The 12 Trading Journal Metrics Every Serious Trader Must Track
Win rate alone is misleading. Discover the 12 key trading metrics you must track in your journal to accurately measure and improve your trading performance.
Win Rate Is Only Half the Story
A trader with a 40% win rate can be highly profitable. A trader with an 80% win rate can be losing money. The difference lies in the metrics you're not tracking.
The 12 Metrics to Add to Your Trading Journal
1. Win Rate (%)
Percentage of trades that closed in profit. Useful only when combined with average R:R.
2. Average Risk-to-Reward (R:R)
Average profit per winning trade divided by average loss per losing trade. A 1:2 R:R means you win $2 for every $1 risked. With 40% win rate, this is profitable.
3. Profit Factor
Gross profit divided by gross loss. A Profit Factor above 1.5 indicates a robust strategy.
4. Expectancy
Expected average profit per trade: (Win Rate × Avg Win) − (Loss Rate × Avg Loss). Positive expectancy = edge.
5. Maximum Drawdown
Largest peak-to-trough decline in your account. If drawdown exceeds your emotional tolerance, you will deviate from your plan.
6. Consecutive Losses
Your longest losing streak. This determines your required account size to survive normal variance.
7. Average Trade Duration
Are quick scalp trades more profitable for you, or do longer swing trades perform better?
8. Performance by Session
London open vs New York overlap vs Asian session — your win rate often varies dramatically by session time.
9. Performance by Day of Week
Many traders statistically underperform on Mondays and Fridays. Data confirms or disproves this for you personally.
10. Performance by Symbol
You may be excellent at EURUSD but consistently lose on GBPJPY. Specialise in your edge.
11. Rule Compliance Score
Did you follow your trading plan? Rate each trade 1–10. Low-compliance trades are usually losses.
12. Emotional State vs P&L Correlation
Track your mood before each trade. Most traders find that "revenge trading" after a loss is their single biggest account drain.
How Treydly Calculates These Metrics
Once you import your trade history (MT5 HTML, MT4 HTM, cTrader XLSX, or CSV), Treydly calculates your core metrics automatically — win rate, P&L, drawdown, Profit Factor. Advanced statistics like Sharpe ratio, Calmar ratio, and session breakdowns are available on the Premium plan (from $9.99/month, with a 14-day free trial).
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