-impact news
Considering taking moves during high-impact and breaking news is allowed. Performing moves 2 minutes before or after high-impact news events

the5ers.com · checked

Allowed with conditions: News trading allowed, but purposely trading full maximum position size into a scheduled major news event is a prohibited strategy
Purposefully trading your full Maximum Position Size directly into a scheduled major news event.

help.topstep.com · checked

Hedging Differs Allowed with conditions: Hedge arbitrage, reverse arbitrage and cross-firm opposite positions prohibited; artificial profit-day splitting with opposing positions prohibited
Cross-operator coordinated trading ... for example by simultaneously entering into opposite positions across those accounts.

the5ers.com · checked

Not allowed: Cross-account hedging prohibited (long and short the same or correlated instrument across accounts)
Cross-account hedging is prohibited at Topstep.

help.topstep.com · checked

Weekend holding Differs Allowed: Overnight and weekend holding allowed; indices carry high swap over the weekend
Overnight and weekend actions are allowed

the5ers.com · checked

Not allowed: No overnight or weekend holding; all positions closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday
Can I swing trade or hold positions overnight? No. All positions must be closed by 3:10 PM CT each weekday.

help.topstep.com · checked

Account, device and IP rules DiffersAccount sharing or reselling accounts prohibited
Account Sharing or Reselling accounts with other individuals or entities

the5ers.com · checked

VPNs, proxies, TOR and other identity-masking services not permitted
Do not use a VPN. VPNs, proxy services, TOR, geo-location obfuscation, and other identity-masking services are not permitted at Topstep.

help.topstep.com · checked

Payout receipts compared

The5ers: 0 receipts forwarded to us, 0 denials. Topstep: 0 receipts forwarded to us, 0 denials.

A tier needs 10 weighted receipts from 5 different senders within 180 days. Until then the verdict is "No verdict yet". How the tiers work

Share of receipts forwarded to us, not of all payouts. People forward denials more often than approvals, so absolute numbers run high; compare firms with each other, not with zero.

Rule changes in the last 90 days

None detected in the last 90 days.

FAQ

Does The5ers or Topstep allow copy trading?

The5ers' own rules say not allowed: Trade coordination or copy trading with other traders or accounts is prohibited. Topstep's own rules say allowed with conditions: A trade copier may duplicate your trades across multiple accounts.

Does The5ers or Topstep allow EAs and bots?

The5ers' own rules say allowed with conditions: EAs allowed but third-party EAs where other traders hold the same trades, EAs whose source code you do not own, and rollover-scalping EAs are prohibited. Topstep's own rules say allowed with conditions: Automated strategies allowed with conditions; no support or exceptions for malfunctions; scalping algorithms exploiting SIM fills prohibited.

Does The5ers or Topstep allow news trading?

The5ers' own rules say allowed with conditions: News trading allowed except bracketing with pending orders; the program page linked as the source lists a restriction on trading 2 minutes before or after high-impact news. Topstep's own rules say allowed with conditions: News trading allowed, but purposely trading full maximum position size into a scheduled major news event is a prohibited strategy.

Does The5ers or Topstep allow hedging?

The5ers' own rules say allowed with conditions: Hedge arbitrage, reverse arbitrage and cross-firm opposite positions prohibited; artificial profit-day splitting with opposing positions prohibited. Topstep's own rules say not allowed: Cross-account hedging prohibited (long and short the same or correlated instrument across accounts).

See also