can you set alerts on stocks app

This guide explains whether and how can you set alerts on stocks app, what alert types exist, delivery methods, platform examples (Robinhood, Fidelity, StockCharts, Koyfin, Stock Alarm, Stock Rover...

2026-01-10 00:44:00

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Setting Alerts on Stock Apps

As an immediate answer to the question "can you set alerts on stocks app": yes — most modern stock and finance apps let you set alerts. This guide explains how alerts work, common alert types, delivery methods, example workflows on popular platforms, advanced automation options, practical best practices and limitations you should watch for.

This article is friendly to beginners, rooted in platform documentation and product guides, and highlights Bitget for crypto trading and Bitget Wallet for Web3 custody where applicable. As of 2026-01-15, according to InvestorsObserver, many retail platforms expanded alert features to include technical triggers and news alerts to meet growing trader demand.

Overview of Alerts

Alerts are notifications triggered when a predefined market, price, technical or news condition occurs for a security or asset. Alerts are passive signals — they tell you something has happened or is happening; they are not orders unless you connect them to an automated trading or execution system.

Investors and traders use alerts for several reasons:

Monitoring positions without watching screens constantly.
Capturing entry and exit signals aligned with a strategy.
Getting immediate notice of company news, filings or macro events.
Managing risk with stop or trailing stop notifications.

Alerts differ from automated orders in one key way: an alert notifies you and typically requires you to act, while an automated order (stop-loss, limit, market-if-touched) executes a trade automatically according to set rules.

Common Use Cases

Position monitoring: get notified when a holding moves by a set amount.
Setup execution: receive alerts when a breakout price or technical condition appears.
News/events: be alerted to earnings releases, SEC filings or press reports for companies you track.
Risk management: trailing or fixed stop alerts to protect gains or limit losses.

Common Types of Alerts

Below are the most commonly available alert types across stock and finance apps.

Price alerts

Simple triggers that notify you when a security crosses a specified absolute price level (e.g., notify when AAPL trades at $185.00).

Percent-change alerts

Trigger when a security moves by a percentage relative to a reference price (open, previous close, or current price). Examples: 2%, 5%, 10% moves.

Volume and volume-spike alerts

Notify when trading volume exceeds a normal baseline or spikes by a multiplier (e.g., 3x average), useful for spotting unusual interest.

Technical / indicator alerts

Alerts tied to technical indicator criteria: moving-average crossovers, RSI thresholds, MACD signals, Bollinger Band breaks, or custom indicator conditions.

Event and news alerts

Earnings, regulatory filings, dividend announcements, rating changes and real-time news headlines tied to a ticker or company.

52-week high/low and valuation alerts

Triggers when an asset hits yearly highs/lows or when valuation metrics (P/E, P/S) cross thresholds.

Recurring / time-based alerts and interval updates

Daily open/mid/close snapshots, periodic price checks, or scheduled reminders tied to trading sessions.

Trailing alerts

Trailing stop or trailing buy alerts that move with price: they update the trigger threshold as the asset moves in your favor.

How Alerts Are Delivered

Alert delivery channels vary by platform and impact latency and reliability. Typical channels include:

In-app push notifications: fast and convenient for mobile users.
Email: useful for documented records and desktop users.
SMS / text: immediate for many users but sometimes delayed or rate-limited.
Phone calls: rarer but offered by some third-party services for critical alerts.
Web banners / on-site messages: visible when logged in to the web app.
Webhooks / API callbacks: enable programmatic routing to automation systems or chat tools.

Tradeoffs:

Speed: push notifications and webhooks are usually fastest; email/SMS can be slower.
Reliability: mobile push depends on OS settings and network; SMS can be delayed during congestion.
Cost and tiering: advanced delivery channels (webhooks, phone calls) are often reserved for paid tiers.

User control matters: choose channels you actively monitor and set frequency limits to avoid alert fatigue.

How to Set Alerts — Generic Step-by-Step

The exact UI differs by app, but the core steps are similar:

Choose the asset you want to monitor (ticker, crypto pair, ETF).
Open its chart or details page in the app.
Tap the bell/notifications icon or find the alert/notification menu.
Pick an alert type (price, percent, indicator, news) and set the threshold.
Choose delivery method(s) and trading hours (regular session vs extended-hours).
Save the alert and optionally name it or add notes.
Manage active alerts in a dedicated alert center or watchlist to edit, pause or delete.

Note: the exact triggers and fields available vary by platform and subscription level.

Examples on Popular Platforms (capabilities and how-to highlights)

Below are concise descriptions of popular platforms and what they offer. These are examples of typical capabilities; always consult a platform’s help center for precise, current details.

Robinhood

Feature highlights: price movement alerts and custom price alerts via a chart bell icon.
Notes: default movement thresholds like 5% or 10% are common for quick setup; alerts are typically delivered as mobile push notifications.
How-to (high level): open a ticker → tap the bell on the chart → select a price or percent trigger → enable push notifications.

As of 2026-01-10, according to platform help pages, Robinhood and similar retail brokers expanded mobile alert capabilities to include a wider variety of trigger conditions for equities and crypto.

Fidelity

Feature highlights: price alerts, percent-change alerts, moving-average triggers and 52-week high/low notifications.
Delivery options: push, email or text; alerts can be set on both mobile and web for portfolios and watchlists.
How-to (high level): access alerts in the account menu or on a security page → create new alert → choose channels and conditions → save.

StockCharts

Feature highlights: simple price alerts plus advanced technical alerts and a dedicated Alert Workbench for expressive criteria.
Delivery: email, SMS or site banners; plans differ in alert limits (higher tiers allow more active alerts).
Use case: technical traders who want to be notified when a custom chart condition fires.

Stock Alarm (third‑party alert service)

Feature highlights: large asset coverage (global stocks, ETFs, crypto) with 100+ trigger types including trailing stops, volume spikes and macro data.
Delivery: multi-channel notifications including calls, SMS and webhooks.
Use case: traders who need broad coverage and specialized triggers beyond broker-native alerts.

Koyfin

Feature highlights: alerts for price, valuation and technical triggers, plus news and filing alerts; supports watchlist/portfolio-level alerts.
Delivery: desktop, email and mobile notifications; flexible for institutional and active retail users.

Stock Rover

Feature highlights: price alerts and custom alert rules integrated with portfolio/watchlist monitoring.
Use case: longer-term investors who monitor screener results and portfolio metrics.

Emma App

Feature highlights: simple price-alert creation with a bell icon on the stock page, aggregate view of pending/triggered alerts.
Use case: personal-finance users who want straightforward price notifications for holdings and watchlists.

Apple iPhone Stocks (guides)

Feature highlights: watchlists and integrations with news and notification settings on iPhone; how-to tutorials show enabling notifications for specific tickers.
Note: iOS notification delivery depends on device notification settings and the app’s integration with news sources.

Platform capabilities and exact steps change frequently; always check your platform’s help documentation for the most current instructions.

Advanced Alert Features & Automation

As alerting systems have matured, advanced features blur the line between passive notifications and automation. Common advanced capabilities include:

Alert-to-scan workflows

Some apps let you save alert conditions as recurring scans (e.g., find all stocks where 50-day moving average crosses 200-day). These act like scheduled scans that trigger alerts when matches appear.

Trailing stops and dynamic triggers

Trailing alerts adjust the trigger level automatically as price moves in your favor, allowing you to lock gains while giving the trade room to breathe.

APIs, webhooks and integrations

Webhooks or broker APIs let you route alerts to automation platforms or custom scripts. This enables programmatic actions such as creating orders, logging events, or forwarding alerts into collaboration tools.

Watchlist/portfolio-level alerts

Instead of creating the same alert per ticker, set one rule across a watchlist or portfolio (e.g., alert when any stock in Watchlist A drops more than 6% intraday).

Advanced features often require higher subscription tiers or separate third-party alert services.

Best Practices for Using Alerts

Set alerts to be actionable and to match your trading horizon. The following practices reduce noise and increase utility:

Set meaningful thresholds: avoid 0.5%-level triggers on volatile small-cap names unless that volatility is your focus.
Match alert type to strategy: day traders need lower-latency push/webhooks; long-term investors may prefer daily email summaries.
Use watchlists or portfolio-level alerts to cut repetitive setup time.
Limit delivery channels to those you actually monitor; too many channels cause fatigue.
Consider extended-hours settings: some apps let you include premarket/after-hours moves which can be important for earnings or news.
Check data latency and exchange feed: not all platforms provide real-time data unless you subscribe to a real-time feed.

Limitations and Considerations

Understanding constraints helps avoid surprises when relying on alerts:

Latency and reliability

Not all alerts are truly real-time. Push notifications, SMS and email can experience delays due to OS restrictions, carrier delays, or server load.

Coverage and cost

Free tiers often limit the number of alerts or the types of triggers available. Advanced triggers, webhooks or API access may require paid subscriptions or enterprise plans.

Granularity and default thresholds

Some apps provide coarse defaults (e.g., percent-change presets like 5% or 10%). If your strategy needs finer granularity, verify the platform supports custom thresholds.

Alerts vs orders

Remember that most alerts do not execute trades automatically. If you require automation, connect alerts to APIs/webhooks or use broker-native conditional orders where available.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can you set crypto alerts in stock apps?

Yes. Many stock and finance apps that support crypto let you set crypto-specific alerts. If you are using Bitget for crypto, you can set price and order alerts within the Bitget app and use Bitget Wallet for custody and notification settings.

Can alerts automatically place trades?

Generally no. Alerts are notifications. To place trades automatically you need broker API access, conditional orders offered by the broker, or automation via webhooks and a trading engine.

How many alerts can I create?

This is platform-dependent. For example, chart and alert services often limit alerts by account tier; third-party services offer plans with larger alert counts. Check the provider’s pricing and limits.

Can I get alerts for news and filings?

Yes. Platforms like Koyfin and specialized alert services provide news and filing alerts. Brokerages increasingly offer news-based notifications tied to tickers and watchlists.

Can I receive alerts as webhooks?

Some platforms and third-party services support webhooks or APIs for programmatic routing of alerts. This is typically a paid or advanced feature.

How to avoid alert fatigue?

Combine rules: set higher thresholds or aggregate alerts at the watchlist level; prefer daily digests for low-priority items and real-time push for critical triggers.

Practical Workflows and Examples

Below are example alert workflows for common objectives.

Workflow: Swing-trade entry alert

Asset: mid-cap stock on your watchlist.
Alert type: price breakout (above resistance) or moving-average crossover.
Channel: push notification + webhook (if automating).
Action: receive alert → review chart → place limit order.

Workflow: Earnings monitoring

Asset: portfolio holdings.
Alert type: earnings release + premarket price move > 4%.
Channel: email (for record) + push for immediate action.
Action: read release → decide to hold, hedge, or trim.

Workflow: Long-term portfolio risk guard

Asset: diversified portfolio.
Alert type: portfolio-level drawdown threshold (e.g., 8% intraday) or allocation deviation.
Channel: email daily digest + push for breaches.
Action: rebalance or review positions.

These workflows show how combining alert types and channels helps align notifications with actionable steps.

Integrations and Automation Examples

Webhook to automation: alert triggers a webhook that calls a serverless function to place a trade via broker API (requires permissions and security controls).
ChatOps: alerts forwarded to a team chat channel for collaborative decision-making.
Logging and compliance: alerts archived in an immutable log for audit trails.

Security note: when integrating webhooks or APIs, protect credentials and use signed payloads or IP allowlists where possible.

Platform Notes and Compliance

Platforms vary in what they allow and what they notify about. Always check:

Market data licensing: some providers show delayed quotes unless you pay for real-time data.
Regulatory notices: brokerages may include disclaimers on alert speed and accuracy.
Privacy and consent for SMS/phone notifications.

As of 2026-01-15, according to InvestorsObserver, regulatory focus on retail trading tools prompted several platforms to clarify alert and automation boundaries in their help centers.

Recommendations: Bitget and Web3 Wallets

If you trade crypto or hybrid portfolios, consider using Bitget for exchange services and Bitget Wallet for Web3 custody and notification settings.
Bitget integrates market alerts, order notifications and wallet alerts to cover both exchange trading activity and on-chain wallet events.
For Web3-native use cases, Bitget Wallet enables alerting on wallet activity and token transfers while keeping custody under your control.

Note: Always follow platform security best practices—enable two-factor authentication, monitor API keys, and audit connected apps.

Limitations to Watch For

Not all alerts will be instantaneous; design strategies that tolerate some notification latency.
Free accounts may have strict alert caps. If you rely heavily on alerts, plan for a paid tier or a third-party alert service.
Some alerts (like complex technical screens) may only be available on desktop versions or higher subscription tiers.

FAQ — Short Answers

Can you set alerts on stocks app if you only use a mobile device? Yes; most apps let you create and manage alerts on mobile.
Will an alert always fire exactly at the threshold? Not always; exchange feeds, delayed quotes and platform processing can introduce small differences.
Are alerts legal or regulated? Alerts themselves are informational; how you act on alerts falls under your trading conduct and applicable market regulations.

Glossary

Alert: a predefined notification triggered when a condition is met.
Push notification: a message delivered to a mobile app or desktop client.
Trailing stop: a threshold that follows price movement to protect gains.
Watchlist: a grouped list of tickers you monitor.
Webhook / API: programmatic callbacks used to integrate alerts with external systems.

Final Notes and Next Steps

If your immediate question was "can you set alerts on stocks app" — you can, and you likely have multiple alert types and delivery channels to choose from. Start by identifying one or two actionable alert rules that match your strategy and add more as you grow comfortable.

For crypto users and Web3 activity, consider Bitget and Bitget Wallet for integrated exchange and on-chain alerting. Explore your app’s help center to confirm exact steps and limits, and test alert behavior with small, non‑critical thresholds before relying on them for trade execution.

Ready to try? Create a simple price alert on a watchlist item, monitor how and when it fires, then iterate: increase/decrease sensitivity, change channels, and consider webhooks for automation when appropriate.

Sources and timeliness: As of 2026-01-15, according to InvestorsObserver and platform help pages, alert ecosystems expanded to include more technical triggers and webhook integrations. For the most accurate details, refer to your platform’s documentation and account settings.

Explore more about alerts, trading tools and Bitget features to build an alerting workflow that fits your trading style.

The content above has been sourced from the internet and generated using AI. For high-quality content, please visit Bitget Academy.