Dusk Analyst vs TradeZella, 2026
Dusk Analyst vs TradeZella
Dusk Analyst vs TradeZella: Dusk Analyst is cheaper ($0 for 2 accounts or $25 a month for unlimited, against TradeZella's $35 to $99), has a free plan and a no-card trial where TradeZella lists neither, and syncs MT4, MT5 and cTrader trades seconds after they close instead of every 3 hours; TradeZella is stronger on backtesting, replay and futures brokers.
Disclosure: Dusk Analyst is our product. Every TradeZella fact below links to TradeZella's own pricing or help pages, checked 14 October 2026.
26 seconds
Watch a trade log itself.
A real MetaTrader terminal. Close the trade, open Dusk Analyst, and it’s already there: symbol, direction, entry, exit and P&L. Nothing to export, nothing to type, nothing forgotten.
Auto-sync is on Pro. The free plan imports your history files.
Get started, freeThe full comparison
Dusk Analyst vs TradeZella: feature by feature
| Dusk Analyst | TradeZella | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per month (monthly billing) | Free $0; Pro $25 | Essential $35; Pro $59; Ultra $99 (TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026) |
| Price per month (yearly billing) | No yearly price published; Pro is $25 a month | Essential $26, Pro $44, Ultra $74 (billed yearly) |
| Free plan | Yes, free forever, 2 accounts, no card | None listed |
| Free trial | Pro free for 5 trading days, no card; 15 trading days with a card | None listed |
| Accounts included | Free: 2. Pro: unlimited | Essential: 1. Pro: up to 50. Ultra: unlimited |
| Password or investor password needed? | No. Dusk Analyst never asks for your broker password or investor password, and nothing logs into your account from our servers. | Yes: MT4/MT5 sync asks for your investor password (TradeZella help, checked 14 Oct 2026) |
| MT4 / MT5 sync method | Read-only EA in your own terminal, no password shared | Cloud login with account number, investor password and server (TradeZella help: Link your MetaTrader 4/5 account, checked 14 Oct 2026) |
| How fast a closed trade appears | EA checks every 5 seconds and sends each trade as it closes | Automatic re-sync every 3 hours; manual refresh at most every 15 minutes (TradeZella help: Broker Sync, Same-Day Trades, checked 14 Oct 2026) |
| cTrader | Read-only cBot, sends each position when it closes | Account login and "Allow access" step (TradeZella help: cTrader sync, checked 14 Oct 2026) |
| Terminal has to be running | Yes (your PC or a VPS) | No |
| Prop firm auto-detection | No; each prop account is its own account book with its own API key | PropFirm Sync auto-detects payments for 10 firms via Plaid; others are manual (TradeZella help: What Is PropFirm Sync?, checked 14 Oct 2026) |
| AI | AI Insights, 1,000 credits a month (Pro) | Zella AI on every plan, 500 / 1,500 / 3,000 credits a month |
| Backtesting | No | Yes: 10 manual strategies on Essential; automated runs on Pro (10/mo) and Ultra (100/mo) |
| Trade replay | No | Pro and Ultra (not on Essential) |
| Import / export | CSV import on Free; CSV export on Pro | File upload and broker sync; export not listed on pricing page |
| Mobile app | No native app | None listed on pricing page |
| Support | Email; a person reads every reply | Standard on Essential and Pro; Priority on Ultra |
TradeZella column: TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026 unless another source is linked. Dusk Analyst column: our pricing page.
Price
TradeZella price after the July 2026 increase
TradeZella changed its pricing on 14 July 2026. Its cheapest plan is now Essential at $35 a month, and it connects 1 account; connecting a second account means Pro at $59 a month. Dusk Analyst's Free plan covers 2 accounts at $0, and Pro is $25 a month for unlimited accounts. A prop trader running a challenge and a funded account pays $0 or $25 with us, and $59 a month (or $44 a month billed yearly) with TradeZella.
| Plan | Monthly | Yearly (per month) | Accounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dusk Analyst Free | $0 | $0 | 2 |
| Dusk Analyst Pro | $25 | Not offered | Unlimited |
| TradeZella Essential | $35 | $26 ($315/year) | 1 |
| TradeZella Pro | $59 | $44 ($531/year) | Up to 50 |
| TradeZella Ultra | $99 | $74 ($891/year) | Unlimited |
TradeZella: TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026. The new prices took effect on 14 July 2026; subscribers from before that date keep their price until they switch plan or billing cycle, or resubscribe (TradeZella help: Our Pricing, checked 14 Oct 2026).
Free plan and trial
TradeZella free trial: is there one?
- TradeZella: its pricing page lists no free plan and no free trial (TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026). You pay before you try.
- Dusk Analyst: the Free plan is free forever (2 accounts, manual entry, CSV import, weekly reports) and needs no card.
- Pro trial: every new account gets Pro, including MT4, MT5 and cTrader auto-sync, free for 5 trading days with no card. Add a card to extend it to 15 trading days free; nothing is charged until those end, and cancelling during the free period ends it straight away with no charge.
Sync
TradeZella MT5 sync vs Dusk Analyst
- How TradeZella connects MT4/MT5: you give it your account number, your investor password and your broker server, and it logs in from its side (TradeZella help: Link your MetaTrader 4/5 account, checked 14 Oct 2026). Its broker sync re-syncs every 3 hours, and you can refresh by hand at most every 15 minutes (TradeZella help: Broker Sync, Same-Day Trades, checked 14 Oct 2026).
- How Dusk Analyst connects MT4/MT5: a small read-only Expert Advisor runs inside your own terminal. It checks your history every 5 seconds and sends each closed trade to your journal as soon as it closes. No password leaves your computer. Setup: connect MT5, connect MT4.
- Why speed matters: if you check your daily loss room between trades, a journal that is up to 3 hours behind cannot tell you where you stand. Ours shows the trade seconds after it closes.
- Our honest trade-off: the EA only runs while your terminal runs. If you close MetaTrader, nothing syncs until you open it again (then it backfills what it missed). TradeZella's cloud login works with your terminal closed. Many traders keep the terminal on a VPS for this reason.
Prop firm safety
Is TradeZella safe for prop firm accounts?
- Nothing logs into your trading account from our servers. Dusk Analyst never asks for your investor password or broker login. TradeZella's MT4/MT5 sync asks for your investor password and logs in for you (TradeZella help: Link your MetaTrader 4/5 account, checked 14 Oct 2026).
- Closed trades only. The EA and cBot read your closed trade history and send it over HTTPS with a per-account API key. They contain no code that places, modifies or closes orders.
- Why prop traders care: some traders worry that a third-party service logging into a funded account from its own servers looks unusual to the prop firm. With Dusk Analyst the only connection to your broker is your own terminal on your own machine. Check your firm's rules on third-party tools either way.
Prop firms
TradeZella for FTMO and forex prop firms
- PropFirm Sync is about money, not trades. It tracks prop firm fees, resets and payouts, and can detect those payments automatically when you connect a bank or card through Plaid (TradeZella help: What Is PropFirm Sync?, checked 14 Oct 2026).
- Auto-detection covers 10 firms: TopStep, Apex Trader Funding, Tradeify, Take Profit Trader, Bulenox, Top One Futures, My Funded Futures, Funded Next, Alpha Futures and Lucid Trading. Nine of them are futures firms. FTMO, The5ers, FundingPips and E8 are not on the list, so you track them by hand (TradeZella help: What Is PropFirm Sync?, checked 14 Oct 2026).
- Dusk Analyst for forex prop firms: we do not track fees or payouts. We sync the trades: any FTMO, FundedNext or other firm account on MT4, MT5 or cTrader connects through the EA or cBot, each in its own account book. See FTMO, FundedNext and prop firm journal.
- Accounts: a challenge plus a funded account is 2 accounts. That is free on Dusk Analyst, and TradeZella's $59 Pro plan on theirs.
Platforms
TradeZella with Match-Trader, DXtrade and cTrader
- Match-Trader: TradeZella's help centre documents Match-Trader import by file upload (TradeZella help: Match-Trader file upload, checked 14 Oct 2026). Dusk Analyst does not support Match-Trader at all; use CSV import if your platform can export one.
- DXtrade: TradeZella syncs DXtrade, but if your server is not in its list you paste the platform's web URL into the server field yourself (TradeZella help: DXtrade sync, checked 14 Oct 2026). Dusk Analyst does not support DXtrade.
- cTrader: TradeZella connects through a cTrader login and "Allow access" step (TradeZella help: cTrader sync, checked 14 Oct 2026). Dusk Analyst uses a read-only cBot on desktop cTrader that sends each position when it closes (setup guide); it does not work in cTrader Cloud.
Fair is fair
Where TradeZella is better
- Backtesting and replay. TradeZella has manual and automated backtesting and trade replay on Pro and Ultra (TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026). Dusk Analyst has neither.
- Futures and stocks brokers. TradeZella says it supports 500+ broker and prop firm integrations (TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026), with a focus on US futures and stock platforms. Dusk Analyst auto-syncs only MT4, MT5 and cTrader.
- More AI on top plans. Zella AI goes up to 3,000 credits a month on Ultra, plus AI agents on Pro and Ultra (TradeZella pricing page, checked 14 Oct 2026). Dusk Analyst Pro includes 1,000.
- A bigger, older community. TradeZella is the better-known brand with more users and content.
- Mobile: a tie. Neither has a native mobile app listed.
Decision
TradeZella or Dusk Analyst: which should you pick?
| You are... | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A forex trader on MT4, MT5 or cTrader | Dusk Analyst | Trades arrive seconds after they close, no password shared, $0 to start |
| A forex prop trader (FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers) | Dusk Analyst | Challenge plus funded account free on 2 accounts; EA runs in your own terminal |
| Running many accounts | Dusk Analyst | Pro $25 is unlimited; TradeZella needs Pro $59 (up to 50) or Ultra $99 |
| On a budget, or want to try before paying | Dusk Analyst | Free forever plan and a no-card Pro trial; TradeZella lists neither |
| A US futures prop trader (Topstep, Apex) | TradeZella | PropFirm Sync auto-detects those firms' payments and it covers futures platforms |
| Someone who backtests or replays trades | TradeZella | Backtesting and replay are built in; we have neither |
| Trading on Match-Trader or DXtrade | TradeZella | It supports both (file upload for Match-Trader); we support neither |
Alternative
A free TradeZella alternative
If you are looking for a TradeZella alternative because of price, Dusk Analyst's free plan covers 2 accounts with manual entry, CSV import and core analytics at $0, and Pro is $25 a month for unlimited accounts and MT4, MT5 and cTrader auto-sync. TradeZella starts at $35 a month and lists no free plan.
See the full TradeZella alternative page, the free trading journal, or the best trading journal software round-up.
How it works
Live in two minutes.
Create your account
Sign up and grab a per-account API key from the connectors panel.
Drop in the EA or cBot
One file into MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 or cTrader. No extra software.
Trades sync themselves
Every close pushes into the vault automatically. Journal complete, always.
See it in action
Ask your trading data anything.
Your journal isn't a logbook, it's a dataset. The AI reads your actual trade history and answers the questions that move your edge.
- Why do my losses cluster on Fridays?
- Which strategy am I actually profitable in?
- What happens when I break my 1% risk rule?
Built for prop firm accounts.
Demo, live and funded accounts, side by side. FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers, Funding Pips, MyFundedFX, Smart Prop Trader, The Funded Trader, TopStep, Apex Trader Funding, E8 Markets, Fidelcrest, PipFarm and more. Every firm here works from a CSV export of your trade history, with MT4, MT5 and cTrader auto-sync on top wherever the firm runs one of those terminals. We verified 356 brokers and prop firms against their own sites in 2026, and every account keeps its own starting balance, equity curve and drawdown visible.
Every firm checked against its own site in the 2026 audit.
Pricing
Free is enough to build the habit. Pro is where it runs itself.
Start manual and free. Upgrade to auto-sync when you're ready to stop touching it.
Free
$0
A real journal, free from day one. $0 forever, up to 2 accounts, no credit card required, weekly reports included, and CSV import from any trading platform.
- Up to 2 accounts
- Manual entry + CSV import from any platform
- Tags, calendars & core analytics
- Weekly report export
No terminal connection. Upgrade to Pro when you want the vault to fill itself.
Start freePro
$25/month
The journal that journals itself. $25/month auto-syncs MT4, MT5 and cTrader across unlimited demo, live and funded accounts, with 1,000 AI trade-analyses a month, monthly reports and full export.
- Auto-sync MT4, MT5 and cTrader (terminal connection)
- Unlimited accounts, demo, live & funded
- AI insights & automated session reviews
- 1,000 AI trade-analyses every month
- Monthly reports + full export
- Priority support
5 trading days free, no card. Then $25/month.
Start your free Pro week See auto-sync in 26 secondsNo setup fees. No card for Free, and no card for your first week of Pro: every new account gets Pro free for 5 trading days. Add a card to keep it free for 10 more trading days, then $25/month. We email you before billing starts.
Try it before you pay. We let you.
Free forever for 2 accounts. Auto-sync free for your first 5 trading days, no credit card; add a card to extend it to 15 trading days free.
Get started, freeNo card required.
FAQ
Dusk Analyst vs TradeZella questions, answered.
Is TradeZella better than Dusk Analyst?
It depends on what you trade. For MT4, MT5 and cTrader traders, especially forex prop traders, Dusk Analyst is cheaper, has a free plan and a no-card trial, and syncs trades seconds after they close. TradeZella is better for backtesting, trade replay and US futures and stock brokers.
Does TradeZella have a free trial?
TradeZella's pricing page (checked 14 October 2026) lists no free plan and no free trial. Dusk Analyst has a free-forever plan for 2 accounts and gives every new account Pro, including MT4, MT5 and cTrader auto-sync, free for 5 trading days with no card, or 15 trading days if you add a card.
How much is TradeZella in 2026?
Since 14 July 2026 TradeZella costs $35 a month for Essential (1 account), $59 for Pro (up to 50 accounts) and $99 for Ultra (unlimited), or $26, $44 and $74 a month billed yearly. Dusk Analyst is $0 for 2 accounts or $25 a month for unlimited accounts.
How often does TradeZella sync MT5 trades?
TradeZella's Broker Sync help article says it re-syncs every 3 hours and lets you refresh by hand at most every 15 minutes. It connects MT4/MT5 by logging in with your investor password. Dusk Analyst's EA runs in your terminal, checks every 5 seconds and sends each trade as it closes, but your terminal has to be running.
Does TradeZella work with FTMO?
You can track FTMO accounts in TradeZella, but FTMO is not one of the 10 firms PropFirm Sync auto-detects (9 of which are futures firms), so FTMO tracking there is manual. Dusk Analyst syncs FTMO accounts on MT4, MT5 and cTrader through its read-only EA or cBot.
Is it safe to give TradeZella my investor password?
An investor password is read-only, so it cannot place trades. TradeZella's MT4/MT5 sync uses it to log into your account from its side. Dusk Analyst never asks for any password: its EA runs in your own terminal and only sends closed trades.
What does TradeZella do better than Dusk Analyst?
Backtesting, trade replay, broader futures and stock broker coverage, more AI credits on its top plan, and Match-Trader and DXtrade support. Dusk Analyst wins on price, the free plan and trial, accounts per dollar, and MT4/MT5/cTrader sync speed.
Is there a cheaper alternative to TradeZella?
Yes. Dusk Analyst is free for 2 accounts and $25 a month for unlimited accounts with MT4, MT5 and cTrader auto-sync, against TradeZella's $35 a month for 1 account or $59 for more than one.
Is there a free TradeZella alternative?
Yes. Dusk Analyst has a free plan at $0 forever with 2 accounts, manual entry, CSV import and core analytics, and every new account gets Pro free for 5 trading days with no card. TradeZella lists no free plan and no free trial. Pro is $25 a month and adds MT4, MT5 and cTrader auto-sync.
What is the best TradeZella alternative?
For forex traders on MT4, MT5 or cTrader, Dusk Analyst is the closer fit: trades sync seconds after they close, you never share an investor password, and it costs $0 or $25 a month. If you need backtesting, replay or futures platforms, TradeZella is still stronger there.
How does Dusk Analyst compare to TradeZella on price?
Dusk Analyst is a flat $25/month for Pro with unlimited accounts, auto-sync, AI insights and weekly reports - plus a genuinely usable free tier (two accounts, no card), and every new account gets Pro free for 5 trading days, no card. TradeZella's pricing varies by plan and feature set; the comparison section on this page lists the current tiers so you can check the numbers yourself. The short version: one flat price vs tiered plans, and a free tier that isn't a trial.
What's different about Dusk Analyst vs TradeZella?
The core difference is how trades get in. Dusk Analyst auto-syncs MT4, MT5 and cTrader with read-only connectors - no CSV exports, no manual re-entry on Pro - while TradeZella relies on the import path you choose. Dusk Analyst also adds AI insights on your own trading patterns and keeps pricing flat. Both are cloud journals with good review tooling; the side-by-side section above covers pricing, features and sync paths.
Can I try Dusk Analyst without leaving TradeZella?
Yes - Dusk Analyst's free tier doesn't lock you in. Start journaling with two accounts at $0; if TradeZella suits you better, export your history and move on. If you want to compare side by side first, CSV import on the free tier lets you mirror recent trades into both and see which workflow you actually stick with.
Is Dusk Analyst really free?
Yes. The free tier costs $0 forever and includes two accounts, manual trade entry and CSV import - enough to journal a live account properly, with win rate, expectancy, drawdown and equity curve all calculated for you. There is no credit card required to start. Pro ($25/month flat) adds unlimited accounts, MT4/MT5/cTrader auto-sync, AI insights on your trading (1,000 trade-analyses a month), monthly reports and full export, and every new account gets Pro free for 5 trading days with no card. The pricing is deliberately simple: one plan, one price, no per-feature upsells.
Is there a free trial?
Yes, and it needs no card. Every new Dusk Analyst account gets Pro free for 5 trading days from sign-up: auto-sync from MT4, MT5 and cTrader, AI Insights with 1,000 credits, monthly reports and unlimited accounts. Add a card to keep it free for 10 more trading days; billing ($25/month) starts only after that, and you can cancel anytime from Billing in the app, with nothing charged.
Can I import my existing trade history?
Yes - CSV import is available on every plan, including free. If you've been tracking trades in a spreadsheet, broker export or another journal, export the CSV from wherever it lives and import it into Dusk Analyst; the journal matches it against your accounts and keeps your history continuous. Import is also the fallback for platforms that don't run MT4, MT5 or cTrader. For MT4/MT5/cTrader terminals, Pro auto-syncs going forward and the EA backfills any trades your terminal missed while it was off. Any platform that exports a CSV of your trade history works. Dusk Analyst recognises TradingView, Tradovate, cTrader, MT4 and MT5 exports on sight; for anything else you map your columns once and that parser is saved for next time. Comma, semicolon and tab files are all handled, day-first and month-first dates are detected from the file itself, and any row that cannot be read is listed for you rather than dropped quietly.
How many AI credits do I get with Dusk Analyst Pro?
Pro includes 1,000 AI trade-analyses every month. One credit covers one trade, so asking a question about a 40-trade week costs 40 credits and you can keep asking. The allowance resets on the 1st of each month and the counter sits in the top bar of the app, so you always know where you stand. Narrowing a question to one account or a shorter date range makes the same allowance go much further. Free accounts get a small number of AI credits to try AI Insights, alongside the full journal, analytics and weekly reports, and the free Pro week (5 trading days, no card) includes the full monthly allowance.