About the Options Strategy Builder | Robinhood

About the Options Strategy Builder

The Options Strategy Builder helps you learn about, customize, and build a wide range of basic and advanced options strategies.

With the Builder, you can seamlessly choose a strategy, adjust the strike prices or expiration dates, and place your order.

Options Strategy Builder image

Note

A multi-leg strategy places an order for more than one option at the same time. Each leg is a single option contract.

Options strategies

To get to the Options Strategy Builder, choose a stock, ETF, or market index to buy or sell (trade), and then select Builder (top left). Depending on what you choose, you’ll get one or more of the following strategy options:

  • Single-leg strategies: The fundamental options strategies. These involve buying or selling a call or a put.

  • Vertical spreads: Simultaneously buy and sell similar options using different strike prices. Vertical spreads are designed to profit from gains or losses in the price of an underlying asset.

  • Straddles and strangles: Two-legged strategies that are designed to profit from volatility.

  • Calendar spreads: Simultaneously buy and sell similar options using different expiration dates. Calendar spreads are designed to profit from differences in implied volatility over time.

Keep in mind

You can’t use calendar spreads, covered calls, or diagonal spreads with index options.

Strategy charts

When you open the Options Strategy Builder, you’ll see a list of strategies with corresponding charts. Each chart helps explain how a strategy operates.

For example, the following chart shows a call debit spread strategy:

  • Vertical y-axis shows the strategy’s profit or loss
  • Horizontal x-axis shows the price of the underlying asset
  • Dotted line represents the break-even point
  • Green dot represents buying a call or put
  • Red dot represents selling a call or put

Strategy Builder chart example

Outlook filter

Each strategy relates to an outlook, which is how you think the underlying asset will perform. Within the Builder, you can filter by outlook, such as: bullish (green), bearish (red), volatility (purple), and neutral (gray).

Note

The outlook of some strategies (like calendar spreads) might vary depending on which strike prices you choose.

Place an order with the Builder

  1. After you select a strategy, you’ll see the list of options contracts in order based on the strike price or prices.

    NOTE: Select the question mark to see more details about the chosen strategy.

  2. Customize the strategy:

  • For multi-leg strategies with a single expiration date (such as vertical spreads, strangles, straddles, and condors), you can browse the strike prices by selecting the strike price width or the strike price of the first leg. The width is the difference between the strike prices of the legs in your strategy. Alternatively, if you set the first leg strike price, you can then browse by the strike price of the second leg.
  • For calendar spreads, you will first set the expiration date for the short-dated leg, and then the expiration date for the long-dated leg.
  1. Depending on your strategy, you can view strategy-specific details on the chain, such as:
  • Breakeven for single-leg strategies
  • The bid and ask for multi-leg strategies
  • After selecting a strategy, you’ll see more stats like max gain, max loss, and the Greeks
  1. Select the strategy price to place the order for that strategy, and then select the quantity and limit price for the order.
  2. Review and then submit your order.
Note

See Things to consider when choosing an option to get more details about the expiration date, strike price, premium, break-even point and percentage, and chance of profit percentage.

Disclosures

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.

Because of the importance of tax considerations to all options transactions, the customer considering options should consult their tax advisor as to how taxes affect the outcome of each options strategy. Review Day Trading Risk Disclosure Statement and FINRA Investor Information to learn about the risks. Examples contained in this article are for illustrative purposes only. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.

Chance of profit is an estimate based on the model assumptions and does not guarantee future results. Numerous factors that are not reducible to a model determine the actual chance of profit for a particular option contract or strategy.

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Brokerage services are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, (“RHF”) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC), and clearing services through Robinhood Securities, LLC, (“RHS”) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC).

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Robinhood Gold Card is subject to credit approval and underwriting. Robinhood Gold Card is offered by Robinhood Credit, Inc., and is issued by Coastal Community Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Robinhood Credit, Inc. (“RCT”), is a financial technology company, not a bank.

Robinhood Gold is a subscription-based membership program of premium services offered through Robinhood Gold, LLC (“RHG”).

RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are not banks. Investing products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal.

RHY is not a member of FINRA, and products are not subject to SIPC protection, but funds held in the Robinhood spending account and Robinhood Cash Card account may be eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance (review the Robinhood Cash Card Agreement and the Robinhood Spending Account Agreement).

Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all customers. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before engaging in any options trading strategies. Options transactions are often complex and may involve the potential of losing the entire investment in a relatively short period of time. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount.

The risk of loss in trading futures can be substantial. Carefully consider if it’s appropriate for you in light of your financial circumstances. Please read the Futures Risk Disclosure Statement prior to trading futures products. Futures accounts are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and are not Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured. Prior to trading virtual currency Futures products, please review the NFA Investor Advisory & CFTC Advisory providing more information on these potentially significant risks. Futures trading and options on futures trading are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC (“RHD”), a registered futures commission merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Member of National Futures Association (NFA) (NFA ID 0424278).

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All Investing involves risk.

Brokerage services are offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, (“RHF”) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC), and clearing services through Robinhood Securities, LLC, (“RHS”) a registered broker dealer (member SIPC).

Cryptocurrency services are offered through an account with Robinhood Crypto, LLC (“RHC”) (NMLS ID: 1702840).Robinhood Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Please review a list of RHC's licenses for more information. Cryptocurrency held through Robinhood Crypto is not FDIC insured or SIPC protected.

The Robinhood spending account is offered through Robinhood Money, LLC (“RHY”) (NMLS ID: 1990968), a licensed money transmitter. Please review a list of our licenses for more information.

The Robinhood Cash Card is a prepaid card issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard® International Incorporated. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Robinhood Gold Card is subject to credit approval and underwriting. Robinhood Gold Card is offered by Robinhood Credit, Inc., and is issued by Coastal Community Bank, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Robinhood Credit, Inc. (“RCT”), is a financial technology company, not a bank.

Robinhood Gold is a subscription-based membership program of premium services offered through Robinhood Gold, LLC (“RHG”).

RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC, RCT, RHG, and RHS are not banks. Investing products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal.

RHY is not a member of FINRA, and products are not subject to SIPC protection, but funds held in the Robinhood spending account and Robinhood Cash Card account may be eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance (review the Robinhood Cash Card Agreement and the Robinhood Spending Account Agreement).

Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all customers. Customers must read and understand the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before engaging in any options trading strategies. Options transactions are often complex and may involve the potential of losing the entire investment in a relatively short period of time. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk, including the potential for losses that may exceed the original investment amount.

The risk of loss in trading futures can be substantial. Carefully consider if it’s appropriate for you in light of your financial circumstances. Please read the Futures Risk Disclosure Statement prior to trading futures products. Futures accounts are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) and are not Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured. Prior to trading virtual currency Futures products, please review the NFA Investor Advisory & CFTC Advisory providing more information on these potentially significant risks. Futures trading and options on futures trading are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC (“RHD”), a registered futures commission merchant with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and Member of National Futures Association (NFA) (NFA ID 0424278).

RO 3924940

Robinhood, 85 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025.© 2024 Robinhood. All rights reserved.