Traders using ETRADE or Power ETRADE often hit a wall when they try to review their past trades in a structured way. E*TRADE provides solid execution tools and trade history, but it was never designed to be a trading journal. For traders who want to tag setups, track their psychology, and analyze performance by strategy, JournalPlus offers a dedicated E*TRADE alternative built specifically for trade review and improvement — available for a one-time $159 payment with lifetime access.
ETRADE / Power ETRADE Overview
ETRADE is a well-established brokerage platform now owned by Morgan Stanley, offering commission-free stock and ETF trading along with a robust options trading experience through Power ETRADE. The platform is known for its clean interface, strong options chain tools, and solid mobile app.
Pricing: Free with a brokerage account (commission-free stocks/ETFs, $0.65/contract for options).
Key Strengths:
- Excellent options trading tools and analysis in Power E*TRADE
- Clean, intuitive interface for both beginner and intermediate traders
- Strong mobile app with full trading capabilities
- Integrated research, screeners, and market commentary
Common Limitations for Journaling:
- Trade history is a transaction log, not a journal — no notes, tags, or setup categorization
- Performance analytics focus on portfolio returns, not individual trade quality or strategy effectiveness
- No way to track the reasoning behind trades or emotional state during execution
- Data exports are formatted for tax reporting, requiring cleanup before they are useful for review
Why Traders Switch to JournalPlus
No More Spreadsheet Workarounds
Many E*TRADE users end up building Google Sheets or Excel spreadsheets to journal their trades. This works initially but breaks down as trade volume grows. JournalPlus eliminates the spreadsheet entirely with a structured journal that handles imports, tagging, and analytics automatically.
Purpose-Built Performance Analytics
E*TRADE tells you your account balance went up or down. JournalPlus tells you why — breaking down your performance by strategy, ticker, time of day, holding period, and more. Win rate, expectancy, profit factor, and R-multiple calculations happen automatically across every dimension of your trading.
Structured Trade Review
The difference between tracking trades and journaling trades is the review process. JournalPlus gives you a workflow to annotate each trade with notes, tags, screenshots, and emotional state — then surfaces patterns across hundreds of trades that you would never spot manually.
Works Alongside Your Broker
Switching to JournalPlus does not mean leaving ETRADE. You continue executing trades on ETRADE and use JournalPlus as your dedicated review and improvement tool. This separation is actually an advantage — your journal is independent of any single broker, so if you ever move to Schwab or Fidelity, your journal history comes with you.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ETRADE / Power ETRADE | JournalPlus |
|---|---|---|
| Trade Logging | Automatic within platform | CSV import from any broker |
| Trade Notes & Tags | Not available | Full tagging and notes system |
| Performance Analytics | Basic portfolio P&L | Win rate, expectancy, profit factor, strategy breakdowns |
| Emotional Tracking | Not available | Per-trade emotion and mindset logging |
| Strategy Categorization | Not available | Tag and compare strategies |
| Screenshot Attachments | Not available | Attach charts to any trade |
| Multi-Broker Support | E*TRADE only | Any broker via CSV |
| Options Support | Excellent execution tools | Full options trade journaling |
| Price | Free with account | $159 one-time |
E*TRADE clearly wins on trade execution and real-time market tools — that is its purpose. JournalPlus wins on everything related to post-trade review and long-term improvement.
Pricing Comparison
Since E*TRADE’s trade history is free, the comparison here is straightforward: the question is whether dedicated journaling tools are worth $159.
| Time Period | E*TRADE | JournalPlus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $0 | $159 (one-time) |
| 6 months | $0 | $159 (same) |
| 1 year | $0 | $159 (same) |
| 2 years | $0 | $159 (same) |
| 3 years | $0 | $159 (same) |
Unlike subscription-based journal alternatives like TraderSync or Tradervue that cost $30-50/month, JournalPlus is a one-time purchase. Compared to those tools, JournalPlus pays for itself within a few months. Compared to ETRADE’s free trade history, the $159 investment gives you a complete journaling system that ETRADE simply does not provide.
JournalPlus offers a money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
How to Switch to JournalPlus
- Export your E*TRADE trade history. Log in to E*TRADE, navigate to your account’s trade history or transaction history, and download it as a CSV file. You can typically select a date range to export.
- Create your JournalPlus account. Sign up at JournalPlus and complete the one-time $159 purchase for lifetime access.
- Import your trades. Use the JournalPlus CSV import tool to upload your E*TRADE export. The importer will map fields automatically — review the preview to confirm everything looks correct.
- Tag your historical trades. Once imported, go through your recent trades and add tags for strategy type, setup quality, and any notes you remember. Even partial tagging on historical trades gives the analytics engine useful data.
- Set up your review routine. After each trading session on E*TRADE, export new trades and import them into JournalPlus. Add your notes while the trades are fresh — this is where the real journaling value comes from.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is JournalPlus better than E*TRADE’s built-in journal? ETRADE does not have a built-in journal — it has trade history and portfolio views. JournalPlus is a purpose-built trading journal with tagging, notes, analytics, and review workflows that ETRADE does not offer.
Can I import my E*TRADE trades into JournalPlus? Yes. Export your trade history as a CSV from ETRADE and import it into JournalPlus. The import tool maps ETRADE’s fields to JournalPlus automatically.
How much does JournalPlus cost compared to E*TRADE? E*TRADE’s trade history is free with your brokerage account, but it is not a journal. JournalPlus costs $159 one-time for lifetime access — no subscriptions, no recurring fees.
Do I need to leave E*TRADE to use JournalPlus? No. JournalPlus is a standalone journaling tool. You keep trading on E*TRADE and use JournalPlus to review and analyze your trades separately.
Does JournalPlus support options trades from E*TRADE? Yes. JournalPlus supports stocks, options, futures, and forex trades imported from any broker, including E*TRADE.
What does JournalPlus offer that Power E*TRADE doesn’t? Power E*TRADE is a trading platform with charting and execution tools. JournalPlus is a post-trade review tool with tagging, notes, emotional tracking, and performance analytics designed to help you improve over time. They serve different purposes and work well together.