UPDATE: (4/25/11): The free option is not working anymore. The only way to setup text message alerts is by following the instructions in this post:
In a previous post, I showed you how to setup Metatrader text message alerts for free. Now before you click over there, I want you to understand that if you are serious about your trading, free is NOT the best solution.
Sure, in most situations free is great! Believe me, I am all about free. As much as possible, I try to find free or inexpensive products whenever I can.
Free is Not Always Best
However, sometimes you really do have to pay and this is one such case. Why?
First of all, there was only one free email provider that I found that would allow the kind of connection that Metatrader needs to send text messages to my mobile phone. Therefore if that service ever decides to stop allowing this access, you will not be getting your trade alerts.
Secondly, since the email server you are using is free, the hosting company has no real motivation to solve issues in a timely manner or provide good customer service.
Therefore, in this post I'm going to show you how I setup Metatrader Text Message Alerts. Although it will cost a few bucks a month, it is well worth it.
If You Do Not Have a Website
If you already have a website or blog, then skip to the next section for further instructions. If you don't, then you need to sign up for some sort of email or website hosting.
I'll be honest, I have not completely researched all the options out there. Quite frankly, I don't have the time and even if I found something cheaper, it would only be by a couple bucks a month.
So it's not worth obsessing over a few dollars, in my opinion. That time could be better spent backtesting or logging your trades.
I can only tell you what I have tried and this works for me. It is affordable and has been solid over the three years that I have been using it. Just keep in mind that there are other ways to do it, but this is what I know.
I have been using HostGator for website hosting and email. Their plans are very affordable and their customer service is excellent.
I have also worked out a deal with them where you can get an extra $9.94 off any hosting package that you buy. It's not much because their prices are already low but every little bit helps. Use the coupon code:
TRADINGHEROES
Just get a simple “Hatchling Plan.” Click here to sign up for an account.
Here is a quick tutorial video on what to do:
Once you do that, you can move on to the next section below.
If You Already Have a Website
If you have an existing website or blog, then the rest is easy. Just setup a new email address. Here is a quick video on how to do it in HostGator:
UPDATE: (4/09/13): Now you also need to disable SPF (Sender Policy Framework) in HostGator for this to work. Please keep in mind that disabling this feature opens you up to potential hacking, so be sure that your password is super strong. In your HostGator Control Panel, go to Mail –> Email Authentication –> SPF –> Click the Disable button. This change may take some time to kick in, so be patient. Go get a beer and come back later to try it again.
If you have a different host, it is probably very similar.
Now Setup Metatrader
OK, almost done. Now we just have to setup Metatrader. This is how you do it:
UPDATE: (4/09/13): Now you also need to add a 26 port number for this to work. So the “SMTP Server” line on the setup screen would be:
mail.your-domain.com:26
Click here to see a list of email addresses to send text messages to different mobile phone carriers.
Almost Done
Now test it out:
That's it! Pretty simple huh?
If you want to learn how to create an inexpensive dedicated Metatrader computer that is always on and will send you text messages 24 hours a day check out this article.
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links in which I get a commission if you purchase through those links. It doesn’t cost you anything extra and part of my commission goes to support Kiva.
Hello, thanks for your article but I am wondering, why is this and your previous article both about setting up receiving SMS alerts rather than receiving EMAIL alerts on your phone? Your phone can notify you with popups for either so why do you only mention SMS? I guess an advantage of SMS is you would rely on cell connection for alerts rather than internet.
Also, your method seems a bit convoluted compared to guides that just say go via e.g. Gmail smtp e.g. http://smartforexlearning.com/email-price-alerts-metatrader-4/
(which could be used for either SMS or email alerts depending on the recipient address used).
Is this because you have found using e.g. smtp.gmail.com:465 to be unsuccessful? I am a newbie so just trying to learn about this.
I know we also have the app push method now as your great other article says, but it would be good to get clarification on the above. Thanks for your articles & videos.
Hi Guido,
I also have a post on setting up push: https://www.tradingheroes.com/how-to-get-forex-trading-alerts-on-your-mobile-metatrader-4-push-notifications/
The reason that this is SMS only, is because when I first wrote it, that is all that there was available. But now, if you can do push, you should do that. In certain countries though, SMS is still the better option.
It depends on which version of Gmail you are using. When I wrote that tutorial, none of the free email services allowed you to use the account as a SMTP relay. GMX was the last one, but they changed that policy a few years ago.
So, if you are using the paid version of Gmail, then you can use it for MT. Otherwise, you cannot do the relay…unless they changed something. Give it a try and see for yourself.
Hugh
GMX SOLUTION:
I cannot comment on the limit of 26 messages but if people ever ask how to make mt4’s email alerts work these days, for example with the proposed gmx.com free email server they need to log into gmx.com Settings page to enable “Send and receive emails via external program” and click Save button.
parkkis
Finland
Thanks for the tip Parkkis!
I don’t know why you can’t make a free email to work. Gmail works fine for me if you don’t put two step verification on. The first field is smtp.gmail.com:465 the rest is explanatory
Hi Hugh
Finally , it works! perfectly
Thank you very much for help
Fred
Awesome, glad it works!
Hi Hugh
I set up a domain on host gator four days ago and still getting the same mt4 error. “mail: error connecting to mail******com, I’ve tried everything, help please
thanks
Hi Fred,
I’ll send you an email to help troubleshoot.
Hugh
Hi Hugh,
It’s been several days now but am still getting the same MT4 error, “Mail: error connecting to mail.tao********.com:25? I’m able to get text alerts from other sources so I’m fairly certain it’s an MT4 problem. Any ideas I might try?
Best regards,
John
Hi John,
I’ll email you directly….
Cheers,
Hugh
Hi Hugh,
Thanks for your videos. They inspired me to try to set up text alerts on MT4.
I set up a domain on host gator but I keep getting the MT4 error, “Mail: error connecting to mail.taotraderalerts.com:25” I’ve tried it with and without a port number and all the host gator outgoing server names & ports. I’m stumped. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards,
John
Hi John,
If you just signed up for the HG account, it might take up to 48 hours for the new domain to filter through the interwebs. Give it a shot in a day or two and see what happens. A couple of other people had issues with that also. If it’s not that, then let me know and I’ll do my best to help.
Cheers,
Hugh
Hello Hugh, Went ahead and set up host gator but I can’t seem to get it working correctly. Metatrader keeps giving me the error message:
Mail: error connecting to mail.provocativeinvestments.com. I’ve tried literally everything from trying to add a port and I send support an email. Any suggestions buddy?
Thanks,
Ben
Hope my emails helped.
Great job. I have a similar way to set up e-mail alerts. Will put my 2 cents on this topic.
Thanks! Cool, let me know…
Thanks for this article, was of great help.
I’m looking out for an article how we can compile indicators we write, so that it works only with the login ID and PW we provide.
Thank You in advance.
Thanks for this article, was of great help. Now i can take a break from my laptop while trading and still get all the alerts i look out for while trading.
Many pips to you.
No problem, let me know if you need more help…
MT4 Messaging works to SMS; but seems very intermittent; works one day and the next doesn’t. Then works again, then stops; que says mail has been sent and tests always work; any ideas?
Hmmm…could be a few different things. What kind of internet connection do you have at home?
Are you inside or outside the US?
What kind of triggers are you setting for the alerts? Are you using the simple MT4 price level alerts or do you have a custom indicator that sends the alerts?
Awesome tutorial Hugh! Keep up the good work man..
Thanks!
Guess I have to find other ways to work around it. Thanks a lot for your help though.
No problem, good luck!
I’m from Singapore… I use singtel… They provide internet sms service at http://sms.singtel.com/internetsms/
I did a little research, but I couldn’t find a way to do it without hiring a programmer.
Thanks… Great article… Unfortunately, I think my phone carrier does not have an email address that I can use to send sms to… instead they provide a website for sending sms through the internet…
You’re welcome…what carrier do you have?
Hi,
Your videos are missing… I visited your site earlier today and could see the videos… but they seem to be gone now… 9:16am (EST)
Thanks, they have been fixed.