Limit order for options
A limit order will only be executed if options contracts are available at your specific limit price or better. Due to high volatility in the options market, Robinhood requires you to set a limit price for all options trades.
With a buy limit order, you can set a limit price, which should be the maximum price you want to pay for a contract. The contract will only be purchased at your limit price or lower.
With a sell limit order, you can set a limit price, which should be the minimum amount you want to receive for a contract. The contract will only be sold at your limit price or higher.
If the market is closed, the order will be queued for market open. Just like other option orders, these orders won't execute during extended hours.
Keep in mind, limit orders aren't guaranteed to execute. There has to be a buyer and seller on both sides of the trade. If there aren't enough contracts in the market at your limit price, it may take multiple trades to fill the entire order, or the order may not be filled at all.
Price bar
The price bar shows the bid, mark, and ask prices during a single-leg or multi-leg order. You can use the price bar to choose your limit price based on the current market. You can move the green price selector or enter a limit price. If you make changes, the limit price will dynamically update according to your selection (either the mark or natural price).
This is an example of what the price bar looks like when the Bid is selected:
More about the bid, mark, and ask prices
- Bid: The highest price buyers in the market are willing to pay for an options contract or strategy.
- Mark: The midpoint between the bid price and the ask price, rounded up to the nearest cent. Note that if there are no bids, the mark price will show as $0.01.
- Ask: The lowest price sellers in the market are willing to accept for an options contract or strategy.
Using the limit price selector
You can either enter a new limit price or slide the limit price selector between the Bid and Ask prices to change it.
While sliding, you can see how different limit prices will affect the following:
- Fill likelihood (low, medium, or high)
- Maximum profit
- Breakeven
- Maximum loss
When is the price bar disabled?
The price bar is disabled if:
- The bid and ask prices aren't available
- There are no bids and/or no asks
- The bid price is negative
- The bid price is greater than the ask price
Disclosures
Options trading entails significant risk and isn't appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Robinhood Financial doesn't guarantee favorable investment outcomes and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities, or other financial products. Investors should consider their investment objectives and risks carefully before investing. To learn more about the risks associated with options, review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before you begin trading options. Be aware of the risks listed in the Day Trading Risk Disclosure Statement and FINRA Investor Information. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.