Option Screener Guide

Build a query one rule at a time

Sign in with Google, then use Query Settings to select a column, an operator and a value. Numeric columns support <, <=, =, >= and >. Add the same column twice to form a range: DTE >= 30 and DTE <= 45, for example. All rules must match. These numbers illustrate the interface; they are not a recommended trade.

Symbol accepts multiple ticker chips. Contract type offers Puts, Calls and Both. The initial query starts with AMD, NVDA, GOOGL, AMZN and META puts, strike distance below −5%, bid of at least $0.10, and a bid-based spread below 20%. Edit or remove those rules when your research calls for a different universe.

Your edits are pending until you click Profit!. Changing an input does not replace the displayed results by itself. The URL preserves the query settings, so you can bookmark or share them. A later data refresh can change the matching contracts even when the rules stay the same.

Compare IV and delta without losing sight of liquidity

Order by IV, Delta, Bid, Ask or Mid, and toggle ascending or descending. IV descending is the default. IV describes implied volatility for that contract; it is not IV rank or IV percentile. A high value alone does not establish that an option is mispriced or attractive.

Read bid, ask, volume and open interest together. Volume counts trading activity for a period; open interest measures outstanding contracts. They are different quantities. A quoted midpoint is a reference between bid and ask, not a guaranteed execution price. Missing provider values remain unavailable rather than becoming zero.

Understand distance, earnings and grouped results

Distance is 100 × (strike / reference price − 1). For example, a $95 strike with a $100 reference price has −5% distance and does not pass Distance < −5%. Negative distance means the strike is below the reference price, for either calls or puts. Spread is 100 × (ask / bid − 1), requiring a positive bid: a $1.00 bid and $1.20 ask give 20%, excluded by the default Spread < 20% rule.

Before earnings? compares expiration with the next exact reported earnings date. Add a rule with Yes to require expiration before that date; No selects expiration on or after it, and N/A selects unavailable comparisons. Missing or ranged dates are not confirmed events, and company earnings do not apply to a known ETF.

Group by Symbol, Contract type or DTE to organize the loaded table and select a per-group row limit. Grouping changes the view, not the underlying query. Interactive results are capped at 2,000 contracts; grouping describes those loaded rows. Narrow your rules or export CSV to examine the complete matching selection.

Know what the data can tell you

The screener reads the latest available published market data; it is not a streaming quote service or an order-entry platform. Table IV and Greeks use provider values when available. Recheck current quotes, contract specifications and availability with your broker before acting. Clicking a table row opens company fundamentals and earnings context, not a trade recommendation.

Core screening, CSV export and saving named queries to your account are available to signed-in Free users. An ordinary bookmark does not require a paid plan. Admin-only diagnostic and Deep Dive tools are not part of the public free-screening feature set.

Start with the underlying and the contract type

Select the underlying symbols you want to research and set Contract type to Puts. The default query already selects puts on five large US companies, so replace that symbol rule if it is not your intended universe. A company appearing in a screen is not an endorsement of its stock.

For a standard equity option, one contract generally represents 100 shares, but adjusted contracts can have a different deliverable. Verify the multiplier and settlement terms with your broker. A contract screener cannot infer how much collateral your account requires from premium alone.

Define expiration, distance and delta separately

Add lower and upper DTE rules to compare a bounded expiration window. For an interface example, DTE >= 30 and DTE <= 45 leaves contracts within that range. Choose your own criteria; a particular expiration window is not inherently safer or more profitable.

Use negative Distance values when researching strikes below the reference price. The default Distance < −5% rule excludes its exact boundary. Replace that rule if you want a different range instead of accidentally retaining contradictory conditions on the same column.

Absolute delta compares magnitude without the put's negative sign. Signed delta preserves the provider's sign. Delta is a model-sensitive measure, not a guarantee of the probability of assignment. Sorting by IV helps compare contracts but does not measure a portfolio's risk or predict realized volatility.

Check quotes, liquidity and event exposure

Compare bid, ask, volume and open interest before drawing conclusions from premium. The default minimum bid is $0.10 per share and the bid-based spread cap is strictly below 20%. These are filtering defaults, not evidence that you can sell at the displayed bid or midpoint.

There is no earnings rule in the default query. Add Before earnings? is Yes to require expiration to precede the next exact reported earnings date. That rule excludes unavailable comparisons, including unknown or ranged dates and known instruments without applicable company earnings.

Use Group by Symbol with a per-group limit of one for a compact comparison within the loaded rows. This preserves the applied ordering inside each symbol. Export CSV if you need all matches rather than the capped interactive selection.

Understand the obligation behind the premium

Assignment can require buying the underlying at the strike even if its market price has fallen substantially. Premium does not eliminate that downside, and setting aside cash does not protect the value of stock acquired through assignment. American-style options can be assigned before expiration.

This screen lists research candidates and uses published rather than streaming market data. It does not compute account collateral, open a position, manage assignment or guarantee an income outcome. Confirm live quotes, cash requirements and contract terms independently.

Replace the default put query before screening calls

Open Query Settings and change Contract type from Puts to Calls. Select the symbols whose contracts you want to research. If your research concerns an existing stock position, compare the available contracts with that position's actual share count and terms separately.

The default strike Distance < −5% rule selects strikes below the reference price. To look above that price, replace it with Distance > 0. Do not simply append a positive-distance rule while leaving the negative-distance default active: both rules would need to match and the result would be empty.

A positive strike distance describes where the strike sits relative to the reference price. It does not describe your cost basis, maximum gain or downside exposure. Those depend on the stock position, contract terms, premium and transaction costs.

Compare expirations and the actual quote spread

Set DTE rules for your research horizon, then order by IV, Delta, Bid, Ask or Mid. Multiple conditions on one numeric column let you express a range. Click Profit! to apply the edited rules; the current table continues to represent the previous scan until that request succeeds.

Use volume, open interest and the bid–ask spread to assess the displayed market. The spread filter is measured against bid: (ask / bid − 1) × 100. A 20% maximum therefore requires ask / bid < 1.20 and excludes the exact boundary. It is not a midpoint-based spread calculation.

The table's midpoint is an arithmetic reference, not an executable order price. Provider IV and Greeks can be unavailable. High premium or high IV can reflect greater uncertainty; neither establishes a superior covered-call outcome.

Review events and compare one contract per symbol

Read the Before Earnings value and its explanation to understand whether expiration precedes the next exact reported date. Adding Before earnings? is Yes excludes unavailable comparisons as well. It does not screen for ex-dividend dates or eliminate early-assignment risk.

Group by Symbol, Contract type or DTE to organize the loaded selection, then choose a per-group limit. Grouping is a frontend view of at most 2,000 loaded contracts, not a portfolio optimizer. CSV export includes the complete matching selection independently of those grouping limits.

Click a row for available company fundamentals and earnings context. A missing earnings date or other field stays unavailable; it must not be interpreted as no event risk. The data are the latest available published observations, not continuous quotes.

Account for capped upside and stock downside

A short call can require delivery of the underlying at the strike and limits participation in gains above that level. The stock can still decline substantially; the premium only offsets part of a loss. Assignment can happen before expiration for American-style options, and dividend-related considerations may matter.

The tool does not check coverage, calculate your position-level payoff, execute orders or manage assignment. Verify ownership, deliverables, live quotes and costs with your broker. A filtered list is a starting point for research, not personalized advice or a promise of returns.

Can I filter option contracts by delta and open interest for free?

Yes. Google sign-in gives Free users numeric Delta, Absolute delta, IV, Open interest and Volume rules, alongside price and expiration filters. Add the same numeric column twice for a range. A contract with an unavailable value cannot satisfy a numeric rule on that field.

Does this option screener include IV rank or IV percentile?

No. The IV column is the provider's contract implied volatility. IV rank places a value within a historical low-to-high range; IV percentile counts historical observations below it. They need a defined historical series and lookback. This screener does not currently expose either metric, so sorting IV is not a substitute.

How is the bid–ask spread percentage calculated?

Spread is 100 × (ask / bid − 1), requiring a positive bid. A $1.00 bid and $1.20 ask produce 20%. The default Spread < 20% rule excludes that exact boundary. This is bid-based, not midpoint-based; a displayed midpoint is not a guaranteed fill price.

Can I use this free screener for covered calls or cash-secured puts?

Yes, to research individual calls or puts. Change Contract type and replace the default negative Distance rule when you want strikes above the reference price. The tool does not inspect your holdings or cash, certify coverage, execute trades or calculate a multi-leg strategy's payoff. The tutorials above explain both workflows.

Why can a shared query show different contracts later?

A copied URL preserves query and view settings, not historical market data. Each scan uses the latest available publication. A later publication or an expired contract can change the result. Grouping only reorganizes loaded rows; it does not rerun the query or search beyond the 2,000-contract table cap.