Select your preferred language
Language changes will apply immediately
Select your preferred language
Language changes will apply immediately
How to Choose the Right Chart Type for Your Strategy
"Learn how to choose the right chart type for your trading strategy. Discover the strengths of line, bar, and candlestick charts and find out which fits your goals best."
Wikilix Team
Educational Content Team
Anyone who trades understands the excitement of seeing the market move. However, another question arises: how do you interpret the price movements? The answer is often found in the type of chart you are using. Charts serve as the visual foundation of trading, but like any language, there are multiple varieties, which in this case are line, bar, candlestick, and more.
The chart you use can make the difference between confusion and clarity, and uncertainty and discipline. In this article, we will identify the main types of charts, see what each chart is good and bad for, and help you determine which chart is appropriate for your strategy.
Charts are not just a display of visual information; they can be helpful in decision-making tools. Depending on how price information is displayed, you can identify trends, reversals, and opportunities more easily than if it were displayed in a different format. Some charts break down the market into its most basic form, while others offer layers of detail. When using the wrong chart format for your style, you can feel irritable about questioning your trades, while using the proper chart can help shed light that reveals additional patterns that you may not identify on other charts.
A typical line chart connects the closing price over some time, creating one line that is easy to read and interpret for newbies. It is simple, easy to read, and suitable for traders who want to determine direction and need no distraction. The issue with the line chart is that it overlooks crucial price data, such as intraday highs and lows, which could be valuable for more advanced traders.
Bar Charts A typical bar chart, or open, high, low, close (OHLC) chart, shows the price that opened, the highest price, the lowest price, and the closing price. Each bar has more information than the line chart. Bar charts help maximise volatility and see ranges, but they can seem overwhelming and more difficult to read at first.
Many traders prefer candlesticks because they provide lots of detail while also being visually appealing to read. Each candlestick displays the same data as a bar chart, but uses shape and color to make the patterns more straightforward to see. They help traders quickly gain a feel for market sentiment and identify continuation or reversal patterns. While they provide a lot of information, beginners might feel overwhelmed as there are many basic patterns to learn.
Outside basic charts, some traders may use specialized charts:
• Heikin Ashi: Smooths out price action and removes excess noise.
• Renko: Ignores time and only looks for price movement.
• Point and Figure: Recognizes supply and demand levels differently.
These types of charts are all good choices; however, they are best reserved for traders who are already experienced and comfortable with standard chart types.
If you are new to trading, being simple is your friend. Line charts are often the best place to start with charts. They allow you to look at more general pattern-movements—are prices trending up, down, or sideways? Once you become familiar with line charts, you will typically move on to charts with more detail.
Day traders are detail-oriented in all ways. They want to know not only the direction but what story there is in each candle or bar. Candlestick and bar charts are a great option, as they demonstrate short-term volatility with potential price support and resistance while expressing emotional sentiment.
Swing traders who hold positions for several days or weeks receive clarity and visual trends from these so-called two-day candlestick charts. Swing traders typically prefer candlestick charts because traders can see turning points or continuation signals better.
If you are an investor who focuses on long-term moves, you do not need the noise of every tick. You can probably get away with a line chart to get a good idea of the overall response without all the noise cluttering the chart. A line chart can provide a clear visual representation of upside vs. downside, such as a line chart expressed in terms of weekly or monthly.
Interestingly, the charts you select will reflect a significant degree of your personality and thought process. If you prefer order over chaos and enjoy simplicity over complexity, you may choose a line chart. If you like to dig deep into details and identify patterns, you may be inclined toward candlestick charts.
Alternatively, if you are highly systematic and want to analyze tiny nuances of an unfolding event, you may gravitate toward bar charts or more sophisticated options such as Renko. The correct chart is the one that aligns with your thought process and prioritizes your best interest, rather than complicating the situation and decision.
Some traders don't limit themselves to one chart type conversationally. Some use multiple chart types to obtain confirmation from complementary sources. For instance, Swing traders may use a line chart to see where the trend has been and to understand overall direction, and then switch to candlestick charts to visualize an exact entry point within that trend for a swing trade. Day traders may use multiple chart types, juxtaposing bar charts and candlestick charts to observe the overall range and feel for sentiment. The result is fewer blind spots with a more robust strategy.
• Overthinking: While there are many chart types to examine or choose from, too many options at one time can cause confusion rather than resolution.
• Chopping and Changing: Facilitating chart type preference changes while acting on the same trade introduces variables that can prevent thoughtful consistency.
• Ignoring context: The best chart type for scalping may not be the best chart type for long-term investing - context matters.
1. Simple is the best option: Start with line or candlestick charts and leave advanced options for other times.
2. Align with personal preference + style: Your trading preference will determine relevant data points vs. noise. Scalpers and day traders will appreciate the detail, while longer-term traders may prefer simplicity.
3. Experiment: In a demo account, try all the chart types you can fit into a day! Determine which is compatible with your thoughts on trading.
4. Stay with what works: Get a direction for your chart type preference and stick with it so you build your knowledge base and experience.
5. Continue to use what fits you! Like chart types, begin using advanced options only after mastery of the basics.
Ultimately, choosing a particular chart type will depend on your trading strategy. You are not looking for the "best" chart; instead, you're seeking the one that aligns with your goals, style, and process. Line charts will provide simplicity, bar charts will provide detail, and candlesticks are intermediary with visuals that express power, and not additional complexity. While specialized charts (e.g., Heiken-Ashi) may provide extra depth, they equally lean toward the advanced trader.
The trick is finding a chart type that works for you without misleading or overwhelming you. You want your chart to be a tool that clarifies the market, not one that adds complexity. Trading becomes simpler, you, the trader, become more confident, and you become more effective at trading, when your chart type can be expressed along with your trading strategy.
Keep building your knowledge with our structured learning path. Each section builds upon the previous one.
This is the first section
You're at the beginning of your journey!
This is the last section
You've completed this course!
15 min
Reading time
Beginner
Difficulty
