Service hold
A deliberate wait RefurbSitter applies before dispatching. Free alerts wait about 15 minutes. Paid dispatch has no intentional hold. This is the only part the plan changes.
Apple inventory·watching
guide · alert channels
Last updated August 14, 2026
Free email alerts versus paid push alerts.
The short answer: the plan you pick does not change which channels you get. Free, Spot, and Hunt all send through ntfy, web push, and email. What a paid pass changes is the intentional hold before RefurbSitter dispatches.
terminology
Three different things people call “speed.”
Detection to dispatch
How long RefurbSitter takes from spotting a listing to handing the alert off. Measured median 0.74 seconds in the June 2026 benchmark send sample.
Delivery
Everything after dispatch: your browser, operating system, device state, network, and mail provider. RefurbSitter does not control any of it, and no plan can promise it.
Detection to dispatch only, sample of 71 sends. Excludes carrier, browser, device, and inbox delivery time.
channels
Same channels on every plan.
Verified against production plan limits on 2026-08-14. The plan changes the intentional hold, not the channel list, and the list is not described as exhaustive.
| Channel | Setup | Depends on | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Web push | Grant the browser notification permission once, on each browser you want alerts on. | Browser support, operating system notification settings, and a device that is awake to surface it. | Buyers at a desk who want the alert on screen without checking an inbox. |
| ntfy | Install the ntfy app or open the topic in a browser, then connect it to your watch. | The ntfy app or an open browser tab, plus network connectivity. | Buyers who already use ntfy or want alerts on a phone without email. |
| Nothing to configure. It works as soon as your account exists. | Your mail provider's own routing, filtering, and any batching it applies. | A dependable baseline, and a backstop when a push permission is missing. |
These are the channels a standard watch uses. SMS is not offered today. Fleet and Reseller plans add webhook delivery, which is covered on the pricing page.
choosing
Which setup fits how you buy.
Free email is enough when
- You can tolerate the about 15 minutes intentional hold.
- You are watching a configuration that is not especially contested.
- You want to test whether the workflow fits before paying.
A paid pass fits when
- You want no intentional hold between detection and dispatch.
- You are watching a scarce configuration and the hold is the part you want removed.
- You want more than one active watch at a time.
An intentional service hold on the Free plan, confirmed in production. It is not a measure of delivery speed. Removes the service hold only. It does not guarantee carrier, browser, operating system, device, inbox, Apple stock, or checkout timing.
setup
Turning both on.
1. Sign in
Create or open your account. Signing in does not create a watch.
2. Create the watch
Save the configuration you want. The watch is the durable record that alerting is on.
3. Allow notifications
Grant the browser push permission if you want alerts on screen. Email needs no setup.
4. Verify it is listed
Check your dashboard shows the watch and the channels you expect.
Questions.
Do paid plans unlock different alert channels?
No. Free, Spot Pass, and Hunt Pass all use ntfy, web push, and email. What a paid pass changes is the intentional service hold before dispatch, not which channels you can use.
What does the Free plan's delay actually mean?
It is an intentional service hold applied before RefurbSitter dispatches a Free alert. It is a deliberate product boundary, not a measure of how quickly your device receives a message.
Does "no intentional hold" mean the alert arrives instantly?
No. It means RefurbSitter does not wait before dispatching. After dispatch, delivery depends on your browser, operating system, device, network, and mail provider, none of which RefurbSitter controls.
Is web push more reliable than email?
Neither is universally better. Web push needs a browser permission and a device that is awake to surface it promptly. Email works everywhere but can be delayed or filtered by your mail provider. Many buyers enable both.
Can RefurbSitter text me?
SMS is not offered today. Do not plan around it as an alert channel.
Start with one watch, free.
Try the channels on a real configuration before deciding whether the hold is worth removing.
Start watching free