10 common trading indicators and what they measure

No indicator has one universal accuracy score. A useful comparison starts with what each tool measures and the rule you intend to test.

• RSI: relative momentum from recent gains and losses.
• MACD: relationships between moving averages.
• EMA: a weighted, smoothed price reference.
• Bollinger Bands: price dispersion around an average.
• ATR: movement size, not direction.
• VWAP: a volume-weighted price reference.
• Fibonacci retracement: levels drawn from a chosen price swing.
• Ichimoku: several price-based lines and a cloud.
• ADX: an estimate of trend strength.
• Stochastic: the close's position within a recent high-low range.

For calculation details, see TradingView's guides to RSI, Bollinger Bands, ATR and VWAP.

Choose the missing information

If your question is about volatility, adding another momentum oscillator may not help. Pick a role first, then compare implementations on the same chart.

A high win rate can coexist with large losses. An “overbought” label is not an automatic sell instruction. Evaluate a complete, cost-aware strategy rather than a standalone indicator's name.

Browse by category to find tools with the role you need.