Merlin vs the typical AI journal

An honest comparison — no name-calling, just the differences that decide where your trading data lives.

MerlinTypical AI journal
Time to first insight
From landing page to seeing your analytics
✓One click — no email, no card
Signup form, email verify, onboarding
Price
Full AI tier, billed monthly
✓£19/mo · £149/yr
$29–49/mo
Pre-trade check
Your next trade vs your own history, before entry
✓Built in — verdicts logged to a ledger
Journal after the fact
Futures-native
Tradovate & NinjaTrader CSVs, ticks, contracts
✓Contract symbols normalise automatically
Varies — often forex-first
Prop firm tracking
Trailing drawdown, daily loss, consistency
✓Topstep / Apex / FTMO templates with live distance-to-breach
Basic or manual rule entry
AI grounded in your data
What the AI is allowed to say
✓Cites only your computed numbers — never invents a figure
General-purpose AI commentary
Behaviour engine
Revenge trading, size escalation, session leaks
✓8 deterministic detectors, priced in your own risk units
Tagging you maintain yourself
Your data
Export and erasure
✓Full JSON export + one-click deletion, free on every plan
Varies by plan

"Typical AI journal" reflects the common shape of paid AI journaling tools at the time of writing — check any specific product yourself.

Try before you trust

Most journals make you sign up to see anything. Merlin opens the full product in one click — judge it with your own eyes before it ever asks for an email.

Built for how futures traders work

Tick values, whole contracts, trailing drawdown that freezes at your starting balance — the details generic journals get wrong.

AI that can't hallucinate your stats

The deterministic engine computes every number first; the AI only narrates what was already proven. If it cites a figure, it's yours.

The comparison that matters is with your own data.

One click opens the full product — import a statement and judge the analysis yourself.

No email. No card. 7-day free trial on Pro & Premium when you're ready.