Day Trading Alerts
Day trading alerts can be a powerful tool in helping to identify short-term trading opportunities and manage risk. For example, you could set an alert in your broker’s app to notify you when the price of Apple (AAPL) stock reaches a certain level, prompting a buy or sell action.
This guide will catalog the different types of trading alerts out there, explain how they can enhance a day trader’s returns, and discuss the key things to consider when choosing an alert provider.
Best Brokers With Day Trading Alerts
Following our hands-on tests, these are the 5 highest-rated brokers with day trading alerts, available through desktop platforms and mobile apps:
#1 - AvaTrade
Why We Chose AvaTrade
AvaTrade is a leading forex and CFD broker, established in 2006 and regulated across 9 jurisdictions. Over 400,000 users have signed up with the broker which processes over 2 million trades each month. The firm offers multiple trading platforms, including MT4, MT5, and a proprietary WebTrader. 1250+ financial instruments are available for day trading, alongside a comprehensive education center and multilingual customer support.
"AvaTrade offers the full package for short-term traders. There is powerful charting software, reliable execution, transparent fees, and fast account opening with a low minimum deposit."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Bonds, Crypto, Spread Betting
- Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, ISA, CBol, FSA, FSRA, BVI, ADGM
- Platforms: WebTrader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, MT4, MT5, AlgoTrader, TradingCentral, DupliTrade
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:30 (Retail) 1:400 (Pro)
Pros
- Day traders can access stable spreads and zero commissions with no hidden fees
- The broker’s unique risk management tool, AvaProtect, protects against losses up to $1 million and is easy to activate in the platform
- There's a great range of fee-free deposit methods, including bank wire, credit cards and popular e-wallets like Skrill
Cons
- Traders from the US are not accepted
- A high $2000 minimum investment is required to use DupliTrade, which will be out of reach for many beginners
- There’s an above-average $50 inactivity fee after three months, though this won't impact active day traders
#2 - Deriv.com
Why We Chose Deriv.com
Deriv.com is a low cost, multi-asset broker with over 2.5 million global clients. With just a $5 minimum deposit, the firm offers CFDs, multipliers and more recently accumulators, alongside proprietary synthetic products which can't be found elsewhere. Deriv provides both its own in-house charting software and the hugely popular MetaTrader 5.
"Deriv.com will suit day traders looking to make fast-paced trades using CFDs and multipliers with high leverage up to 1:1000. The broker is also the industry leader in synthetic indices, which simulate real market movements and are available around the clock. "
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Multipliers, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities
- Regulator: MFSA, LFSA, VFSC, BFSC
- Platforms: Deriv Trader, MT5
- Minimum Deposit: $5
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:1000
Pros
- Deriv continues to offer fast and reliable 24/7 support and the WhatsApp service is particularly convenient
- The free demo account is ideal for practicing short-term trading strategies and no registration is required
- Traders can use multipliers between 1 and 30, with take profit, stop loss and deal cancellation parameters
Cons
- There's no loyalty program or rebate scheme for high volume traders
- The range of 100+ assets trails some competitors such as Quotex which offers 400+
- There are limited copy trading tools and analysis features compared to alternatives like IQ Cent
#3 - Pepperstone
Why We Chose Pepperstone
Established in Australia in 2010, Pepperstone is a top-rated forex and CFD broker with over 400,000 clients worldwide. It offers access to 1,300+ instruments on leading platforms MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, maintaining low, transparent fees. Pepperstone is also regulated by trusted authorities like the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC, ensuring a secure environment for day traders at all levels.
"Pepperstone stands out as a top choice for day trading, offering razor-sharp spreads, ultra-fast execution, and advanced charting platforms for experienced traders. New traders are also welcomed with no minimum deposit, extensive educational resources, and exceptional 24/7 support."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Currency Indices, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto, Spread Betting
- Regulator: FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, CMA, BaFin, SCB
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade
- Minimum Deposit: $0
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
Pros
- Now offering spread betting through TradingView, Pepperstone provides a seamless, tax-efficient trading experience with advanced analysis tools.
- Pepperstone emerges as a low-cost broker, especially for serious day traders with spreads from 0.0 in the Razor account and rebates of 25%+ through the Active Trader program.
- Pepperstone boasts impressive execution speeds, averaging around 30ms, facilitating fast order processing and execution that’s ideal for day trading.
Cons
- Despite enhancements to its range of markets, crypto offerings are relatively limited compared to other brokers such as eToro, with no option to invest in real coins.
- Pepperstone’s demo accounts are active for only 30 days, which may not be not long enough to familiarize yourself with the different platforms and test trading strategies.
- There’s no simplified proprietary trading platform, nor are there any social trading features, which could be a disadvantage if you are new to day trading.
#4 - XM
Why We Chose XM
XM is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker with 10+ million clients in 190+ countries. Since 2009, this trusted broker has been known for its low fees on 1000+ instruments. XM is regulated by multiple financial bodies, including the ASIC and CySEC.
"XM is one of the best forex and CFD brokers we have tested. The flexible account types will suit a variety of short-term trading styles while the $5 minimum deposit and smooth sign-up process make it easy to start trading."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: Forex, Stock CFDs, Turbo Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Precious Metals, Energies, Shares, Crypto, Futures
- Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, FSC, FSCA
- Platforms: MT4, MT5
- Minimum Deposit: $5
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
Pros
- XM is a hugely respected broker authorized by tier-one regulators
- Accessible trading accounts with a $5 minimum deposit and fast account opening
- XM continues to deliver diverse and multilingual educational materials and offers a useful live education schedule for its webinars and insights
Cons
- There's $5 inactivity fee after only 3 months, though this won't affect active traders
- PayPal deposits are not supported
- There is weak regulatory oversight through the global entity
#5 - IC Markets
Why We Chose IC Markets
IC Markets is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker known for its excellent pricing, comprehensive range of trading instruments, and premium trading technology. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Australia, the brokerage is regulated by the ASIC, CySEC and FSA, and has attracted more than 180,000 clients from over 200 countries.
"IC Markets offers superior pricing, exceptionally fast execution and seamless deposits. The introduction of advanced charting platforms, notably TradingView, and the Raw Trader Plus account, ensures it remains a top choice for intermediate to advanced day traders."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto
- Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSA
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade
- Minimum Deposit: $200
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)
Pros
- As a tightly regulated and widely respected broker, IC Markets prioritizes client security and transparency, helping to ensure a reliable trading experience globally.
- With ultra-fast execution speeds averaging 35 milliseconds and deep liquidity, IC Markets provides an optimal trading environment for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders.
- IC Markets offers fast and dependable 24/5 support based on firsthand experience, particularly when it comes to accounts and funding issues.
Cons
- Despite four industry-leading third-party platforms, there is no proprietary software or trading app built with new traders in mind.
- The breadth and depth of tutorials, webinars and educational resources still need work, trailing alternatives like CMC Markets and reducing its suitability for beginners.
- There are fees for certain withdrawal methods, including a $20 wire charge, which can eat into profits, especially for frequent withdrawals.
What Is A Day Trading Alert?
As a short-term trader, you are presented with many hurdles to overcome. How do you choose between thousands of securities? How do you react to news announcements before the market?
This is where day trading alerts come in. Put simply, they alert you when an event takes place.
This event could be a market development, technical indicators, or reaching a specified price target, for example, a notification if the price of gold declines by 1.5% over a four-hour period.
Armed with this information you’re able to act or react swiftly, increasing your chance of yielding a profit. You may want to pay more attention to a security, or know when to enter or exit a trade.
Alerts will flash up on your trading platform when the conditions are met. They can also be sent by email, SMS, and increasingly by push notification on your mobile phone.
You can get straightforward and free trading signals, that come with your trading platform, and you can get additional, complex alerts that come at a price. The complexity of your notifications will depend on your individual trading style and needs.
Types Of Alerts
As technology has rapidly evolved, effective intraday trading alerts can now be found for nearly all markets, including stocks, forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies.
That said, trading alerts can be broken down into several categories:
Price Alerts
These inform you when prices move by a certain percentage or hit a specific price level.
They are useful because they can immediately notify you when the market breaches support or resistance levels, or encounters a breakout on a price chart – events that often lead to significant price volatility and opportunity for short-term traders.
Technical Alerts
Technical analysis is used extensively by short-term traders, who – after studying charts – can then set up and buy and sell alerts based on an array of popular technical indicators. These include Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD), Bollinger Bands, and Ichimoku Cloud.
You can set alerts based on specific conditions or crossovers of these indicators. For instance, I could establish a copper alert on my trading platform to tell me when the MACD line crosses above or below the signal line.
A cross above is a bullish crossover, and an alert in this instance could encourage me to create a buy order for a copper mining stock, such as Rio Tinto (RIO).
News Alerts
Economic reports, geopolitical updates, corporate announcements, market news and other events can have a significant impact on asset prices. Some of the most watched events in the economic calendar include:
- Market-specific supply and demand data (like the weekly US oil rig count)
- Employment data (such as non-farm payrolls in the US)
- Trade numbers (like export data from China)
- GDP data from major economies
- Inflation numbers
News alerts that cover these events – as well as unexpected off-diary occurrences – can help short-term traders stay informed and react to market shifts.
The best news notifications of this sort will come with commentary and analysis to enhance your trading decisions.
Several platforms also allow you to scroll through a tailor-made economic calendar and then tick the events you’d like to set reminders for. They usually allow you to specify how you’d like to be notified, and how much notice you would like.
Pros And Cons Of Using Trading Alerts
Pros
- Opportunity discovery: By alerting you to certain price movements, technical indicators, or news events, you can identify potential entry and exit points and improve your chances of capturing profitable trades.
- Noise reduction: Alerts can streamline the decision-making process, allowing you to block out random market fluctuations and irrelevant information that can obscure meaningful trends or patterns.
- Time efficiency: By setting up notifications, you don’t have to intensively monitor the markets themselves, giving you time to focus on other tasks and refine your short-term trading strategies.
- Speed and accuracy: Some alert systems are now 100% automated, relying on highly accurate maths and removing the human error margin. This also means that the information you need to make a decision can be provided more quickly.
- Risk management: You can minimize risk to your trades by establishing alerts when markets hit certain thresholds, making them an important tool in your risk management arsenal.
Cons
- Technological problems: While technology is rapidly improving, alerts can still convey incorrect or misleading information that provides false trading signals. Notification delays, platform malfunctions, and connectivity issues may also impact your ability to capitalize on trading opportunities or manage risk.
- Over-dependency: Traders can become excessively reliant on alerts to inform dealing decisions. This may dull your ability to adapt to market conditions, lead to overtrading, and hinder the development of analytical skills.
- Increased trading costs: Many brokers offer free alerts, although you can pay third parties for more sophisticated notification systems. While these tools can boost returns, the associated subscription fees or one-off costs can eat into profits.
Choosing An Alert Provider
Hot competition means that brokerages are all investing heavily to provide the best user experience. This is why many increasingly offer trading alert services to their clients.
But with a lot of different companies operating in this industry, what should you consider when deciding which to use?
Based on our direct experience testing a long row of trading alert providers, there are five key things we, and you, should consider:
- Which asset class are you trading? Some specialist notification companies, such as ForexSignals.com, concentrate on certain markets like currencies, while brokers like CMC Markets provide alerts spanning multiple asset classes, from forex to stocks, indices, and commodities.
- How transparent are they? Only choose a service that provides detailed information on their trading strategies, alert methodologies, and performance metrics, notably win rates and average returns. FOREX.com stands out here with its AI-powered Smart Signals engine that provides short-term trade ideas across 4-, 6-, 8- or 12-hour time intervals with a hit rate out of 10.
- Is the alert platform user-friendly? It’s important to select an interface that is easy to use and offers a variety of functions. IG excels here with an intuitive panel in its app that we’ve used to set price alerts, breaking out triggered vs untriggered alerts with accompanying details like price, time and date.
- Do they offer good customer support? Technical problems can be expensive and very frustrating for traders. Try to find out how responsive and effective the provider is in addressing issues, and consider if they provide multiple ways for customers to make contact. XTB has delivered first-class support 24/5 over our years of testing, with integrated live chat in the platform and dedicated account managers.
- What are their fees? Selecting an alert provider requires a trade-off between quality of service and cost. Remember that high fees can take a big bite out of your profits. Opting for a broker with free trading alerts like AvaTrade can help keep fees down. Real-time alerts are available through its web platform and award-winning mobile app.
Many of these questions can only be answered once a provider’s services have been employed. So choosing one that offers a demo account can be a good idea.
We’ve reviewed a growing list of independent trading alert providers over the years, many of which specialize in specific markets and types of trading notifications…
Specialist Trading Alert Providers
Disclaimer – the service providers listed here are not endorsed, or guaranteed, by DayTrading.com to be fit for any purpose. Any use of third-party service providers is at the user’s personal risk. We may receive financial compensation from providers listed here.
Bottom Line
Traders who wish to increase their returns and manage their risk effectively can benefit greatly from day trading alerts.
Yet despite these advantages, traders should also be mindful of the associated costs of using these tools, whilst also remembering to guard against overreliance. They should only be employed as part of a balanced approach to decision-making.
To get started, use our list of the best brokers with day trading alerts.
FAQ
How Can I Receive Trading Alerts?
You can receive your alerts in a number of straightforward ways. You can register for notifications that will pop up when you’re actually in your web-based trading platform, say TradingView. They will usually make a sound to inform you an event of interest has occurred.
Alternatively, you can get mobile SMS notifications. These allow you to respond to important market developments even when you’re on the move.
There is even the option of X, formerly Twitter, alerts. That’s right, you can keep up to date with Donald Trump at the same time as receiving crucial trading information. If that isn’t to your fancy you can set up email alerts and absorb data that way.
Technology now allows you to receive your alerts in whichever medium is most suitable for your needs. For example, an intraday trader glued to the screen all day may benefit most from alerts on their web-based platform.
Can You Profit From Trading Alert Services?
Despite the promise of riches alert service providers claim, there remain downsides to stay aware of. Firstly, remember that however many benefits trading signals and alerts offer, they don’t replace experience and they won’t work without an effective strategy.
Secondly, you need to take into account slippage. There will always be some lag in the alert and your ability to make or exit a trade, and when you’re day trading, every second and tick counts.