Free trading journal with MT5 auto-sync.
Elave's trading journal is a free, auto-synced journal for MetaTrader and prop-firm traders. Install the Elave EA on MT5 (or the MT4 sync file) and every closed trade lands in your journal by itself; cTrader, TradeLocker, ProjectX and NinjaTrader accounts sync too, and file import covers the rest. No card, no subscription.
Arnau Lavernia · Founder of Elave · Last updated:
Journal
Prop 100K · MetaTrader 5What the Elave trading journal does
| Feature | What it does | Access |
|---|---|---|
| MT5 auto-sync | The Elave EA sends every closed trade to your journal. Nothing to type. | Free · Windows installer; manual steps on Mac |
| More platforms | MT4, cTrader, TradeLocker, ProjectX (TopstepX) and NinjaTrader 8, which also carries Tradovate and Rithmic accounts. | Free · NinjaTrader add-on on Windows |
| File import | MT5 History report (HTML or XLSX), MT4/MT5 CSV, TradingView "List of trades" and Myfxbook, with columns mapped for you. | Free |
| Trade log, P&L calendar, day view | Every trade per account, filterable; green and red days on a calendar; drill into any day. | Free |
| Analytics | Expectancy, profit factor, drawdown, average R, costs and streaks, split by session, weekday and hour. | Free |
| Edge by setup | Tag trades by strategy and measure each one on its own. | Free |
| Trade review | Notes, ratings and a queue of unreviewed trades. An AI trade review scores how impulsive a trade looked, from 0 to 100. Any journal trade replays on its own chart with the entry, stop and target marked. | Free |
| Telegram desk | /journal and /review (your last trade) in Telegram; a voice note becomes a journal note. | Free · linking Telegram is optional |
Is there a truly free trading journal with no credit card?
Yes. Elave's journal, every platform sync, file import, analytics and the Telegram desk are free with a normal account. There is no credit card, no trial clock and no paid tier.
Three things sit outside the free account and are included with the Elave Bootcamp, which is by application: the full AI Coach (the habit behind your top finding, the weekly review and your journey), the Elave indicator, and Prop Quant planning on your own prop accounts.
How does a free trading journal make money?
Ask any free journal this before you connect an account. Elave is funded by partner-broker (introducing-broker) relationships and by the Elave Bootcamp, a coaching programme by application. Traders pay nothing for the platform: the journal, Guardian, the backtest report and the Telegram desk stay free with an account.
How does MT5 auto-sync work: investor password, EA or file?
Trading journals connect to MetaTrader 5 in one of three ways: an investor password that lets a cloud service view your history, an EA on your own terminal that sends closed trades out, or a history file you upload. Elave uses the EA and file import.
On Windows, the Elave Connector installs the Elave EA into MetaTrader 5 for you. On a Mac, you download the same EA file and attach it to a chart with a few manual steps. From then on, each closed trade reaches your journal without any typing.
The same EA also runs Guardian, Elave's MT5 risk rules. It never opens a trade on its own; at your prop firm's daily limit it closes open trades. Orders from its on-chart panel are sent only when you click.
Is it safe to connect my MT5 account to a trading journal?
Yes, if you never hand over your master password. Elave's MT5 sync asks for no MetaTrader password at all: the Elave EA runs in your own terminal, you link it with a code from its panel, and it sends each closed trade to your journal. TradeLocker connects with your TradeLocker login and ProjectX with an API key instead.
Which platforms and files can I bring in?
- Direct sync: MetaTrader 5, MetaTrader 4, cTrader (sign in with your cTrader ID), TradeLocker, ProjectX (TopstepX, username and API key) and NinjaTrader 8 on Windows, which covers every account connected through NinjaTrader, Tradovate and Rithmic included.
- File import: the MT5 History report (HTML or XLSX), MT4 and MT5 CSV exports, a TradingView "List of trades" export and Myfxbook exports. Columns are mapped automatically.
- Not available yet: direct sync for Match-Trader, Volumetrica and TradingView. Use a file import for those accounts.
Can it track several prop firm accounts?
Yes. Connect each evaluation or funded account. Accounts and Portfolio list them together, each in its own currency, and the journal home draws their equity curves side by side. In the Payouts manager you record each account's firm, phase, size and the fee you paid, plus withdrawals and their evidence.
Does it show my prop firm's daily loss room?
Yes, on MT5. Guardian shows what you have used today, what is at risk in open trades and what is still available before your firm's daily limit. The Telegram desk's /room command shows the room left before each prop limit.
Free futures trading journal: NinjaTrader, Tradovate, Rithmic and TopstepX.
It is free, like the rest of the journal. Futures accounts sync today through ProjectX (TopstepX) and through the NinjaTrader 8 add-on on Windows, which carries Tradovate and Rithmic accounts connected to NinjaTrader. A TradingView "List of trades" export can be imported as a file.
TopstepX accounts connect with your ProjectX username and an API key; check whether your ProjectX plan includes API access. The NinjaTrader add-on needs the Windows desktop app, and there is no Mac version.
Is there a trading journal Telegram bot?
Yes. Link Telegram to your Elave account (it is optional) and the desk bot brings your journal into the chat:
- /journal and /review: your journal and your last trade, in the chat.
- Voice debrief: send a voice note and it becomes a note in your journal.
- Prop-limit alerts: a warning at 50% of a limit and critical alerts at 80% and 100%, which cannot be muted.
- Stop for today: one tap ends your trading day.
Trading journal vs spreadsheet
A spreadsheet works when you place a few trades a week and enjoy building formulas. Once you trade daily or run several accounts, the typing and the upkeep are what usually stop the habit.
| Criterion | Elave journal | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Getting trades in | Synced from your platform, or a file import | Typed or pasted by hand |
| Accuracy | The fills your platform reports | As good as each entry you type |
| Metrics | Expectancy, profit factor, drawdown, by session, weekday and hour, built in | Formulas you write and maintain |
| Several accounts | One view, each account in its own currency | One tab or file per account |
| Behaviour review | AI trade review and a review queue | None unless you build it |
| Flexibility | Fixed views plus your own setup tags | Any column you want |
| Cost | Free | Free if you already own the software |
FAQ
Is the Elave trading journal free?
Yes. The journal, platform sync, file import and analytics are free with no card and no subscription. Elave is funded by partner-broker relationships. The full AI Coach, the Elave indicator and planning on your own prop accounts are included with the Elave Bootcamp, which is by application.
Does the journal sync MT5 automatically?
Yes. On Windows the Elave Connector installs the Elave EA in MetaTrader 5; on a Mac you attach the EA file by hand. Every closed trade then reaches your journal. It never opens a trade on its own; at your prop firm's daily limit it closes open trades.
Which platforms besides MT5 can sync?
MT4, cTrader, TradeLocker, ProjectX (TopstepX) and NinjaTrader 8 on Windows, which also covers Tradovate and Rithmic accounts connected through NinjaTrader. Direct sync for Match-Trader, Volumetrica and TradingView is not available yet; import a file for those.
Can I log trades by hand?
No. Trades come from a platform sync or a file import: the MT5 History report, MT4 or MT5 CSV, a TradingView "List of trades" export or Myfxbook. Leaving out manual entry keeps the journal matched to what your broker actually filled.
Can I journal several prop firm accounts at once?
Yes. Connect each account and Elave shows them together, each in its own currency, with equity curves side by side. The Payouts manager records each account's firm, phase, size and fee, and your withdrawals.
Does it work on a Mac?
The journal runs in any browser. The Connector installer is Windows only, so on a Mac running MetaTrader 5 you download the Elave EA file and attach it to a chart with a few manual steps.
What is a trading journal for?
A trading journal records every trade with its context so you can measure what works: expectancy, drawdown, results by setup, session and hour, and the habits behind your losses. Elave builds it from your synced trades, so every review starts from complete data.
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Get started
Free, no card. Connect MT5 or import a file in a few minutes.
Educational content, not investment advice. Elave makes no performance, win-rate, pass-rate or income claims. Trading leveraged products carries a high risk of loss.