Placing an options trade

Robinhood empowers you to place your first options trade directly from your app.

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Placing an options trade (in app)

  1. Tap the magnifying glass on your home page
  2. Search the security you’d like to trade options for
  3. Tap the name of the security you’re looking for
  4. Tap Trade in the bottom right corner of the stock’s or ETF’s Detail page
  5. Tap Trade Options

You can learn about different options trading strategies by checking out Basic Options Strategies (Level 2) and Advanced Options Strategies (Level 3).

Note

If you have multiple accounts (such as a brokerage account and an IRA account), make sure you've chosen the correct account before placing a trade.

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Things to consider when choosing an option

There are many things to consider when choosing an option:

  • The expiration date is displayed just below the strategy and underlying security. You can scroll right to see expirations further into the future.

  • The strike prices are listed high to low; and you can scroll up or down to see different strike prices

  • The premium (price) and percent change are listed on the right of the screen

    • What’s the price and percent change?
      • The value shown is the mark price (see below)
      • The +/- % change is today’s cost movement for the contract
  • The break-even point is where the underlying security needs to trade at expiration for you to break even on your investment, taking into account the current value (premium) of the option

  • The break-even percentage is the percentage change the underlying security would need to move for you to break even on the option at expiration

  • The chance of profit percentage is the probability your investment could be profitable if you’ve chosen the “sell” strategy

Keep in mind

“Chance of profit” is an estimate based on 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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Good-Til-Canceled versus Good-For-Day orders

You can place Good-Til-Canceled (GTC) or Good-For-Day (GFD) orders on options. A GTC order remains open for 90 days until you cancel it, or it’s filled. A GFD order is automatically canceled at market close on the day it’s placed if it doesn’t execute.

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Natural price versus mark price

There are two different ways to display the price (and determine the theoretical value) of an options contract: natural price and mark price.

  • Natural price is either the ask price (if you’re buying an option), or the bid price (if you’re selling an option)
  • Mark price is the midpoint between the ask price and the bid price, and is sometimes used for simplicity

As a reminder, the bid price is the highest price other traders in the market are willing to pay for an asset at a moment in time, and the ask price (also known as “offer”) is the lowest price traders are willing to accept for an asset at a moment in time.

By default, we display the “natural price” when buying and selling options, but you can change this by going to settings within options.

Note: Regardless of your default setting, mark price will still be used for a) multi-leg orders, b) options rolling, and c) calculating “Current Price,” “Total Return,” and other information regarding contracts you currently hold (e.g. your portfolio return).

Note

If no buyers are currently available in the market, the mark price will display as $0.01.

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Levels

We’re required to evaluate whether various levels of options strategies are appropriate for customers, based on information such as their trading experience, investment objectives, and financial situation. Each brokerage has the discretion to set the specific parameters for their customers. At Robinhood Financial, if you’re given a Level 2 designation, you can execute the following options trades:

  • Long Calls, Long Puts
  • Covered Calls
  • Cash-Covered Puts

If you’re given a Level 3 designation, you can execute all of the above trades, along with the whole collection of limited risk spreads, including Iron Condors, Iron Butterflies, and Credit Spreads.

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Day trades

Just like stock or ETF trading, buying and selling (or selling and buying) the same options contract on the same day will result in a day trade. It’s the same contract if the ticker symbol, strike price, expiration date, and type (call or put) are all the same.

Keep in mind

Because of pattern day trade restrictions, you’re generally limited to no more than 3 day trades in a 5 trading day period, unless you have at least $25,000 of portfolio value (minus any cryptocurrency positions) in your Instant or Gold account at the end of the previous day.

If you have a cash account, you are not subject to pattern day trading restrictions, but you cannot access certain features, like Instant Deposits and trading with unsettled funds.

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Disclosures

Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Robinhood Financial does not 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, please read the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options before you begin trading options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.

Please also be aware of the risks listed in the following documents: Day Trading Risk Disclosure Statement and FINRA Investor Information.

Reference No. 2677091
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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). Cryptocurrency services are offered through 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. The Robinhood spending account is offered through Robinhood Money, LLC (RHY) (NMLS ID: 1990968), a licensed money transmitter. A list of our licenses has more information. The Robinhood Cash Card is a prepaid card issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard®. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. RHF, RHY, RHC and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC and RHS are not banks. Products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal. RHC is not a member of FINRA and accounts are not FDIC insured or protected by SIPC. 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.

Commission-free trading of stocks, ETFs and options refers to $0 commissions for Robinhood Financial self-directed individual cash or margin brokerage accounts that trade U.S. listed securities and certain OTC securities electronically. Keep in mind, other fees such as trading (non-commission) fees, Gold subscription fees, wire transfer fees, and paper statement fees may apply to your brokerage account. Check out Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule for details.

© 2023 Robinhood. All rights reserved.
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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). Cryptocurrency services are offered through 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. The Robinhood spending account is offered through Robinhood Money, LLC (RHY) (NMLS ID: 1990968), a licensed money transmitter. A list of our licenses has more information. The Robinhood Cash Card is a prepaid card issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Mastercard®. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. RHF, RHY, RHC and RHS are affiliated entities and wholly owned subsidiaries of Robinhood Markets, Inc. RHF, RHY, RHC and RHS are not banks. Products offered by RHF are not FDIC insured and involve risk, including possible loss of principal. RHC is not a member of FINRA and accounts are not FDIC insured or protected by SIPC. 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.

Commission-free trading of stocks, ETFs and options refers to $0 commissions for Robinhood Financial self-directed individual cash or margin brokerage accounts that trade U.S. listed securities and certain OTC securities electronically. Keep in mind, other fees such as trading (non-commission) fees, Gold subscription fees, wire transfer fees, and paper statement fees may apply to your brokerage account. Check out Robinhood Financial’s Fee Schedule for details.

© 2023 Robinhood. All rights reserved.