Fips vs an Excel or Google Sheets trading journal
Most traders start their journal in a spreadsheet, and for good reason: it is free, familiar and completely under your control. It also means copying every trade by hand, maintaining formulas and fixing the sheet when something breaks. Fips keeps the control but takes the manual work away.
Why traders move off spreadsheets
No more copying trades
MT5 trades sync automatically through a read-only investor password. Anything else comes in as a CSV export from your broker.
Statistics that do not break
Win rate, profit factor, drawdown and the equity curve are calculated from the trade data, so there is no formula range to extend or cell reference to fix.
Position sizing built in
The lot size calculator handles pip value, currency conversion and margin for forex, gold, silver and crypto, instead of a formula you have to trust.
Economic calendar alongside
Review trades against the events that were on the calendar that day, in the same dashboard.
Fips vs a spreadsheet journal
| Fips | Excel / Google Sheets | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting trades in | Automatic MT5 sync, plus CSV import for other platforms | Typed in or pasted from broker exports |
| Performance statistics | Calculated automatically | Formulas you write and maintain |
| Lot size / position sizing | Built-in calculator with pip value and margin | Your own formula |
| Economic calendar | Included | Not included |
| Custom metrics | Tags and notes per trade | Anything you can build in a formula |
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When a spreadsheet is still fine
- If you need a very specific custom metric and enjoy building it yourself, a spreadsheet gives you complete freedom.
- If you trade rarely and like reviewing each trade by typing it in, the manual step can even be useful.
- Once entry becomes a chore or formulas start breaking, a dedicated journal saves time and removes a source of errors.
Fips at a glance
- Free plan
- Trading journal with 30-day history, lot size calculator, economic calendar and technical analysis toolkit. No credit card required.
- Pro plan
- Unlimited trade history, advanced analytics, data export and priority support.
- Broker sync
- MetaTrader 5 syncs automatically with a read-only investor password. Every other platform (MT4, cTrader, crypto exchanges, Interactive Brokers) comes in through CSV import.
- Everything else
- CSV import with a guided column mapper.
- Position sizing
- Built-in lot size calculator for forex, gold, silver and crypto with pip value and margin.
- Where it runs
- Web app and desktop app.
Moving your spreadsheet into Fips
- Create a free Fips account.
- Save the trade sheet as CSV (Excel: Save As → CSV; Google Sheets: File → Download → CSV).
- In Fips, open Journal → Import, upload the file and map the columns (symbol, direction, entry, exit, size, P/L).
- Connect your MT5 account so new trades sync automatically from now on, or import a CSV from any other platform.
FAQ
Try Fips free
The free plan includes the trading journal, the lot size calculator and the economic calendar. No credit card required.