Entry price
The cost to start is where Doji Funding shines if you are looking for the absolute minimum spend. Their 1-Step Fast Track (Budget) 10k account costs only $35, whereas the equivalent High Stakes New 10k account at The5ers starts at $69.
- Doji Funding 100k account (Budget): $275.
- The5ers 100k account (High Stakes): $405.
- The5ers 100k account (Bootcamp): $95 for the first stage (a pay-as-you-go model).
However, "cheap" is relative. Doji Funding explicitly states that fees are non-refundable. In contrast, The5ers provides a full refund of the evaluation fee once you pass the High Stakes challenge. This means the real entry cost for a successful trader at The5ers is $0, while at Doji Funding, the entry fee is a sunk cost you never recover.
What you pay while trading
Execution costs are where The5ers takes a massive lead in long-term savings. Every trade you place carries an economic weight that eats into your profit split.
- Forex Commissions: The5ers charges $4 per lot, while Doji Funding charges $6 per lot. This $2 difference per lot adds up to thousands of dollars in "hidden" costs over a trader's career.
- Indices: The5ers offers commission-free trading on indices ($0), whereas Doji Funding applies a $6 per lot fee.
- Platform Access: The5ers provides MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView, allowing traders to use their preferred tools for free. Doji Funding is locked to DXTrade.
For a high-frequency trader or a scalper, the higher commissions at Doji Funding act as a permanent tax on performance that The5ers largely avoids.
What mistakes cost you
The cost of a mistake is measured by how easily the firm takes your account away. Tight risk rules force you to buy new evaluations more often, which is the highest recurring cost in prop trading.
- The Drawdown Buffer: The5ers (High Stakes) offers a generous 5% daily and 10% maximum drawdown. Doji Funding (Budget) is much more restrictive with a 3% daily and 6% maximum drawdown. This means you are 40% more likely to lose your account at Doji Funding for the same market move.
- Add-on Costs: At Doji Funding, if you want to hold positions overnight or over the weekend, you must pay for add-ons at checkout. At The5ers, weekend holding is permitted by default.
- Resets: Doji Funding does not offer active resets; if you fail, you pay the full price for a new account.
What it costs to get paid
Getting your money out also has a price tag. Doji Funding uses a consistency rule (default 30%) which acts as a "time cost." If you have one exceptionally good day, you cannot withdraw until you trade more days to dilute that profit, delaying your liquidity.
- Withdrawal Fees: The5ers charges a 3.5% fee on Rise and Crypto withdrawals. Doji Funding handles identity verification via Rise but restricts certain payouts to crypto via Confirmo if Rise is unavailable.
- Minimums: Doji Funding requires you to reach a 1% or 2% profit threshold before you can even ask for a withdrawal. The5ers sets fixed minimums like $150 or $500 depending on the account size.
- Profit Split: Doji Funding starts as low as 60% on Budget plans. The5ers starts at 80% for High Stakes and can scale up to 100%, putting more real cash in your pocket for the same trading performance.
Where each one hides its cost
Every firm has a "tax" on the trader. For Doji Funding, the cost is hidden in the add-ons and commissions. You pay less today to buy the account, but you pay a premium for every lot you trade and every feature (like weekend holding) you want to use. Their Doji Coins program attempts to offset this, but it requires high volume to earn meaningful discounts.
For The5ers, the cost is in the withdrawal fees and the higher initial price. You pay a "security deposit" that is higher than the market average, and they take a 3.5% cut when you leave. However, for a professional trader, paying $4 commission instead of $6 is a much better deal than saving $30 on the initial challenge fee.
Cheapest for whom
- The Experimenter: Doji Funding is the cheapest. If you only have $35 and want to practice under real pressure, their Budget plans are the lowest barrier to entry in the market.
- The Scalper and Index Trader: The5ers is the cheapest. The $0 commissions on indices and $4 on Forex will save you more money in the first month of trading than the cost of the entire challenge.
- The Consistent Professional: The5ers is the winner. The combination of a refundable fee, higher profit splits (up to 100%), and more generous drawdown limits makes it the more economically sound choice for long-term growth.
Frequently asked questions
Which firm is cheaper to start a 100k challenge, Doji Funding or The5ers?
Doji Funding is cheaper for the initial purchase. A 100k 1-Step Fast Track (Budget) account costs $275, while a 100k High Stakes New account at The5ers costs $405. However, The5ers refunds this fee upon passing, whereas Doji Funding fees are non-refundable.
Who has lower trading commissions, Doji Funding or The5ers?
The5ers has significantly lower commissions. They charge $4 per lot on Forex and $0 on indices. Doji Funding charges a flat $6 per lot across Forex, Indices, and Metals, making it more expensive for high-volume traders.
Which firm allows you to hold trades over the weekend for free, Doji Funding or The5ers?
The5ers allows weekend holding for free across its main programs. In contrast, Doji Funding treats weekend and overnight holding as paid add-ons that must be purchased as extras during the checkout process.
Who has more generous drawdown rules, Doji Funding or The5ers?
The5ers is more generous. Their High Stakes program offers a 5% daily and 10% maximum drawdown. Most Doji Funding Budget plans only allow for a 3% daily and 6% maximum drawdown, giving the trader much less room for error.
