Futures traders often start journaling inside NinjaTrader’s built-in Trade Performance window — it is free, automatic, and already connected to their trades. But as trading gets more serious, the limitations of a platform-native log become clear. JournalPlus is a dedicated trading journal built for traders who need deeper analysis, multi-broker aggregation, and structured trade review that a built-in tool simply cannot offer.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | JournalPlus | NinjaTrader Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $159 one-time | Free (included with platform) |
| Pricing Model | One-time purchase | Free |
| Key Strength | Advanced journaling, tagging, and analytics | Automatic logging within the NinjaTrader ecosystem |
| Best For | Traders across multiple brokers wanting deep trade review | NinjaTrader-only traders who need a basic trade log |
| Platform | Web, iOS, Android | Desktop only (Windows) |
| Multi-Broker | Yes — unlimited brokers | NinjaTrader accounts only |
| Custom Tags | Yes — setups, emotions, conditions | No |
JournalPlus Overview
JournalPlus is a standalone trading journal that works with any broker or platform. It is designed for traders who want to systematically review their trades, identify patterns in their behavior, and improve performance through structured data.
Key Features:
- Import trades from any broker via CSV or API integration
- Custom tags for setups, emotions, market conditions, and mistakes
- Advanced analytics with P&L breakdowns by tag, time, instrument, and more
- Auto-calculated metrics including expectancy, profit factor, and risk/reward ratios
- Native mobile apps for iOS and Android
- Screenshot and chart attachment for trade review
Pricing: $159 one-time payment with lifetime access. No monthly fees, no feature tiers.
Pros:
- One price, everything included — no subscriptions
- Works with every broker and platform
- Deep tagging and filtering let you find exactly what is working (and what is not)
- Mobile apps for on-the-go journaling
Cons:
- No built-in charting or trade execution
- Requires manual import or CSV upload for brokers without API support
- Learning curve to set up tags and workflows initially
NinjaTrader Journal Overview
NinjaTrader is a popular futures and forex trading platform known for its advanced charting, strategy development, and direct market access. Its built-in Trade Performance window automatically logs every trade executed through the platform and provides basic performance metrics.
Key Features:
- Automatic trade logging for all NinjaTrader-executed trades
- Trade Performance window with P&L, win rate, and MAE/MFE analysis
- Tick-level trade replay and historical data
- Integration with NinjaTrader’s charting and strategy tools
- Account Performance reports by time period
Pricing: Free with NinjaTrader’s platform (free tier available; full license and data feeds sold separately).
Pros:
- Zero setup — trades are logged automatically
- Deep futures market data and tick-level analysis
- MAE/MFE analysis built into the performance tool
- No additional cost if you already use NinjaTrader
Cons:
- Only tracks trades executed through NinjaTrader
- No custom tagging or categorization for trade setups
- Desktop-only with no mobile journaling option
- Limited to basic performance summaries without behavioral analytics
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Trade Logging & Import
NinjaTrader automatically records every trade placed through its platform — there is nothing to configure. This is its biggest convenience factor. However, it only sees NinjaTrader trades. If you also trade on ThinkorSwim, TradeStation, or any other platform, those trades do not exist in NinjaTrader’s log.
JournalPlus requires importing trades, but it accepts data from any source. You can aggregate your NinjaTrader futures trades alongside your stock trades from another broker into a single, unified journal. For traders using multiple platforms, this is the only way to see your full performance picture.
Analytics & Tagging
This is where the gap widens significantly. NinjaTrader’s Trade Performance tool shows P&L, win rate, average trade duration, and MAE/MFE (maximum adverse/favorable excursion). These are useful baseline metrics, but there is no way to slice them by custom dimensions.
JournalPlus lets you tag every trade with custom labels — your setup type, emotional state, market regime, mistake category, or any other dimension you care about. Then you can filter your analytics by those tags. Questions like “What is my win rate on breakout setups during high-volatility sessions?” are answerable in JournalPlus but impossible in NinjaTrader’s built-in tools.
Mobile Access & Review Workflow
NinjaTrader is a Windows desktop application. Reviewing your trades means sitting at your computer with the platform open. There is no mobile companion for journaling or reviewing performance on the go.
JournalPlus offers native iOS and Android apps alongside its web interface. You can add notes to a trade from your phone right after a session, review your weekly performance during a commute, or tag a trade while the context is still fresh. For traders who separate execution time from review time, mobile access matters.
Futures-Specific Capabilities
NinjaTrader has a genuine edge here. It is built for futures trading with tick-level data, contract rollover handling, market replay, and deep integration with futures data providers. If your analysis depends on tick-by-tick trade reconstruction, NinjaTrader’s tools are purpose-built for that.
JournalPlus supports futures contracts and calculates P&L per contract correctly, but it does not offer tick-level replay or direct market data. It focuses on the journaling and review layer rather than execution-level analysis.
Charting & Execution
NinjaTrader is a full trading platform with advanced charting, automated strategy execution, and direct market access. JournalPlus is not — it is purely a journaling and analytics tool. If you need an all-in-one platform for execution and basic tracking, NinjaTrader handles both. But most serious traders find that combining a great execution platform with a dedicated journal produces better results than relying on one tool for everything.
Pricing Breakdown
| Time Period | JournalPlus | NinjaTrader Journal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 month | $159 (one-time) | $0 |
| 6 months | $159 (already paid) | $0 |
| 1 year | $159 (already paid) | $0 |
| 2 years | $159 (already paid) | $0 |
| 3 years | $159 (already paid) | $0 |
NinjaTrader’s journal is free because it is a feature within the platform, not a standalone product. The pricing comparison here is straightforward: $159 for JournalPlus versus $0 for NinjaTrader’s built-in tool.
The real question is whether the journaling capabilities JournalPlus provides — multi-broker aggregation, custom tagging, advanced analytics, mobile access — are worth $159 to you. For traders who are serious about structured improvement, the answer is almost always yes. A single insight that prevents a recurring mistake can pay for the tool many times over.
Who Should Choose JournalPlus vs NinjaTrader Journal
Choose JournalPlus if:
- You trade on multiple platforms and need all trades in one place
- You want to tag trades by setup, emotion, and market condition to find patterns
- You need mobile access for journaling outside of screen time
- You are building a long-term, structured trade review process
- You are outgrowing NinjaTrader’s basic performance summaries
Choose NinjaTrader Journal if:
- You exclusively trade through NinjaTrader and have no other accounts
- You only need basic P&L and win rate tracking
- You prefer zero-setup, automatic trade logging over manual import
- You rely on tick-level MAE/MFE analysis within the execution platform
Our Verdict
JournalPlus is the stronger choice for traders who want a real journaling practice — one that goes beyond basic P&L tracking into structured self-improvement. NinjaTrader’s built-in Trade Performance tool is a solid starting point and its automatic logging is genuinely convenient, but it hits a ceiling quickly. No custom tags, no multi-broker view, no mobile access, and no behavioral analytics. For futures traders who are serious about finding edge through review, JournalPlus at $159 one-time is a worthwhile investment alongside NinjaTrader as your execution platform. The two tools complement each other well: execute on NinjaTrader, journal on JournalPlus.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does NinjaTrader have a built-in trading journal?
NinjaTrader includes a Trade Performance window that logs trades executed through the platform. It shows basic metrics like P&L, win rate, and trade history, but lacks custom tagging, multi-broker aggregation, and advanced journaling features.
Can I import NinjaTrader trades into JournalPlus?
Yes. You can export your NinjaTrader trade history as a CSV file and import it directly into JournalPlus, where it joins trades from any other broker you use.
Is NinjaTrader’s journal free?
Yes, the Trade Performance tool is included with NinjaTrader’s free platform tier. However, NinjaTrader charges for live data feeds and its full-featured license, so the total platform cost varies.
Which is better for futures trading journals?
NinjaTrader excels at futures execution and tick-level data, but JournalPlus offers superior journaling with tags, setup analysis, and multi-broker support. Many futures traders use NinjaTrader to execute and JournalPlus to journal.
Does JournalPlus support futures contracts?
Yes. JournalPlus supports futures alongside stocks, options, forex, and crypto. It handles contract specifications and calculates P&L per contract automatically.
Can I use JournalPlus and NinjaTrader together?
Absolutely. Many traders execute on NinjaTrader and journal in JournalPlus to get the best of both — NinjaTrader’s charting and execution with JournalPlus’s dedicated journaling and analytics.