Stop Being The Liquidity. See The "Heavy Money" Hidden Inside Every Candle Before You Enter.
Stop guessing what happened inside the candle.
TDU Footprint is the most feature-complete order flow indicator for NinjaTrader 8. Bid and ask volume at every price level on every bar, 25+ imbalance detection modules, 48 alert types, advanced POC patterns, and 101 plots exportable to your own NinjaScript strategies.
$55/month or $459 lifetime. 7-day trial, no credit card to start.
You're not losing because your strategy is bad. You're losing because your chart hides half the story.
You take the breakout at the high of the range. Two minutes later it reverses three points and stops you out. The post-mortem is always the same: with hindsight, sellers were absorbing every aggressive buy at exactly that price. Your candle was green. You were getting trapped.
You spot the reversal setup at "support." The bar wicks down, looks like rejection, you go long. Price rolls over and takes you out. What you missed: the actual point of control was three ticks below where you entered. The level you traded from didn't have any real volume defending it. The level that did was sitting underneath you.
A footprint indicator fixes this. Every cell on every bar shows the actual bid and ask volume that traded at that price. Absorption, exhaustion, the real POC, stacked imbalances, all visible while the bar is still forming. You stop guessing whether the move is real and start seeing who's actually trading.
That's what every footprint indicator promises. The next sections explain why most don't deliver, and why TDU does.
Three things a footprint shows that a candle never can.
Same green bar, completely different story underneath. These are the three patterns the candle will hide and the footprint will not.
Absorption at the highs
Heavy market buying gets soaked up by passive sellers without price moving. The candle prints green, the bid/ask cells show all the buy aggression hitting a wall. The breakout that wasn't.
Stacked imbalances
When buy market orders outweigh sell offers at three or more consecutive price levels, that's a footprint signature of aggressive directional flow. Often the only warning before a sharp continuation.
The real point of control
The price level where the most volume actually changed hands, not the visual middle of the candle. The level price will return to, the level institutions defended. Marked automatically on every bar.
Switch templates with one click. See the order flow change instantly.
14 included templates. Bid/Ask, Delta, Profile, Brick, Gradient and more. Switch from the on-chart menu, no settings dive required.
60+ verified five-star reviews. 20+ countries. Since 2021.
Most of these traders tested other footprint indicators first. Here's a quick scan of what they said.
"I have Valtos and MZpack footprints, and this one is by far the best."
"What makes it even better is you DO NOT have to use tick replay, which any heavy NinjaTrader user knows kills your charts."
"I've tested about all footprint add-ons available under the sun. TradeDevil's is, to me, the best by far."
"It opens the hood to what's going on inside every candle. It has kept me in good trades and kept me out of bad ones."
"By far the best Order Flow indicator available. Easily fully automate order flow strategies and backtest them."
Verified buyer reviews from tradedevils-indicators.com. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The longer-form review comparisons appear later on this page.
Every imbalance pattern you've ever read about, detected automatically.
Standard footprint indicators give you bid vs ask cells and call it a day. TDU Footprint runs separate detection modules over every bar: standard buy/sell imbalances, stacked imbalances, sequencing, exhaustion prints, fat and thin prints, big delta, market sweep, market weakness, absorption, passive absorption, POC patterns, value area gaps, unfinished business, and more. Each one is configurable. Each one can fire an alert.
- Configurable thresholds per detection (ratio, volume, count, lookback)
- Independent swing filters per signal to focus on structure
- Visualised on the bar in real time as it forms
- See the comparison table below for the count vs other indicators
An alert for every detection. Plus slots for your own C# logic.
Every detection module above has its own alert type, plus delta signals, POC patterns, volume sequencing, trapped trader detection, and more. When the built-in set isn't enough, custom alert slots accept your own C# expressions written against the indicator state, so you can fire alerts on conditions nobody else has thought of yet.
- An alert type per detection module, ready to use out of the box
- Custom C# expression slots for your own conditions
- Visual chart markers, popup alerts, sound, email
- Per-signal swing filtering so you stop ignoring the panel
The POC isn't just a line. It's a family of patterns.
Most indicators draw a single Point of Control line and stop there. TDU Footprint detects the bullish POC, the bearish POC, POC sitting in the wick, POC gaps from one bar to the next, the POC Momentum Wave (3-bar dip-and-recover or pop-and-drop pattern), plus configurable POC1, POC2 and POC3 levels with extension lines projected forward as reaction zones.
- Bullish, Bearish, Consecutive, In-Wick, Gap and Momentum Wave POC patterns
- Up to 3 POCs per bar with extension lines projected forward
- Bar Value Area, Engulfing Value Area and Value Area Gap detection
- Session Volume Profile with histogram, brick or distribution display modes
One-click templates. Six themes. No settings dive.
Pre-built layout templates ship with the indicator: Bid/Ask Volume, Delta, Histogram, Brick, Gradient, Big Trades, Profile and more. Switch from the on-chart menu without opening any settings panel. Colour themes for light and dark setups. Tick aggregation cleans up noisy instruments. The dashboard at the bottom of each bar surfaces dozens of metrics so you read the bar at a glance.
- On-chart dropdown menu for instant template switching
- Built-in colour themes plus full customisation
- Per-bar dashboard with selectable metrics
- Tick aggregation for noisy instruments
Wire every value into your own strategy.
TDU Footprint exposes its full internal state through the standard NinjaScript plot system. Every imbalance count, delta value, POC level, volume bucket, alert flag and signal state is readable from any other strategy or indicator on the chart. Pair it with our Auto Strategy Builder or Algo Studio Pro to backtest and automate strategies that trade off real order flow data, not just price.
- Numeric plots exposed via standard NinjaScript Values
- Compatible with Bloodhound, custom strategies, ASB and Algo Studio Pro
- Every detection module accessible programmatically
- Build genuinely automated order flow strategies, not just visual aids
How TDU Footprint Compares
A side-by-side look at the order flow and footprint indicators NinjaTrader 8 traders consider.
| Capability | TDU Footprint OURS | NT Order Flow+ | MZpack mzFootprint | Orderflows.com | Gorilla FootPrint Pro | emoji trading OF Suite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bid/Ask volume per price level | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distinct imbalance detection modules | 25+Stacked, sequencing, exhaustion, sweep, more | ~3 | ~6 | ~5 | ~3 | ~6 |
| Distinct alert types | 48Plus 5 custom C# alert slots | ~6 | ~12 | ~15 | ~5 | ~14 |
| Custom C# alert expressions | Yes5 user-defined slots | No | Limited | No | No | Limited |
| Big trades / fat prints highlighting | Yes | No | YesmzBigTrade module | Yes | No | Yes |
| Absorption / passive absorption detection | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Advanced POC patterns (Bullish/Bearish/In-Wick/Gap/Momentum Wave) | Yes | No | Limited | No | No | No |
| One-click layout templates | 14 included | Limited | Limited | No | No | Limited |
| Session Volume Profile included | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| NinjaScript plots exposed for strategy automation | 101All imbalance, delta, POC, volume data | Standard | YesmzPack API | No | No | No |
| Works without Tick Replay (preserves NT8 performance) | YesTemplates designed to run without tick replay | NoTick replay required | Partial | NoTick replay required | NoTick replay required | NoTick replay required |
| Pricing | $55/mo or $459 lifetimeCancel monthly anytime | $59/mo or NT lifetime | EUR 149-369 one-time | $350-$1,250 one-time | $169-249 one-time | $99-149/mo |
Comparison reflects publicly documented features at time of writing. Pricing for third-party products is approximate and may change. Verify on each vendor's site. Trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Every other footprint in this table requires NT8 Tick Replay to function. TDU is the only one with default templates designed to run without it. If you've ever watched NT8 freeze when you opened a fifth chart, this is why. Why it matters → · Technical detail →
Why pick this footprint and not the cheaper / older / more famous one?
A buyer comparing footprint indicators usually has the same three concerns. None of them are about whether the cells render bid/ask volume. Every footprint does that. Here's what actually decides the choice, and what the verified reviewers above said about each.
"Will this actually find the patterns, or just show cells?"
The biggest gap between footprint indicators isn't the cell rendering. It's how much the indicator does for you. Most show bid/ask volume and expect you to spot the stacked imbalances, the absorption, the exhaustion prints with your own eyes while the bar is still forming. TDU runs 25+ detection modules over every bar in real time and marks the patterns directly on the chart. You stop missing setups because you blinked.
"Over the past 14 months I tried several footprint indicators before settling on TradeDevils. This far surpassed any of the others. To be honest, it wasn't even close. I've been trading over 30 years professionally."
"Will I have to pay extra for the features that matter?"
The well-known names in the order flow space love unbundling. The base product gets you the cells. Absorption detection is an add-on. Iceberg detection is another add-on. Custom alerts are a different add-on. By the time you've assembled what TDU ships in the box, you've spent multiples. TDU is $55 per month or $459 lifetime, with absorption, custom alerts, advanced POC patterns, NinjaScript automation, all included.
"I have 2 other order flow software providers. TradeDevils has added features that the other software wanted $3K USD for the added add-ons, where TradeDevils already had it built in for $489."
"Will this be the last footprint I have to buy?"
Most traders end up cycling through 2 or 3 footprints before settling. The ones with limited features get outgrown. The ones that update once a year fall behind. The ones with no automation surface keep you locked to manual trading even when you'd rather hand off. TDU ships with the depth (48 alerts, 25+ detection modules, 5 custom C# slots), gets active updates, and exposes 101 plots so every other tool in your stack can read its data. The reviewers below have stopped looking.
"I had tested other footprint indicators before TD Footprint. And I say with absolute certainty: this is the best and most complete of them all. It is worth every penny."
If you've already bought a footprint indicator and feel like you're missing something, this is the gap TDU was built to fill. The 7-day trial means you can compare it against what you're currently running, on your own charts, with no commitment.
Six reasons traders who already own a footprint switch to this one.
The buyers leaving five-star reviews above already had a footprint indicator. Many had two. They tested everything. Here's what they found missing in the others, and why they ended up here.
Stop hunting for patterns by eye.
Most footprints show you cells and stop there. You're left to spot stacked imbalances, exhaustion prints, market sweeps and absorption with your own eyeballs while the bar is still forming. TDU runs the detection modules in real time and marks the patterns directly on the chart. They find you instead of the other way around.
Skip the alert panel everyone learns to ignore.
Generic footprints give you a handful of alert types and call it done. You start ignoring them in week two because half are noise. TDU has an alert for every detection module, plus per-signal swing filtering so you only get pinged when the pattern formed in a structurally meaningful spot. The panel becomes useful again.
Express your own edge in C#.
Other indicators ship with whatever signals the developer decided you need. TDU ships with a long list of those AND gives you 5 custom slots that accept your own C# expressions evaluated against the full indicator state. If you've found an edge nobody else has noticed yet, you write the rule and the alerts fire on it.
Stop drawing your own POC lines.
Most footprints draw one POC dot per bar and leave you to figure out the rest. TDU detects the POC pattern: bullish POC, bearish POC, POC in wick, POC gap from bar to bar, the POC momentum wave (3-bar dip-and-recover). Plus POC1, POC2 and POC3 with extension lines projected forward as the reaction levels you actually trade off.
Stop watching. Start automating.
Most footprint indicators are visual aids: you watch them, you decide, you click. TDU exposes its full internal state through standard NinjaScript plots. Every imbalance count, delta value, POC level, alert flag is readable from your own strategy, from Bloodhound, from Auto Strategy Builder. The footprint stops being a chart decoration and becomes a data source for actual automated trading.
Run NT8 without the Tick Replay tax.
Most footprint indicators force you to enable NT8 Tick Replay, which crushes performance on chart-heavy workspaces. TDU ships with templates designed to run without it (rare in this category, see comparison table) and uses a consolidated PriceLevel memory architecture so you can run a footprint on every instrument you watch without NT8 starting to swap memory mid-session. More in FAQ →
The Nerd Vault
Want every cell mode, every alert type, every option spelled out?
- Left cell text modes (14): Bid/Ask, Bid, Volume, Bid Volume %, Bid Delta, Total Delta, Delta %, Bid Diagonal Delta, Total Diagonal Delta, Bid Trades, Total Trades, Dominant Bid/Ask, Bid Average Trade Size, and more.
- Right cell text modes (14): Same set as left, configured independently.
- Cell background modes (13+): Bid Volume, Total Volume, Delta variants, Trades, Average Trade Size.
- Coloring: Solid, Gradient, Gradient Mono for bars; Solid or Gradient for cells; Dynamic or Fixed display.
- Bar paint modes: Delta-based, dominant-bid/ask, custom rule.
- Tick aggregation: Group price levels for noisy instruments.
Every detection module surfaces its own alert. Selected highlights:
- Imbalance family: Standard Imbalance, Stacked Imbalance, Multiple Imbalances, Inverse Imbalance, Reversal Imbalance, Oversized Imbalance, Big Imbalance, Consecutive Imbalances.
- Delta family: Big Delta, Delta Drop, Delta Flip, Delta Reversal, Delta Rise, Delta Sweep, Delta Above/Below POC, Delta Price Divergence.
- POC family: Bullish POC, Bearish POC, Consecutive POC, POC Gap, POC Momentum Wave.
- Volume / participation: Fat Print, Thin Print, Zero Print, Stopping Volume, Exhaustion Print, Volume Sequencing, Trapped Traders, Market Sweep, Absorption, Passive Absorption, Bid/Ask Fade, Unfinished Business, Value Area Gap, Ratio.
- 5 custom slots: Custom1 through Custom5 each accept a C# expression.
- POC variants: POC1, POC2, POC3 per bar; Bullish POC, Bearish POC; POC In Wick; POC Gap; Consecutive POC; POC Momentum Wave (3-bar pattern).
- POC extensions: Project prominent POC lines forward as reaction levels.
- Value Area: Per-bar Value Area, Engulfing Value Area, Value Area Gap detection.
- Session Volume Profile: Histogram, brick or distribution display modes; left or right placement; configurable session boundaries.
- Delta calculation methods: Bid/Ask, Up/Down Tick, Tick Count.
5 custom slots (Custom1 to Custom5) accept C# expressions evaluated per bar against the indicator's full internal state.
- Available variables in expressions: Volume, Delta, Ratio, POC, ValueArea, StdDev, HasThinPrint, HasFatPrint, HasBigDeltaCount, plus per-cell bid/ask figures.
- Use cases: Define your own alert thresholds, write proprietary signal logic without writing a full custom indicator.
- Per-bar evaluation: Expressions run on every closed bar; results feed into the alert system and the cell paint logic.
- 101 numeric plots exposed via standard NinjaScript Values[]. Every imbalance count, delta, POC level, alert flag, signal state is readable.
- Companion plots indicator (TDU FootPrint Plots) exposes the same data in a separate indicator for easy reference from strategies.
- Compatible automation paths: custom NinjaScript strategies, Bloodhound, Auto Strategy Builder, Algo Studio Pro.
- Real-time updates: plot values update on every tick (with NT8 Tick Replay enabled).
- v2.0.0.21 (Latest) - Added 6 new built-in colour themes, switchable with one click. Added Big Trades, Bid/Ask Volume Profile and Delta Gradient templates. Added 8 new order flow signals. Independent swing filter per signal.
- v2.0.0.x Memory optimisation via PriceLevel consolidation (4 dictionaries replaced with 1 structure). Extreme delta now auto-calculated. Delta Reversal optimised with running averages. POC Above/Below stripe rendering fix. 20+ raw plots added to API.
TDU Footprint isn't for everyone. Skip it if any of these is you.
We sell more by being honest about who shouldn't buy than by pretending it's a fit for everyone. Read this before starting the trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
If yours isn't here, ask in Discord.
About TDU Footprint
Setup & Use
Signals & Alerts
Trial, Pricing & Licensing
$55 a month or $459 lifetime. Reviewers keep telling us we underprice it.
The footprint indicators TDU reviewers had been using before they switched. Their words, not ours.
"I have seen and used Footprint charting valued at $2,500 and higher which cannot match this. I've been trading 15 years."
"The other software wanted $3K USD for the added add-ons, where TradeDevils already had it built in for $489."
"The number of features it provides is just crazy. The price they sell it is a joke. It should be at least $1k."
Ready to stop guessing and start seeing?
If you've tried other footprint indicators and still feel like something's missing, that's the gap TDU was built to fill. The reviews on this page are from traders who tested the alternatives first. Run it side by side against what you're using now for 7 days, no card. Worst case you go back to what you had. Best case you find out why those traders stopped looking.
Risk disclosure: Futures and forex trading carries substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. Past performance is not indicative of future results. TDU Footprint is a charting and analysis tool, not investment advice. You are solely responsible for the trades you take based on the information it displays.