Download the current Awakened PoE Trade build from SnosMe's GitHub and expect Windows to complain. It's normal. Click through the warning and get on with it. The part people mess up is permissions. If you don't run it as admin, the overlay can fail to hook and you'll think it's "broken" when it's just blocked. Once it's running, change the hotkey early. The default works, sure, but it's awkward mid-fight. I like something I can hit without thinking, because the whole point is checking value without breaking your rhythm.
Loot in 3.27 isn't just "rare or not." It's odd mods, hidden value, and mechanics stacked on mechanics. You'll spot it quick: an item looks like junk, then the overlay pulls comparable listings and you realise it's actually a niche chase piece. That's the moment the tool pays for itself. It also saves you from bad instincts. You won't overprice, you won't underprice, and you won't vendor something that's quietly in demand because a specific build wants that exact line of text.
Currency trading is where speed turns into profit. Instead of guessing whether Divines are "about" 160c or "maybe" 180c, you can pull live ratios and make a call on the spot. It changes how you map. You stop hoarding random piles because you're unsure, and you stop taking bulk trades that look fine until you do the math. The best part is you don't need to be a spreadsheet person. You just need the numbers to show up when you're already in the flow.
My favourite routine is checking what's trending, then watching for sleepy-hour listings that are priced like yesterday. Buy low, sell when the servers get busy again. Simple, but it only works if you're strict about your time. I ignore small-margin pings and I don't chase every whisper. If I need a quick boost to finish a build or smooth out a dry streak, I'd rather use a reliable shop like u4gm for game currency or items and stay in maps, because the best profits still come from playing, not from staring at trade tabs.