Most traders looking for a journal end up on a paywall. TradeZella, Edgewonk and TraderSync are all good tools, but they charge a subscription on top of the prop firm fees you're already paying. If you're grinding a challenge, that recurring cost is the opposite of what you need.
FreeTradeTracker is built for exactly this trader: someone running MT5 on a prop firm account who wants to log every setup, review what actually works, and get AI feedback on their trades — without a card on file. This page compares the main options honestly, including where the paid tools genuinely win.
The short version
- Want free + private + prop-firm focused? FreeTradeTracker.
- Want deep auto-import from 500+ brokers and don't mind paying? TradeZella.
- Want free MT4/MT5 live sync and don't mind a public track record? Myfxbook.
- Want heavy manual analytics for forex? Edgewonk.
Trading journal comparison (2026)
| Journal | Price | AI review | Prop firm focus | Private | Import |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeTradeTracker | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Manual / CSV |
| TradeZella | ~$29/mo | Zella AI | Sync (beta) | Yes | 500+ brokers |
| TraderSync | from ~$30/mo | Higher tiers | Yes | Yes | Broker import |
| Edgewonk | ~$169/yr | Email reports | Limited | Yes | CSV |
| Tradervue | Free tier + paid | No | Limited | Yes | Broker import |
| Myfxbook | Free | No | Limited | Public | MT4/MT5 sync |
Pricing and features move fast in this space — treat the figures above as a guide and confirm on each vendor's site.
Start logging trades free
No trial timer, no card. Built for MT5 and prop firm challenges.
Open FreeTradeTracker →Where the paid journals are worth it
Being honest sells better than overclaiming. TradeZella leads on automated broker import — it pulls trades from a huge list of brokers and runs dozens of analytics reports, and its prop-firm sync feature is rolling out. If you trade many instruments across multiple brokers and want zero manual entry, that automation is real value.
Edgewonk rewards traders who like to dig — its manual tagging and forex-specific analytics go deep, and it added AI-driven weekly email reports in 2026. TraderSync bundles broker import with AI coaching on its higher tiers.
Where free wins
For most prop firm traders, the day-to-day job is simple: log the setup, tag the strategy, note the mistake, and review whether your edge is actually working. You don't need a $350-a-year stack to do that — you need consistency.
FreeTradeTracker covers that core loop and adds an AI trade review that reads each logged trade and gives you feedback, the way you'd pay for on a premium tier elsewhere. And because your journal is private to your account, you're not forced into a public track record the way you are with Myfxbook — a real concern if you don't want every trade visible.
Built for the prop firm grind
- Log MT5 scalps and swings with strategy + setup tagging
- Review your edge across sessions instead of guessing
- Get per-trade AI feedback to catch revenge trades and rule drift
- Keep it all private — no public account required
Do prop firms even accept a journal?
Yes. Firms like FTMO and similar evaluations accept any journal that can export your trades with entries, exits, timestamps and P&L. They usually only review a journal after a rule breach, checking for overleveraging, revenge trading or trading through news. A clean, consistent journal is your evidence — and it costs you nothing to keep one here.
FAQ
Is there a genuinely free trading journal for prop firm traders?
Yes. FreeTradeTracker is free with no trial limit and no card required. Tools like TradeZella, Edgewonk and TraderSync charge a subscription on top of your evaluation fees.
What's the best free alternative to TradeZella?
FreeTradeTracker covers the core of what most people pay TradeZella for — structured logging, performance review and AI feedback per trade — without the monthly cost, and it's built around MT5 and prop firm workflows.
What's the best alternative to Myfxbook without a public track record?
Myfxbook is free but typically exposes a public track record. FreeTradeTracker keeps your journal private to your account, which matters if you don't want your trades visible to anyone.
Does it work with MT5?
Yes — it's designed for MT5 and prop-firm trading, so you can log scalps, swings and strategy-based setups and review them in one place.
Will a prop firm accept it?
Most firms accept any journal that exports trades with entries, exits, timestamps and P&L. You can export your log whenever a firm asks for it.
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