Traders who use Quantower as their execution platform eventually hit the same wall: the platform shows what happened, but not why. If you’re searching for a Quantower alternative for trading journal purposes, you’re not looking to replace Quantower — you’re looking to fill the analytical gap it leaves behind. Quantower is a legitimate, professional-grade execution tool with deep order flow capabilities, but journaling was never its purpose. JournalPlus is built specifically for the review layer that Quantower doesn’t provide.
Quantower Overview
Quantower is a professional trading terminal aimed at active traders who need advanced execution tools — footprint charts, DOM (depth of market), order flow analysis, multi-broker connectivity, and real-time charting. It connects to over 70 brokers and data feeds, making it a flexible choice for futures and forex traders who want execution-grade tools without being locked into a single broker.
Its strengths are well-established among futures and forex traders:
- Order flow tools: Footprint charts, volume delta, and DOM panels built for ES, NQ, EUR/USD, and similar markets
- Multi-broker support: Connects to 70+ brokers and data feeds, separating execution from broker choice
- Free tier available: Core charting and execution features are accessible without a paid subscription
- Low latency execution: Designed for traders where entry timing within a tick matters
Common limitations traders report after extended use:
- Trade history shows fills and P&L but has no tagging, categorization, or setup classification
- No equity curve, drawdown chart, or multi-period performance comparison
- No session-level breakdown — impossible to know whether RTH trades outperform ETH without manual spreadsheet work
- Windows-only desktop application, requiring a separate device for any post-session review away from the trading machine
Why Traders Switch to JournalPlus
The Journal Layer Quantower Doesn’t Have
Quantower’s trade history is a log, not a journal. It records what executed, but it cannot answer the questions that actually improve performance: which setup has the highest win rate, which session produces the most drawdown, or whether execution quality is degrading under pressure. These are journaling questions, and Quantower has no answers for them. JournalPlus exists to answer exactly these questions, making it a natural complement — not a replacement — for Quantower users.
Setup Tagging for Order Flow Traders
Futures traders using DOM and footprint charts typically have 3–6 distinct setup types: absorption plays, breakout fades, imbalance entries, VWAP reclaims, and similar. Without tagging, the performance of each setup is invisible. Consider a realistic scenario: a trader executes 8–12 trades per day on ES during RTH. At week’s end, Quantower’s history shows a net gain of $340 — but the breakdown is hidden. Importing that same data into JournalPlus and tagging each trade by setup type takes about 15 minutes. The result: absorption setups +$580 on the week, breakout fades -$240 — a pattern that is completely invisible in Quantower alone.
R-Multiple Tracking and Edge Measurement
Professional traders evaluate edge in R-multiples, not raw dollars. A 2R winner on a $50 risk and a $400 winner on a $1,000 risk are different trades, but Quantower treats them identically. JournalPlus auto-calculates R-multiples when you log your planned stop, giving you expectancy per setup and making it possible to compare performance across instruments and position sizes on equal footing.
Session and Time-of-Day Analytics
Order flow traders often find their edge is time-dependent — absorption setups that work at the 9:30 open behave differently at 2:00 PM. JournalPlus breaks performance down by session (RTH vs ETH), time of day, and day of week. This granularity is not available anywhere in Quantower’s native tools and is one of the first things active futures traders notice when they start reviewing their data properly.
Web-Based Access for Post-Session Review
Quantower is Windows desktop software. Post-session review — writing notes, tagging trades, reviewing the equity curve — works best away from the trading machine, often on a different device. JournalPlus is fully web-based, accessible from any browser on any device, making it practical to do review work in the evening on a laptop or tablet without any software installation.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Quantower | JournalPlus |
|---|---|---|
| Trade history / fills | Yes | Yes — imported via CSV or broker sync |
| Setup tagging | No | Yes — unlimited custom tags |
| R-multiple tracking | No | Yes — auto-calculated |
| Equity curve | No | Yes — with drawdown visualization |
| Session performance breakdown | No | Yes — RTH, ETH, time-of-day |
| Emotional / psychology log | No | Yes — mood and confidence per trade |
| Screenshot attachments | No | Yes — per-trade chart images |
| Execution quality tracking | No | Yes — planned vs actual entry |
| Weekly review workflow | No | Yes — guided review with stats |
| Platform access | Windows only | Web-based, any device |
| Pricing model | Subscription | One-time $159 lifetime |
Pricing Comparison
Quantower offers a free tier with core charting tools and paid plans (including the All-In-One bundle) running approximately $50/month for the full feature set. JournalPlus is a one-time payment of $159 with no subscription. The table below shows the cost of adding dedicated journaling to your Quantower setup, comparing JournalPlus to a typical subscription-based trading journal at $30/month:
| Period | Subscription Journal ($30/mo) | JournalPlus (one-time) | Savings with JournalPlus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $30 | $159 | –$129 |
| 6 months | $180 | $159 | $21 |
| 1 year | $360 | $159 | $201 |
| 2 years | $720 | $159 | $561 |
| 3 years | $1,080 | $159 | $921 |
JournalPlus breaks even against a $30/month subscription journal in under 6 months. Over 3 years, the savings reach $921. For traders who plan to journal consistently — which is the goal — the one-time model is significantly cheaper.
JournalPlus does not offer a free trial but provides a free tier. Quantower’s paid plans are subscription-based with no stated refund window for the monthly tier; check their current terms before purchasing.
How to Switch to JournalPlus
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Export your trade history from your broker. Quantower connects to your broker for execution, so your trade data lives in your broker account. Log in to your broker’s web portal and export a CSV of your trade history. Most brokers (TradeStation, cTrader, Interactive Brokers) support this directly.
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Create a JournalPlus account. Go to JournalPlus and sign up. The setup process takes under 5 minutes — you’ll configure your default account currency and risk per trade (used for R-multiple calculation).
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Import your CSV. Use JournalPlus’s CSV import tool to upload your broker export. Map the columns (symbol, date, entry, exit, quantity, side) and JournalPlus will populate your trade history.
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Set up broker sync going forward. If your broker supports direct integration — cTrader users can sync automatically — enable it so future trades import without manual exports.
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Tag your historical trades. Spend one session tagging your last 50–100 trades by setup type. This is the highest-leverage step: within minutes of tagging, setup-level performance data becomes visible for the first time.
For ongoing reference on how futures traders use JournalPlus, see the futures trading journal guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Quantower have a built-in trading journal?
Quantower has a trade history view showing fills, P&L, and basic execution data, but no journaling module. There is no setup tagging, review workflow, emotional tracking, or equity curve analytics. Dedicated journaling requires a separate tool.
Can I import my Quantower trades into JournalPlus?
Yes. The most common path is exporting a CSV from your broker account (which connects to Quantower) and importing it into JournalPlus. Brokers with direct JournalPlus integrations — including cTrader and TradeStation — can sync automatically.
Is JournalPlus better than Quantower for trading analysis?
They serve different purposes. Quantower excels at execution — order flow, footprint charts, DOM, and live charting. JournalPlus excels at post-trade review — setup analytics, equity tracking, and pattern recognition. Most serious Quantower users benefit from running both.
How much does adding JournalPlus to my Quantower setup cost?
JournalPlus is a one-time $159 for lifetime access. Subscription journal alternatives typically run $25–$40/month. At $30/month, a subscription journal costs $360/year — JournalPlus pays for itself in under 6 months.
Is JournalPlus suitable for futures traders who use order flow?
Yes. JournalPlus is well-suited to futures traders who need to tag trades by order flow setup, track execution quality against planned entries, and break down win rate by session or time of day. It is actively used by ES, NQ, and CL traders for exactly this purpose.
Can I attach footprint chart screenshots to my journal entries?
Yes. JournalPlus supports screenshot attachments per trade. You can save a footprint chart, DOM snapshot, or any chart image alongside each trade entry for post-session review.
What if I switch execution platforms away from Quantower?
JournalPlus is platform-agnostic. If you move from Quantower to NinjaTrader or any other execution platform, your historical journal data stays intact. You simply import from the new broker going forward.