The free options trading stack
One free tool per need, picked so that together they cover a full options workflow for $0 a month. It's a curated setup, not a list of every free tier (that's our free options tools page). Free plans come with limits, and we note each one.
The 9 tools and why each is included
| Tool | Why it's here | Plan | Monthly | Yearly | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| thinkorswim (Charles Schwab) Brokerage & execution | Broker and platform with no platform fee. Options cost $0.65 per contract, and paperMoney lets you practice with simulated trades. | No platform fee; commissions apply | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-09 |
| Barchart Screening & scanning | Options screener for stocks, ETFs and indexes. A free membership shows the first 20 results of each screen. | Free tier | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-03 |
| OptionStrat Strategy & P&L modeling | Strategy builder with P&L visualization and a strategy optimizer. The free plan uses delayed data with limited access to each feature. | Free tier | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-09 |
| arBtrage Earnings & expected moves | Free account with a 30-day earnings calendar that shows expected move and IV, plus an unusual options activity feed. No paid plan is listed. | Free | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-01 |
| OptionCharts Volatility & IV analytics | Free charts for open interest, volume, max pain, expected move and IV skew. The free site has ads and limits charts. | Free tier | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-01 |
| gexbot Gamma & dealer positioning | Its research charts cover GEX, DEX, vanna, charm and skew. Any account gets 30 research charts a day free. | Free tier | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-03 |
| CoveredWheel Trade journaling & wheel tracking | Free wheel log for cash-secured puts and covered calls, with cost basis, P&L stats and income averages. It tracks spreads too. | Free | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-02 |
| Massive (formerly Polygon.io) Market data & API | The Basic plan is $0 with 5 API calls a minute, end-of-day data and 2 years of history. That's enough to script simple checks. | Free tier | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-03 |
| tastylive Education | Free live shows and daily market studies built around selling premium. Its app trade feed follows the hosts' trades. | Free | $0 | $0 | 2026-11-03 |
| Total | $0 | $0 | |||
Coverage
| Need | Status | Covered by |
|---|---|---|
| Screening & scanning | Covered | Barchart, arBtrage (partial) |
| Unusual options flow | Partial | Barchart (partial), OptionStrat (partial), arBtrage (partial) |
| Volatility & IV analytics | Covered | OptionCharts, Barchart (partial) |
| Earnings & expected moves | Covered | arBtrage |
| Strategy & P&L modeling | Covered | OptionStrat |
| Backtesting & automation | Gap | Not covered |
| Trade journaling & wheel tracking | Covered | CoveredWheel |
| Market data & API | Covered | Massive (formerly Polygon.io), gexbot (partial) |
| Education | Covered | tastylive, thinkorswim (Charles Schwab) (partial), OptionStrat (partial) |
| Trade ideas & alerts | Partial | tastylive (partial) |
| Gamma & dealer positioning | Covered | gexbot, Barchart (partial), OptionCharts (partial) |
| Brokerage & execution | Covered | thinkorswim (Charles Schwab) |
Gaps
Not covered: Backtesting & automation. Only partly covered: Unusual options flow, Trade ideas & alerts.
Cheaper swaps and upgrades
- Need backtesting? This stack has none. Option Alpha (from $99/mo) has a free account, and its Pro plan is free with a qualifying tastytrade ($5,000+), Tradier or TradeStation account. Optvana (from $16/mo) is free forever and includes partial backtesting.
- Prefer capped commissions? Swap thinkorswim for tastytrade (free): $1 per contract to open, $0 to close, $10 max per leg.
- Want a simpler journal? Options Wheel Trading Tracker (free) is free with no signup, but data stays in your browser.
- Need live strategy data? OptionStrat Live Tools costs $39.99/mo. Options Profit Calculator (from $9.95/mo) is a free, ad-supported calculator.
FAQ
How much does the free stack cost?
$0 a month and $0 a year (prices checked 2026-11-01 to 2026-11-09). All 9 tools are free plans or free products. Brokerage commissions still apply when you trade.
What does this stack cover?
It fully covers 9 of 12 needs: Screening & scanning, Volatility & IV analytics, Earnings & expected moves, Strategy & P&L modeling, Trade journaling & wheel tracking, Market data & API, Education, Gamma & dealer positioning, Brokerage & execution. Partly covered: Unusual options flow, Trade ideas & alerts. Not covered: Backtesting & automation.
Can I change this stack?
Yes. Open it in the stack builder to add, remove or swap tools, switch tools between their paid and free plans, and see new totals and coverage. The builder keeps your stack in the link, so you can share it.
Prices as of 2026-11-09. Each price comes from the tool's own pricing page on the "price checked" date shown, in USD before tax. Totals use each tool's entry paid plan (or its free tier where you pick it). Commissions, data fees, add-ons and higher tiers aren't included. Coverage reflects the tool overall, so some needs require a higher plan ("partial"). Always confirm on the vendor's site before you buy. Not investment advice.
More stacks:
See every free plan by category on our free options trading tools page.