What's the Best Way to Set Up Trading Alerts?

By Bruno Nalon · October 12, 2026 · 2 min read

The best alert setup is the one that gets the right information to you at the right moment, without burying you in noise. Here is a step-by-step approach that works for busy beginners, using EasyTrade as the example - but the same principles apply to any signal service.

Step 1: Decide what you want to be alerted about

Before you touch any settings, decide which strategies fit your account and goals. Bull put spreads and cash secured puts suit a neutral-to-bullish view; bear call spreads a neutral-to-bearish one; iron condors a range-bound market; covered calls work when you already own 100 shares.

Fewer, better-matched alerts beat a flood of trades you will never place. On EasyTrade, every plan includes signals for all five strategies - bull put spreads, bear call spreads, iron condors, cash secured puts and covered calls - so you can simply skip the ones that do not fit your account.

Step 2: Turn on push notifications

Push notifications are the fastest channel. In EasyTrade, open Account, find Notifications and enable "Push me about new opportunities". Your browser will ask for permission - allow it.

On iPhone or iPad, add EasyTrade to your Home Screen first (Safari Share icon, then Add to Home Screen) and enable push from the installed app; iOS only delivers web push to installed apps. If notifications were blocked before, allow them for the site in your browser settings.

Step 3: Use email as your safety net

Push is great for speed, but notifications get swiped away. Keep "Email me about new opportunities" on to receive the new-opportunities digest on weekdays, so every signal also lands in your inbox.

Add the sender to your contacts or safe-senders list so the digest does not end up in spam, and pick your preferred language in Account - emails and notifications follow it.

Step 4: Prepare your broker before the first alert

An alert is only useful if you can act on it. Make sure your brokerage account has the right options approval level for spreads, that you have enough buying power for the max risk shown on the signal, and that you know where the option chain is in your broker's app.

If you trade at tastytrade, the Diamond plan lets you link your account and send the signal straight from the app, then auto-closes spreads and iron condors at 5 days to expiration. That removes most manual entry errors.

Step 5: Build a simple routine

Signals are generated during market hours, so a couple of quick checks during the day catch nearly everything. When an alert arrives, review the EasyScore, max risk and max profit, compare the live price with the signal, and decide - do not rush.

Keep a short trade journal and review open positions once a day. A consistent ten-minute routine is worth more than reacting to every buzz.

See a real signal for yourself

Every EasyTrade signal shows the max risk, max profit, EasyScore and a step-by-step execution guide before you trade. Try it free for 30 days - no credit card required.

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Frequently asked questions

Why am I not receiving push notifications?

The most common causes are notifications blocked in browser settings, focus or do-not-disturb mode, or, on iPhone, enabling push from Safari instead of from the app added to the Home Screen.

Should I use push, email or both?

Both. Push tells you the moment a signal is created; email gives you a reliable record you can review when you have time. Since EasyTrade signals run for weeks, the email digest alone is enough for many traders.

Can alerts place trades for me automatically?

Not fully. On the Diamond plan you send each signal to tastytrade yourself in two clicks, so you always confirm the trade. Closing spreads and iron condors at 5 days to expiration is automated.

Keep reading

Educational content only - not financial advice. Options trading involves significant risk and is not suitable for all investors. Past results do not guarantee future returns.