Prop Firm Payouts: Balancing Reliability with Execution Costs

Curious to hear others' experiences navigating prop firm payouts, specifically from a systemic perspective. Many firms promise quick payouts, but what's the real-world friction like? I'm less concerned with the 'if' and more with the 'how' and 'how much' when it comes to the backend. Are people finding that the firms with the most robust payout systems (read: consistent, transparent, minimal hidden fees) often come with higher spreads or less favorable commission structures on the trading side? Conversely, are firms boasting razor-thin spreads creating headaches when it's time to actually get paid, either through delays, unexpected processing fees, or unfavorable conversion rates for non-$USD accounts?

It feels like there's a trade-off here between operational efficiency on the payout end and competitive pricing on the execution side. Where do most of you draw the line? Is it worth paying slightly more in execution costs for absolute certainty and ease of payout, or do you prioritize the lowest trading fees and deal with the potential payout headaches? My concern isn't about specific incidents but rather the general infrastructure trade-offs.