The bottom line first
This matchup reduces to a clean trade-off: better headline terms versus a longer verified record.
| Your priority | Pick |
|---|---|
| Lowest entry fee | FundedNext (from ~$60) |
| Getting paid during the evaluation | FundedNext (15% challenge-profit reward) |
| Menu of evaluation models | FundedNext (4 Stellar variants) |
| Operating record and firm risk | The5%ers (since 2016, 10 years) |
| Profit-split ceiling | The5%ers (up to 100%) |
| Skipping the evaluation | The5%ers (Instant Funding) |
Full specs → FundedNext / The5%ers
1. Operating background — the biggest gap
| FundedNext | The5%ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2022 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | UAE (Dubai) | Israel |
| Years in operation | ~4 | 10 |
| Trust rating (this site) | Medium | High |
The5%ers traded through the MyForexFunds enforcement shock of 2023 and every industry storm since 2016 without incident. FundedNext has grown extremely fast and has a large user base, but a ten-year record simply cannot be compressed into four years. The bigger your intended allocation and the longer your horizon, the more this row of the table should weigh.
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% at FTMO or The5%ers High Stakes — an honest point for FundedNext.
The5%ers: three distinct philosophies
- High Stakes (2-step): 10% → 5% targets, 5% daily / 10% max loss
- Instant Funding: live capital immediately after purchase, no exam
- Hyper Growth: live from day one, account doubles at every +10%, 6% stop-out
Only The5%ers lets you avoid the evaluation entirely. For picking between its programs, see The5%ers programs compared.
3. Profit split — FundedNext early, The5%ers late
| FundedNext | The5%ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting split | 80% | 50–80% depending on plan |
| Maximum split | 95% (with add-on) | 100% (after scaling) |
| 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. Short horizon favors FundedNext; multi-year horizon favors The5%ers.
4. Pricing and refunds
| FundedNext | The5%ers | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical fees | $59.99 ($6K) – $1,099.99 ($200K) | Varies by program and size |
| Refund | Stellar 2-Step fee refunded with 1st reward | None (Instant has no exam) |
| Coupon | — | Referral code “HZZS4” |
Entry cost goes to FundedNext. 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: varies by program, improving as you scale
FundedNext wins on speed to first payout. But payout speed matters less than payout certainty, and the length of the verified payment record is where The5%ers is more than twice as long. See how to verify payout proof.
6. Who should pick which
Pick FundedNext if you
- Want the cheapest small-scale test of the funded model
- Value being paid for challenge-phase profits
- Want the easier 8% phase-1 target
Pick The5%ers if you
- Want to minimize firm risk above all
- Prefer to skip evaluations (Instant Funding)
- Are building toward the 100% split and salary tiers over years
Summary
On the spec sheet, FundedNext wins more rows — that deserves to be said plainly. But the question a prop trader ultimately pays for is “will profits keep getting paid out, year after year,” and on that question The5%ers has six more years of evidence. Small and experimental → FundedNext. Large and long-term → The5%ers. Testing both at small size is the lowest-regret path.
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 splits scaling up to 100%.
→ Visit The5%ers official site (coupon code “HZZS4” for a discount)
FTMO — the reassurance of the industry leader
11 years in operation (since 2015). Publishes one of the industry’s largest cumulative payout records.
Fintokei — for Japanese/Korean-language support
Fully localized site and support with three programs from one to three steps.
→ Visit Fintokei official site (coupon code “FINTO5KEI” for 5% off)