| Feature | Indicators | Oscillators |
| Definition | Mathematical tools to analyze trends, momentum, volatility, and volume. | Tools that oscillate within a range to detect overbought/oversold conditions. |
| Purpose | Confirm trends, measure momentum, and gauge volatility. | Identify overbought and oversold conditions, predict reversals. |
| Best for | Trend-following strategies in trending markets. | Range-bound markets with sideways price movement. |
| Market Condition | Strong trending markets. | Consolidating (sideways) markets. |
| Range of Movement | Open-ended (e.g., Moving Averages can rise indefinitely). | Confined within a range (e.g., RSI moves between 0-100). |
| Timing | Usually lagging, confirming trends after they occur. | Usually leading, predicting potential turning points. |
| Use Case | Identifying trend direction and continuation. | Timing entries/exits based on overbought/oversold conditions. |
| Works Best With | Moving Averages, Bollinger Bands, MACD (for trend-following). | RSI, Stochastic, MACD (for spotting reversals). |
| Key Weakness | Late signals; poor performance in range-bound markets. | Too many false signals in strong trends. |