Insider Trades

Insider Trades raises the discount from Monkey Business, the first bottom-path upgrade of the Monkey Village, from 10% to 12%. It is in the second row of the Support tree and only needs Flat Pack Buildings, so it costs one Knowledge Point and no Monkey Money.

Monkey Business makes tier 1 to tier 3 upgrades of towers in the village's range cheaper and refunds part of the price of towers placed there. With Insider Trades that bonus is 12% instead of 10%. Tier 4 and tier 5 upgrades and hero levels are not discounted by Monkey Business, with or without this knowledge.

How it changes the game

A 0-0-1 or higher village is one of the cheapest ways to make a whole defence cheaper. The extra 2% looks small, but it applies to every tier 1 to 3 upgrade in range for the whole game. If you buy $20,000 worth of low-tier upgrades under a Monkey Business village over a game, Insider Trades saves you about $400 compared with the normal discount.

It is most useful in strategies that rely on many mid-tier towers rather than one big tier 5, such as spam setups of 2-0-3 or 0-2-4 towers, or a cluster of farms with Monkey Commerce and Monkey Town. Late game you mostly buy tier 4 and 5 upgrades, which the discount does not touch, so the bonus fades.

Note that Monkey Business itself does not stack with other Monkey Business villages. Insider Trades raises the single discount you get, it does not let you stack more.

Is it worth it?

Priority: good, because of where it leads. The 2% on its own is a minor bonus. The real reason to buy Insider Trades is that it is the only way to Bigger Banks, and from there Backroom Deals, Better Sell Deals and Bank Deposits. That chain is the core of the economy side of the Support tree.

Compared with More Valuable Bananas, the other knowledge under Flat Pack Buildings, Insider Trades is slightly weaker in direct value but leads to the more important bottom row. Most players should buy both.

Where it works

Insider Trades works in every mode where Monkey Knowledge is enabled, from Easy up to Impoppable. It is off in CHIMPS, so plan any CHIMPS Monkey Business saving with the normal 10% discount. Challenges can disable MK, and Rogue Legends never uses it.

Frequently asked questions

What does Insider Trades do?

It increases the Monkey Business discount from 10% to 12%.

Does Insider Trades discount tier 4 and tier 5 upgrades?

No. Monkey Business only covers tier 1 to tier 3 upgrades, and Insider Trades only raises that same discount.

Is Insider Trades worth buying?

Yes, mainly because it unlocks Bigger Banks and the rest of the bank branch, which holds some of the best knowledge in the Support tree.

Does Insider Trades stack with Monkey Commerce?

Insider Trades only changes the Monkey Business discount. Monkey Commerce and higher bottom-path upgrades keep their own effects on top of it.