Paid Services

Thinking of paying for a trading service? read this first.

There are good services and communities out there. But you need to approach them with the right expectations to benefit.

When evaluating any paid trading service, there are two key steps to keep in mind:

1) Don’t rush. Take your time to assess the service carefully and make sure it’s not a scam.

2) Know what to expect. A good service will hopefully teach you setups with edge and how to execute them.

Let’s elaborate on them one at a time.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you separate the scammers from the real deal (for a more comprehensive take, check our AVOIDING SCAMS page):

Factor	Scammy Approach	Legit Approach
#1. Minimum Capital	“Only $5k? No problem! Fire your boss!”	“You’ll need 5-6 figures to make this worthwhile.”
#2. Time to Profitability	“Be profitable in 30 days!”	“Expect 1-2 years of hard work and study.”
#3. Decision-Making	“Don’t overthink—you’ll miss out. Just join!”	“Count the cost. Are you sure you want this?”
#4. Attitude to Jobs	“9-5 jobs are for losers.”	“Keep your job. Trade part-time. No rush.”
#5. System Limitations	“It works 100%—if it fails, it’s your fault.”	“No system works all the time. You must adapt.”

The business behind education services

Most traders who sell services make far more money from selling than from trading itself.

But Wait—Is It Wrong for Traders to Sell Services?

Not necessarily. There’s nothing inherently wrong with it—as long as it’s done ethically and transparently.

In fact, many highly successful, full-time traders eventually shift toward education. Even those who were once outspoken critics of selling courses often change their stance.

Why?

There are two main reasons. The first is simple: financial incentive. Once a trader builds a following, the most obvious way to monetise it is by selling something to that audience. And if they don’t, it can feel like they’re leaving money on the table.

Look, I’m not here to make moral judgments. People need to make a living—and they deserve to be compensated if they’re providing something of genuine value.

The second reason is to seek a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. At first glance, full-time trading seems like the dream: freedom from the 9-5 grind, the ability to work from anywhere, and unlimited income potential.

But the reality? It’s often far less glamorous.

It demands relentless attention, which is mentally and emotionally exhausting
Income instability
Limited scalability compared to selling info products or services
No time off
The isolation can take a toll on mental health

Alright, now that we’ve established there are valid reasons for traders to create additional income streams—and that not all trading educators are scammers—we can move forward.

What to expect from legit paid services

Here is what you can and should expect:

✅ Foundational Education (Best for Beginners):

Learn the basics: charting & price action basics, indicators and tools, risk management, trade execution and management
Great if you’re brand new—less valuable if you’ve already consumed enough good free content

✅ Strategies and setups:

Learn how to identify & execute trade setups
Nothing “secret” or proprietary—most info is publicly available
The real value lies in how the material is packaged, structured and delivered—it saves time and confusion
⚠️Caveat: Just because a setup works for the educator doesn’t mean it’ll suit you

✅Access to a community :

Real-time trade ideas and discussions help reinforce learning
A place to ask questions, get feedback, share insights and network
The quality of a community & their signal-to-noise ratio vary massively—don’t assume activity equals value
⚠️Caveat: a strong tribal mindset often develops in these communities, which can show up in unproductive ways:
- Valid criticism is quickly dismissed or shut down.
- Members feel compelled to defend the mentor, no matter what.
- Implicit belief that only this system works—others are scams or somehow inferior.

Let’s use a couple of sports analogies to dig a bit deeper into the realities of trading education—especially the seductive promise of learning from “elite” traders.

The Star Trainer illusion

Imagine if Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, and Roger Federer launched a training academy offering full access to their routines—every detail of their workouts, diets, mental coaching, and personal strategies.

Now picture 1,000 dedicated students signing up and following every instruction to the letter.

After six months, how many of those 1,000 will be ranked in the Top 100 of their sport?
Realistically? Maybe none.

Not because the information is bad—it’s probably excellent. But raw talent, timing, genetics, resources, experience, and a thousand other variables play a role. Great athletes aren’t made by instruction alone, and great traders aren’t either.

In both arenas, the star’s success often isn’t replicable—not because they’re hiding secrets, but because what worked for them may not work for you.

The power of the "unlikely" coach

Now consider the story of Serena and Venus Williams. Their father, Richard Williams, wasn’t a famous tennis coach. In fact, he had no formal training in the sport. But he had a vision, a plan, and a deep understanding of what his daughters needed.

He tailored their training to their personalities, strengths, and the long-term goal—not some generic method used on thousands of other kids.

Meanwhile, how many other promising young athletes were training with the top coaches of the era… and never made it?

Sometimes the best coach isn’t the most famous one, but the one who knows how to meet you where you are and guide you toward where you want to go.

What good looks like

For me, a good paid trading service is one that:

you can stick with long enough to give it a proper chance—around 6 to 12 months
doesn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth that you’re being ripped off

Once you find a good one, commit to it for that initial 6–12 month window. Beyond that, there’s limited value in sticking around. You might still pick up the occasional idea or benefit from the community, but it usually comes with a lot of noise, so whether it’s worth staying becomes a case-by-case decision.

Ideally, you’d use that time to build connections—find a small group of like-minded traders with similar styles and skill levels and form your own tight-knit pod. That’s the sweet spot for long-term growth. It’s not easy, though. I’ve seen many such groups start strong and then fizzle out. Still, it’s definitely worth trying.

conclusion: be wise, not cynical

Finally, to wrap thing up, embrace the fact thsat good educators deserve to be compensated buy always ask yourself:

Are they being honest about the effort and capital needed?
Are they rushing me into buying?
Do they allow me to trial the service? If not, is there a good reason not to?

And above all, if you remember this truth, you can’t go wrong:

There are no secrets. Only basics you must apply, adapt, and refine into a system that fits you. Nobody can do that part for you. The edge is not in the education, the edge is in you as the trader.