How to Get TradingView Premium for Free (Legally): Real Methods, Risks, and Better Alternatives
Let's be real, you can't keep TradingView Premium forever for free without bending the rules. But the good news is, there are completely legit ways to use all those Premium features without paying a dime—or very close to it. Think of it like a 30-day free trial to test everything, broker deals that cover the cost for you, referral credits from sharing with friends, and seasonal sales that slash the price so much it feels "almost free" if you're patient.
I'll walk you through exactly how each method works, step-by-step, with links and what to watch out for. Plus, I'll share some solid alternatives in case you discover you don't actually need Premium after all.
What people actually mean by "Premium for free" (and why it's tricky)
- Let's be clear: TradingView doesn't offer a permanent, free Premium plan. They're a business with tiered plans and occasional promotions, but an unlimited free ride isn't on the table. If you check their official Pricing page, you'll see free trials and paid tiers with clear feature limits.
- If you see anything online claiming to be a hacked "free Premium" account or a download, steer clear. It's not safe and goes against TradingView's rules. They've even put out warnings about fake ads and downloads that can install malware on your computer. The only safe way to get Premium is through their official apps or that Pricing page.
Method 1 — Use the official 30-day Premium free trial
Here's the deal: You get the complete Premium experience for a full month. That means more charts on a single screen, access to all the technical indicators, the ability to set a ton of alerts, and no advertisements to distract you. If you're new to TradingView's scripting language, you might want to check out our guide on how to run Pine Script in TradingView: a complete beginner's guide to make the most of your trial period.
How to get started:
- Head over to TradingView’s Pricing page and select the Premium plan. Then, click the "Try free for 30 days" button.
- You’ll need to either create a new account or log into your existing one to start the trial. They’ll typically ask for a credit card, but you won't be charged until after the 30 days are up.
- This is the most important step: set a reminder in your calendar for a day or two before the trial ends. That way, if you decide it's not for you, you can cancel easily and won't be charged.
- Make the most of your trial! Really put the Premium features through their paces. Test out multiple chart layouts, pile on the indicators, set up alerts, and play with tools like the volume profile and bar replay to see what's useful for you.
A helpful tip: If you run into any questions—like about switching plans or how cancellation works—TradingView’s help center has a whole section dedicated to the free trial. It’s usually the fastest way to find an answer.
Method 2 — Get Your Premium Plan Covered Through a Broker Promotion
Here’s a clever way to get TradingView Premium without paying for it directly: several brokers run special promotions that either reimburse your plan fee or give you a free coupon. This usually happens when you deposit funds or hit a certain trading volume with them.
Here are a couple of real-world examples of how this works:
- FXCM: By depositing specific amounts, you can unlock free one-month coupons. For instance, a $5,000 deposit might get you a Premium plan coupon. The best part? You can often repeat this process after your coupon expires.
- BlackBull Markets: Instead of a deposit, this one is about trading activity. If you trade 10 standard lots in a month, they'll credit the cost of a Premium plan back to your trading account.
| Broker | Typical Requirement for Premium | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| FXCM | Meet a specific deposit threshold (e.g., $5,000) | A free one-month Premium coupon |
| BlackBull Markets | Trade a required volume (e.g., 10 lots/month) | The plan cost credited to your trading account |
How it works with a broker like FXCM:
- Open an account and deposit the qualifying amount for the plan you want.
- Follow the promo's instructions (usually this means emailing their support team with your TradingView username).
- They'll send you a coupon code to apply on TradingView, unlocking your free month.
How it works with a broker like BlackBull Markets:
- Open an account and link it to your TradingView account.
- Execute the required monthly trading volume (e.g., 10 lots for Premium).
- The broker will then credit the cost of the plan directly to your trading account.
A Few Important Things to Keep in Mind
While this is a great method, there are some key details to be aware of:
- The broker runs the show: These are broker promotions, not official TradingView offers. This means the deals can change, vary by your country, or have specific terms you need to read.
- It involves trading risk: Especially with volume-based offers, you're placing real trades in the market to qualify. There's a risk of losing money, so the "free" plan isn't without its potential costs.
- Connection doesn't guarantee a deal: Just because a broker connects to TradingView doesn't mean they offer a free plan. You always need to check their current promotions page.
Your next step is to check the websites of brokers you're interested in to see what promotions they are currently running.
Method 3 — Use Referral Credits to Chip Away at Your Subscription Cost
Think of this as getting a little help from your friends. TradingView has a straightforward Referral Program where everyone wins. Here’s the deal: when someone uses your special link to sign up and later decides to get a paid plan, both you and your friend get a $15 credit. You can then use this credit to pay for your next Essential, Plus, or Premium bill.
It’s a simple three-step process:
- Find your link: Log into your TradingView account and grab your unique referral link.
- Share it: Pass it along to friends or colleagues who you think would genuinely find a paid plan useful. Just remember, they need to upgrade within 3 months of signing up for the credit to count.
- Get rewarded: Once they upgrade, that $15 credit lands in your account, and one lands in theirs too. Do this a few times, and you can build up a nice balance to use at checkout.
Let's be real: These credits are fantastic for lowering your cost, but unless you refer a large number of people in a short time, it's not likely to completely cover a full-year subscription on its own. It’s a fantastic way to save some money, not necessarily a free ticket.
Method 4 — Wait for Black Friday/Cyber Monday to get the year's best price
If you're not in a rush, holding off until Black Friday/Cyber Monday is often the smartest move. TradingView runs a major sale every year with its deepest discounts, making it the perfect time to commit.
They have an official support page and a dedicated sale hub that answers all the common questions—like when the sale starts, how upgrades work for existing subscriptions, and the important note that the big discount usually applies to a single, upfront payment (so your renewal later will be at the standard price unless you find another promo).
Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Set a reminder for mid-November. The sale typically goes live during Black Friday week, so you won't want to miss the window.
- If you already have a subscription, check the official Black Friday FAQ. They often explain how upgrading works, and you'll usually get credit for any unused time on your current plan, adding extra days to your new, higher tier.
- Go for the annual plan. This lets you double-dip: you get the huge seasonal discount on top of the built-in savings that the yearly plan already has over paying month-to-month.
Why this can feel incredibly cheap: When you stack the Black Friday discount with any referral credits you've collected (and maybe a rebate month from your broker), your out-of-pocket cost for the first year can get so low it feels like you're getting it for almost nothing.
Method 5 — Do you really need Premium? How to pick the right plan (and use free tools wisely)
Let's be honest, the Premium plan is packed with features, but you might not actually need all of them. A lot of traders are perfectly fine without hitting those high limits for charts and alerts. Here's a simple way to think about it:
- Don't overlook the Basic (free) plan. It gives you solid charting tools, watchlists, a few alerts, paper trading to practice, and the ability to connect to your broker. For many people learning the ropes or who are swing traders, this is genuinely all you need.
- If you're curious, you can always try Premium first. But be honest with yourself—if you find you're not using the extra features, just downgrade to an Essential or Plus plan later. It's an easy way to save some money. You can check the pricing page for the exact differences in charts, indicators, and alerts.
- A note for the tech-savvy: TradingView has a free and open-source library called Lightweight Charts (under the Apache 2.0 license). If you have some coding skills, you can use this to build your own custom charting dashboards for specific needs. It's not a replacement for the full TradingView experience, but it's a incredibly powerful tool for creating bespoke charts.
Speaking of maximizing free tools, if you want to create custom indicators and strategies on TradingView without needing a Premium subscription or coding knowledge, Pineify is a game-changer. It lets you build complex trading tools visually, bypassing the need to learn Pine Script or hire expensive freelancers. You can create exactly what you need, often making the most out of TradingView's free plan by consolidating multiple indicators into a single, powerful script. For those interested in more advanced trading concepts, our guide on understanding Pine Script trailing take profit: a comprehensive guide can help you build more sophisticated strategies.
Stay safe: how to spot "free Premium" scams
You know that old saying, "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is"? That definitely applies here. We've seen a rise in sneaky fakes and misleading ads promising a completely free upgrade to a Premium plan.
Security experts and TradingView itself have identified these malvertising campaigns. In plain English, that means criminals are creating fake ads and download links. Some of these fake "free Premium" offers have even been used to push nasty malware, like a type called Brokewell, which can put your personal data at risk.
So, here's the simple rule to live by: Only ever download our apps from official stores like the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. And if you want to upgrade to a Premium plan, always do it directly on the official TradingView Pricing page.
A quick tip to spot a scam: if you come across an "unlisted YouTube video" or land on some random website you've never heard of that's promising a full year for free, it's a trap. Just close that tab and you'll have saved yourself a big headache.
| What to Avoid | The Safe Alternative |
|---|---|
| "Unlisted" YouTube videos offering free Premium | Our official YouTube channel with public, verifiable content |
| Random websites or ads promising a free year | The official TradingView Pricing page for all upgrades |
| Download links from pop-ups or unknown sources | Official app stores like the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for downloads |
Quick FAQs (QA Section)
Q1) Is there a legit way to keep TradingView Premium free forever? A: Honestly, no, there isn't a permanent free ride for the Premium plan. What you can do is get clever about using free trials, seasonal discounts, credits from referring friends, and special offers through your broker to lower the cost—sometimes to zero for a few months. But a forever-free Premium subscription doesn't exist.
Q2) Will I get charged after the 30-day trial? A: Yes, you will be charged automatically if you don't cancel it yourself. My advice? Set a reminder on your phone for around day 25 of your trial. That gives you a few days to decide without the pressure of a last-minute scramble. You can find all the details on managing your trial in their help center.
Q3) Do broker perks work everywhere? A: Not always. These offers, like getting a coupon for a deposit with FXCM or earning credits based on your trading volume with BlackBull, depend heavily on two things: your location and the specific terms and conditions. Always read the fine print on the broker's own promotion page before you count on it.
Q4) Can referral credits fully pay for Premium? A: It's possible in theory, but it takes work. For every friend you refer who upgrades to a paid plan, you both get a $15 credit. If you refer enough people, you could cover the cost for a while. In practice, though, most people use these credits to get a nice discount on their bill rather than making it completely free.
Q5) When is the best time to upgrade cheaply? A: Hands down, it's during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. This is when TradingView rolls out its biggest discounts of the year. Just keep in mind that the sale price typically only applies to your first payment; when your plan renews a year later, it will go back to the standard price unless you catch another sale.
Q6) What if I only need more alerts and no ads? A: In that case, you might not need Premium at all. It's worth trying the Essential or Plus plans first. They get rid of the ads and give you a solid bump in the number of alerts and indicators you can use compared to the free version. You can always trial Premium to see the top-tier features, then downgrade to the cheapest plan that still does everything you need.
Q7) How do I know if a "free Premium" offer is safe? A: A good rule of thumb: if the offer isn't directly on tradingview.com or the official website of a well-known broker, it's almost certainly not safe. Steer clear of third-party app files (APKs), "license generators," or secret video links. These have been used recently in scams that try to install harmful software on your computer. When it seems too good to be true, it usually is.
Your Game Plan: What to Do Next
Alright, let's break down the next steps into a simple, actionable plan. Think of this as your personal checklist.
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Kick off the official Premium trial. The best way to see if it's for you is to just dive in. Use this time to test everything—the alerts, the special indicators, the different layouts. See what actually fits into your daily routine. You can start here: [Pricing → Try free for 30 days]. Pro tip: set a reminder in your phone to cancel if you decide it's not your thing. No surprises.
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Choose a broker deal that fits you. Here are a couple of popular ways to get Premium covered, depending on how you trade:
- Prefer no trading requirements? With FXCM, you can get a month of Premium through a deposit bonus.
- Okay with some trading volume? BlackBull offers to credit your account with Premium if you trade 10 lots per month.
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Share the love (and get a little back). Got a couple of friends who are serious about trading? Send them your personal referral link. When they upgrade, you'll both get a credit. It's a win-win.
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Circle Black Friday on your calendar. If you know you want to stick with Premium for the long haul, this is the time to buy. Planning an annual purchase or extension around late November locks in the absolute lowest price of the year.
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Remember, you have options. If you find that Premium has more than you need, it's totally fine to downgrade to the Essential or Plus plan. They're still incredibly powerful. Or, if you're a developer with a specific need, you can always build your own custom view using the Lightweight Charts library. For those interested in exploring platform alternatives, our comparison of eSignal vs TradingView 2025: which trading platform actually saves you money while making you profitable? provides valuable insights.
Bonus: A Quick Look at "Free or Almost Free" Options
Navigating the world of paid platforms without paying can feel like a win. Here's a simple breakdown of the most common paths to getting premium features for little to no cost.
| Option | What It Is & Why It's Good |
|---|---|
| 100% free for 30 days | The official Premium trial. It's low-friction and you have nothing to lose if you remember to cancel on time. (TradingView) |
| Effectively free month(s) | Promotions from your broker, like deposit or trading volume credits. This is perfect if you already use that broker; just be sure to read the fine print. (FXCM Markets) |
| Very low annual cost | The best value comes from stacking deals like Black Friday sales, paying for a full year upfront, and maybe a referral credit or two. This is the smartest move for anyone planning to stick around. (TradingView) |
| Truly free forever (with trade-offs) | You use the basic free plan and get clever with your workflow. You can sometimes even connect a free, separate charting library for better visuals. It's not seamless, but it works. (BrokerChooser) |
If you're curious about the broader TradingView ecosystem and its user base, our analysis of how many people use TradingView: a comprehensive analysis provides fascinating insights into why it's become such a popular platform.
