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Data refreshed 24 Sep 2026 · Compiled by David Ispiryan · Apex Trader Funding facts verified by BrokerCatalogue research desk (from the firm's own site) on 2026-09-24 · The5ers facts verified by BrokerCatalogue research desk (from the firm's own site) on 2026-09-24
AI visibility score 16.7 / 100 · AI visibility rank #6 · Founded 2021
Apex Trader Funding is a proprietary trading firm based in Austin, United States, founded in 2021. It offers one-step evaluations on futures. Funded accounts go up to $150,000 (up to 20 accounts).…
Open the Apex Trader Funding profileAI visibility score 37.9 / 100 · AI visibility rank #3 · Founded 2016
The5ers is a proprietary trading firm based in London, United Kingdom, founded in 2016. It offers one-step, two-step, three-step, instant-funding evaluations on forex, indices, commodities, crypto, futures. Funded accounts go up to…
Open the The5ers profileApex Trader Funding (Austin, United States, founded 2021) scores 16.7 / 100 on the Q3 2026 AI Visibility Index (rank #6 of 76 prop firms), named in 23% of AI answers, runs One-step evaluations, funds accounts up to $150,000 (up to 20 accounts), pays a 90% (100% of first $25,000) profit split and offers NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts. The5ers (London, United Kingdom, founded 2016) scores 37.9 / 100 on the Q3 2026 AI Visibility Index (rank #3 of 76 prop firms), named in 49% of AI answers, runs Instant funding, One-step, Three-step, Two-step evaluations, funds accounts up to $100,000 (scaling to $4,000,000), pays a 80% (up to 100%) profit split and offers MT5.
Scored on 9 measurable dimensions where both prop firms have verified data. Dimensions missing for either side are excluded rather than guessed. This is a data summary, not a recommendation.
| Criteria | Apex Trader Funding | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| AI visibility score | 16.7 / 100 | 37.9 / 100 |
| AI visibility rank | #6 | #3 |
| Named in AI answers | 23% | 49% |
| AI sentiment (0–100) | 21 | 44 |
| Founded | 2021 | 2016 |
| Headquarters | Austin, United States | London, United Kingdom |
| Evaluation models | One-step | Instant funding, One-step, Three-step, Two-step |
| Asset classes | Futures | Commodities, Crypto, Forex, Futures, Indices |
| Platforms | NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts | MT5 |
| Maximum allocation | $150,000 (up to 20 accounts) | $100,000 (scaling to $4,000,000) |
| Profit split | 90% (100% of first $25,000) | 80% (up to 100%) |
| Challenge fee from | Not verified | $19 (High Stakes $2.5k) |
| Account sizes | $25k, $50k, $100k, $150k | $2.5k, $5k, $10k, $25k, $50k, $100k |
| Payout frequency | every 5 trading days | monthly (on request; scaling at each 10% target) |
| Daily drawdown limit | none | 5% (High Stakes); 3% (Hyper Growth) |
| Maximum drawdown | trailing (end-of-day or intraday, by account type) | 10% (High Stakes); 6% (Hyper Growth) |
| Minimum trading days | 1 | 3 profitable days |
| Time limit | none | none (account expires after 30 days without activity) |
| News trading | Yes | Restricted |
| Weekend holding | No | Yes |
| EAs / algos allowed | Restricted | Not verified |
| Status | active | active |
Highlighted cells mark the stronger value where a direction is objectively better (e.g. more licences, lower fees). "Not verified" means the field is not yet in our catalogue for that prop firm — we never fill gaps with estimates.
| Engine | Apex Trader Funding | The5ers |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 10.2 | 53.2 |
| Perplexity | 25.8 | 49.1 |
| Gemini | 32.8 | 44.4 |
| Claude | 17.3 | 28.5 |
| Google AI Mode | 12.9 | 50.1 |
| Google AI Overview | 25.5 | 57.8 |
| Google top-10 | 0 | 0 |
Scores 0–100 from the Pipswire AI Visibility Index, Q3 2026. Higher means the engine names the firm more often and more favourably.
The5ers scores higher on the Q3 2026 Pipswire AI Visibility Index (16.7 / 100 vs 37.9 / 100), which measures how often ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Google name a firm when traders ask which prop firm to use.
Apex Trader Funding pays 90% (100% of first $25,000); The5ers pays 80% (up to 100%) (as published on each firm's site when we last checked).
Apex Trader Funding: NinjaTrader, Rithmic, Tradovate, WealthCharts. The5ers: MT5.
Apex Trader Funding: maximum drawdown trailing (end-of-day or intraday, by account type), daily none. The5ers: maximum drawdown 10% (High Stakes); 6% (Hyper Growth), daily 5% (High Stakes); 3% (Hyper Growth).
Risk warning: prop firms are not regulated brokers or investment firms. Evaluations are paid, fees are usually non-refundable, most accounts are simulated, and a firm can change its rules or stop paying out. Most participants fail the evaluation. Nothing on this page is financial advice; read the firm's terms before you pay. Full risk disclosure.