Mastering TradingView: Unveiling the Best Indicators for 2025

Looking to get better at trading in 2025? Using the right TradingView indicators, especially with tweaked settings, can really make your market analysis sharper. Lots of people stick to the default indicator setups, but pros know that changing those settings can give you an edge. I'm going to show you some of the best TradingView indicators for 2025, along with specific adjustments that make them work much better. These aren't just random changes; they're settings that experienced traders use to find reversals faster, pinpoint solid support and resistance areas, and confirm moves with volume. Whether you trade crypto, stocks, or forex, these indicator setups can help you make smarter decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Custom MACD settings (8-24-9) react quicker to momentum shifts, helping you spot reversals early through divergence.
• Pro MACD settings (3-10-16), used by traders like Linda Raschke, are good for day trading and finding strong momentum moves.
• The 20-20-20 Pivot Point setting helps find the most important support and resistance levels, creating more reliable trading zones.
• Volume Footprint Delta shows the net buying or selling pressure behind price changes, confirming breakouts and trend strength.
• TradingView Premium gives you access to features like Volume Footprint, which is needed for detailed order flow analysis.

1. Custom Macd Settings

The MACD, or Moving Average Convergence Divergence, is a pretty standard tool most traders have in their kit. But honestly, most people just use the default settings, and that's a missed opportunity. Tweaking those numbers can make a huge difference in how well it works for you.

There are a couple of ways to customize it, and they really change how the indicator behaves. One popular adjustment uses an 8-period fast length, a 24-period slow length, and a 9-period signal smoothing. This makes the MACD a bit quicker to react to changes in momentum compared to the usual 12-26-9 setup. It can help you spot potential trend shifts a little earlier without flooding your chart with bad signals.

Here's a quick look at those settings:

• Fast Length: 8 (Standard is 12)
• Slow Length: 24 (Standard is 26)
• Signal Smoothing: 9 (Keep this one)

This setup is good for catching divergences, which are those moments when the price is doing one thing, but the MACD is doing the opposite. For example, if the price makes a new low but the MACD makes a higher low, that's a bullish divergence. It often signals a possible reversal. With these faster settings, you can spot these divergences sooner.

Remember, even with custom settings, it's always smart to use the MACD alongside other tools. Don't rely on just one indicator to make all your trading decisions. Confirming signals with price action or other indicators is key.

2. Pro-Level Macd Raschke Settings

Alright, so you've tinkered with the standard MACD, maybe even tweaked it a bit. But if you're serious about catching those quick moves, especially if you're a day trader or a swing trader, you've got to check out what some pros use. We're talking about the settings popularized by Linda Raschke, and Adam Grimes uses them too. They're not just random numbers; they're designed to make the MACD super sensitive to what's happening right now in the market.

Here's how you set it up on TradingView:

• Fast Length: Set this to 3.
• Slow Length: Change this to 10.
• Signal Smoothing: Use 16.
• Oscillator MA Type: Stick with SMA.
• Signal Line MA Type: Also use SMA.

This setup makes the MACD incredibly responsive, perfect for spotting short-term momentum shifts. It's like having a finely tuned instrument that picks up on the slightest changes in price action. Because it's so sensitive, you'll see signals much faster than with the default settings. This can be a game-changer when you need to make split-second decisions.

Keep in mind, with great sensitivity comes more signals. It's not uncommon to see more noise with these settings. That's why it's smart to use this with other tools to confirm your trades. Don't just jump in on every signal; look for confirmation.

This configuration is fantastic for:

• Day trading and short-term scalping.
• Identifying when strong momentum is kicking in.
• Finding good entry points after a quick pullback in a trending market.
• Getting an early heads-up on momentum changes.

It's a bit different from the usual, but if you're looking to sharpen your short-term trading, these Raschke settings are definitely worth a serious look. They give you an edge by reacting quicker to market shifts.

3. Advanced Pivot Point Strategy

Figuring out solid support and resistance levels is a big deal in trading, and Pivot Points are pretty good at this when you set them up right. Most folks use the standard settings, like 5-5-5 or 10-10-10, but I've messed around with them a lot, and honestly, the 20-20-20 setup seems to give me more reliable levels. It just filters out a lot of the noise.

To get this going in TradingView, you just search for "Pivot Points High Low" under the indicators. Then, in the settings, you change all three length values – Left, Right, and Middle – to 20. You can also change the text color to black if you want, just to make it easier to see on your chart. The idea behind using 20 for each length is that it makes the indicator only show the really important pivot points. It ignores the small ups and downs and focuses on the price levels that actually seem to matter.

Here's a quick rundown of how to set it up:

• Go to the "Indicators" tab.
• Search for and select "Pivot Points High Low".
• In the indicator's settings, change "Left Length", "Right Length", and "Middle Length" all to 20.
• (Optional) Adjust the colors for better visibility.

The 20-20-20 configuration helps reduce chart clutter by showing fewer, but more significant, pivot points. This makes it easier to spot patterns and trading zones where price is more likely to react.

When you're looking at your chart with the 20-20-20 pivot points, try to find areas where several pivot points line up close together. These clusters can show you really strong support or resistance zones. Drawing horizontal lines through these clusters can give you clear levels to watch for price action.

It's also pretty neat how this can help you spot chart patterns. For example, if you see pivot highs forming a flat resistance line and then pivot lows that are getting higher as they approach that resistance, you've basically found an ascending triangle. The pivot points just make these patterns pop out visually, which saves a ton of time compared to trying to draw everything by hand.

4. Volume Footprint Delta Setup

Alright, let's talk about something that really separates the pros from the rest: the Volume Footprint Delta. This isn't your average indicator; it's a premium TradingView feature that gives you a peek behind the curtain of price action. Think of it as seeing the actual fight between buyers and sellers at every single price level, not just the final score.

The core idea is to visualize the net difference between buying and selling volume at each price point. When you see green boxes, it means buyers were more aggressive. Red boxes? Sellers were in control. The size of the box tells you how much volume was actually traded. This gives you a much clearer picture of who's really driving the market.

Here’s a quick rundown of how to get it working and what to look for:

• Accessing the Feature: First off, you'll need TradingView Premium for this one. Once you have it, you don't go to the 'Indicators' tab. Instead, you select 'Volume Footprint' directly from the chart types.
• Setting it Up: Right-click on your chart, go to settings, and change the 'Type' from 'Buy & Sell' to 'Delta'. Most traders keep the ATR length at the default 14.
• Interpreting the Delta: Green boxes mean net buying pressure, red boxes mean net selling pressure. Bigger boxes mean more volume was traded at that level.

This tool is super handy for confirming breakouts. Imagine price is about to break through a resistance level. If it does, and you see big, green delta boxes on the Volume Footprint, that's a strong signal that buyers are really pushing through. A breakout with small or red delta boxes? That's a lot less convincing and might be a fakeout.

This kind of detailed order flow analysis used to be something only big institutions could see. Now, with tools like Volume Footprint Delta, individual traders can get a much better sense of the real pressure behind price moves. It's about understanding the 'how' and 'why' of price changes, not just the 'what'.

It's especially useful in markets that can be a bit wild, like some cryptocurrencies, where false moves can happen often. Using the Volume Footprint Delta helps you filter out the noise and focus on the moves with genuine conviction behind them.

5. Relative Strength Index

The Relative Strength Index, or RSI, is a pretty popular tool for traders, and for good reason. It basically measures how fast and how much prices are changing. Think of it like a speedometer for market momentum. It swings between 0 and 100.

The main idea is to spot when a market might be getting a bit too stretched, either in one direction or the other. Most people look at the standard levels: above 70 means it's 'overbought' (maybe time for a dip), and below 30 means it's 'oversold' (could be due for a bounce).

But honestly, just sticking to those basic levels can lead to a lot of missed trades or getting caught in false signals, especially when a trend is really strong. The RSI can stay 'overbought' or 'oversold' for ages in a powerful trend. That's why looking at divergence is where the real magic happens.

Here’s a quick rundown on how to set it up and use it:

• Standard Settings: The default is usually a 14-period length. For overbought/oversold, 70 and 30 are the common lines.
• Day Trading Adjustments: If you're on shorter timeframes, like 5 or 15-minute charts, you might shorten the period to 7 or 10. Some traders also adjust the overbought/oversold lines to 80 and 20 to catch more extreme moves.
• Divergence: This is a big one. If the price makes a new high, but the RSI makes a lower high, that's bearish divergence. It suggests the upward momentum is weakening. The opposite is true for bullish divergence – price makes a lower low, but RSI makes a higher low, hinting at potential upward movement.

While the RSI is great for momentum, remember it's not a crystal ball. It works best when you combine its signals with other tools, like support and resistance levels, to confirm your trading ideas. Relying on just one indicator is rarely a winning strategy.

So, while the 70/30 levels are a starting point, really digging into divergence and maybe tweaking the settings for your specific trading style can make the RSI a much more powerful part of your toolkit.

6. Fibonacci Retracement

Fibonacci retracement levels are a really neat tool that traders use to try and figure out where a price might pause or reverse. It's all based on those famous Fibonacci ratios, like 38.2% and 61.8%, which pop up surprisingly often in financial markets. The area between 38.2% and 61.8% is often called the 'Golden Zone,' and it's where you might see prices turn around.

Drawing it correctly is key. For an uptrend, you draw from the swing low to the swing high. For a downtrend, it's the opposite: from the swing high down to the swing low. Getting this right helps you see potential support and resistance.

Here's a simple way to set it up in TradingView:

• Open the Fibonacci Retracement tool.
• In the settings, turn off all levels except 0, 0.382, and 0.618.
• Color the zone between 38.2% and 61.8% a distinct color, like gold, so it stands out.

When price pulls back into this Golden Zone, especially if you see some confirmation like a specific candlestick pattern, it can be a good spot to look for a trade. It's not a magic bullet, but it's a solid level to pay attention to.

It's pretty interesting how these natural ratios seem to play out in trading. You can find more about using Fibonacci Retracement to spot these levels and improve your trading strategy.

7. Average True Range

The Average True Range, or ATR, is a really neat tool for figuring out how much a market is moving. It was developed by J. Wells Wilder, the same guy who gave us the RSI. Basically, ATR tells you the average price movement over a specific period. It doesn't tell you if the price is going up or down, just how much it's moving. This is super helpful for setting stop losses and profit targets, making sure they fit the current market conditions.

The real strength of ATR lies in its ability to adapt to volatility. When the market is choppy, ATR goes up, suggesting wider stops. When things are calm, ATR goes down, allowing for tighter stops.

Here's a common way traders use ATR for setting stops and targets:

• Stop Loss: Set your stop loss at 2 times the ATR value away from your entry price.
• Profit Target: Aim for a profit target at 4 times the ATR value from your entry price. This gives you a 1:2 risk-to-reward ratio.

For example, if the ATR on your chart is 50 points, you might place your stop loss 100 points away and your target 200 points away. It's a simple system, but it works because it's based on actual price action.

Different trading styles might use different ATR settings:

• Day Trading: A shorter period, like 7 to 10, makes the ATR more sensitive to quick moves.
• Swing Trading: The standard 14-period ATR usually works well here.
• Position Trading: For longer-term views, a 20 to 50-period ATR can give a smoother picture of volatility.

ATR is all about managing risk based on how the market is actually behaving. It's not about predicting the future, but about reacting to the present volatility. Using it helps you avoid getting stopped out too early in a trending market or giving back too much profit in a volatile one.

8. Auto Candlestick Patterns

Manually spotting candlestick patterns can be a real pain, right? You're staring at the chart, trying to remember if that's a doji or a spinning top, and if it's even in the right spot. That's where the Auto Candlestick Pattern indicator comes in handy. It basically does the heavy lifting for you, flagging common reversal patterns like engulfing candles, hammers, and shooting stars. This tool can save you a ton of time and help you catch potential turning points you might have otherwise missed.

However, just because the indicator flags a pattern doesn't mean you should jump in. You've got to be smart about it. I've found that focusing on a few key patterns and using a trend filter makes a big difference. Here are the patterns I usually pay attention to:

• Bullish/Bearish Engulfing
• Hammer
• Shooting Star
• Inverted Hammer
• Hanging Man

I also like to turn on a Simple Moving Average (SMA) filter, like the 50-period SMA. This helps make sure the candlestick pattern is actually happening in the direction of the main trend. It cuts down on a lot of those noisy, false signals that can lead you astray.

The real magic happens when you combine these automated signals with your own chart analysis. A hammer pattern appearing out of nowhere isn't that exciting. But a hammer showing up right at a support level, especially one you've identified using pivot points or previous price action? Now that's a setup worth looking at.

So, always look for confirmation. Check if the pattern is happening at a significant support or resistance level. Also, consider using the Average True Range (ATR) to figure out where to place your stop-loss. It's all about putting the pieces together for a higher probability trade.

9. Auto Chart Patterns

Manually spotting chart patterns like head and shoulders or triangles can take ages. That's where the Auto Chart Patterns indicator comes in handy. It's like having a second pair of eyes that are constantly scanning for these formations. It automatically flags significant patterns, saving you a ton of time.

But here's the thing, you can't just trade every pattern it shows you. That would be a recipe for disaster. The real magic happens when you combine what the Auto Chart Patterns indicator shows you with other tools. For instance, if it flags a double top, I'll then check a few other things:

• RSI Divergence: Is the RSI making lower highs while the price is making equal highs? This can signal weakness.
• Volume: Is the volume decreasing as the price hits the second peak? Lower volume can mean less conviction from buyers.
• Candlestick Confirmation: Look for a bearish engulfing candle or a shooting star right at the breakdown point. This gives you a clearer entry signal.

When you get these signals to line up – the pattern from the indicator, plus divergence on the RSI and a bearish candle – that's a much higher probability setup. It turns a potential guess into a more calculated trade.

Using automated tools is great for efficiency, but they are just one piece of the puzzle. Always look for confirmation from other indicators or price action before committing to a trade. Think of it as a checklist; the more items you can tick off, the more confident you can be in the setup.

10. The Power Of Confluence

So, you've got a bunch of indicators set up, maybe you're using that custom MACD or the pivot points we talked about. That's great, but just looking at one indicator at a time can be a bit like trying to understand a whole conversation by only hearing one word. The real magic happens when you start looking for what traders call 'confluence'.

Basically, confluence is just when multiple different signals line up. Think of it like this: if one indicator is saying 'buy' and another is saying 'buy' too, and maybe a third one is also hinting at 'buy', that's a much stronger signal than if only one was saying it. It's about finding those high-probability setups where the evidence stacks up.

Here's a simple way to think about it. When you're looking at a potential trade, ask yourself a few questions:

• What's the overall trend? Is the market generally moving up, down, or sideways? Indicators like moving averages can help here.
• What's the momentum like? Is the price gaining speed, or is it slowing down? The RSI or MACD can give you clues.
• Are we at an important price level? This could be a support or resistance area, or maybe a pivot point.
• Is there a pattern forming? This could be a candlestick pattern like an engulfing candle, or a chart pattern like a triangle.
• Does the risk look good? The ATR can help you figure out where to place your stop loss and take profit targets to make sure the potential reward is worth the risk.

When you get two or three of these things pointing in the same direction, that's when you've got confluence. It doesn't mean you'll win every trade, nothing does, but it definitely increases your chances of catching those setups that have a better shot at working out.

You don't need a dozen indicators to find confluence. Often, just combining a trend indicator, a momentum oscillator, and a price level like a pivot point is enough to start seeing clearer opportunities. The key is to pick indicators that give you different types of information and see if they agree.

Wrapping It Up

So, we've looked at some pretty neat tools for TradingView in 2025: the Custom MACD, those Advanced Pivot Points, and the Volume Footprint Delta. They can really help you see what's going on in the market better. Most people just use the default settings on things, but changing them up like we talked about can give you a real advantage. You can spot when the market might turn around sooner with the 8-24-9 MACD, find those fast-moving opportunities with the Raschke MACD settings, and figure out the important support and resistance levels with the 20-20-20 Pivots. Plus, the Volume Footprint helps you see if there's real buying or selling power behind the price moves. Just remember, no single tool is perfect. The best way to trade is to put these together. Maybe use the Pivots to find key levels, the MACD to see if a reversal is happening there, and then the Volume Footprint to confirm if there's enough action. Give these custom settings a try on your own charts and see how they work for you. If you want to dig deeper into any of them, I've got more detailed guides available. Let me know in the comments which one you're going to test out first, or if you've already used them, tell me what you think!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which TradingView indicator is easiest for someone new to trading to learn?

For folks just starting out, the custom MACD with its 8-24-9 settings is a great choice. It's simple to set up on your chart, easy to see what's happening, and helps you spot when the market might change direction. The MACD is used by many traders, so you can find lots of help and information about it online. It's best to get really good with one indicator before you start using too many others.

Do I absolutely need to pay for TradingView Premium to use these indicators?

You can use two of the three main indicators we talked about – the Custom MACD and the Pivot Points – without paying for anything extra. However, the Volume Footprint indicator does require a TradingView Premium subscription. You can often get a free trial for TradingView Premium, which is a good way to test it out.

How do I know which indicator settings work best for the time I'm watching the market?

Generally, you can use the custom MACD (8-24-9) for daily charts and when you're holding trades for a few days. For trading within the same day, the Raschke MACD (3-10-16) is better. The 20-20-20 Pivot Points work well for finding important price levels no matter how long you're watching the chart. The best way to find out what works for you is to try these settings on your favorite timeframes and see which ones give you the most reliable signals.

Can I use these indicators together to make a trading plan?

Absolutely! These indicators work really well together. You can use Pivot Points to find key price levels where the market might turn. Then, use the MACD to see if there's a chance the price will reverse at those levels. Finally, use the Volume Footprint to check if there are enough buyers or sellers to make the move happen. Using them together gives you a clearer picture of what the market might do and helps you make better trading choices.

How often should I change the indicator settings to get the best results?

This is a good question! While the settings provided are generally effective, markets can change. It's wise to occasionally check if the settings are still working well for you. You can do this by looking back at past trades (backtesting) or by observing how they perform in current market conditions. If you notice your signals aren't as reliable, it might be time to test slightly different settings or focus on other indicators.

Besides these, what other indicators are commonly used and useful?

Many traders also find success with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) to measure how fast prices are moving, Fibonacci Retracement to find potential support and resistance levels based on mathematical ratios, and the Average True Range (ATR) to help set stop-loss orders and profit targets. Learning to combine a few of these, along with the ones we've discussed, can create a powerful analysis toolkit.