Free trading journal template or paid journal app?
Choose based on the work you repeat after every trade. A spreadsheet gives you control over each row. A paid journal can reduce entry work and keep review tools together. Neither choice guarantees better trading results.
Use a free template when manual entries are manageable
Start with the free forex trading journal CSV template. Open it in Excel or Google Sheets, delete the sample rows, and record one trade per row. No account or subscription is required for the download.
For each trade, keep its date, instrument, direction, size, entry and exit, planned stop and target, result, setup, emotion, and notes. The template is a record sheet. It does not calculate position sizing, profit, or performance charts for you.
A spreadsheet fits when you can keep up with entry and you want to design your own formulas. Check dates, decimal separators, and the currency of your result column before combining records. The supplied column uses USD; do not mix results in different currencies without converting them consistently.
Consider a paid app when entry and review take too much time
In intent: trade, Standard and Grand let you create, edit, import, and restore trades. Supported broker screenshots and reports can reduce typing, but you should check the imported fields against the original before saving.
The online trading journal features include calendar results, searchable trade history, backtest statistics, and CSV or JSON export. Standard includes up to 15 AI chart analyses per day. Grand includes up to 50 and a weekly digest when you have at least three trades in the last seven days.
Web plans are Standard at 14.99 USD per month and Grand at 29.99 USD per month, before tax. For iOS and Android, use the price shown by your store at checkout. Check the current plans and your store checkout for the applicable total and terms. An active subscription is required to add trades from account creation. Creating an account does not start a free trial. Without a subscription, signed-in users can still read, export, and delete existing trades.
Annual web subscriptions are Standard at 143.90 USD per year or Grand at 287.90 USD per year. Save 20% compared with 12 months at the regular monthly price, before tax and excluding INTT25. New subscriptions only; existing subscriptions keep their current price.
Compare the same tasks before choosing
| Task | Free CSV template | Paid journal app |
|---|---|---|
| Add a trade | Type one row yourself | Manual entry or supported imports |
| Review results | Build your own formulas and charts | Calendar, history, and backtest views |
| Keep a copy | Save your spreadsheet file | Export CSV or JSON |
| Cost to begin recording | CSV download is free | Standard or Grand is required |
Use the same weekly review routine in either tool
- Check that every closed trade is recorded once and that the result matches your broker history.
- Group trades by setup. Separate a planned entry from an impulsive one in your notes.
- Compare your planned stop and exit with what happened. Record the decision you made, not only the final result.
- Choose one process change to track next week, such as writing the reason for entry before opening a position.
If manual entry is causing gaps in the record, compare an app using a small set of your own supported records. If your spreadsheet is already complete and easy to review, keep using it. The useful journal is the one you can maintain accurately.