I’ve learned that trading with the trend helps significantly I have a few emas I use to help identify the overall trend before I even think about trading.

Hi All. I'm reading Al Brooks "Reading Price Charts Bar By Bar" and I'm just not grasping the concept of H2/H3 and L2/L3. One minute I think I get it, then he calls out a bar and says it's L2 and I just fundamentally don't understand how it could possibly be L2. I'll upload some scans of the pages that illustrate my confusion. Page 118 (the section on H2/L2) he says "when a bear market is correcting sideways or up, the first bar with a low below the prior bars low is a low 1, ending the first leg". In the scan I've attached, the candle he says is an L2 has a significantly higher low than the previous candle. What am I not understanding?

Today I was trying to open a short on NQ for a 10-point scalp. Every time I attempted to enter, I received an error message. Instead of executing the trade, an order marked with a “C” appeared and followed the market price. My bracket stop and profit target orders behaved the same way.

At that point, no position had actually been opened. I cancelled every order, confirmed there were no working or pending orders left, and tried again. The exact same thing happened. I repeated this process four times, making sure all orders had been cancelled before each new attempt.

Thinking it might be a platform issue, I restarted MotiveWave. When it loaded back up, every one of those previously failed orders had suddenly been executed, resulting in multiple positions that completely blew the account.

This is the second time this week that this has happened.

What is actually going on here? Has anyone else experienced this with MotiveWave?

I contacted support after the first incident but unfortunately never received a response.

Original Post here

Hi I'm very new to ATAS X - *I trade MNQ and want my Footprint chart to generate new bars based on price movement only — specifically, a new bar every 5 points — with no time component. I'm just sort of confused on how to do it and cant find any support on it.*

This post was originally published by u/Euphoric-Stranger-64 and is being shared here with proper attribution. If you want to get this removed please comment or contact the moderator.

As stated above, I look at Bookmap and wonder why institutions do as such, since aggressive orders can 'hide' their intended position? Is it just technically impossible to do so? Is it just part of their financial engineering to move the market and hence the limit orders were intentionally exposed?

This post was originally published by u/Dry_Library7908 and is being shared here with proper attribution.

You’ve been trading for months, maybe even years, yet you’re still trying to force the same recycled strategies sold by your favorite trading guru, wondering why nothing seems to click.

The uncomfortable truth is that many of the biggest trading influencers make far more from selling the dream than from trading itself. They market "financial freedom through trading" while profiting from clicks, courses, and engagement.

After six years in the markets, here's the biggest lesson I've learned:

The specific methodology you use matters far less than most people think. Whether it's order flow, price action, auction market theory, indicators, or something else, we're all analyzing the same market. More often than not, profitable traders are participating in many of the same moves.

The difference isn't the tool. It's how you interpret the market and whether you can consistently identify and exploit asymmetric opportunities. That's your edge.

If you genuinely want to improve, stop searching for someone else's blueprint. Start building your own.

Instead of asking, "What strategy is everyone using?" ask yourself:

What tools, observations, and market structures can I combine to consistently identify asymmetric opportunities week after week?

A few things that frustrate me about the trading community:

1. The "Trade Every Day" Myth

Somewhere along the way, traders were convinced that successful traders find high-quality setups every single day.

They don't.

Professional traders aren't paid for activity. They're paid for patience. They wait for conditions that match their edge, then execute decisively. They'd rather take one A+ setup than force five mediocre trades out of boredom.

Trading less often is frequently a sign of greater discipline, not less skill.

2. The "Leading vs. Lagging Indicator" Debate

This is one of the most pointless arguments in trading.

People dismiss moving averages because they "lag," while others claim price action is somehow superior. In reality, every tool is derived from price. Every tool has strengths, limitations, and an appropriate context.

No one consistently buys the exact bottom or sells the exact top anyway.

The question isn't whether a tool is leading or lagging. The question is:

Does it help you make consistently profitable decisions?

If the answer is yes, then it's doing its job.

At the end of the day, trading isn't about finding the "best" indicator or the "perfect" methodology. It's about developing a repeatable process that gives you a statistical edge and executing it with consistency.

That's what separates independent thinkers from traders who spend their careers chasing the next guru.

This post was originally published by u/SmartMoneySniper and is being shared here with proper attribution.

Every week someone asks:

>What's the best orderflow software?

The same names always come up:

• ATAS
• Sierra Chart
• MotiveWave
• DeepCharts

The problem is that most comparisons simply list features without explaining why they matter.

This guide compares the platforms based on what orderflow traders actually use every day. The goal isn't to crown a single winner, but to help you understand which platform fits your trading style.

Table of Contents

1. Footprint Charts
2. Smart DOM (Depth of Market)
3. Time & Sales (Tape)
4. Heatmap
5. Volume Profiles
6. Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD)
7. Chart Types
8. Data Feed Support
9. User Interface
10. Performance & Stability
11. Customization
12. Learning Curve
13. Support & Community
14. Pricing & Value
15. Final Recommendations

1. Footprint Charts

For most traders, this is the main reason to buy an orderflow platform.

Instead of showing only OHLC candles, footprint charts display every executed trade at every price level, allowing you to see:

• Bid × Ask Volume
• Delta
• Buying vs Selling pressure
• Imbalances
• Absorption
• Finished & Unfinished Auctions
• Volume at each price

A good footprint lets you understand how the candle formed rather than simply seeing the result.

Things to look for

• Multiple footprint styles
• Bid × Ask mode
• Delta mode
• Volume mode
• Imbalance detection
• Stacked imbalances
• Absorption detection
• Finished / Unfinished auctions
• Custom coloring
• Performance during high volume sessions

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	One of the easiest footprint implementations to learn. Modern UI, many footprint styles, excellent visualization and plenty of built-in templates.
Sierra Chart	10/10	Numbers Bars are arguably the most customizable footprint charts available. Extremely powerful but requires more setup.
DeepCharts	9/10	Beautiful visualization designed specifically for orderflow traders.
MotiveWave	8/10	Covers everything most traders need but isn't as feature rich as ATAS or Sierra.

Winner

ATAS for usability.

Sierra Chart for ultimate customization.

2. Smart DOM (Depth of Market)

Many beginners think every DOM is the same. It's not. Some platforms simply provide a trading ladder. Others turn the DOM into an entire trading workstation.

Things to compare

Trading Features

• One-click trading
• Bracket Orders
• OCO Orders
• ATM Management
• Drag & Drop Orders

Orderflow Features

• Smart DOM
• Pulling & Stacking
• Iceberg Detection
• Queue Position
• Liquidity Analysis
• Bid/Ask Pressure
• Volume Visualization
• Market Depth Statistics

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Easily one of the strongest Smart DOM implementations available. Smart DOM, Smart Tape, DOM Trader, Pulling & Stacking, Icebergs and excellent visualization are all integrated.
Sierra Chart	9/10	Extremely powerful and lightning fast, although many features require manual configuration.
DeepCharts	8/10	Good DOM visualization with useful liquidity tools.
MotiveWave	7/10	Standard DOM with essential trading features.

Winner

ATAS

If your strategy revolves around the DOM, ATAS offers one of the most complete integrated experiences.

3. Time & Sales (Tape)

The tape records every executed trade.

Most traders only see:

• Price
• Volume
• Buy
• Sell

Professional traders usually want much more.

Features worth having

• Smart Tape
• Large Trade Detection
• Aggressive Buyers & Sellers
• Trade Filters
• Volume Filters
• Historical Tape
• Replay
• Custom Coloring

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Smart Tape is one of ATAS' strongest features with excellent filtering and visualization.
Sierra Chart	9/10	Powerful but requires more manual setup.
DeepCharts	8/10	Very capable implementation.
MotiveWave	7/10	Covers the basics but lacks advanced tape analysis tools.

Winner

ATAS

4. Heatmap

This deserves its own category. A professional heatmap alone can easily cost $50–100/month with dedicated software like Bookmap.

Having a high-quality heatmap built directly into your trading platform adds significant value.

What a Heatmap Shows

Unlike footprints, which show executed trades, a heatmap shows resting liquidity.

You can instantly identify:

• Liquidity Walls
• Pulling
• Stacking
• Spoofing
• Icebergs
• Historical Liquidity
• Large Passive Orders

Instead of watching numbers change inside the DOM, liquidity becomes visible directly on the chart.

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	One of the biggest reasons many traders choose ATAS. Professional heatmap included alongside the rest of the platform.
DeepCharts	10/10	Heatmap visualization is one of DeepCharts' biggest strengths.
Sierra Chart	7/10	Supports market depth visualization but isn't nearly as polished as dedicated heatmap platforms.
MotiveWave	6/10	Basic implementation.

Winner

ATAS & DeepCharts

5. Volume Profiles

Volume Profiles help identify where business was actually conducted. Rather than looking at time, they focus on where volume traded.

Most traders regularly use:

• Session Profile
• Composite Profile
• Anchored Profile
• Fixed Range Profile
• Visible Range Profile
• Developing POC
• Value Area
• TPO / Market Profile

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
Sierra Chart	10/10	Probably the strongest implementation for Market Profile and advanced profile analysis.
ATAS	10/10	Excellent profiles with intuitive interface and easy configuration.
MotiveWave	7/10	Good profile implementation.
DeepCharts	9/10	Covers the essentials.

Winner

ATAS & Sierra Chart

6. Cumulative Volume Delta (CVD)

CVD is one of the most widely used orderflow indicators. It helps visualize aggressive buying and selling over time.

A strong implementation should support:

• Session CVD
• Bar CVD
• Multi-session CVD
• Delta Candles
• Delta Profiles
• Divergence Analysis

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Excellent implementation with many visualization options.
Sierra Chart	10/10	Extremely flexible.
DeepCharts	10/10	Strong CVD implementation.
MotiveWave	8/10	Covers the common use cases.

Winner

ATAS & Sierra Chart

7. Chart Types

This category often gets ignored. Most platforms only support the standard chart types. ATAS includes a much wider selection of orderflow-specific charts.

Common Chart Types

• Time
• Tick
• Volume
• Range
• Renko
• Reversal

Additional ATAS Chart Types

• VX Range
• XV Range
• US Range
• Z Range
• Delta Charts
• Seconds Charts
• Cumulative Trades
• Cluster Charts

Having these built-in allows traders to experiment with different chart constructions without relying on third-party studies.

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Widest selection of built-in orderflow chart types.
Sierra Chart	8/10	Excellent standard chart types and extensive custom studies, but fewer proprietary chart variants.
MotiveWave	7/10	Good selection.
DeepCharts	7/10	Focused more on visualization than chart variety.

Winner

ATAS

8. Data Feed Support

The platform is only as good as the data feeding it.

Major feeds include:

• Rithmic
• CQG
• dxFeed
• TT
• Denali
• Interactive Brokers
• Binance
• Crypto Exchanges

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
Sierra Chart	10/10	Probably the broadest ecosystem with Denali and Teton.
ATAS	9/10	Supports virtually every feed most traders need.
MotiveWave	9/10	Excellent multi-asset support.
DeepCharts	8/10	Supports common professional feeds but with a smaller ecosystem.

9. User Interface

You’ll spend thousands of hours staring at your charts, so the user interface matters more than most traders realize.

A well-designed interface reduces friction, speeds up your workflow, and makes the learning process much smoother. Simple tasks should be simple—you shouldn’t have to dig through countless menus and settings just to change a basic option.

This is especially important for new traders. A confusing or cluttered platform can quickly become frustrating, pulling your attention away from the market and toward the software itself. Over time, that frustration can affect your focus, decision-making, and overall trading experience.

The best trading platforms stay out of your way, allowing you to focus on analyzing the market rather than fighting with the interface.

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Modern, polished and beginner friendly.
DeepCharts	9/10	Clean and visually appealing.
MotiveWave	8/10	Nice interface with good usability.
Sierra Chart	6/10	Functional rather than beautiful. Extremely customizable but visually dated.

Winner

ATAS

10. Performance & Stability

Nobody wants their platform to freeze during the New York open, FOMC, or NFP.

Performance becomes especially important when running multiple DOMs, heatmaps and footprint charts simultaneously.

If you’re running less than 8 GB of RAM, platform performance should be a major consideration. However, if you have a modern system with a decent processor and sufficient memory, performance differences between these platforms are unlikely to have a significant impact on your day-to-day trading experience.

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
Sierra Chart	10/10	Extremely lightweight and known for excellent stability.
ATAS	9/10	Stable with excellent overall performance.
DeepCharts	8/10	Performs well.
MotiveWave	8/10	Generally stable.

Winner

Sierra Chart

11. Customization

Some traders want everything exactly how they like it.

Others simply want the platform to work.

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
Sierra Chart	10/10	Nearly unlimited customization.
ATAS	10/10	Highly customizable without becoming overwhelming.
MotiveWave	8/10	Good customization options.
DeepCharts	7/10	More opinionated interface.

Winner

Sierra Chart

12. Learning Curve

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Easy to learn with sensible defaults.
DeepCharts	9/10	Fairly straightforward.
MotiveWave	7/10	Moderate learning curve.
Sierra Chart	5/10	Very powerful but requires significant time to master.

Winner

ATAS

13. Support & Community

If responsive customer support matters to you, this category should be a top priority. When you run into issues, fast and knowledgeable assistance through email, live chat, documentation, or community channels can save valuable time and reduce frustration. A strong support ecosystem often makes the difference between spending time trading and spending time troubleshooting.

Comparison

Software	Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Excellent documentation, webinars, YouTube content and active community.
Sierra Chart	8/10	Massive documentation but very technical.
MotiveWave	8/10	Good documentation.
DeepCharts	7/10	Smaller community.

Winner

ATAS

14. Pricing & Value

Pricing varies significantly across platforms, so it’s important to evaluate not just the cost, but the overall value you receive for your money. In this section, we compare how each platform’s pricing aligns with the features, tools, and functionality it offers.

Software	Value Score	Comments
ATAS	10/10	Footprints, Smart DOM, Smart Tape, Heatmap, advanced chart types, replay, profiles, CVD and more in one subscription. Considering a standalone heatmap can cost $50–100/month, the value proposition is excellent.
Sierra Chart	9/10	One of the best values in the industry. Extremely affordable considering the amount of functionality available.
MotiveWave	8/10	Fair pricing with solid features, though it doesn't particularly stand out in orderflow.
DeepCharts	6/10	Premium pricing.

Winner

ATAS

Overall Score

Category	ATAS	Sierra	MotiveWave	DeepCharts
Total Score	138	122	106	115
Footprints	10	10	8	9
Smart DOM	10	9	7	8
Tape	10	9	7	8
Heatmap	10	7	6	10
Volume Profile	10	10	7	9
CVD	10	10	8	10
Chart Types	10	8	7	7
Data Feeds	9	10	9	8
User Interface	10	6	8	9
Performance	9	10	8	8
Customization	10	10	8	7
Learning Curve	10	5	7	9
Support	10	8	8	7
Value	10	10	8	6

Final Recommendations

Choose ATAS if:

• You're new to orderflow.
• You want everything in one platform.
• You value modern user interface.
• You trade heavily from the DOM.
• You want Smart Tape, Smart DOM and a built-in Heatmap.
• You want unique chart types like VX, XV and US Range.
• You want the most bang for your buck.
• You want quick support.

Choose Sierra Chart if:

• You enjoy customizing everything.
• If navigating a difficult interface isn’t an issue for you.
• Performance is your top priority.
• You want the most configurable platform available.
• You're comfortable spending time learning it.

Choose MotiveWave if:

• You trade multiple asset classes.
• You want a balanced charting platform with orderflow features.
• You don't need every advanced orderflow tool.
• You need a platform that works on Linux, Windows, and Mac.

Choose DeepCharts if:

• You prefer proprietary indicators.
• You prefer polished visualizations.
• You're happy paying more for a streamlined experience.

Every platform listed here is capable of professional trading.

The best software is the one that matches your workflow, not the one with the longest feature list.

For most traders, ATAS provides the best balance of usability, modern design, built-in tools, advanced chart types and overall value.

At the end of the day, no software will make you profitable. Orderflow software is simply a tool. Understanding the auction process, developing a repeatable edge, and managing risk will always matter far more than the platform you choose.