The5ers Futures vs FTMO Futures: Comparing Two FX Giants' Futures Launch by Automated Trading Policy [September 2026]
※ This article is based on a direct, live-browser read of the official The5ers and FTMO pages on September 22, 2026. Prices and rules reflect both companies' product pages and official FAQs as displayed that day. Anything we couldn't confirm is marked "unconfirmed" or "third-party information." All times are given in JST, based on the period when the US is on daylight saving time. Please re-check the official sites before you buy.
📢 Advertising/affiliate disclosure: We hold no affiliate links for either company's futures products. Every link in this article is a normal link to the official site.
TL;DR: FTMO is the only choice for automated trading, The5ers is out
- The5ers Futures explicitly bans algorithmic trading. The official FAQ reads: "No. These practices are strictly forbidden. Any trader found using them will be banned from our programs." (referring to high-frequency trading, algorithmic trading, and hedging)
- FTMO Futures explicitly allows it. The forbidden-practices page states "Automated trading is permitted," and the futures-specific FAQ says "whether it's discretionary trading, algorithmic trading or EAs." This is a brand-new product that launched on September 1, 2026
- Even so, FTMO users should avoid off-the-shelf EAs. The same FAQ warns that "a third-party EA may already be used by other traders running the same strategy," and since a unique strategy is required, you risk being denied a funded account. There's also an API limit on order rate
- The billing models are fundamentally different. The5ers is a one-time fee with a full refund on the 3rd payout; FTMO is a monthly subscription. The number of months it takes you to pass becomes part of the cost
- On FTMO, Pro is cheaper per unit of loss buffer. At $50K, Growth is $119/month for a $2,000 buffer, Pro is $139/month for a $3,000 buffer. That's $59.5 vs $46.3 per $1,000 of buffer per month — Pro wins
- FTMO explicitly allows VPS and VPN. If you're running an EA 24/7, this may matter more than anything else. Among the dedicated futures firms, Topstep, TradeDay, Elite Trader Funding, UProfit, and DayTraders all ban VPS
- The scope of the consistency rule differs. FTMO's applies only in the evaluation phase and disappears once funded. The5ers keeps its 40% rule in both evaluation and funded stages
- FTMO is day-trading only. All positions must be closed by 5:10 AM JST the next morning (6:10 AM JST when the US is on standard time), or they get force-closed. If you want to hold overnight, The5ers Swing is the better fit
- Both are available from Japan. FTMO has no exclusion for Japan on either its general exclusion list or its live-account exclusion list. The5ers' terms of service Forbidden Territory list also doesn't include Japan
Why both companies moved into futures at once
We recently published a full review of automated-trading rules at 26 futures prop firms, but all 26 of those firms were dedicated US futures specialists. Meanwhile, major FX/CFD firms have been moving into futures one after another in 2026. The5ers now shows "Futures" on its homepage with a New badge, and FTMO has restructured its navigation into two tracks: CFD and Futures.
If you already have an FX account with either firm, being able to trade futures under the same brand sounds convenient. But the rules are a completely different animal even under the same brand, and the treatment of automated trading in particular turned out to be exact opposites.
Conclusion: comparison table
| Item | The5ers Futures | FTMO Futures |
|---|---|---|
| Algo/EA | Banned (ban on discovery) | Allowed |
| Off-the-shelf EA | Banned | Discouraged (risk of funded-account denial) |
| Billing | One-time | Monthly |
| Fee refund | Full refund on 3rd payout | None |
| $50K price | $100 (Day Trade) | $119/mo (Growth) / $139/mo (Pro) |
| Max loss | 4% ($2,000) | $2,000 (Growth) / $3,000 (Pro) |
| Drawdown | EOD | EOD trailing, locks at starting balance |
| Daily loss | 2.5% for $100K and up only | Growth: soft, funded only / Pro: hard |
| Profit target | 6% (eval) → 4% (funded) | $3,000 (6% of account) |
| Consistency | 40%, both eval and funded | 40–50%, eval only |
| Split | 80/20 fixed | 90/10 |
| Payout cap | Not stated | $2,500–$8,000 |
| Activation fee | None | None (reset is $109 Growth / $129 Pro at $50K) |
| VPS/VPN | VPN banned if used to evade region restrictions | Both explicitly allowed |
| Overnight holding | Allowed with Swing | Not allowed (force-closed at 5:10 AM JST) |
| Min. trading days | None (can pass in a day) | None |
| Expiry | None | None |
| Scaling | Up to $500K | Live transition is invite-only |
| Platform | BlackArrow (third-party info) | NinjaTrader / Tradovate / TradingView |
| Japan | Allowed | Allowed |
| Trustpilot | 4.7 / 38,068 (whole company) | 4.8 / 52,613 (whole company) |
Both Trustpilot scores are for the company as a whole, not the futures product specifically.
The5ers Futures: good for discretionary traders, no good for EA users
The automated-trading clause
The product page's "Trading Style Restrictions" section states that high-frequency trading, algorithmic trading, and hedging are not supported, and that any trader found using them will be excluded from the program. The FAQ on the same page is even more direct.
Is high-frequency trading, algorithmic trading, or hedging allowed? No. These practices are strictly forbidden. Any trader found using them will be banned from our programs.
Given the language "strictly forbidden" and "banned" rather than "not supported," there's no gray zone here. EA traders can stop their research right here.
Pricing and rules (measured September 22, 2026)
Day Trade plan
| Size | Profit target (eval → funded) | Max loss | Daily loss | Consistency | Max position | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25K | 6% → 4% | 4% | None | 40% | 2 Mini / 20 Micro | $59 |
| $50K | 6% → 4% | 4% | None | 40% | 4 Mini / 40 Micro | $100 |
| $100K | 6% → 4% | 4% | 2.5% | 40% | 8 Mini / 80 Micro | $170 |
| $150K | 6% → 4% | 4% | 2.5% | 40% | 12 Mini / 120 Micro | $199 |
Swing plan (site displays it as "Summer Plan Price")
| Size | Overnight cap | Price |
|---|---|---|
| $25K | 1 Mini / 10 Micro | $69 |
| $50K | 1 Mini / 10 Micro | $120 |
| $100K | 1 Mini / 10 Micro | $189 |
| $150K | 1 Mini / 10 Micro | $219 |
Conditions common to all plans:
- Drawdown is EOD (updated on the confirmed daily close). Max loss is 4% in both eval and funded
- Daily loss only applies to $100K and $150K, at 2.5%. $25K and $50K have no daily cap
- No activation fee, no minimum trading days, no expiry. You could technically pass in a single day
- The fee is refunded on the 3rd payout
- Split is 80/20, and stays 80/20 for every payout after that (it never increases)
- Scales every 10%. Balance increases by 5% and the position cap increases by 1 Mini / 10 Micro. Caps out at $500,000
- Trading during news is allowed. All positions must close 10 minutes before market close (5:50 AM JST the next morning, 6:50 AM JST when the US is on standard time). No weekend carry
- The number of accounts you can hold at once depends on size. $25K and $50K allow 5, $100K allows 2, $150K allows 1
- Payouts run on a 14-day cycle. The official blog even acknowledges a style of locking in profit on day one and then not trading for the rest of the cycle
- Japan is not on the restricted-country list. The terms of service Forbidden Territory list (updated August 16, 2026) doesn't mention Japan. The operator is FIVE PERCENT ONLINE LTD, a UK company
- The supported platform is reportedly BlackArrow (third-party information, provisional). The official site's product page, FAQ, and terms of service all lack a platform name, and we have not been able to confirm this first-hand. Please check with support before buying
What really bites: the scope of the consistency rule
The5ers' 40% is labeled "Consistency Rule – Per Position," and it stays in place through the funded stage, not just the evaluation. As we cover below, FTMO's consistency rule drops away once funded, so this is a clear difference. If your strategy makes most of its profit from one big win, you stay bound by this rule even after being funded.
That said, a breach doesn't mean confiscation. The formula is "largest trade's profit ÷ total profit × 100," and while you're over the limit you simply keep trading until the ratio comes back down. This is the same hold-based treatment as Moneta's consistency rule, which is gentler than a confiscation-based rule.
The good points
For discretionary swing traders, this is a solidly good product. You can carry positions overnight, news trading is allowed, you can scale up to $500K, and the fee comes back on the 3rd payout. Because the drawdown is EOD-based, you won't get blown out by an intraday floating loss.
FTMO Futures: worth considering if you're an EA trader
The automated-trading clause
FTMO Futures launched as a new product on September 1, 2026. It has a different site structure from the CFD side, with its own dedicated forbidden-practices page. One line there says it all.
Automated trading is permitted. You must not, however, use any software, artificial intelligence, or automated systems that manipulate, abuse, or provide an unfair advantage when participating in the Evaluation Account or Sim-Funded Account, including high-frequency strategies and latency arbitrage. You are fully responsible for all activity generated by your automated systems, including errors and malfunctions.
The same page states that these rules apply at every account stage, so evaluation and funded are treated the same. The futures-specific FAQ repeats the same policy.
Your trading style is up to you. As long as your trading is legitimate and in line with proper risk management, conforms to the real market conditions, and does not constitute Forbidden Trading Practices, we have no reasons for limiting or restricting your trading strategy, whether it's discretionary trading, algorithmic trading or EAs.
The same policy as the CFD side has been carried over to futures. There's no language distinguishing evaluation from funded here.
However, there are two conditions, from the same FAQ.
If you intend to use trading robots (Expert Advisors – EAs), keep in mind that if you use a third-party EA, other traders may already be using the same EA and therefore the same strategy. By using a third-party EA, you risk being denied the Sim-Funded Account, since no copy trading across registrations is allowed and FTMO requires you to use a unique strategy. Also, please keep in mind that the platform's servers have an API limit on the number of orders per predefined time period.
In other words, an off-the-shelf EA carries a real risk of being denied a funded account, and you're required to run a unique strategy. There's also an API limit on order rate. Any EA designed to fire orders at high frequency will need reworking.
Pricing and rules (measured September 22, 2026)
Growth (looser rules, easier to get into)
| Size | Monthly fee | Profit target | Max loss | Daily loss | Payout cap | Consistency | Payout interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50K | $119 | $3,000 | $2,000 | $1,000, soft, funded only | $2,500 | 40%, eval only | 4 days |
| $100K | $169 | $6,000 | $3,500 | $2,000, soft, funded only | $3,000 | 40%, eval only | 4 days |
| $150K | $229 | $9,000 | $5,000 | $3,000, soft, funded only | $4,000 | 40%, eval only | 4 days |
Pro (wider buffer, higher payout cap)
| Size | Monthly fee | Profit target | Max loss | Daily loss | Payout cap | Consistency | Payout interval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50K | $139 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $1,000, hard | $5,000 | 50%, eval only | 5 days |
| $100K | $199 | $6,000 | $4,500 | $1,500, hard | $6,000 | 50%, eval only | 5 days |
| $150K | $269 | $9,000 | $6,000 | $2,000, hard | $8,000 | 50%, eval only | 5 days |
Conditions common to both:
- 90/10 split, no activation fee, no minimum trading days, no expiry
- No intraday trailing. A trailing lock is applied to the drawdown line itself
- The consistency rule disappears once funded. The site even uses the headline "No Consistency Rule in Sim-Funded"
- News trading is allowed
- Three supported platforms: NinjaTrader / Tradovate / TradingView. All support automation and share the same credentials
- VPS and VPN are explicitly allowed. The original text: "Using a VPN/VPS is also allowed, as long as you do not reside in a country we do not offer our services and you retain sole control over your registration."
- Copying across your own accounts is explicitly allowed. "Copy trading across your own accounts is permitted, provided each account independently and fully complies with all applicable rules." Copying from someone else's account — whether via signal service, master account, or copier — is banned regardless of form
- Day trading only. All positions and pending orders must be closed by 5:10 AM JST the next morning (6:10 AM JST when the US is on standard time), or they get force-closed automatically
- You can buy unlimited evaluation accounts, but only 3 funded accounts at once. Total up to $450,000
- Reset fees run $109–$219 for Growth and $129–$259 for Pro (varies by size). Commissions are $0.50 one-way for minis and $0.20 one-way for micros, plus separate exchange and NFA fees
- The drawdown line only moves based on the confirmed (closing) balance, and locks permanently once it reaches the starting balance. It never gets tightened by an intraday floating loss
- Three stages: evaluation → Sim-Funded (where payouts start) → Live Funded. Live is invite-only; once you get there, payouts become daily with no cap, though market data fees apply (the company covers one exchange's worth)
The schedule if you're trading from Japan
FTMO's day-trading rule means, in JST, all positions close by 5:10 AM the next morning (6:10 AM JST when the US is on standard time). Since US stock index futures are most active from 10:30 PM to 5:00 AM JST, this is a schedule where things move while you sleep, and you close right before waking up.
Doing this manually would wreck your life. That's exactly why it matters that FTMO explicitly allows VPS. If you can complete your trading and closing on a VPS, this schedule stops being a problem. Conversely, at firms that ban VPS (Topstep, TradeDay, Elite Trader Funding, UProfit, DayTraders), you're left running your home PC until 5 AM.
The5ers' Day Trade plan also closes everything by 5:50 AM the next morning, but since automated trading is banned there, you have to be awake for it manually in the first place. If you want to hold overnight, you'd pick the Swing plan instead.
Pro is cheaper per unit of loss buffer
An easy thing to miss. Comparing at $50K, Growth is $119/month for a $2,000 buffer, and Pro is $139/month for a $3,000 buffer. Paying 17% more gets you 50% more buffer, so the cost per $1,000 of buffer is $59.5/month for Growth versus $46.3/month for Pro.
The ratio of target to buffer is also easier on Pro. Growth's target is $3,000 against a $2,000 buffer — 1.5x. Pro's target is $3,000 against a $3,000 buffer — 1.0x. This is what FTMO means when it advertises "Target-to-drawdown starting as low as 1:1."
Pro's trade-off is twofold: the daily loss becomes hard (instant fail on breach), and the evaluation consistency requirement rises to 50%. If you can manage your own daily risk, Pro is the more rational choice.
Lined up by cost per $1,000 of loss buffer
We compare entry fees by "how much you pay per $1,000 of max-loss buffer." At $50K, lining these two up against the major firms from our earlier 26-firm article gives us this:
| Firm/plan | Billing | Fee | Loss buffer | Per $1,000 of buffer | Automated trading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apex EOD | One-time | $55 | $2,000 | $28 | Banned |
| TradeDay | Monthly | $59 | $2,000 | $30/mo | Self-built only, no VPS |
| Lucid Flex | One-time | $90.20 | $2,000 | $45 | Allowed |
| FTMO Futures Pro | Monthly | $139 | $3,000 | $46/mo | Allowed |
| FundedNext Futures Flex | One-time | $69.99 | $1,500 | $47 | Allowed |
| The5ers Futures Day Trade | One-time | $100 | $2,000 | $50 | Banned |
| FTMO Futures Growth | Monthly | $119 | $2,000 | $60/mo | Allowed |
| Tradeify Growth | One-time | $145 | $2,000 | $73 | Self-built only, video proof |
| MyFundedFutures Pro | One-time | $159 | $2,000 | $80 | Allowed |
Three takeaways:
- Both are mid-pack. Neither The5ers nor FTMO is particularly cheap or expensive among the specialist firms. A reasonable price for a fresh entrant
- FTMO's monthly billing directly scales with how many months it takes you to pass. If you clear it in one month, Pro finishes at $139 — on par with the specialist one-time-fee firms. Take four months, and it climbs to $556, landing at the bottom. This design has no expiry, but time itself becomes the cost
- The5ers' effective cost is lower than the table suggests. If you make it to the 3rd payout, the fee is fully refunded, so your net cost is zero on success. If you don't get there, it's $100
Which should you buy
- Want to run an EA or bot → FTMO Futures Pro. Among the specialist firms, only Lucid, BluSky, FundedNext Futures, MyFundedFutures, and Funded Futures Network explicitly allowed automated trading — and now FTMO joins them. The cost per unit of buffer, at $46/month, isn't bad either. The catch is you're expected to use a self-built EA and keep your order rate down
- Want to run it 24/7 on a VPS → FTMO Futures or FundedNext Futures. These two explicitly allow both VPS and VPN. Among specialists, Topstep, TradeDay, Elite Trader Funding, UProfit, and DayTraders all ban VPS, leaving you no option but to keep your home PC running. If you're trading US-hours futures from Japan, this is actually the difference that matters most
- Confident you can close it out quickly → FTMO. Since it's billed monthly, clearing it in a month puts you in the cheapest tier
- Expect it to take a while, want no expiry → The one-time-fee The5ers plan, or one of the specialist firms' one-time plans. FTMO's monthly billing isn't suited to a long grind
- Discretionary swing trading with overnight holds → The5ers Futures Swing. $50K costs $120, overnight cap is 1 Mini / 10 Micro. The fee also comes back on the 3rd payout
- Just want the cheapest cost per unit of buffer → Apex or TradeDay. Though Apex bans automated trading on every account, and TradeDay only allows self-built EAs and no VPS
What to watch for if you already use FTMO or The5ers
The rules are a different animal even under the same brand. FTMO's FAQ is split between CFD and futures, with separate URL structures. The5ers also has different terms between its FX products (like High Stakes) and futures. If you buy futures with an FX mindset, you can get tripped up by the scope of the consistency rule or whether overnight holding is allowed.
FTMO in particular has subtly different wording between the CFD-side FAQ of the same name and the futures-side FAQ. A search can land you on the CFD version, so check whether the URL contains futures.
FAQ
Q. Is it really true that EAs can't be used on The5ers Futures?
Correct, they can't. The official FAQ states: "No. These practices are strictly forbidden. Any trader found using them will be banned from our programs." This covers high-frequency trading, algorithmic trading, and hedging.
Q. What happens if I use an off-the-shelf EA on FTMO Futures?
The official FAQ states that "using a third-party EA means other traders may already be using the same EA, and since a unique strategy is required, you risk being denied a funded account." It's not stated as an outright ban, but since you could pass and still not proceed to a funded account, a self-built EA is effectively assumed.
Q. Should I buy FTMO Growth or Pro?
Pro is the better value per unit of loss buffer. At $50K, Growth costs $59.5/month per $1,000 of buffer, Pro costs $46.3/month. The ratio of target to buffer is also easier on Pro (1.0x) versus Growth (1.5x). In exchange, Pro's daily loss becomes hard (instant fail on breach) and the evaluation consistency requirement rises to 50%.
Q. Can both be bought from Japan?
Yes, both. FTMO Futures doesn't list Japan on either its general exclusion list (about 100 countries) or its live-account exclusion list (41 countries). The5ers also doesn't mention Japan in its terms of service Forbidden Territory list (updated August 16, 2026).
That said, the UI on both is English-only. FTMO's language switcher doesn't include Japanese, though support covers 21 languages including Japanese. The5ers has a Japanese futures page that exists in the CMS, but its public URL returns a 404 and the content shown is outdated pricing anyway.
Q. What platform does The5ers Futures use?
Third-party sources say BlackArrow. However, none of the official site's product page, FAQ, or terms of service name a platform, and the purchase hub requires a login to see anything, so we have not been able to confirm this first-hand. Treat it as provisional. FTMO Futures officially names NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and TradingView.
Q. Can I run it on a VPS?
FTMO Futures explicitly allows both VPS and VPN. The two conditions are "not residing in a country where the service isn't offered" and "retaining sole control over your own registration." The5ers treats using a VPN to evade regional restrictions as a violation of its terms (no mention of VPS specifically).
Q. Is this a better deal than the dedicated futures props?
On cost per unit of buffer, it's mid-pack — not clearly better on that measure alone. That said, FTMO has a real edge in explicitly allowing both automated trading and VPS — a combination matched only by FundedNext Futures among futures props. It also has the scale of 52,613 Trustpilot reviews and a $650M payout track record. The5ers' advantage is that its fee comes back on the 3rd payout, plus scaling up to $500K.
Reference links (official)
- The5ers Futures product page (pricing, rules, Trading Style Restrictions, FAQ)
- The5ers prohibited practices / terms of service (Forbidden Territory and automated-software clauses)
- FTMO Futures product page (Growth / Pro pricing tables)
- FTMO Futures forbidden practices (the "Automated trading is permitted." clause)
- FTMO Futures trading objectives and rules
- FTMO Futures FAQ: VPN and VPS
- FTMO Futures: how it works (evaluation → Sim-Funded → Live Funded)
- FTMO Futures FAQ: instruments and strategies (the algo/EA clause)
- FTMO Futures FAQ: supported platforms
- FTMO Futures FAQ: who can join (scope of restrictions)
Related articles
- FTMO Futures complete guide: standalone details
- The5ers Futures complete guide: standalone details
- FTMO Futures vs Topstep: comparison with the futures-prop leader
- Full review of automated-trading rules at 28 futures prop firms: specialist firms' automated-trading rules sorted into 5 tiers
- 7 futures prop firms recommended for Japanese traders: for discretionary traders
- The5ers guide: FX-side products and rules
- FTMO guide: FX-side products and rules
- Complete guide to EA rules by prop firm: EA rules for FX/CFD firms
- We calculated the expected value of the FTMO Futures challenge
- We calculated the expected value of Topstep
- We calculated the expected value of FundedNext Futures
- We calculated the expected value of MyFundedFutures
- We calculated the expected value of Lucid Trading
Written by
Hosono P | the prop firm strategist
I buy challenges with my own money and record everything through to the payout. Recorded payouts: ¥6.1M in total from Fintokei, Fundora and Funded7, plus $4,776 from The5ers (as of September 2026). Author of the semi-discretionary EA "ELDRA".