The5%ers vs TopStep for Swing Trading

Source review: March 21, 2026

The5%ers is better for swing trading. Overnight holding is allowed, so you can ride multi-day moves. Weekend holding is permitted, giving you full flexibility on weekly timeframes. News trading is unrestricted. This comparison uses the current rule set last reviewed on Mar 21, 2026.

Source: Official The5%ers rules (verified 2026-03-21)Source: Official TopStep rules (verified 2026-03-21)

Verdict for Swing Trading

Recommendation: The5%ers is the better choice for swing trading.

When this context page is actually useful

Use this page if overnight holding, weekend holding, and drawdown tolerance during multi-day pullbacks are the main things you care about.

Do not rely on this page alone if you mostly day trade, because swing-friendly rules are not always the same as intraday-friendly rules.

Why this slice matters

Overnight Holding is one of the rule differences most likely to invalidate or preserve a swing setup.

Weekend Holding is one of the rule differences most likely to invalidate or preserve a swing setup.

Max Drawdown Type is one of the rule differences most likely to invalidate or preserve a swing setup.

Consistency Rule is one of the rule differences most likely to invalidate or preserve a swing setup.

Primary source inputs for this slice

This page only isolates the variables most relevant to for Swing Trading. It is built from each firm's currently reviewed rule set, not from affiliate copy or generic comparison text.

Source: The5%ers official rules (verified 2026-03-21)Source: TopStep official rules (verified 2026-03-21)

If your decision depends on payout timing, trust history, or total market coverage, go back to the full comparison before treating this as the final answer.

	The5%ers	TopStep
Overnight Holding	Allowed	Not allowed
Weekend Holding	Allowed	Not allowed
News Trading	allowed	allowed
Min Trading Days	3	None
Max Drawdown Type	Static (floor never moves)	Trailing EOD (floor moves up at end of day)
Consistency Rule	None	No single day > 50% of total profit
Inactivity Limit	None	None

Swing Trading Analysis

Swing trading requires holding positions for days or weeks. The most critical rules are overnight and weekend holding policies. The5%ers allows overnight holding. TopStep requires flattening before close.

Weekend gaps can make or break swing trades. The5%ers lets you hold through weekends, which means you can ride weekly chart setups without forced exits. TopStep also requires flattening before the weekend.

News events are part of swing trading life. You will inevitably hold through NFP, FOMC, or CPI releases. The5%ers has no news trading restrictions. TopStep is unrestricted.

What To Check Before Choosing

The5%ers is structurally more viable if your setups need multi-session holds.

Weekend rules are materially different, which matters if you build trades off higher-timeframe structure.

News restrictions are similar, so execution style matters more than event access.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold positions overnight with The5%ers and TopStep?

The5%ers allows overnight holding. TopStep does not allow it. The5%ers is the only option here for swing trading.

Can I hold trades over the weekend on The5%ers or TopStep?

The5%ers allows weekend holding. TopStep requires flattening before weekend holding. Weekend gaps carry risk, but swing traders on higher timeframes need this flexibility.

Is The5%ers or TopStep better for trading news events?

The5%ers fully allows news trading. TopStep fully allows it. Swing traders often need to hold through news events like NFP and FOMC, so unrestricted news trading is a significant advantage.

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