The5ers vs E8 Markets

The5ers suits patient traders who want a two step challenge with a static floor, leverage of up to 1:100, TradingView as a platform and a scaling plan that lifts the split to 100%. E8 Markets suits traders who want to pass in a single step, request payouts on demand a few days into the funded stage and set the drawdown and payout share themselves at checkout. At $100K the two firms sell different structures at similar list prices, so the choice starts with one step against two and then turns on drawdown type, news rules and payout terms.

All prices are list prices at the time of review in September 2026. Both firms price in US dollars and run frequent discounts.

The5ers vs E8 Markets at a glance

The table compares The5ers High Stakes Classic at $100,000 with E8 One at $100,000 on the default setup shown on the E8 Markets site. The5ers sells no standing one step at $100K, so the two main $100K products differ in the number of steps.

Rules and drawdown

The5ers High Stakes uses a static maximum loss fixed from the starting balance and measured on equity. On $100K it is 8%, so the floor stays at $92,000 however the account moves, and profit left in the account widens the room above it. E8 One on its default $100K setup allows 6%, but the floor rises with the highest closed balance and then locks permanently at the starting balance once the account is 6% in profit. Early in the account E8 One therefore gives less room and follows gains, while The5ers keeps a fixed floor from the first trade. The trailing vs static drawdown guide explains the difference, and the drawdown calculator shows where each floor sits.

Both daily limits are 4% on $100K, but The5ers measures from the higher of the previous day’s closing balance or equity at midnight server time, so open profit at the close raises the reference point. E8 One measures from the day’s starting balance.

Targets and timing differ with the structure. The5ers asks for 8% and then 5%, with three profitable days of at least 0.5% of the initial balance in each step. E8 One asks for a single 9% and has no minimum days. Neither sets a time limit, although The5ers closes evaluation accounts after 30 days without activity and funded High Stakes accounts after 60, and E8 needs at least one trade opened and closed every 60 days. The one step vs two step guide sets out the trade offs.

E8 One is configurable. Buyers can change the drawdown and payout share at checkout, which changes the target and the daily limit. E8 Markets also sells E8 Pro at $468 for $100K, with a 6% static limit by default, a matching target, a 2.5% daily limit and a rule that only 2% of the initial balance per day counts towards profit, and E8 Signature at $280, with a 6% target, a 3% end of day limit that locks at the initial balance and a 35% best day rule. The5ers offers High Stakes New at $405 with a 10% first target, and Pro Growth, a one step up to $50,000 at $329 with a 10% target, a 3% daily limit and a 6% static limit.

News, holding and automation

News rules differ in timing and stage. The5ers High Stakes bars order execution from two minutes before to two minutes after high impact news and deducts the profit from such trades, although holding through the release is allowed. E8 One allows news trading in the challenge, but on the funded account it bars opening or closing trades, including stop loss and take profit fills, from five minutes before to five minutes after high impact news, and profits from such trades may be removed. E8 Pro and E8 Signature allow news trading at every stage. The news trading rules guide compares firm policies.

Both firms allow overnight and weekend holding on these products, and The5ers notes that indices held over the weekend carry high swaps. E8 Signature is the exception, closing every position at 23:00 server time.

Both allow expert advisors with conditions. The5ers requires the trader to own the source code and bans EAs that copy others’ signals or use tick scalping, latency, arbitrage or high frequency methods. E8 Markets allows EAs as long as other users are not running the same strategy, and permits copy trading across a trader’s own accounts.

Pricing and fee refunds

At list price The5ers High Stakes Classic costs $455 for $100K and New costs $405, against $488 for E8 One on its default setup. E8 Markets was showing a 10% discount code at the time of review and charges no activation fee on any product. The5ers returns the High Stakes fee in stages, with 10% as hub credit after step 1, 20% after step 2 and 70% in cash with the first payout, and charges $10 extra for cTrader.

Payouts

The5ers pays the first High Stakes payout 14 days after the funded account is activated and then every 14 days, processed in up to three business days. On $100K the minimum is $500 and each payout is capped at $4,000. Payouts by Rise, crypto or bank transfer carry a 3.5% commission, while payouts taken as hub credits do not. High Stakes accounts scale at each 10% target reached with three profitable days, up to $500,000, with the split rising to 100% and fixed monthly payments from $350,000. The scaling plans guide explains how these schedules work.

E8 Markets pays 80% by default, and its help centre states that the share can be set as high as 100% at checkout. E8 One payouts are on demand from three days into the funded stage, with a $100 minimum, net profit above half of the daily drawdown and a 40% best day rule. E8 Markets reports a median of 11 hours from request to approval and 24 hours until funds arrive for January to May 2026, though a payout can take up to five business days and none are processed at weekends. Payouts go by WorkMarket, Rise or, for US clients, Aeropay, with no E8 fee. The consistency rule calculator checks results against the 40% rule.

Platforms and markets

The5ers supports MetaTrader 5, cTrader and TradingView, which is the only platform for US clients, with forex, metals, indices, oil and crypto. High Stakes leverage is 1:100 on forex, 1:25 on indices and metals and 1:5 on commodities. The operating company is registered in London and has run trader programmes since 2016.

E8 Markets supports MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradeLocker and Match Trader, with MetaTrader 5 and cTrader unavailable to US clients. Markets cover forex, indices, metals, commodities and crypto, with leverage of 1:30 on forex and 1:15 on indices and metals. The firm was founded in 2021 and is based in Dallas. Trustpilot shows no rating for E8 Markets because of a breach of its guidelines.

Who should choose each firm

Choose The5ers if

• You want a static 8% floor on a $100K two step.
• You trade on TradingView or want leverage of up to 1:100.
• You plan to scale one account over months towards a 100% split.

Choose E8 Markets if

• You want a single step with no minimum trading days.
• You want on demand payouts from three days into the funded stage, with no firm fee.
• You want to set the drawdown and payout share yourself, or you use TradeLocker or Match Trader.

Read the The5ers review and the E8 Markets review, see how each compares with FTMO in FTMO vs The5ers and FTMO vs E8 Markets, or look at The5ers alternatives and E8 Markets alternatives. Filter every firm in the comparison table, browse more comparisons or visit the CFD prop firms hub.