The best free trading journal is the one you'll use after every trade. The options are: free tiers of journal apps (TRADZY's free plan includes unlimited setup scans and 14 full analyses a month; some other apps offer limited free tiers or trials), a spreadsheet template in Excel or Google Sheets (flexible but manual), or Notion (good for notes and screenshots, weak on statistics). At minimum, a free journal should track setup, entry, stop, exit, size, R-multiple, time of day and emotion, and calculate win rate and expectancy.
Most traders know they should journal. Most stop within two weeks, because the journal takes effort and gives nothing back. The best free journal is the one that gives you insight for the least effort. Here's how the free options compare. (Disclosure: TRADZY makes a trading journal. We've tried to be fair about the alternatives.)
What a journal must track
| Field | Why |
|---|---|
| Date, time, instrument | Time-of-day and market patterns |
| Setup / strategy tag | Expectancy per setup |
| Entry, stop, target, exit | Execution quality |
| Position size and risk | Risk consistency |
| Result in R | Compares trades of different sizes |
| Emotion / state | Links psychology to results |
| Rule followed? | Separates bad trades from bad outcomes |
| Screenshot | Visual review |
And it should calculate: win rate, average win and loss in R, expectancy, and drawdown.
Free options compared
| Option | Strengths | Limits | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRADZY (free plan) | Unlimited live chart scans with the 0–100 Void Engine score, 14 full analyses a month, leaderboard access, first two Academy modules | Deeper analytics and more analyses are on paid plans | Traders who want insight without building spreadsheets |
| Other journal apps' free tiers or trials | Automated imports and dashboards | Free tiers are often limited by trade count, features or time | Testing an app before paying |
| Spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets) | Free, fully customisable, private | Manual entry; you build the stats yourself; easy to abandon | Traders who like building their own tools. Free template |
| Notion | Great for notes, screenshots and reviews | Weak calculations and charts | Qualitative review alongside another tool. Notion guide |
| Paper notebook | Zero friction for emotional notes | No statistics | Supplementing another journal |
Paid options are compared in best trading journal apps 2026.
Try the Journal That Scores Setups First
TRADZY scores every setup 0–100 before you enter, then journals what happened. Free, no card.
Start Free →How to choose
- Minimise effort. If journaling takes more than a minute or two per trade, you'll stop. Imports, templates and quick tags matter.
- Get feedback. A journal that shows your best setup, worst session and emotional leaks is one you'll keep using.
- Track R, not dollars. It's the only way to compare trades fairly.
- Review weekly. No tool helps if you never look at the data. See how to journal your trades.
A simple weekly review (any journal)
- Expectancy per setup this week and over the last 100 trades.
- The three worst trades: was the loss a bad trade or a bad outcome?
- Time-of-day results: when do you lose most?
- Rule breaks and their cost in R.
- One change to test next week.
Why most free journals get abandoned
They're logs without feedback. A spreadsheet of 200 trades doesn't tell you that your Tuesday afternoons bleed money, or that trades you rate "high conviction" underperform. TRADZY was built around that gap: the Void Engine scores the setup before entry, and the TradLog finds the patterns afterwards, free to start with no card.
FAQ
What is the best free trading journal?
It depends on how you work. TRADZY's free plan adds setup scoring, spreadsheets offer full control, and Notion suits qualitative notes. Choose the one you'll use after every trade.
Is a spreadsheet good enough as a trading journal?
Yes, if you're disciplined with manual entry and build the key statistics (win rate, average R, expectancy). Many traders later move to an app to save time.
What should I write in a trading journal?
Setup, entry, stop, exit, size, result in R, time, emotional state, whether you followed your rules, and a screenshot.
How often should I review my trading journal?
Briefly after each session, and in depth weekly. A monthly review helps spot longer-term patterns.
Can I journal trades from any broker?
Yes. Most journals accept manual entries, and many support imports from common brokers and platforms.
Put This Into Practice
- Score your next setup 0–100 with the Void Engine before entering
- Log the trade and tag the setup in the TradLog
- Review weekly: keep what pays, cut what doesn't
Start Free in TRADZY →
Educational content, not financial advice. Trading involves substantial risk of loss.