Trading Plan Template: Free Framework Every Trader Should Use

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What A Good Trading Plan Template Includes

A real trading plan covers four areas:

1. Strategy — what setup you trade and why it has an edge
2. Risk management — what you risk per trade, per day, per drawdown period
3. Routine — the daily steps that prepare you to trade well
4. Psychology — how you’ll respond to wins, losses, and emotional triggers

Templates that only cover one or two of these are incomplete. Below, all four.

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The Complete Trading Plan Template

Copy this and fill it in. Be specific. Vague rules don’t get followed.

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Section 1: Strategy

Strategy name: (e.g. “Daily breakout pullback”)

Market(s) traded: (e.g. EUR/USD, S&P 500 futures, large-cap US stocks)

Timeframe(s): (e.g. Daily setup, 1-hour entry trigger, 4-hour stop placement)

The setup I’m looking for: (Describe in plain English)

Why this has an edge (your hypothesis): (Why does this work? Be honest.)

Entry trigger (specific): (e.g. “Buy on close above the high of the bullish reversal candle”)

Stop placement (specific): (e.g. “Below the low of the reversal candle minus 1 ATR”)

Target / exit rule: (e.g. “Trail stop using 20 EMA, or exit at 3R fixed target”)

Setups I will NOT take: (Be specific. e.g. “No trades within 30 minutes of major news.”)

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Section 2: Risk Management

Account starting equity:

Risk per trade: (e.g. 1% of account equity)

Maximum concurrent trades: (e.g. 3)

Daily loss limit (stop trading at): (e.g. -3% account equity)

Weekly loss limit: (e.g. -6% account equity)

Drawdown circuit breaker: (e.g. “If equity falls 10% from peak, drop position size to half”)

Position sizing formula: (Account equity × risk % ÷ stop distance × value per pip)

Maximum exposure to correlated instruments:

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Section 3: Pre-Market Routine

Time I sit down to trade:

Steps in order:

• [ ] Mental check-in — am I fit to trade today?
• [ ] Market overview — major sessions, key news
• [ ] Watchlist review
• [ ] Define the day’s risk budget
• [ ] Reset from yesterday
• [ ] Pre-defined trade plan
• [ ] Final confirmation

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Section 4: Per-Trade Checklist

Before every trade:

• [ ] Setup matches my strategy criteria
• [ ] Entry trigger confirmed
• [ ] Stop loss placement defined and committed
• [ ] Target level identified
• [ ] Risk amount calculated
• [ ] Position size correct for risk
• [ ] No emotional override
• [ ] If I miss this trade, the world continues

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Section 5: Post-Trade Routine

After every trade:

• [ ] Outcome recorded
• [ ] Adherence to plan rated (1-10)
• [ ] Reason for entry logged
• [ ] What I’d do differently noted

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Section 6: Psychology Rules

After a winning trade: (e.g. “Step away for 10 minutes. Don’t immediately chase the next setup.”)

After a losing trade: (e.g. “Step away for 20 minutes. Resume only if next setup matches all criteria.”)

After hitting daily loss limit: (e.g. “Close all positions, close trading platform, walk away from screens.”)

After hitting a winning streak (3+ in a row): (e.g. “Position size doesn’t increase. Setup criteria don’t relax.”)

Triggers that mean I shouldn’t trade today: (e.g. “Slept less than 5 hours, major personal stress, hangover, didn’t complete pre-market routine.”)

My non-negotiable rules: (The 3-5 rules you will never break)

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Section 7: Review Cadence

Daily review: End of each session — 5 minutes

Weekly review: End of week — 30 minutes

Monthly review: End of month — 60 minutes

Quarterly plan review: Are these rules still serving me?

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How To Use This Template

Step 1 — Fill it in completely. Don’t skip sections.

Step 2 — Print it or save it somewhere accessible.

Step 3 — Read it before every session.

Step 4 — Review weekly.

Step 5 — Refine over time.

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The Honest Problem With Template-Based Plans

Most traders fill in a template once, save it, and never open it during a session.

This isn’t a discipline problem. It’s a friction problem. A document — however well structured — requires effort to open and read mid-session.

That’s why a template is just the starting point. The real challenge is making the plan active in the moment of trading.

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From Template To Live Plan

Option 1 — Print + Force Habit

Print your plan. Pin it next to your screen.

Option 2 — Build It Into Notion / Spreadsheet

Move the template into a digital tool you keep open.

Option 3 — Build It Into TradingPlan

Take the rules from your template and build them into TradingPlan. The Strategy Flow walks you through each rule before every trade.

The plan stops being a document. It becomes a system.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is this trading plan template free?

Yes. Copy it, adapt it, use it however you want.

Can I use this template as a PDF?

Yes — copy the text into any document tool and export to PDF.

What’s the difference between a template and a trading plan app?

A template is a document — words you fill in once. A trading plan app turns that document into an active system.

Do I need a trading plan if I’m just starting out?

Especially if you’re just starting out. New traders without plans tend to develop bad habits early.

How detailed should my plan be?

Detailed enough that someone else could read it and trade your strategy.

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Ready to Turn Your Plan Into Something You Actually Follow?

Free on the App Store. Native iPhone, iPad and Mac. Setup takes minutes.

Download TradingPlan Free →

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Stop trading from memory. Start trading from a plan.