Think You Don’t Need a Trading Journal? These 5 Tools Expose the Hidden Leaks Bleeding Your Account Dry (2025 Rankings)

The 5 Best Trading Journals in 2025

(And Why Most Traders Use Them Wrong)

Want to know the real difference between profitable traders and the ones who blow up their accounts?

It's not their strategy...
Their chart patterns...
Or even their risk management (though that matters).

It's their ability to learn from their mistakes.

The problem? Most traders are trying to track their performance with scattered screenshots and messy spreadsheets. They're essentially trading blind - making the same mistakes over and over while somehow expecting different results.

That's why proper trade journaling isn't just helpful - it's essential for serious traders. But not all trading journals are created equal.

In this guide, we'll break down the 5 best trading journals for 2025, including:

• Which features actually matter (and which are just flashy distractions)
• How to choose the right journal for your trading style
• Real costs and potential drawbacks of each option
• Our hands-on experience using each platform

What's the Best Trading Journal?

1. Tradersync - Best overall for serious traders + AI analysis

2. Tradesviz - Best for scalpers and micro-timeframe analysis

3. Edgewonk - Best for psychology-focused traders

4. Tradervue - Best for pure data analysis

5. Trademetria - Best for fundamental + technical traders

1. Tradersync: The Complete Package

Pricing:

• Pro: $29.95/mo ($14.97 if billed annually) - stocks, options, futures. Private profile. Import trades. Basic reports.
• Premium: $49.95/mo ($24.97 if billed annually) - All pro features plus: Pre & post-market chart data. Commissions and fee tracking. Running P&L. Best exit reports. Evaluator reports. Simulator reports. R multiple reports. MFE/MAE stats.
• Elite: $79.95/mo ($39.98 if billed annually) - All premium features plus: Stock Market Replay - practice your trades. AI feedback. Automate commissions & fee tracking. Track targets & stop losses. Trade management analysis. Automatic spread detection. Spread report.

Bottom Line:

If you're tired of lying to yourself about your trading mistakes and ready to get serious about improvement, TraderSync is worth every penny. The AI analysis alone could save you thousands in avoided mistakes.

I recommend you go with the Elite plan and make the most of all the features during your trial, then decide if you want to keep that or downgrade to premium.

Click below for the max discount available:

2. Tradesviz: The Scalper's Secret Weapon

Pricing:

• Free: $0 -  Up to 3,000 stock executions per month, basic charts, 50+ performance visualizations, real-time options flow.
• Pro: $19/mo ($14.99 if billed annually) - Unlimited imports + All asset type support, 400+ Performance visualizations, Multiple auto-generated + Interactive charts, Multiple trading accounts, AI Q&A
• Platinum: $29/mo ($22.49 if billed annually) - All of the above, plus unlimited custom dashboards, advanced options flow analysis & scanner, exit analysis charts, trading simulator, built-in trading console with zero-commission trading, pivot/grid charting, trade/day plans & checklist analysis

Bottom Line:

If you're a scalper or day trader getting chopped up in fast markets, Tradesviz's micro-analysis could be game-changing. It shows you exactly where you're bleeding money - down to the second.

I recommend you go with the Platinum plan and make the most of all the features during your trial, then decide if you want to keep that or downgrade to pro.

Use the button below for the max discount available:

3. Edgewonk: The Psychology-First Journal

Pricing:

• $169/year (works out to $14.08/month)
• 14-day money-back guarantee

Bottom Line:

If you're more focused on building rock-solid trading psychology than chasing fancy features, Edgewonk could be your perfect match. It's like having a trading therapist watching your every move.

Use the code below for the best discount on Edgewonk

4. Tradervue: The Battle-Tested Veteran

Pricing:

• Basic: Free (limited to 30 trades/month)
• Silver: $29/month
• Gold: $49/month

Bottom Line:

If you want professional-grade analytics without the fluff, Tradervue remains formidable. It's the journal serious traders have trusted for years.

I suggest trying the Gold Plan during your trial. Before the 7 days is up, you can cancel and you won't be charged, or you can downgrade to the Silver plan if you decide you don't need the Gold features.

5. Trademetria: The Complete Picture

Pricing:

• Free: Limited to 30 orders/month
• Basic: $29.95/month
• Pro: $39.95/month

Bottom Line:

If you're trading based on more than just charts and want everything in one place, Trademetria offers unique value.

If you make less than 50 trades per month, go with the basic. If more than that, go with Pro. If you don't want to pay, make sure to cancel before you use it for 200 pageviews (you'll have to keep track).

How to Choose the Right Trading Journal

Let's be real - the best trading journal is the one you'll actually use. Here's how to choose:

• Micro-scalper (less than 1min duration trades)? Go with Tradesviz for micro-timeframe analysis
• Multiple Accounts? TraderSync makes importing painless
• Psychology Issues? Edgewonk's Tiltmeter could save your account
• Pure Price Action Trader? Tradervue's clean analysis is perfect
• Fundamental + Technical Trader? Trademetria gives you both

Key Features to Look For

Analysis paralysis happens, so don't overcomplicate it. When choosing a trading journal, prioritize:

1. Easy Trade Import - If it's a pain to input trades, you won't do it
2. Clear Performance Metrics - Can't improve what you can't measure
3. Psychological Tracking - Because emotions kill accounts faster than bad setups
4. Risk Analysis - Understand your real edge
5. Regular Updates - Markets evolve, your journal should too

Common Trading Journal Mistakes

Avoid these common pitfalls:

• Only tracking wins (losses teach more)
• Ignoring emotional states
• Not reviewing regularly
• Cherry-picking data
• Using too many tags/categories

Final Thoughts: The Truth About Trading Journals

Here's the brutal truth: Any of these journals can transform your trading - IF you actually use them.

A journal won't fix your trading any more than a gym membership will get you in shape. The magic happens in the daily commitment to improvement.

Choose one. Commit to it for 90 days. Track everything. Be brutally honest with yourself.

Because once you can see your mistakes clearly, you can finally start fixing them.

Your future as a consistently profitable trader might just depend on it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Trading Journals:

Is a Trading Journal Worth it?

Let me flip this question around:

Is losing thousands of dollars making the same mistakes over and over "worth it"?

Look, I get it. Nobody wants to spend time logging trades when they could be watching charts. And yeah, good journals cost money.

But here's the brutal truth:

Without a journal, you're basically gambling.
With a journal, you're running a business.

Think about it...

Would you run any other business without tracking your numbers?
Without knowing exactly where you're making and losing money?
Without understanding which strategies actually work?

Here's what proper journaling gives you:

• Crystal-clear view of what's actually working
• Protection from emotional trading disasters
• Data-backed confidence in your strategy
• Early warning system for account-killing mistakes

Bottom line: A good trading journal costs less than one bad trade. And it could save your entire account.

What's the Best Trading Journal for TradingView?

If you're using TradingView (like most serious traders these days), here's the real deal:

TraderSync and Tradesviz are your best bets:

• TraderSync: Best for importing TV trades
• Tradesviz: Offers full autosync (but no options trading)

Quick compatibility breakdown:

•  TraderSync ✓ Full TradingView support
• Tradesviz ✓ Autosync (stocks only)
• Trademetria ✓ Basic import support
• Others: Depends on your broker

Best Journal for TD Ameritrade?

Let's make this simple:

TraderSync wins again:

• Full autosync support
• Clean import process
• Works with ALL TD products

But honestly, any of our top 5 will work with TD. The difference is just how much manual work you'll need to do.

What are the Disadvantages of Trading Journals?

Real talk? Here are the ACTUAL disadvantages:

1. They force you to face uncomfortable truths
2. They show you exactly how much money your "gut feelings" are costing you
3. They prove that your favorite setup isn't as profitable as you thought

See what I did there?

The only real "disadvantage" is that journals force you to trade like a professional instead of a gambler. Sure, you have to put in the work. And yes, past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

But would you rather stay blind to your mistakes?

Trading Plan vs Trading Journal: What's the Difference?

Think of it this way:

• Trading Plan = Your battle strategy
• Trading Journal = Your after-action report

Your plan is what you INTEND to do.
Your journal shows what you ACTUALLY did.

The magic happens when you compare the two.

Because that gap between intention and action? That's where most traders lose money.

Why Do I Need a Trading Journal?

Let me answer this with a question:

Would you fly a plane without instruments? Drive cross-country without GPS? Run a business without tracking profit/loss?

Trading without a journal is just as dangerous.

Here's what you get with proper journaling:

• Instant replay of your best and worst trades
• Early warning system for emotional trading
• Clear picture of what actually makes you money
• Protection from account-killing mistakes
• Data to support your gut feelings

How Do You Keep a Good Trading Journal?

Here's the truth about keeping a good journal:

The best system is the one you'll actually use.

But here are the non-negotiables:

1. Daily Updates
   • Log trades while they're fresh
   • Track emotions, not just numbers
   • Write quick session recaps
2. Regular Reviews
   • Weekly performance check
   • Monthly strategy review
   • Quarterly goal alignment
3. Honest Analysis
   • Tag EVERYTHING
   • Track your mental state
   • Document broken rules

The secret? Make it a habit.

Just like checking your charts or reading market news - journaling should be part of your daily trading routine.