Most “best trading app” lists are about brokers or charting platforms, not trading plan tools. The real category is small: TradingPlan is the only purpose-built native Apple app for trading discipline, with Notion and spreadsheets as the most common DIY alternatives. Trading journals like Edgewonk and TradeZella overlap but solve a different problem (post-trade analysis, not in-session execution). Here’s the honest roundup of every tool that actually qualifies.
What Counts As A “Trading Plan App”?
Search “best trading app” and you’ll get broker apps, charting platforms, news readers, and signal services. None of those are trading plan apps.
A genuine trading plan app helps you with three specific things:
- Building your plan — strategy rules, risk parameters, pre-market routine, psychology principles
- Following your plan — surfacing your rules in the moment you’re about to trade
- Reviewing what happened — comparing your behaviour against the plan you set
By those criteria, the actual category is small. Here’s the honest ranking.
The Ranked List
1. TradingPlan
Best for: In-session discipline and execution. Native Apple users.
A purpose-built native Apple app (iPhone, iPad, Mac) that turns your trading strategy rules and pre-market routine into a live step-by-step checklist you run before every trade.
Strengths: - Strategy Flow walks you through your rules in the moment, not afterwards - Built-in routine builder for pre-market checklists - Risk management framework with 10 dedicated categories - 10 strategy templates plus build-from-scratch - Private by design — data stored in your iCloud only - Free tier with one strategy, one routine - £59.99/year or £149.99 lifetime for PRO
Limitations: - Apple only (no Android, no Windows) - Not built primarily as a journal/analytics tool
Verdict: The only app on this list purpose-built specifically for the moment of trading.
2. Notion (With A Trading Template)
Best for: Notion power users who want everything in one workspace.
Not a trading plan app — a general-purpose workspace where users have built trading plan templates.
Strengths: - Unlimited flexibility - Free tier is genuinely free - Cross-platform - Strong template ecosystem
Limitations: - Setup takes hours to days, not minutes - A document — not active in the moment of a trade - No native execution flow logic
Verdict: Excellent for documentation. Poor for in-session execution.
Read the full TradingPlan vs Notion comparison →
3. Trading Plan Spreadsheet (Excel / Google Sheets)
Best for: Traders who love customisation, calculation, and control.
The #1 incumbent tool.
Strengths: - Free (Google Sheets) or cheap (Microsoft 365) - Maximum calculation power - Cross-platform - Highly customisable
Limitations: - Same fundamental problem as Notion - Hours to set up properly - Awkward to use mid-session
Verdict: Brilliant for storing data. Poor at being present in the moment.
Read the full TradingPlan vs Spreadsheet comparison →
4. Apple Notes / Bear / Obsidian
Best for: Capturing thoughts, journalling, knowledge linking.
Strengths: - Free or very cheap - Native to Apple (great UX) - Excellent for journalling and reflection
Limitations: - A document — same problem as Notion and spreadsheets - No structure imposed - No active flow during a session
Verdict: Excellent companion tool. Not designed for the moment of trading itself.
Read the full TradingPlan vs Apple Notes comparison →
5. Paper Trading Journal
Best for: Deep reflection, handwriting cognition, focused offline thinking.
Strengths: - Forces deep, deliberate engagement - Handwriting strengthens memory - No notifications, no distractions
Limitations: - Awkward to reference mid-session - Single physical copy with no backup - Not searchable - No active execution support
Verdict: Genuinely valuable for end-of-day reflection — but unsuited to in-session execution.
Read the full TradingPlan vs Paper Journal comparison →
6. Edgewonk
Best for: Deep post-trade psychological analysis.
A trading journal app focused on the psychological side of trading.
Verdict: Excellent for after-the-fact review. Not designed for the moment of trading itself.
Read the full TradingPlan vs Edgewonk comparison →
7. TradeZella
Best for: Modern, polished trade journaling.
Verdict: Strong tool for traders prioritising trade analytics. Not a substitute for an in-session execution tool.
Read the full TradingPlan vs TradeZella comparison →
Side-By-Side Summary
| Tool | Plan execution in-session | Built-in routine | Risk framework | Native Apple | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TradingPlan | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Notion | ❌ No | ⚠️ Build it | ❌ No | ⚠️ Wrapper | ✅ Yes |
| Spreadsheet | ❌ No | ⚠️ Build it | ⚠️ Manual | ⚠️ Excel only | ✅ Sheets |
| Apple Notes / Bear | ❌ No | ⚠️ Build it | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Obsidian | ❌ No | ⚠️ Build it | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Paper Journal | ❌ No | ⚠️ Manual | ⚠️ Manual | n/a | One-off cost |
| Edgewonk | ❌ No | ❌ No | ⚠️ Analytics only | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| TradeZella | ❌ No | ❌ No | ⚠️ Analytics only | ❌ No | Limited |
How To Choose
If your problem is “I don’t have a plan written down yet”
Start with Apple Notes, Bear, or Obsidian. Just write.
If your problem is “I have a plan but I never use it during sessions”
You need TradingPlan. This is the gap it was specifically built to close.
If your problem is “I need detailed performance analytics over many trades”
A spreadsheet, Edgewonk, or TradeZella is what you need.
If your problem is “I want to journal my emotional experience”
A paper journal or Apple Notes / Obsidian gives you the right space.
The Smartest Setup For Most Serious Traders
- TradingPlan for in-session execution and discipline
- A journal (paper, Apple Notes, or a dedicated journal app) for end-of-day reflection
- A spreadsheet or analytics tool if they want detailed performance review
No single tool does all three well. The right setup combines the right tool for each phase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a trading plan app and a trading journal app?
A trading plan app helps you build and follow your rules before and during a trade. A trading journal app helps you record and analyse what happened after a trade. Most serious traders need both.
Is there a free trading plan app?
TradingPlan has a free tier with one strategy and one routine. Notion’s free plan supports trading plan templates. Apple Notes is free.
What’s the best trading plan app for iPhone?
TradingPlan is built natively for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Do I need a trading plan app if I have a written plan?
If your written plan is something you actually open and step through before every trade — no, you don’t need anything else. For most traders, the honest answer is that the plan exists but rarely gets used.
Is TradingPlan a broker?
No. TradingPlan doesn’t connect to your broker, doesn’t execute trades, and doesn’t provide signals.
Ready to Try the Category Leader?
TradingPlan is free on the App Store. Native iPhone, iPad and Mac. Setup takes minutes.
Stop trading from memory. Start trading from a plan.
Ready to build a plan you actually follow?
TradingPlan turns your trading rules into a live system you run before every trade. Free on the App Store — iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Download TradingPlan Free