Types of Volume Profiles- When to Use EachVolume Profile isn’t just one indicator, it’s a family of tools- each designed to answer a slightly different question about where trading activity is taking place and why price behaves the way it does around certain levels.
If you treat all volume profiles the same, you are leaving a lot of edge on the table.
Let’s break down the main types available on TradingView and also discuss what each one of them is best at.
1. Session Volume Profile
This volume profile is best for Intraday context or very short-term balance.
Session Volume Profile plots volume distribution for a single trading session, typically one day. Think of it as a daily auction map that resets every session.
Its real value comes from showing you where the market found fair value during the day (that is the Point of Control or POC), and where acceptance or rejection happened near the edges (that is the Value Area High or VAH and Value Area Low or VAL).
For intraday traders, this profile is gold. It helps you frame the day by answering some questions like:
Is price rotating around value?
Is it accepting above yesterday’s VAH or below yesterday's VAL?
Is today shaping up as a trend day or a range day?
Compared to other profiles, Session VP is tactical. It’s about today, not the bigger story.
2. Periodic Volume Profile
This volume profile helps in comparing volume structure across identical time periods
Periodic Volume Profile plots a separate volume profile for every fixed period or session. Instead of a continuous distribution, you get a series of mini profiles laid side by side.
In simple terms, it lets you compare how volume behaved period by period rather than across a long range.
This becomes powerful when you want to see how the auction structure is evolving. You can quickly spot which periods were balanced, which ones were directional, and where participation expanded or dried up.
For example, two candles might look similar in price, but their volume profiles may tell completely different stories- one showing clean acceptance, the other showing rejection or poor participation.
A big advantage of this type is that-
It makes period-to-period comparison easy
It's Excellent for spotting shifts in participation
It helps to identify which candles mattered and which do not.
One disadvantage could be that it can clutter the chart quickly.
Compared to other volume profiles, Periodic VP is more analytical than contextual.
3. Fixed Range Volume Profile
These profiles are best for studying specific moves or events.
Fixed Range Volume Profile is arguably the most flexible and analytical of the lot. You manually choose the range- earnings move, breakdown, rally leg or consolidation- and study volume distribution inside that box.
It helps to answer very specific questions:
At what levels did institutions actually build positions?
Was this move driven by real participation or on thin volume?
Because you control the range, this profile adapts to your analysis, not the other way around.
These Profiles are:
Extremely customizable
Perfect for post-move analysis
On the other hand, these profiles are easy to be misused if not applied correctly. Since they are not automatic and need trader's discretion, they require experience and knowledge to select correct ranges for analysis.
4. Auto Anchored Volume Profile
AAVP are good for letting the market chose the anchor.
Auto Anchored Volume Profile takes human bias out of anchoring. TradingView automatically anchors the profile from significant events like highs, lows, or trend shifts.
This is especially useful when you want objectivity. Instead of guessing where a move started, you let the algorithm do the heavy lifting.
It shines in trending markets where manually anchoring profiles can get messy.
But while using this type you should remember that anchors may not always align with your thesis and they might not be ideal for a detailed micro-structure workout.
5. Visible Range Volume Profile
VRVP provides a quick context of the market with respect to volume.
It does exactly what it says- plots volume for whatever is currently visible on your screen.
This makes it incredibly useful for quick reads. Zoom out for higher-timeframe structure, zoom in for detail. No manual adjustments needed.
It’s less about precision and more about awareness- knowing where the market has done the most business in the area you are analyzing.
Keep in mind that the VRVP are dynamic and they change with zoom level.
Also, they are not considered consistent for backtesting.
Putting It All Together
No single volume profile is “the best.” Each serves a different role in understanding market auctions.
Volume Profile isn’t about predicting price. It’s about understanding where the market agreed, where it didn’t, and how price behaves when it revisits those zones.
That’s where the real edge lives.
For more on Volume Profile basics, see previous educational Related Publications.
I personally like to use Fixed Range Volume Profiles for analysis. What is your favorite? Do mention in the comment section.
