What to Track in Your Trading Journal
Beyond entry and exit prices: the essential data points that separate useful journals from glorified trade logs.
Tier 1 (required for any useful journal): Date, Symbol, Direction, Entry Price, Exit Price, Size, P&L. These are the facts of the trade. Without them, you don't have a journal — you have notes.
Tier 2 (required for psychology analysis): Emotion at trade time (calm, anxious, FOMO, revenge, confident), Setup type (breakout, pullback, mean reversion), Execution grade (A/B/C/D), Did you follow your plan (yes/no). These capture the TRADER, not just the trade.
Tier 3 (required for advanced analytics): Risk amount, R-multiple, Stop loss level, Time of entry/exit, Trading session, Commission/fees, Chart screenshot. These enable risk-adjusted analysis, time-based patterns, and visual trade review.
Tier 4 (optional but valuable): Tilt level (1-5), Market conditions (trending/ranging), Mistakes made (list), Playbook reference, MFE (maximum favorable excursion), MAE (maximum adverse excursion). These are for traders who want deep statistical analysis of their execution.
What TradeRipper Gives You
- Auto-capture for Tradovate on TradingView
- CSV import for any broker
- Real-time psychology tagging
- 14+ analytics charts
- Trade review workflow
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does a trading journal help?
A journal reveals patterns in your trading that are invisible without data: which setups work, how emotions affect your P&L, and whether your discipline is improving over time.
Is there a free trial?
TradeRipper offers 7 days of full access, no credit card required. But you can also start with a free spreadsheet — the tool matters less than the habit.