Keep the journal you trust.Review the trade before it reaches it.
Run each proposed trade through Stargate before execution, while keeping your current journal and historical data.
No migration required.
One risky trade.
Two very different moments.
Your journal’s strongest analysis usually arrives after execution. Stargate applies its explicit rule review to the current proposal before entry — pick your journal and step through the same trade.
Official reference image unavailable — open the verified source.| Risk | 5% entered |
| Session | 9:00pm noted |
| Setup criteria | 2 of 5 ticked |
| GBP/USD | auto-imported ✓ |
Sources for this comparison
tradezella.com (official): Essential $35 / Pro $59 / Ultra $99 per month; Playbooks, Zella AI, Trade Replay, backtesting — verified 14 Jul 2026. Playbook compliance is confirmed by the trader. Illustrative recreation based on official public product materials. Reviewed 14 Jul 2026.
Official reference image unavailable — open the verified source.| Strategy | SMC · tracked |
| Avg risk (history) | 1.4% |
| Plan adherence | 81% last month |
| Previous SMC trades | 47 |
| Late-session trades | underperform |
| Risk above plan | recurring |
Sources for this comparison
tradersync.com (official): Pro $29.95 / Premium $49.95 / Elite $79.95 per month; Cypher AI, Strategy Checker (monthly rule-adherence review), Market Replay, broker sync — verified Apr–Jul 2026. In the materials reviewed, we did not identify an equivalent specific warning applied to an unexecuted proposal; the comparison is narrowed to explicit stored-rule validation before execution. Illustrative recreation based on official public product materials. Reviewed Jul 2026.
Official reference image unavailable — open the verified source.| Liquidity sweep | ✓ |
| Structure break | ✓ |
| Displacement | — |
| Session valid | no |
| Risk valid | no |
| Tiltmeter | deteriorating |
| Mistake cost | −£500 tagged |
| Checklist completion → P/L | correlated |
| Late-session performance | weak |
Sources for this comparison
edgewonk.com (official): $197/yr flat, 14-day refund; Tiltmeter, setup checklists, mistake tracking, Best Exit Analysis — verified May–Jul 2026. Checklists are completed by the trader; that structure is a real strength. Illustrative recreation based on official public product materials. Reviewed Jul 2026.
Official reference image unavailable — open the verified source.Daily note available.
| GBP/USD Long | −£500 |
| Tags | SMC · late-session |
| Note | “shouldn’t have taken this” |
| Time-of-day analysis | late trades weak |
| Tag report | SMC · mixed |
| Share with mentor | available |
Sources for this comparison
tradervue.com (official): free tier / Silver $29.95 / Gold $49.95 per month; imports, reports, tags, sharing — verified Jul 2026. Illustrative recreation based on official public product materials. Reviewed Jul 2026.
Stargate does not remove the journal.
It adds the missing layer before it.
BEFORE THE TRADE
- Stargate: plan, validate, challenge, score, size, revise
- Journals: varies — playbooks and plan templates may exist; the depth of validation differs; compliance is typically self-marked
DURING THE TRADE
- Stargate: the structured plan and planned risk stay visible — action can be compared with intent
- Journals: varies — some platforms provide live tracking or risk tools
AFTER THE TRADE
- Both: records, analytics, notes, review, pattern recognition
- Stargate: Trade Analyser logs automatically; Trade Analysis reviews performance and discipline over time
A better journal rarely fixes the losses.
If you’re comparing journals, you’ve probably already journaled — tagged the trades, read the reviews, seen the patterns. And the results haven’t changed. That’s usually not a journal problem. A journal can only grade the strategy it’s given: if the strategy and the foundations underneath it are the real issue, a sharper journal just documents the same mistakes in higher resolution.
What a new journal changes
Cleaner imports, better charts, smarter tags — a clearer picture of the same trades.
What it cannot change
The strategy that picks the trades, the risk habits, the sessions, the reasoning. The inputs stay the inputs.
What actually moves results
Stronger foundations, a framework that fits you, and a mentor-style review of each trade before you take it — education plus a pre-trade check, not another rear-view mirror.
Trading involves risk and most retail traders lose money — no tool changes that by itself. Education and process are where the leverage is.
One system: education + Trade Planner + journal.
£120 starts it at Level 2 — mentorship follows at Level 3.
At the centre sits the brain: five years of CLF trading intelligence — the same engine behind Pip — with all 23 strategies preloaded, yours included. The stance never changes: a journal explains the loss after it exists; Stargate challenges the decision while it is still a proposal.
How you access it
Stargate is not sold separately — it is earned through the pathway. £120 covers the two-day Level 2 training, the assessed exam and the certificate awarded following successful assessment; Stargate access comes bundled with 30 days of Stargate access and daily live trading webinars — five days a week, where CLF traders apply the frameworks and give their market outlook on the currencies. The platform is then free throughout the four months of Level 3, with an optional monthly subscription afterwards.
Honest fits, side by side.
TradeZella
Strong for mature journaling, Playbooks, replay, backtesting and AI review.
TraderSync
Strong for broker coverage, mobile workflow, analytics and historical strategy intelligence.
Edgewonk
Strong for psychology, discipline analysis, checklists and behavioural review.
Tradervue
Strong for simple records, reports, imports, tags and sharing.
Stargate
Strong for checking the current proposal against stored rules before execution, then connecting planning, journaling and review.
Different tools solve different jobs. Stargate adds the decision layer before the journal.
Add. Prove. Consolidate — when ready.
Use Stargate before execution. Keep your current journal.
Compare Stargate’s warnings with your own decisions.
Decide later whether one connected system is enough.
It does not flag everything.
Three proposals, three different results — warnings come from your configured rules, not a permanent red screen.
5% risk vs 1% rule · 9:00pm vs window · SMC criteria unmet.
“Avoid this trade.”
Valid time · correct risk · one missing entry trigger.
“Revise and resubmit.”
Fully compliant proposal.
“Rules satisfied. Final decision remains with the trader.”
A pass means the proposal meets your configured criteria — not a profit prediction.
Four things, one workflow.
Strategy (SMC — 1 of 23 preloaded, yours included), mandatory criteria, 1% max risk, approved sessions, reasoning required. The warnings come from these — not a vague opinion.
Enter the proposal — saved account, saved strategy, current time detected — the checks run, and you revise, reject or proceed. Designed to fit before execution.
Stargate → broker → your current journal keeps receiving completed trades. No direct integrations are claimed — your journal and its history stay exactly where they are.
Your planning records belong to you. Export, retention and deletion requests are covered in the privacy policy — questions answered before you pay.
Three generations, one table.
No simplistic ticks where reality is nuanced. “Platform dependent” means it exists on some journals or tiers, not all.
| Capability | Manual journal | Journal platform | AI journal | Stargate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade notes & screenshots | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automated trade import | No | Yes | Yes | Auto from the plan |
| Performance analytics | Manual | Yes | Yes | Trade Analysis |
| Post-trade AI insights | No | Platform dependent | Yes · after execution | Yes |
| Playbooks / checklists | DIY | Platform dependent | Yes · self-marked | System-checked |
| Pre-trade plan capture | DIY | Platform dependent | Yes | Yes · core |
| Proposed-setup screening | No | No | Not a core feature | Before execution |
| Pre-execution risk warnings | No | No | Not a core feature | Before execution |
| Position-size validation | No | Platform dependent | Platform dependent | Before execution |
| Strategy compliance check | Self | Self | Retrospective | Before execution |
| Session suitability | Self | Reported after | Reported after | Checked before |
| Behavioural history applied to next trade | No | No | Partial · reports | In the decision |
| Integrated education & webinars | No | Rare | Platform dependent | Included |
| Mentorship & qualification pathway | No | No | No | L2 → L3 → CISI route |
| Automated backtesting | No | Platform dependent | Yes · top tiers | Not a feature |
| Trade / market replay | No | Platform dependent | Yes · top tiers | Not a feature |
| Broker auto-import breadth | — | 60–900+ brokers | 500–900+ brokers | Plan-based logging instead |
| Mobile apps | — | Platform dependent | Platform dependent | Web platform |
| Emotion / tilt tracking | DIY | Platform dependent | Yes | Behavioural analysis |
| AI you can ask about your data | No | No | Yes · limited msgs/day | Pip · included |
| Community / trade sharing | No | Platform dependent | Platform dependent | Trading Rooms |
| Prop-firm account tracking | No | Platform dependent | Yes · top tiers | Not a core feature |
| Typical cost | Free | ~$16–50/mo | ~$29–99/mo | £120 L2 incl. trial → free through L3 |
“AI journal” reflects the strongest current journal platforms (verified July 2026). Several offer genuine pre-trade aids — playbooks, plan templates, checklists — which is why those rows say Yes. Where Stargate lacks a feature — backtesting, market replay, prop-firm tracking — the table says so. The distinction Stargate claims is narrower and specific: the system evaluates the specific proposed setup against rules, risk, strategy, session and context before execution.
When a journal is genuinely all you need.
A journal is enough if…
You already follow a tested process consistently · you mainly need reporting · you primarily want broker imports and analytics · you don’t need structured pre-trade review. Journals remain excellent at record keeping, analytics and behavioural review.
Stargate is for you if…
You break your own rules under pressure · you repeat avoidable mistakes · you trade SMC, Wyckoff, price action or your own playbook and want it validated on the setup in front of you · you want education, webinars and mentorship connected to the same process — not a separate subscription.
Stargate does not replace post-trade analysis. It adds the earlier layer where the proposed decision can still be changed — and keeps the journal running underneath.
Looking for an alternative?
TradeZella alternative
TradeZella ($35–$99/mo, updated 14 Jul 2026) is a strong post-trade journal with playbooks, backtesting and Zella AI. If what you actually need is the setup challenged before execution — not reviewed after — the Stargate Trade Planner is the pre-trade alternative, with the journal included.
TraderSync alternative
TraderSync ($29.95–$79.95/mo) excels at broker sync, mobile and retrospective AI. Its Strategy Checker reports rule adherence monthly; Stargate checks the same rules per decision, pre-entry — and adds education, webinars and mentorship no journal offers.
Edgewonk alternative
Edgewonk ($197/yr) is the best pure psychology journal. It measures discipline after the fact; Stargate applies your behavioural history to the next proposed trade — support at the moment discipline is tested, not a report after it slipped.
Tradervue alternative
Tradervue (free–$49.95/mo) is excellent simple record keeping. Stargate keeps the record too — the Trade Analyser logs every planned trade automatically — but the record starts at the decision, with the setup screened first.
Also searched as: best trading journal, AI trading journal, trading journal software, pre-trade analysis software, trade planning software, trading discipline software. Competitor pricing and features verified from official sources, 15 July 2026.
What is the best trading journal in 2026?
Among dedicated trading journals: TradeZella ($35–$99/mo) leads on all-round features, playbooks, backtesting and Zella AI; TraderSync ($29.95–$79.95/mo) leads on broker coverage, mobile apps and Cypher AI; Edgewonk ($197/yr) leads on trading psychology and discipline analytics; Tradervue (free–$49.95/mo) leads on simple record keeping and sharing.
All four deliver their principal insight after execution — planning support varies by provider, and self-checked playbooks or plan templates exist on some. The Stargate Trade Planner by Come Learn Forex is the pre-trade alternative — it screens each proposed setup against your rules, risk, strategy (23 preloaded, SMC to Wyckoff, yours included) and five years of CLF intelligence before the trade is placed, then keeps the journal automatically. It is included with the £120 assessed retail trading qualification developed by Come Learn Forex and independently endorsed by a UK awarding body.
Every competitor claim, sourced.
TradeZella — sources
Pricing & features: tradezella.com and official TradeZella Help Centre pricing article (provider updated pricing 14 Jul 2026: Essential $35 / Pro $59 / Ultra $99 monthly; $26/$44/$74 annual). Playbooks, Zella AI, backtesting, replay: official site and blog. Status: current. Verified from official source, 15 Jul 2026.
TraderSync — sources
Pricing: tradersync.com/pricing (Pro $29.95 / Premium $49.95 / Elite $79.95 monthly). Strategy Checker, Cypher AI, trade plans, market replay, automated backtesting (Elite): official site. Status: current. Verified from official source, Apr–Jul 2026.
Edgewonk — sources
Pricing: edgewonk.com/pricing (flat $197/yr, 14-day refund; pricing page last reviewed by provider May 2026). Tiltmeter, Setup Checklists, discipline efficiency, Best Exit Analysis: official features pages. Edge Finder AI (added Jan 2026): provider-stated — one-way weekly reports. Status: current. Verified from official source, 15 Jul 2026.
Tradervue — sources
Pricing: tradervue.com (free tier · Silver $29.95 · Gold $49.95 monthly). Import, reports, tags, sharing: official site and blog. No AI, backtesting or pre-trade screening found at any tier on official materials. Status: current. Verified from official source, 15 Jul 2026.
Methodology
Each platform is represented by its strongest relevant capability, from first-party sources, with the verification date shown. Competitor interfaces are original recreations styled from publicly available official product imagery — recognisable workflow, independently implemented — and labelled as such throughout. Figures in competitor windows are example data, not measurements of those products. Where a capability could not be confirmed from official material it is marked "requires confirmation" or excluded.
Review the next trade before it becomes another journal entry.
Start Level 2 to learn the CLF foundations, complete the assessment and test Stargate alongside your current journal.
Keep your existing journal while you test the workflow.
What is the best trading journal?
It depends on the job: TradeZella for all-round features and AI, TraderSync for broker coverage and mobile, Edgewonk for psychology at a flat $197/yr, Tradervue for free simple record keeping (all verified July 2026). Their principal workflow delivers its insight after execution; planning support varies by provider. If you want the setup screened before you take it, that is a different category — a trade planner. The Stargate Trade Planner screens each proposed setup pre-execution and includes the journal.
What is the difference between a trading journal and a trade planner?
A trading journal records and analyses trades after they close — imports, tags, analytics, AI review. A trade planner evaluates the proposed setup before execution: risk, position size, strategy compliance, session and context. Stargate does both: the Trade Planner screens first, the Trade Analyser journals automatically, Trade Analysis reviews over time.
Is there software that checks a trade before you take it?
Yes — the Stargate Trade Planner. It runs each proposed setup through five years of CLF intelligence and checks risk (1–2% or less), liquidity, framework balance, overtrading and your personal rules before execution, issuing a violation warning if a rule is broken. It supports 23 preloaded strategies from SMC to Wyckoff, plus your own. It does not place or block trades — the decision stays with the trader.
Is Stargate a trading journal?
No — it contains one. The Trade Planner screens setups before you take them, the Trade Analyser logs every planned trade automatically, and Trade Analysis reviews performance and discipline over time. The Analyser and Analysis are what journals sell; the Planner is the layer they do not have.
Can I use Stargate alongside TradeZella or Edgewonk?
Yes — nothing conflicts. Many traders keep an existing journal running while they plan through Stargate. Continue using both while you compare the workflows — consolidate only after Stargate has proved useful with your own decisions.
Do I have to trade the CLF method to use Stargate?
No. The Trade Planner comes loaded with 23 strategies traders actually use — SMC to Wyckoff, pin bars to pure price action — and yours can be included. Pick your strategy and it screens every setup against the framework: risk at 1–2% or less, trading where the liquidity is, a balanced framework, and no overtrading. Break a rule and the platform issues a violation and a warning not to take the trade.
Does Stargate block bad trades?
No. Stargate is designed to flag issues — oversized risk, rule breaches, strategy mismatches, session conflicts — before execution. The decision to revise, reject or proceed always remains the trader’s. It does not place trades, block trades, or guarantee outcomes.
Why does acting before the trade matter?
The expensive mistakes — oversized risk, revenge trades, dead sessions — are decided in the seconds before entry. A journal can only report them afterwards. Screening the setup first means the warning can be considered before the trade is placed.
How much does Stargate cost?
£120 covers the two-day Level 2 training, the assessed exam and the certificate awarded following successful assessment. Stargate access comes bundled: 30 days of Stargate access with daily live trading webinars — five days a week, every trading day — where CLF traders apply the frameworks and give their market outlook on the currencies, then free throughout the four months of Level 3, with an optional monthly subscription afterwards.
Trading involves risk and most retail traders lose money. Stargate supports more structured decision-making; it does not provide investment advice, does not guarantee improvement, and does not guarantee that losses or mistakes will be prevented. Competitor features and pricing verified from official websites and documentation on 15 July 2026 and may change; competitor workflows shown are illustrative recreations for comparison, not reproductions of those products, and no affiliation is implied. “Five years of CLF intelligence” refers to Come Learn Forex teaching, strategy and learner data accumulated since 2019 — the same base behind Pip.