Why TWS and TradingView candles differ

Quick answer

First check that both charts show the same product, month, time zone, and trading hours. Then check the kind of prices used. Two charts with the same short name may not show the same data. IBKR also filters some past trade data.

Educational software guidance. Trading involves risk. Read the financial and information disclaimers.

Step by step

1 Match the exact listed product or futures expiry on both charts.
The TWS chart for the December 2026 Micro E-mini S&P 500 future, on 15-minute bars.
The TradingView chart for the same contract and interval; compare expiry, bar interval, session and time zone with the TWS chart.
2 Set matching bar intervals and session coverage, including extended hours.
3 Compare time zones and the timestamps at each bar boundary.
4 Check whether values are trades, bid, ask, midpoint, or adjusted prices.
5 Compare a small known time interval and document the remaining difference.

A practical example

One chart starts its day at the regular open, while the other includes trades before that time. Their daily bars can differ even if both are working as designed. Start with one short hour and the same product. Match the time zone and session. For a future, also match the month. A long continuous chart may not be the same series as the single contract you plan to trade.

Illustrative scenario, not a record of a trade placed during this review.

Screen reference

TWS paper watchlist with instrument rows and quote columns — Use the same instrument row when comparing data. Captured outside the tested execution workflow; this image does not establish real-time entitlement. Captured in TWS paper mode on 3 October 2026. Open the image for full size.

How to confirm the result The comparison should use the same product and bar definition. Any remaining difference should have a repeatable example.

Mistake to avoid

A continuous future chart and an individual futures contract are not an exact one-to-one price series.

Common questions

Do different candles prove one platform is wrong?

No. First align the chart definitions and feeds.

Can historical volume differ from real-time volume?

IBKR documents filtering differences between those data paths.

TWS delayed versus live data: how to tell Paper TWS has no market data: what to check Quotes work in TWS but not through the API

Financial and information disclaimers

Financial disclaimer

These guides explain software. They are for education, not financial, investment, tax, or legal advice. No example is a suggestion to buy or sell a product or use a trading strategy. Trading can lose money, including all funds you put at risk. With margin, futures, short sales, or some options, losses can exceed your starting funds. Automation can fail, send duplicate orders, or act late. Stops do not guarantee a fill or a price. Review your orders and positions, and seek advice from a qualified professional for your own needs. Paper trades, examples, and past results do not predict live results or promise a profit.

Information disclaimer

This is general help based on the sources and check date shown on the page. Screens, settings, fees, data access, and product support can change or differ by app version, account, country, and broker. The content may contain errors or become out of date; accuracy, completeness, and continuous service are not guaranteed. Check current broker and app instructions before acting. Screenshots show where controls are; they do not prove that an order test passed. This guide does not replace broker terms or risk notices. References to IBKR and TradingView identify their products and do not imply their endorsement of this guide.