Foliograph compared
How does Foliograph differ from web journals like Visual Trading Journal, TradeZella or TraderSync? The short answer: architecture. The long one is here.
Visual Trading Journal is an established German-language web journal for Interactive Brokers. TradeZella and TraderSync are established cloud services with broad broker support - if you want to connect many brokers, they serve you well. Foliograph takes a different approach: a desktop app, specialised in Interactive Brokers, with all data local on your machine and support in German and English.
| Dimension | Foliograph | Visual Trading Journal | TradeZella | TraderSync |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Desktop app for macOS and Windows, data in a local SQLite database | Web app in the browser and as a progressive web app on the phone | Cloud web app in the browser | Cloud web app in the browser, plus mobile apps |
| Data ownership | Trades stay on your machine, no account upload, no tracking | Trade data on the provider's servers (SourceCloud GmbH, Germany) | Trade data on the provider's servers (USA) | Trade data on the provider's servers (USA) |
| Broker coverage | Interactive Brokers and introducing brokers such as CapTrader, LYNX or Estably | Interactive Brokers and introducing brokers such as CapTrader, LYNX or Estably | Many brokers, IBKR via auto-sync or file import | Several hundred brokers, IBKR via auto-sync or file import |
| Option strategies | Automatic detection from the legs, incl. splits and corporate actions | Grouping into positions, focus on option writing | Journal focus, strategy assignment through self-defined playbooks | Journal focus, strategy assignment manual through tags and setups |
| Market data | CoT, term structure, IVR, ETF heatmap, macro and commodity fundamentals built in | Quotes every 5 to 15 minutes, return and cash flow analysis | Focus on journal, backtesting and trade replay | Focus on journal, trade statistics and simulator |
| Pricing model | Annual license in CHF, USD or EUR - 30-day free trial | Subscription in EUR, Standard from EUR 24.92 per month billed yearly - 14-day free trial | Monthly or annual subscription in USD, from USD 29 per month, less on annual billing | Monthly or annual subscription in USD, from USD 29.95 per month, less on annual billing |
| Languages | German and English | German | English | English |
Foliograph vs. Visual Trading Journal
Both target German-speaking traders on the Interactive Brokers infrastructure, both import trades automatically and group them into positions. The difference is where the data lives and how you pay. Visual Trading Journal is a web app: you log in through the browser, the import runs on the provider's servers and you pay a monthly or yearly subscription tiered by number of accounts and trades. Foliograph is a desktop app for macOS and Windows: the database sits on your machine, the import runs locally through the TWS API or the Flex Web Service and you pay an annual license with no automatic renewal, regardless of trade volume.
Then there is market data: Foliograph brings CoT reports, term structures, IV rank, macro and commodity fundamentals into the same app. Visual Trading Journal concentrates on journal, return and cash flow. If you want a pure browser tool that also runs on the phone, you will find it there. If you want to keep the data on your own machine and are looking for journal plus market analysis in one application, Foliograph is the fit. More on the difference between local and cloud software is in the trading journal software guide.
As of September 2026, according to the providers' public websites, no guarantee. Visual Trading Journal, TradeZella and TraderSync are trademarks of their respective owners. They are named solely for factual comparison.
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