> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://api.unusualwhales.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> API requests use the base URL https://api.unusualwhales.com and require a bearer token in the `Authorization` header (`Authorization: Bearer <API_KEY>`). Create and manage API tokens at https://unusualwhales.com/dashboard/api.
> For live market data inside an AI tool, use the Unusual Whales MCP server at https://unusualwhales.com/public-api/mcp.
> Instructions for agents using Unusual Whales tools: https://unusualwhales.com/skill.md

# Custom alerts

> Receive notifications matching the alert configurations on your own Unusual Whales account.

**NOTE:**
This is the documentation for websocket channel `custom_alerts`.
Websocket access for personal use is only available through the [Advanced plan](https://unusualwhales.com/pricing?product=api).

Unlike the other websocket channels, `custom_alerts` is a **per-user** stream. You only receive notifications that match the alert configurations on the Unusual Whales account that owns the API token used to connect. Configure alerts on [https://unusualwhales.com/notifications](https://unusualwhales.com/notifications); every notification fired against your account is also delivered on this channel.

You can find fully-functional examples that stream data from many channels here:

* Python: [https://github.com/unusual-whales/api-examples/tree/main/examples/ws-multi-channel-multi-output](https://github.com/unusual-whales/api-examples/tree/main/examples/ws-multi-channel-multi-output)
* Javascript: [https://github.com/unusual-whales/api-examples/tree/main/examples/ws-multi-channel-multi-output-nodejs](https://github.com/unusual-whales/api-examples/tree/main/examples/ws-multi-channel-multi-output-nodejs)

Connect to the websocket URI:

`wss://api.unusualwhales.com/socket?token=<YOUR_API_TOKEN>`

then `join` the channel: `custom_alerts`.

Payload format:

```
[
  "custom_alerts",
  {
    "name": "Aggressive ask-side flow on AAPL",
    "noti_type": "flow_alerts",
    "user_noti_config_id": "f80a7f23-2cf6-4bc2-b7cd-2cb13e7a9a80",
    "user_id": "0d5b0a13-b9d8-4f3b-8a4f-7c6c9a9a1b40",
    "symbol": "AAPL",
    "symbol_type": "stock",
    "tape_time": "2026-04-27T14:32:11Z",
    "meta": {}
  }
]
```

`meta` is a free-form object whose shape depends on `noti_type`.

### Field reference

| Field | Type | Description |
| - | - | - |
| `name` | string | The alert configuration's display name. |
| `noti_type` | string | The kind of alert that fired (e.g. `"flow_alerts"`, `"price_alert"`, `"news"`). Determines the shape of `meta`. |
| `user_noti_config_id` | uuid string | Identifier of the alert configuration that produced this notification. Use this to group alerts by the rule that fired them. |
| `user_id` | uuid string | Account that received the alert (always the account associated with the API token). |
| `symbol` | string \| null | Symbol the alert is about, if applicable. |
| `symbol_type` | `"stock"` \| `"option_chain"` \| null | Tells you how to interpret `symbol`. |
| `tape_time` | ISO 8601 string | Time the alert fired, UTC. |
| `meta` | object | Free-form payload whose shape depends on `noti_type`. |