diff --git a/internal/alerts/help.go b/internal/alerts/help.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..81901bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/alerts/help.go
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+package alerts
+
+// TemplateVarsHint returns a compact, multi-line listing of the
+// variables a subject/body template can reference. Designed for
+// embedding in TUI form hints where vertical space is tight.
+//
+// Continuation lines are pre-indented so they line up under the
+// first line when the caller prepends a fixed indent (e.g. "  ").
+func TemplateVarsHint() string {
+	return "Go text/template — leave empty to use the built-in format.\n" +
+		"  Vars: {{.Check.Name}}, {{.Check.Target}}, {{.Check.Type}}, {{.Check.ID}},\n" +
+		"        {{.Verb}} (UP|DOWN|RECOVERED), {{.From}}, {{.To}}, {{.NodeID}}, {{.When}},\n" +
+		"        {{.Snapshot.Detail}}, {{.Snapshot.Reports}}, {{.Snapshot.OKCount}}, {{.Snapshot.NotOK}}"
+}
+
+// TemplateVarsHelp returns the long-form documentation for available
+// template variables, suitable for embedding in a CLI command's Long
+// help text. Each variable is described on its own line and an
+// example template is included at the end.
+func TemplateVarsHelp() string {
+	return `Subject and body templates use Go text/template syntax. They are
+optional — leaving them empty falls back to the built-in format.
+Discord ignores the subject template (it has no subject line); SMTP
+uses both.
+
+Available variables:
+  {{.Check.Name}}        check name (e.g. "homepage")
+  {{.Check.Target}}      URL / host:port / host being probed
+  {{.Check.Type}}        http | tcp | icmp
+  {{.Check.ID}}          stable check UUID
+  {{.Verb}}              UP | DOWN | RECOVERED
+  {{.From}}              previous state name
+  {{.To}}                new state name
+  {{.NodeID}}            master node that rendered the message
+  {{.When}}              RFC3339 timestamp of the transition
+  {{.Snapshot.Detail}}   probe detail string (e.g. "connection refused")
+  {{.Snapshot.Reports}}  total reports in the flip window
+  {{.Snapshot.OKCount}}  ok report count
+  {{.Snapshot.NotOK}}    failing report count
+
+Example body template:
+  {{.Check.Name}} is {{.Verb}} (target {{.Check.Target}}).
+  Detail: {{.Snapshot.Detail}}`
+}
diff --git a/internal/cli/alert.go b/internal/cli/alert.go
index 28acb03..b6d3f2c 100644
--- a/internal/cli/alert.go
+++ b/internal/cli/alert.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 
+	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/alerts"
 	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/config"
 	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/daemon"
 	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/transport"
@@ -21,9 +22,9 @@ import (
 // variants (if non-empty) and returns the effective subject + body
 // template strings. Inline flags take precedence over file flags.
 func bindTemplateFlags(cmd *cobra.Command) {
-	cmd.Flags().String("subject", "", "subject template (text/template syntax — SMTP only)")
+	cmd.Flags().String("subject", "", "subject template, Go text/template (SMTP only; see --help for variables)")
 	cmd.Flags().String("subject-file", "", "path to a file containing the subject template")
-	cmd.Flags().String("body", "", "body template (text/template syntax)")
+	cmd.Flags().String("body", "", "body template, Go text/template (see --help for variables)")
 	cmd.Flags().String("body-file", "", "path to a file containing the body template")
 }
 
@@ -172,7 +173,9 @@ func buildAlertEditCmd() *cobra.Command {
 take effect; everything else is preserved.
 
 The type (smtp/discord) cannot be changed in place — delete and re-add
-the alert if you need to switch channels.`,
+the alert if you need to switch channels.
+
+` + alerts.TemplateVarsHelp(),
 		Args: cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(cmd.Context(), 10*time.Second)
@@ -308,6 +311,7 @@ func buildSMTPAddCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "smtp <name>",
 		Short: "Add an SMTP relay alert",
+		Long:  "Add an SMTP relay alert.\n\n" + alerts.TemplateVarsHelp(),
 		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(cmd.Context(), 10*time.Second)
@@ -365,6 +369,7 @@ func buildDiscordAddCmd() *cobra.Command {
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "discord <name>",
 		Short: "Add a Discord webhook alert",
+		Long:  "Add a Discord webhook alert.\n\n" + alerts.TemplateVarsHelp(),
 		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(cmd.Context(), 10*time.Second)
diff --git a/internal/tui/forms.go b/internal/tui/forms.go
index 007c6df..ef88911 100644
--- a/internal/tui/forms.go
+++ b/internal/tui/forms.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/lipgloss"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 
+	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/alerts"
 	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/config"
 	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/daemon"
 	"git.cer.sh/axodouble/quptime/internal/transport"
@@ -272,7 +273,7 @@ func newAddDiscordForm() *form {
 		textField("Name", "human-friendly identifier", true),
 		textField("Webhook URL", "https://discord.com/api/webhooks/...", true),
 		textField("Default", "yes/no — attach to every check automatically", false),
-		textField("Body template", "leave empty for default formatting", false),
+		textField("Body template", alerts.TemplateVarsHint(), false),
 	}
 	return newForm("Add Discord alert", fields, func(vals []string) tea.Cmd {
 		return func() tea.Msg {
@@ -303,8 +304,8 @@ func newAddSMTPForm() *form {
 		textField("To", "comma-separated recipient addresses", true),
 		textField("StartTLS", "yes/no — default yes", false),
 		textField("Default", "yes/no — attach to every check", false),
-		textField("Subject template", "optional", false),
-		textField("Body template", "optional", false),
+		textField("Subject template", alerts.TemplateVarsHint(), false),
+		textField("Body template", alerts.TemplateVarsHint(), false),
 	}
 	return newForm("Add SMTP alert", fields, func(vals []string) tea.Cmd {
 		return func() tea.Msg {
@@ -445,7 +446,7 @@ func newEditDiscordForm(existing config.Alert) *form {
 		textFieldWithValue("Name", "human-friendly identifier", existing.Name, true),
 		textFieldWithValue("Webhook URL", "https://discord.com/api/webhooks/...", existing.DiscordWebhook, true),
 		textFieldWithValue("Default", "yes/no — attach to every check automatically", boolStr(existing.Default), false),
-		textFieldWithValue("Body template", "leave empty for default formatting", existing.BodyTemplate, false),
+		textFieldWithValue("Body template", alerts.TemplateVarsHint(), existing.BodyTemplate, false),
 	}
 	id := existing.ID
 	subject := existing.SubjectTemplate
@@ -483,8 +484,8 @@ func newEditSMTPForm(existing config.Alert) *form {
 		textFieldWithValue("To", "comma-separated recipient addresses", strings.Join(existing.SMTPTo, ","), true),
 		textFieldWithValue("StartTLS", "yes/no — default yes", boolStr(existing.SMTPStartTLS), false),
 		textFieldWithValue("Default", "yes/no — attach to every check", boolStr(existing.Default), false),
-		textFieldWithValue("Subject template", "optional", existing.SubjectTemplate, false),
-		textFieldWithValue("Body template", "optional", existing.BodyTemplate, false),
+		textFieldWithValue("Subject template", alerts.TemplateVarsHint(), existing.SubjectTemplate, false),
+		textFieldWithValue("Body template", alerts.TemplateVarsHint(), existing.BodyTemplate, false),
 	}
 	id := existing.ID
 	return newForm("Edit SMTP alert", fields, func(vals []string) tea.Cmd {