Free FVG indicator for NinjaTrader 8
A Fair Value Gap is a three-bar gap: the middle bar moves so fast that between the first and third bars there is a stretch of price traded in one direction only. It is one of the most used ICT and smart money concepts.
This indicator detects them, shrinks them as price fills them and flags when they invert. Free for NinjaTrader 8.
- 100% free
- Open source (MIT)
- Built by El Trader Financiado for the community
Version 1.1 beta · NinjaTrader 8 · .zip to import · also in the pack of all 11 · updated October 22, 2026
Install one language only: if you switch between English and Spanish, delete the ElTraderFinanciado folder first (Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom\Indicators).
What the indicator draws
- Bullish (green) and bearish (red) FVGs with their 50% line (consequent encroachment, CE).
- The zone is trimmed as price fills it and marked mitigated once fully filled (configurable).
- IFVG: when price closes through an FVG, the zone inverts.
- Higher-timeframe FVGs on your execution chart (optional).
- At most 10 live zones per side from the last 2 days, so the chart stays clean.
What a Fair Value Gap is
In a bullish FVG, the low of the third bar sits above the high of the first. That gap is price only buyers traded: per ICT, an imbalance the market tends to revisit.
Read the full guide: what it is, rule-based strategies and common mistakesWhat each screenshot shows
- 01
FVGs with their 50%
Bullish in green, bearish in red, with the 50% line (CE). Those already mitigated turn grey.
- 02
The zone shrinks as it fills
The part price has already filled is removed, so each FVG only shows the gap still left to fill.
- 03
Higher-timeframe FVGs
The higher-timeframe layer draws 1-hour FVGs (labelled "FVG 1H") on your 5-minute entry chart.
- 04
IFVG: the inverted FVG
When price closes through an FVG, the zone flips (IFVG) and starts counting the other way.
How to trade fair value gaps
A summary of the most common uses. Entry, stop and target rules are in the guide.
Pullback into a with-trend FVG
The most common use: enter on the pullback into the gap the impulse left behind.
FVG after a liquidity sweep
The ICT model: liquidity sweep, displacement with an FVG, entry on the retrace.
IFVG as a change of direction
When an FVG fails and inverts, it warns that the prior impulse is spent.
What the evidence says
FVGs describe a real imbalance in the bars, but the idea that price "has to fill them" is not backed by public studies. In trending markets many FVGs never fill.
Key settings
| Setting | Default | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum size (ticks / × ATR) | 2 ticks · 0 | Filters out small gaps. |
| When it is considered mitigated | Full | On touch, at 50%, fully filled or on a close through. |
| Live zones: days to show | 2 | Limits old zones. |
| Show IFVG | On | Inverted zones. |
| Higher-timeframe FVG | None | FVGs from a higher timeframe on your chart. |
| BPR · Volume imbalance | Off | ICT extras. |
| Selectable by click | On | Turn it off so clicks pass through it: move the chart, measure and draw without selecting it. |
How to install ETFFVG in NinjaTrader 8
- 1
Download the .zip and don't unzip it.
- 2
In NinjaTrader 8, from the Control Center: Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On… and pick the .zip.
- 3
Accept and wait for it to compile. If you had an earlier version, allow it to overwrite.
- 4
Indicators: on the chart, right-click → Indicators… → ElTraderFinanciado folder. Risk-Reward: right-click → Drawing Tools. Risk Guardian: Control Center → New.
Frequently asked questions
Are an FVG and an imbalance the same thing?
Almost. ICT calls the three-bar gap an FVG and the gap between two consecutive bodies a volume imbalance. The indicator includes both (the second one optional).
Does it work on the daily chart?
Yes. On daily and higher, the session and day filters are off and mitigated zones from the last 20 bars are shown.
What is the CE of an FVG?
Consequent encroachment: the 50% of the gap. The indicator draws it as a line inside each zone.
Trying it in a futures prop firm?
We have discount codes for the main evaluations. They are affiliate links: we earn a commission if you buy through them.
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The indicators describe what price has done; they don't predict what it will do and they are not investment advice. The risk management tools are an aid: they don't replace your firm's rules or your broker's limits. Only trade futures with money you can afford to lose.
