Relative Volume for NinjaTrader 8
Transform volume data into trading intelligence. Detect institutional activity, confirm breakouts, and identify failed reversals with real-time relative volume analysis. RVol provides context-aware analysis that reveals when big money moves the market.
See It in Action
Watch how the RVol indicator displays relative volume analysis, helping you spot reversals on your NinjaTrader charts.
Why Traders Choose RVol
Context-aware volume analysis that reveals institutional activity and confirms your trading setups.
Session-Based Calculation
Calculates relative volume using dynamic session averages from 9:35 AM onwards. Excludes market open distortion for accurate institutional activity readings.
Color-Coded Intensity
Instant visual feedback: Gray for normal activity, Gold for elevated interest (1.5-2x), Red for significant institutional volume spikes (2x+).
Failed Breakout Detection
Spot volume spikes during level sweeps followed by elevated volume on return moves—confirming institutional absorption and potential reversals.
Volume Efficiency Bonus
Included bonus tool measures volume-to-price-movement ratios. High efficiency indicates absorption; low efficiency suggests clean momentum.
3 Ways to Trade with RVol
Professional approaches to using relative volume for trade confirmation and setup validation.
Failed Breakout Reversals
When price sweeps key levels but fails to sustain, watch for volume spikes during the sweep followed by elevated volume on the return move. This pattern signals institutional absorption and provides high-conviction reversal entries.
- Best for daily highs/lows and significant S/R zones
- Entry on volume spike + elevated return volume
- Especially effective on ES and NQ during RTH
Exhaustion Move Detection
During strong trending moves, watch for volume spikes that coincide with momentum slowdown. High volume with smaller price ranges indicates selling into strength or buying into weakness—potential trend exhaustion.
- Identifies end-of-trend profit-taking zones
- Signal: High RVol with diminishing price movement
- Perfect for reversal preparations
Breakout Validation
True breakouts show increasing volume as price moves beyond key levels. Use RVol to distinguish genuine institutional moves from weak retail breakouts likely to fail.
- Best for range breakouts and pattern completions
- Confirmation: Sustained elevated volume through level
- Most reliable during high-volume sessions
RVol in Action
See how RVol reveals institutional activity and confirms trading setups across different market conditions.
Fully Customizable
Configure RVol to match your trading style and visual preferences.
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Use Enhanced Calculation | False | Enable Volume Efficiency enhancement for advanced analysis |
| VE Threshold | 1.5 | Volume Efficiency threshold for enhanced confirmation |
| Minimum Range (Points) | 5 | Minimum price range for VE calculation |
| High Threshold | 2.0 | Multiplier for high volume detection (red bars) |
| Elevated Threshold | 1.5 | Multiplier for elevated volume detection (gold bars) |
| High Confirmed Color | CornflowerBlue | Color for high volume bars with VE confirmation |
| High Color | Crimson | Color for high volume bars |
| Elevated Confirmed Color | Orange | Color for elevated volume with VE confirmation |
| Elevated Color | DarkGoldenrod | Color for elevated volume bars |
| Normal Color | DimGray | Color for normal volume bars |
Enable Volume Efficiency enhancement for advanced analysis
Volume Efficiency threshold for enhanced confirmation
Minimum price range for VE calculation
Multiplier for high volume detection (red bars)
Multiplier for elevated volume detection (gold bars)
Color for high volume bars with VE confirmation
Color for high volume bars
Color for elevated volume with VE confirmation
Color for elevated volume bars
Color for normal volume bars
What Users Say
Trusted by futures traders worldwide
Finally found a volume indicator that actually shows when big money is moving. The color coding makes it super obvious. My trade picking got way better.
That session-based calculation is way more accurate than regular volume indicators. I can actually see when volume matters compared to the rest of the day.
RVol changed how I confirm breakouts. Used to get faked out constantly. Now I wait for the volume spike and my win rate got a lot better.
That Volume Efficiency bonus tool is clutch. When you see high volume but price not moving much, that's where the absorption is happening.
I use RVol on 1-min charts for timing entries. When I see red bars at my levels, I know institutions are in and the setup's legit.
Simple concept, works great. Gray means wait, gold means pay attention, red means go. It's part of my setup now, can't trade without it.
NinjaTrader Indicator Pricing & Packages
Choose the option that works best for your trading needs. All purchases include free lifetime updates and personal support from a fellow trader.
Single Indicator
Focus on one powerful tool that gives you a precise edge in identifying trading setups.
$49 /one-time
- 1 Indicator
- Lifetime updates
- Email support
Traders Complete Bundle
Complete suite of professional trading tools for serious futures traders. Get all current indicators plus every new indicator released in the future.
$299 /one-time $980
- 5 Core Indicators
- Initial Balance (IB), Intraday Key Levels, Inverse Fair Value Gap (iFVG), Opening Range Breakout (ORB), Overnight Sessions
- All Advanced Indicators
- Delta Profile, Dynamic Standard Deviations, Profit Forecast, Relative Volume (RVOL), Session-Anchored-VWAP
- All future indicators
- Lifetime updates
- Priority email support
Traders Starter Bundle
$149 /one-time $245
- 5 Core indicators
- Initial Balance (IB), Intraday Key Levels, Inverse Fair Value Gap (iFVG), Opening Range Breakout (ORB), Overnight Sessions
- Lifetime updates
- Priority email support
Common Questions
- RVol calculates relative volume by comparing current bar volume to the session's running average, starting from 9:35 AM to exclude market open distortion. This provides much more accurate context than absolute volume numbers. The color-coded system (Gray/Gold/Red) instantly shows volume intensity levels, making institutional activity obvious at a glance.
- The first few minutes after market open typically see artificially high volume as overnight orders execute and traders establish positions. Starting at 9:35 AM excludes this distortion and provides a more accurate baseline for the session's normal volume, making elevated readings more meaningful.
- Gray bars indicate normal volume (below 1.5x session average)—typical market activity. Gold bars show elevated volume (1.5x-2.0x average)—increased institutional interest. Red bars indicate high volume (above 2.0x average)—significant institutional activity. Focus on Gold and Red bars for trade confirmation.
- Volume Efficiency measures how much volume is required to move price a given distance. High efficiency (lots of volume, small range) indicates absorption—someone is providing liquidity. Low efficiency (normal volume, large range) suggests clean momentum. This helps distinguish between absorption and genuine directional moves.
- Yes, RVol works on all liquid futures markets. It's particularly effective on major indices like ES, NQ, YM, and RTY where institutional participation is highest. The session-based calculation adapts to each market's volume characteristics automatically.
- RVol works on any timeframe but is most effective on 1-5 minute charts for day trading confirmation. Many traders use 5-minute charts for overall structure and 1-minute for precise entry timing with volume confirmation.
Ready to See Institutional Activity?
Stop guessing when big money moves the market. Get RVol and add professional volume confirmation to every trade.
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Testimonials appearing on this website may not be representative of other clients or customers and is not a guarantee of future performance or success.
Hypothetical performance results have many inherent limitations, some of which are described below. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown; in fact, there are frequently sharp differences between hypothetical performance results and the actual results subsequently achieved by any particular trading program. One of the limitations of hypothetical performance results is that they are generally prepared with the benefit of hindsight. In addition, hypothetical trading does not involve financial risk, and no hypothetical trading record can completely account for the impact of financial risk of actual trading. For example, the ability to withstand losses or to adhere to a particular trading program in spite of trading losses are material points which can also adversely affect actual trading results. There are numerous other factors related to the markets in general or to the implementation of any specific trading program which cannot be fully accounted for in the preparation of hypothetical performance results and all which can adversely affect trading results.