# The5ers vs ROMER

> The5ers suits forex and CFD traders running their own EAs without HFT, and futures traders who trade by hand, with one-time fees. It bans HFT, and its futures program doesn't support algorithmic trading. ROMER is built for automated and high-frequency futures and digital-asset strategies, and hand traders can use it too.

Last checked: 2026-09-30. Page: https://romertrading.io/compare/the5ers-vs-romer. Published by ROMER (https://romertrading.io), a funded-trader program for algorithmic and high-frequency traders. ROMER's terms are planned and may change.

## At a glance

| | The5ers | ROMER |
|---|---|---|
| Markets | FX, metals, indices, oil and crypto CFDs, plus a futures program | Futures and digital-asset derivatives |
| Price, about $50K account | $100 one-time for the $50K futures Day Trade plan, refunded on the 3rd payout | $249 a month for $50K (planned) |
| Activation fee | None on futures: "Activation fee (Upon Passing) None" | None (planned) |
| Funded account | Its "trading capital" after passing; it may decide whether to execute your trades | Our own capital on the real exchange, after two stages |
| Profit split | 80% on futures; High Stakes starts at 80% and scales to 100% | 80% of real profits |
| Bots and automation | CFD EAs allowed if you own the code; futures: "algorithmic actions" not supported | Allowed at every stage, and so is trading by hand |
| High-frequency trading | Banned: most trades lasting "a few seconds or less" | Allowed. Spoofing and other manipulation are not |
| Where your algo runs | Your own computer or VPS; we found no VPS rule on its pages | On our hardware, inside the exchange’s data centre |

## How The5ers works

The5ers, the trading name of Five Percent Online Ltd, runs several programs. Its forex and CFD programs trade FX, metals, indices, oil and crypto on MetaTrader 5, cTrader or TradingView ([platforms](https://the5ers.com/faqs/which-trading-platform-do-you-use/)), and a separate program trades futures. The evaluations below are paid for once, with no monthly subscription.

High Stakes is a two-step forex and CFD evaluation. On the Classic version at $50K you pay $279 once, need 8% in step one and 5% in step two, and must stay inside a 4% daily loss and an 8% maximum loss, with at least three profitable days per step ([High Stakes](https://the5ers.com/high-stakes/)). The maximum loss is measured from your initial balance, which The5ers calls "absolute drawdown", so it doesn't trail your gains ([drawdown FAQ](https://the5ers.com/faqs/what-is-the-drawdown-rule-for-high-stakes/)). Once funded, you start on an 80% split, and each 10% gain grows the account through a scaling plan that runs to $500,000; from $350,000 the split is 100% plus a fixed payout. A static floor is easier to live with than a trailing one, and the scaling plan gives a consistent trader a long runway.

The5ers Futures is the newer program. A $50K Day Trade account costs $100 once, charges no activation fee, and The5ers refunds it with your third payout. The target is 6% with a 4% end-of-day drawdown, you can pass in a day, and no single trade may account for more than 40% of your profit. The split is 80/20 ([Futures](https://the5ers.com/futures/)).

The5ers' [terms](https://the5ers.com/terms-and-conditions/) describe the evaluation as "a simulated training environment". After you pass and verify your identity, The5ers "may offer You to become a Professional User and trade with Our trading capital". The broker FAQ says "Funded traders' accounts are connected to our pool accounts", which connect in turn to its liquidity providers ([broker FAQ](https://the5ers.com/faqs/which-broker-do-we-trade-with/)). The same terms keep a discretion worth knowing about: "We may use our discretion as to whether to execute the suggested trades or not."

## EAs, HFT and servers at The5ers

On the forex and CFD programs, EAs are welcome within limits. The [EA FAQ](https://the5ers.com/faqs/can-i-use-an-ea-expert-advisor-can-i-set-a-stealth-mode-stop-loss/) lists what an EA mustn't do, including tick scalping, latency arbitrage, emulators and "Perform High-frequency trading". Stop-losses have to be visible on the platform, and "the trader must own the source code of the EA." The terms add a step that's easy to miss: "User shall notify the Company in writing and obtain written approval from the Company prior to using any Automated Trading Software".

The5ers defines HFT by hold time. Its [prohibited practices](https://the5ers.com/faqs/prohibited-trading-practices/) page bans "High-frequency trading, in which the majority of trade durations span is measured within a few seconds or less", along with EAs that make an account "generate an excessive number of server requests per day". It gives no count for server requests.

Futures are stricter. Under trading style restrictions, the futures page says "Taking high-frequency or algorithmic actions, and hedging, are not supported." When the futures FAQ asks whether HFT, algorithmic trading or hedging is allowed, the reply is short: "No. These practices are strictly forbidden. Any trader found using them will be banned from our programs." ([futures FAQ](https://the5ers.com/futures-faqs/is-high-frequency-algorithmic-trading-and-hedging-allowed/))

We found no VPS rule on The5ers' pages. The terms treat a VPN used to get round location restrictions as "a fundamental breach". An EA on MetaTrader runs wherever your terminal runs, so in practice that's your own computer or a VPS you rent.

## How ROMER differs

ROMER is our funded-trader program for algorithmic and high-frequency traders. The terms here are planned and may change.

ROMER is built for futures and digital-asset derivatives. We allow bots, algos and HFT at every stage. Exchange message limits apply, and we monitor every order, because manipulative trading such as spoofing isn't allowed. Your algo runs on our hardware inside the exchange's data centre, an arrangement called [colocation](/help/prop-firm-with-colocated-servers), so there's no VPS or server of your own to rent. Our latency design target is under 1 microsecond, against roughly 30 milliseconds for a home connection to a simulator. Both figures are illustrative.

Stage 1 is a simulated evaluation of at least 3 trading days. Stage 2 is Verification: over at least 10 new trading days, your algo has to pass again, with fills still simulated. That second pass checks that the Stage 1 result wasn't luck. The best algos then trade our own capital on the real exchange, and you keep 80% of real profits as an independent contractor. Funding isn't guaranteed.

Planned pricing is $149 a month for Starter ($25K), $249 a month for Pro ($50K) and $399 a month for Elite ($100K), with no activation fee. The monthly fee covers running your algo on our hardware in the exchange's data centre. The planned rules are a 6% profit target, a 4% trailing maximum loss and a 2% daily loss limit.

## Which one to pick

If your EA trades forex, gold or indices on MetaTrader, you own the code and it holds positions for longer than a few seconds, The5ers is a sensible home for it. The same goes for a discretionary futures trader.

If your strategy is automated futures trading, The5ers Futures doesn't support it, and The5ers bans HFT across every program. That's the kind of strategy ROMER is built for, along with digital-asset derivatives.

## Quick answers

**Does The5ers allow EAs?**
On its forex and CFD programs, yes, if the EA doesn't tick scalp, use latency or other arbitrage, or perform high-frequency trading, and you own its source code. The5ers' terms also ask you to get written approval before using automated trading software.

**Does The5ers allow algorithmic trading on futures?**
No. The5ers Futures lists "Taking high-frequency or algorithmic actions, and hedging, are not supported" among its trading style restrictions. Its futures FAQ adds that traders found using them "will be banned from our programs."

**How does The5ers define HFT?**
As "High-frequency trading, in which the majority of trade durations span is measured within a few seconds or less." It also bans EAs that generate an excessive number of server requests a day, without giving a number.

**Is The5ers' funded account real capital?**
The5ers' terms call the evaluation "a simulated training environment". After it, The5ers may offer you the chance to "trade with Our trading capital", and the same terms say it may decide whether to execute your trades.

## Sources

1. [The5ers: High Stakes program](https://the5ers.com/high-stakes/)
2. [The5ers: Futures program](https://the5ers.com/futures/)
3. [The5ers FAQ: Can I use an EA (Expert Advisor)?](https://the5ers.com/faqs/can-i-use-an-ea-expert-advisor-can-i-set-a-stealth-mode-stop-loss/)
4. [The5ers FAQ: Prohibited trading practices](https://the5ers.com/faqs/prohibited-trading-practices/)
5. [The5ers Futures FAQ: Is high-frequency trading, algorithmic trading, or hedging allowed?](https://the5ers.com/futures-faqs/is-high-frequency-algorithmic-trading-and-hedging-allowed/)
6. [The5ers Terms and Conditions (last update 23 September 2026)](https://the5ers.com/terms-and-conditions/)
7. [The5ers FAQ: What is the drawdown rule for High Stakes?](https://the5ers.com/faqs/what-is-the-drawdown-rule-for-high-stakes/)
8. [The5ers FAQ: Which broker do we trade with?](https://the5ers.com/faqs/which-broker-do-we-trade-with/)
9. [The5ers FAQ: Which trading platform do you use?](https://the5ers.com/faqs/which-trading-platform-do-you-use/)