# Futures Market Data Feeds for Order Flow: What You Need

> Futures market data feeds for order flow: tick data, level 1 and 2, the CME and crypto exchanges, what it costs and what you need to read footprint.

- Canonical: https://traderprofesional.com/en/futures-market-data-feeds/
- Site: Trader Profesional (https://traderprofesional.com) — order flow trading
- Language: en
- Published: 2026-07-17

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You can have the best order flow platform in the world and still go blind if the data feeding it is bad. The market data feed is the fuel for footprint and delta, and it is often paid for separately from the software. Here I explain what kind of data you need to read flow, the difference between level 1 and level 2, how it works on futures and on crypto, and what costs to expect, with no invented figures.

## What a market data feed is

A data feed is the connection that supplies your platform with real-time prices and volumes from the market. Without it, your [footprint chart](/en/footprint-chart/) has nothing to paint the cells with. The key for order flow is that not just any data will do: you need **tick data**, meaning every individual transaction with its price, size and aggressor side.

Many free charts give you already-closed candles or delayed data. That is fine for technical analysis, but order flow lives on tick-by-tick granularity. If the feed aggregates or delays, the aggression read loses its meaning.

## Level 1 versus level 2

Two concepts worth being clear on, because they set what you can see:

- **Level 1:** the best bid and the best ask, plus the executed transactions. With this you can already build footprint and [delta](/en/cumulative-delta/), because what you need to classify aggression is knowing whether each trade crossed at the bid or at the ask.
- **Level 2 (DOM):** the full depth of the order book, with the volume at several levels above and below the price. This is what feeds the [depth of market (DOM)](/en/depth-of-market-dom/) and lets you see stacked passive orders, possible icebergs and absorption in real time.

To start in flow, level 1 with tick data is enough. When you want to read the book and refine your read of passive liquidity, you will need level 2, which usually costs a bit more.

## Futures data: the role of the CME

On futures the data is **centralized and reliable**, and that is exactly why order flow works so well there. The big index contracts like the [ES and the NQ](/en/order-flow-futures/) trade on the CME, and all the volume passes through the same place. There is no fragmentation: the volume you see is the real volume of the market.

That data has an owner. The exchanges (the CME, for example) charge **data fees** for real-time access, separate from what you pay for the platform or the technical feed. There is usually a distinction between **non-professional** use (cheaper, for the retail trader) and **professional**. The figures change and depend on your situation, so check them at the official source of the exchange or your data provider; do not trust a stray number you read somewhere.

Common technical data providers for futures ([Rithmic](https://rithmic.com/), [CQG](https://www.cqg.com/), IQFeed and similar) act as the bridge between you and the exchange. Some platforms come with their own integrated feed and others let you choose. Keep it in mind when you calculate the total cost: **software + technical feed + exchange fees**.

## Crypto data: straight from the exchange

On crypto the picture changes. The data comes directly from the **exchanges** ([Binance](https://www.binance.com/), Bybit and company), usually via their APIs, and it tends to be accessible without the exchange fees that exist on regulated futures. That is why many [crypto order flow](/en/order-flow-crypto/) platforms connect natively to the exchanges and give you the footprint with no separate data cost.

The catch with crypto is **fragmentation**: each exchange is its own market with its own book and its own volume. The flow you read on a Binance perpetual is Binance's, not "bitcoin's in general." For the read to be reliable, trade where the real volume is, on the big perpetuals, not on thin pairs where the footprint lies.

## What it costs: the realistic picture

Without handing you figures that would go stale, this is the cost structure you should plan for:

| Component | Futures | Crypto |
|---|---|---|
| Software (platform) | Yes | Yes |
| Technical feed | Usual | Often included |
| Exchange fees | Yes (CME, etc.) | Usually no |
| Level 2 / DOM | Extra cost | Exchange-dependent |

The practical takeaway: on **futures**, budget for software plus data, because quality data is paid for and is non-negotiable for reading flow. On **crypto**, the data cost is usually lower because it comes from the exchange itself. Always check the current 2026 figures on the official sites of the platforms and providers; that is the only source that will not leave you out of date.

## Common mistakes with data

- **Using delayed or aggregated data for footprint.** If the feed is not real-time tick data, the aggression read is worthless. It is the most common mistake and the most expensive in wasted time.
- **Forgetting the exchange fees on futures.** A lot of people compare only the software price and get a surprise from the feed and the separate fees.
- **Reading flow in markets with no real volume.** On a lightly traded future or a thin crypto pair, the [delta](/en/cumulative-delta/) jumps on two stray trades and means nothing. Liquidity is what makes the data reliable.
- **Paying for level 2 too early.** If you are still learning to read the footprint, level 1 with tick data is plenty. Add the depth when you are going to use it.

## What you need based on where you trade

- **Index futures (ES, NQ):** CME tick data via a technical provider, with non-professional exchange fees. Level 1 to start, level 2 when you read the DOM.
- **Crypto:** a connection to the exchanges where the volume trades; the data usually comes with the platform with no separate fees.
- **Just practicing:** start with the minimum and limited data; you can upgrade when the restriction actually holds you back.

Data is the boring part of order flow and the one nobody tells you about until you have to pay for it. But it is the part that makes everything else work. Choose your platform knowing what feed it needs: you have it cross-referenced with each option in the [order flow platforms](/en/best-order-flow-platforms/) ranking, and if you are looking to try it without spending, in the [free footprint charts](/en/free-footprint-charts/) guide.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What data do I need to read order flow?

Real-time tick data, meaning every transaction with its price, size and aggressor side. With level 1 (best bid/ask and executions) you can already build footprint and delta. To read the full order book you need level 2 (DOM), which usually costs more.

### Why is the data feed paid for separately on futures?

Because futures data is generated by exchanges like the CME, which charge fees for real-time access, separate from the software price. There is also usually an intermediate technical provider. On crypto it does not work the same way: the data comes from the exchanges and is often included.

### Is order flow cheaper on crypto because of the data?

Generally yes, because crypto data comes directly from the exchanges and does not carry the exchange fees of regulated futures. Many platforms connect natively to the exchange and give you the footprint with no separate data cost.

### Is level 1 enough or do I need level 2?

To start reading footprint and delta, level 1 with tick data is enough, because you only need to know whether each trade crossed at the bid or the ask. You need level 2 (DOM) when you want to read the passive liquidity in the book and refine your read of absorption.