Footprint Chart
A footprint chart shows, inside each candle, how much volume traded at each price and on which side — buyers or sellers.
A footprint chart shows how much volume traded at the bid and at the ask at each price inside a bar. It lets order flow traders see who was more aggressive at each price level.
- Category
- Market Structure
- Reading time
- 3 min
- Also called
- Volume footprint, Numbers bars, Cluster chart
- Updated
A footprint chart in plain words
A footprint chart typically shows selling volume on the left side of each candle and buying volume on the right.1
Some platforms call the same chart “Numbers bars”.2
Each bar breaks volume into price levels instead of showing only open, high, low and close.
How to read a footprint chart
Open the chart
Choose a timeframe and footprint type.
Read both sides
Read each candle as two columns: sells on the left, buys on the right.1
Find imbalances
Look for imbalances: buying at one price that outweighs selling at the price just below by a set percentage.1
Find the POC
Use the extras: each bar's value area and point of control, plus delta and total volume beneath the candle.1
Check delta
Positive delta means more aggressive buying.
Confirm with context
Combine with Support and Resistance.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Buy imbalance
Buy imbalanceHypothetical: 900 bought at 101, 300 sold at 100. Threshold 200%.
| Ratio | 3.0× |
Buying at this level outweighed selling one tick below by more than the threshold, so it counts as a buy imbalance.1
Example 2 — Negative delta
−600Hypothetical bar: buys 1,200, sells 1,800.
| Delta | −600 |
The negative delta under the candle shows sellers were in control.1
Example 3 — No depth needed
Trades are enoughA trader has only trade data, no order book feed.
| Footprint | Works |
You only need trade data for this chart, not order-book (market depth) data.2
Footprint vs candlestick
| Aspect | Footprint | Candlestick |
|---|---|---|
| Shows | Volume per price, bid vs ask | Open, high, low, close |
| Data | Tick trades | Bars |
| Complexity | High | Low |
| Use | Order flow | General charting |
Where footprint charts help
Order flow
Core tool of Order Flow trading.
Breakouts
Checking a Breakout has real buying.
Reversals
Spotting exhaustion at a Reversal.
Scalping
Fine timing in Scalping.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Shows aggression at each price.
- Reveals imbalances and POC.
- Does not need market depth data.
Disadvantages
- Complex to read.
- Needs tick data and paid platforms.
- Noisy on fast markets.
- Vendor definitions differ.
Going deeper
Read as far as you need. Each level builds on the one before it.
Bar anatomy
Beginner
Each bar is a column of numbers, one row per price level.2
Imbalances
Intermediate
An imbalance compares buying at one price with selling at the price just below; above a set percentage, it is flagged.1
Data needs
Advanced
It runs on executed trades alone — no market-depth feed required.2
Common mistakes
Trading every imbalance
Use context.
Ignoring timeframe
Bar size changes the picture.
Trusting thin data
Use instruments with real volume.
Mixing vendor settings
Thresholds differ between platforms.
Check your understanding
Test yourself before moving on. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Key points to remember
- Footprints split volume by price and side.
- Imbalances compare diagonal levels.
- POC marks the busiest price.
- Delta shows net aggression.
- Definitions vary by platform.
Frequently asked questions
Is a footprint chart free?
Does it need level 2 data?
Which markets suit it?
Further learning
- Order Flow
The wider method.
- Candlestick
The basic chart.
- Volume
Volume basics.
- Support and Resistance
Key levels.
Sources
This article is written in our own words. The sources below support the specific facts, rules and figures marked with a number in the text. Links open the original publisher’s page.
- TradingView. Volume footprint charts: a complete guide (opens in a new tab) Checked .
- Sierra Chart. Numbers Bars (opens in a new tab) Checked .
Educational content, not financial advice. Examples use hypothetical prices and simplified costs; actual fees, margin rules and regulations vary by broker, market and country. We are not affiliated with any publisher linked above. Last reviewed . Report an error or request a source credit.