HomeComparisonsCharting platformsVerified 4 Oct 2026
TradingView vs Sierra Chart
Two charting platforms from opposite ends of the market: a browser-first service and a Windows desktop workstation for futures. Every figure below links to the vendor page it came from and carries its check date.
- Entry price
- $12.95/ monthEssential
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
- Free option
- Free Basic plan, no time limit
- Entry price
- $16.9/ monthPackage 3 (Base Standard)
- Runs on
- Windows
- Free option
- 21-day trial; no order routing on trial
Category winsEntry price TradingViewDevice coverage TradingViewLimits, Features, Execution: awaiting test
Quick verdict
TradingView runs on web, iOS, Android and desktop, with its Essential plan listed at $12.95 per month billed annually. Sierra Chart is Windows-only, scripts studies in C++ through ACSIL, and costs $16.9 per month on 12-month prepayment, with a 21-day trial. Choose TradingView for cross-device charting; choose Sierra Chart for Windows futures work with Teton order routing.
As of 4 October 2026. Figures are taken from the vendors’ own pages; every number below links to its source.
Pick TradingView if
- You chart on more than one device or OS
- You want the lowest listed entry price
- You rely on a large community indicator library
Pick Sierra Chart if
- You trade futures on CME, CBOT, NYMEX or COMEX
- You work on Windows and want C++ custom studies
- You want unlimited simulated trading included
Risk warningTrading futures, options and other leveraged products carries a high risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. This comparison is not investment advice.
What are the key differences between TradingView and Sierra Chart?
- TradingView's Essential plan is listed at $12.95 per month billed annually; Sierra Chart's Package 3 (Base Standard) is $26 per month, or $16.9 per month with a 12-month prepayment. TradingView · Sierra Chart
- TradingView offers a free Basic plan with no time limit; Sierra Chart offers a 21-day trial on new accounts, with Teton order routing unavailable during the trial. TradingView · Sierra Chart
- TradingView runs on the web, iOS, Android and a desktop app; Sierra Chart runs on 64-bit Windows only and has no native macOS version. TradingView · Sierra Chart
- Sierra Chart custom studies are written in C++ through ACSIL; TradingView lists 400+ built-in and 100K+ community indicators. Sierra Chart · TradingView
- Sierra Chart's packages include unlimited simulated trading with real-time or delayed data, and its Teton order routing covers CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX futures. Sierra Chart · Sierra Chart
- TradingView's Terms of Service allow refunds within 14 calendar days for annual plans and 7 days for monthly ones; Sierra Chart refunds usage time only in whole 31-day increments and charges a $5 processing fee. TradingView · Sierra Chart
Side by side
Every cell links to the vendor page it was taken from and shows the date it was last checked. The coloured marker shows which platform has the edge in that row.
| Datapoint | TradingViewfrom $12.95 / month Visit | Sierra Chartfrom $16.9 / month Visit | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01Price | |||
| Entry paid plan, per month on annual billing | $12.95/ monthsource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | $16.9/ month$26 month-to-month; 12-month prepay = 35% offsource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | TTradingView |
| Free option | Free Basic plan, no time limitsource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | 21-day trial; no order routing on trialsource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | TTradingView |
| Refund terms | Annual plans: 14 days; monthly: 7 days (Terms of Service)Pricing-page FAQ mentions refunds for annual plans onlysource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | Whole 31-day increments only; $5 processing feesource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | — |
| 02Platform | |||
| Where it runs | Web, iOS, Android, desktop appsource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | Windows 64-bit only; no native macOSsource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | TTradingView |
| Scripting language | Pine Script (plus Pine Screener)source ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | C++ via ACSILsource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | — |
| 03Limits | |||
| Published limits | Essential: 2 charts per tab, 5 indicators per chart, 20 alertssource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | No chart or indicator limits listed on the Packages pagesource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | — |
| 04Features | |||
| Indicator library | 400+ built-in, 100K+ communitysource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | Custom studies in C++ (ACSIL)source ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | — |
| Simulated trading | Paper trading listed, alongside chart and DOM tradingsource ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | Unlimited, included in packagessource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | — |
| 05Execution | |||
| Order routing | Through selected brokers (vendor lists broker, chart and DOM trading)source ↗checked 4 Oct 2026 | Teton futures: CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEXsource ↗checked 3 Oct 2026 | — |
| Try it | See TradingView plans | See Sierra Chart packages | |
TradingViewSierra ChartMarked cell = edge in that row · “source” opens the vendor page
Which costs less to start, TradingView or Sierra Chart?
TradingView costs less to start. Its Essential plan is listed at $12.95 per month billed annually on TradingView's pricing page, and a free Basic plan is available with no time limit, limited to one chart per tab, three active price alerts and two indicators per chart. Sierra Chart's entry point is Service Package 3 (Base Standard) at $26 per month when paid month-to-month, or $16.9 per month with a 12-month prepayment, which the vendor lists as a 35% discount; prepaying 3 or 6 months brings 15% or 25% off. A new Sierra Chart account receives a 21-day trial, during which Teton order routing cannot be used. Refunds also differ: TradingView's Terms of Service allow refunds within 14 calendar days for annual plans and 7 days for monthly ones, while Sierra Chart refunds usage time only in whole 31-day increments and charges a $5 processing fee. All figures come from the vendors' own pages and were last checked in October 2026.
Does Sierra Chart run on Mac, and where does TradingView run?
Sierra Chart has no native macOS version: its download page addresses Mac users who run Sierra Chart through Crossover or Wine and recommends the Zip Installer for them. The system requirements list Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 and Windows Server 2008–2016 and higher, 64-bit only, and the vendor's mobile-devices section describes use on Windows desktop and laptop computers. TradingView, by contrast, is delivered on the web, as mobile apps for iOS and Android, and as a desktop app with multi-monitor support, according to its pricing page. The scripting environments differ as well: Sierra Chart custom studies and trading systems are written in C++ through the Advanced Custom Study Interface and Language (ACSIL), with up to 60 visible subgraphs and 128 inputs per study, while TradingView lists 400+ built-in indicators and 100K+ community-published ones. If you need macOS or mobile charting, TradingView is the practical choice; Sierra Chart is a Windows workstation first.
FAQ
Is Sierra Chart cheaper than TradingView?
Not at the entry level. TradingView's Essential plan is $12.95 per month billed annually; Sierra Chart's Package 3 is $16.9 per month with a 12-month prepayment or $26 month-to-month. TradingView also has a free Basic plan, while Sierra Chart offers a 21-day trial.
Does Sierra Chart run on Mac?
No native macOS version is listed. Sierra Chart's download page addresses Mac users who run it through Crossover or Wine and recommends the Zip Installer for them; the system requirements list 64-bit Windows only.
Is TradingView free?
Yes, there is a free Basic plan with no time limit: 1 chart per tab, 3 active price alerts and 2 indicators per chart. Paid plans start with Essential at $12.95 per month billed annually.
Does Sierra Chart have a free trial?
Yes. A new Sierra Chart account receives a 21-day trial. Teton order routing cannot be used on a trial, and the trial is limited to one per computer.
Which futures exchanges does Sierra Chart's Teton order routing support?
CME, CBOT, NYMEX and COMEX, with EUREX to be added later. Options trading is not currently supported through Teton, and there is no Sierra Chart per-contract transaction fee on Teton routing.
What language are Sierra Chart indicators written in?
C++, through the Advanced Custom Study Interface and Language (ACSIL). A custom study can have up to 60 visible subgraphs on the same scale and up to 128 inputs.
What is TradingView's refund policy?
Per TradingView's Terms of Service, annual subscriptions are refundable within 14 calendar days and monthly ones within 7 calendar days; the pricing-page FAQ mentions refunds for annual plans only. Users who filed a chargeback or dispute are not eligible.