What's a raindrop chart?
A raindrop chart is a TrendSpider-original chart type that compresses volume profile, price action, and time into a single visual. Each "raindrop" replaces a candle and shows:
- Vertical position: price range during the bar
- Width: volume during the bar (wider = more volume)
- Color: average price weighted by volume — green if first-half average is below second-half average (buying pressure), red if reverse (selling pressure)
- Internal shape: the volume distribution within the bar (where most trading happened in price)
It's volume profile, candle action, and time in one glance.
Why raindrops reveal what candles hide
Standard candles tell you OHLC and that's it. Raindrops tell you where the volume actually happened within each bar. The same daily candle can mean two completely different things:
- Heavy volume at the high, thin volume at the low → strong buying, real demand at the top of the range
- Heavy volume at the low, thin volume at the high → distribution, weak rallies into selling
A candle chart treats those identically. A raindrop chart shows them as visually distinct shapes.
How to read the four common raindrop patterns
1. Bottom-heavy bullish raindrop
Wide volume cluster near the low of the bar, narrow at the high, color shifting green. Reading: buyers stepped in aggressively at the low, then absorbed selling on the way up. Bullish reversal signal at supports.
2. Top-heavy bearish raindrop
Wide volume cluster near the high, narrow at the low, color shifting red. Reading: sellers absorbed buying near the highs, then offloaded on the way down. Bearish reversal signal at resistance.
3. Symmetric "balanced" raindrop
Volume distributed evenly through the price range. Reading: indecision, no clear winner. Most useful when forming a tight cluster — it's a coiled spring waiting for a breakout.
4. Wide-tall raindrop
Both range and volume are above average. Reading: meaningful event bar — earnings, news, FOMC, etc. The price level where the cluster sits becomes a major future S/R level.
Trading setups built on raindrops
Setup 1: Bullish failure at support
A bottom-heavy bullish raindrop forms at a known support level (auto-drawn by TrendSpider). Entry on the close. Stop just below the raindrop's low. Target: previous swing high.
Setup 2: Distribution at resistance
A series of top-heavy bearish raindrops at a resistance level. Each one shows weakening buying and increasing selling pressure. Short on break of the lowest raindrop's low.
Setup 3: Volume node anchor
A wide-tall raindrop in the past becomes a magnet level. Price tends to revisit those levels. Use them as targets for swing trades.
How to enable raindrops in TrendSpider
In any chart:
1. Top toolbar → chart type dropdown → "Raindrop"
2. Apply
3. Toggle between candles, bars, raindrops at any time without losing your annotations
You can use them on any timeframe but they're most useful on 1-hour, 4-hour and daily — timeframes where bar-by-bar volume distribution actually has meaning.
Combining raindrops with TrendSpider's auto-drawn levels
This is where the platform shines. The auto-drawn S/R lines + raindrop volume distribution = mechanical entries:
1. Wait for price to approach an auto-drawn support
2. Watch for a bottom-heavy bullish raindrop to print
3. Enter on the close, stop below the raindrop's low
Same logic inverted for shorts at resistance.
What raindrops can't do
- Replace order flow — for actual order book reads, use Bookmap or your broker's DOM
- Predict the next bar — they describe what already happened, with statistical edge but no guarantees
- Work below 5-minute timeframes — at sub-5-min, volume noise overwhelms the signal
Plan requirement
Raindrop charts are on the Advanced plan. With code SET25, that's $60.75/mo billed annually.
For most traders, Elite ($40.50/mo with SET25) is enough — you get auto-trendlines, scanners, alerts and the strategy tester. Raindrops are a luxury feature that appeals most to volume-profile-focused traders.
If your edge depends on reading volume distribution accurately, the upgrade is justified. If you're a pure trend follower, stick with Elite.
Start the 7-day free trial and try raindrops on your favorite name for a week. You'll know quickly whether they add to your read or just clutter the chart.