Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most. For deeper coverage, every answer links into the full knowledge base.
Which exchange does HookTrader support?
Binance USDⓈ-M Futures (perpetual contracts). Spot trading and other exchanges aren't supported yet — Bybit and OKX are on the roadmap.
What is a TradingView webhook and how does HookTrader use it?
A webhook is an HTTP request TradingView sends when one of your alerts fires. HookTrader gives you a unique URL to paste into the alert; when the alert triggers, TradingView posts the alert payload you authored to us and we open, scale, or close a position on Binance based on your strategy. HookTrader transports your own alert message — it doesn't ingest or redistribute TradingView's market data. Price monitoring, stops, and take-profits run off Binance market data.
What do I need on the TradingView side to use HookTrader?
Two things, both required by TradingView: a paid TradingView plan (Essential/Plus/Premium — the free tier can't send webhooks) and two-factor authentication enabled on your TradingView account, which TradingView requires before it will send webhook alerts. You author the alert and paste your HookTrader webhook URL into it. HookTrader is not affiliated with TradingView; you're responsible for keeping your use within your own TradingView plan terms.
How do I connect my Binance account?
Create an API key on Binance (Futures account, no withdraw permission), then paste the key and secret into HookTrader. Keys are encrypted at rest and the secret is never returned after saving. We strongly recommend using a dedicated sub-account so HookTrader only sees positions it opened itself.
What permissions does HookTrader need on my Binance API key?
Enable Futures trading and Read. Do not enable Withdrawals — HookTrader never needs to move funds off the exchange. If you whitelist IPs on Binance, add HookTrader's outbound IP (shown on the Exchanges page) or trades will be rejected.
Can I start on paper trading before going live?
Yes. HookTrader supports the Binance Futures testnet as a separate "demo" mode. You can keep a demo and a live API key on the same account and switch strategies between them while you verify your setup.
How do stop-loss, take-profit, and trailing stops work?
SL and TP sit on the exchange as real orders, so they fire directly on Binance. Each TP level can run a list of actions — move SL to break-even, reduce position by a percentage, activate the trail, or close the position. Up to 10 TP levels per strategy.
Why was my trade rejected?
The most common reasons are: insufficient margin (Binance code -2019), notional below the symbol's minimum (-4164 / -1111), API key IP not whitelisted (-2015), or the alert arrived after the stale-alert window. The Live Trades page shows the exact rejection reason returned by Binance.
Are my trades safe if something goes wrong?
Yes. Your stop-loss and take-profit orders sit on Binance itself, so your open positions stay protected at all times. HookTrader reconnects to your active trades automatically and keeps managing them without any action from you.
How many TP levels can one strategy have?
Up to 10. Each level has its own price target (absolute or percentage) and an ordered list of actions to run when price reaches it. You can also scale into a position by adding a TP-style "add to position" action.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Your strategy lives in TradingView's Pine Script — and you can use one you already have. HookTrader configures the trade plan through a wizard, not code. Power users can hand-edit the JSON if they want finer control.
Where are my Binance API keys stored?
Encrypted at rest using industry-standard authenticated encryption. The encryption key is stored separately from the database and is never accessible to the public-facing parts of the application. The secret is never returned by any API endpoint after you save it.
Is HookTrader free?
There's a free tier with a small number of active strategies, and a paid tier for higher limits and priority support. Pricing is on the landing page.
Didn't find your question?
The full knowledge base covers webhooks, strategies, error codes, and more in depth. Once you're signed in, every dashboard page has a Help button that opens a context-specific slide-over.