Building Smart Trader: The SaaS I Needed as a Trader

May 5, 2025

How I combined GPT, Supabase, and candlestick charting to build the trade journaling app I wish I had.

🧠 Why I Built Smart Trader

Like most traders, I struggled with discipline more than strategy.

  • I’d break rules.
  • Overtrade.
  • Exit too early.
  • Forget to journal consistently.

Existing trade journals felt either too clunky or too generic. I wanted a tool that understood ICT concepts, tracked my psychology, and gave AI-powered feedback on each trade. So I built it.

🧰 Tech Stack Overview

Here’s what I used to build Smart Trader:

  • Frontend: React + TypeScript + Tailwind CSS
  • Backend & Auth: Supabase (PostgreSQL, Auth, Storage)
  • Charts: ApexCharts for clean, interactive candlestick charts
  • AI Feedback: GPT API via OpenAI
  • Deployment: Vercel for frontend, Supabase handles the rest

✍️ Journaling with Context

Each trade entry includes:

  • Ticker, direction, entry/exit details
  • Entry/exit reasoning and emotional state
  • Checkmarks for plan adherence
  • Tags for ICT elements (e.g., SMT, FVG, OB)

No more “guess and go.” I can now track my actual thinking—and patterns—instead of just prices.

🤖 GPT-Powered Trade Analysis

When you submit a trade, Smart Trader sends the data to GPT and returns structured analysis across:

  1. Risk Management
  2. Entry & Exit Execution
  3. Setup Validity
  4. Emotional Discipline
  5. ICT Concepts Detected

“Your stop loss placement exposed you to more risk than your expected reward. Consider a tighter SL at the previous high.”

That kind of feedback helps you grow—not just record.

đź“Š Visualizing Progress

  • Interactive charts show each trade entry/exit on real candlesticks.
  • Weekly stats summarize:
    • Win/loss ratio
    • Rule violations
    • Most used ICT concepts
  • Heatmaps for emotions and plan adherence

The goal is behavioral awareness, not just win tracking.

🚀 What I Learned Building It

  • Start small. MVP was just a form + chart + notes field.
  • AI needs context. Prompt engineering was everything.
  • Supabase is perfect for indie SaaS—it scales and saves time.
  • Design matters. Traders need clarity, not complexity.

🎯 What’s Next

  • Mobile view improvements
  • Custom GPT prompt tuning per user
  • Trade replay mode with visual overlays
  • Optional Telegram integration for quick log entries

🙌 Final Thoughts

Smart Trader started as a personal fix and evolved into something much more. It blends:

  • The discipline of journaling
  • The logic of ICT
  • The power of AI

If you're a trader tired of overthinking and underreviewing—this was built for you.

→ Try Smart Trader (soon) or hit me up if you want early access.

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