Searching for a tool that’ll help you spot profitable options trades, fast? Option Samurai stands out as a simple yet surprisingly robust options scanner. It’s made for traders who want to cut through the market noise and actually find real opportunities.

This scanner blends ease of use with some deep-dive analysis features. It fits a bunch of trading styles. So, what makes Option Samurai tick, and is it worth adding to your trading toolkit? Let’s dig in.

Overview and Key Features

Option Samurai was built by options traders, for options traders. It scans the entire market, analyzing over a million options on more than 5,000 tickers, all to match your criteria.

Here’s what stands out:

  • Complete Market Coverage: Scans the entire US options market, pulling data from 8+ sources to surface the best trades.
  • Support for 24+ Options Strategies: Find trades for popular strategies like covered calls, cash-secured puts, spreads, iron condors, butterflies, and more.
  • Predefined Trade Scans: Use ready-to-go scan templates for things like dividend aristocrat puts, wheel candidates, and unusual option volume.
  • Volatility Analysis Tools: Analyze implied volatility (IV), IV rank, and compare IV to historical volatility to spot overvalued or undervalued options.
  • Trade Log: Track your trades, monitor positions, and review past trades to sharpen your strategy.
  • Stock Scenario Analysis: Test how different strategies would play out if the stock moves, using Monte Carlo simulations.

Option Samurai guides you through a consistent workflow: Scan → Analyze → Trade. It’s a structured process that nudges you toward disciplined, data-driven decisions.

User Interface and Experience

Design and Navigation

The interface is clean and intuitive, making complex options data feel a lot less intimidating. The main dashboard puts everything within reach, including:

  • Saved scans
  • Predefined strategies
  • Market data
  • Trade logs
  • Analysis tools

Scan results show all the essentials, and you can filter or sort by whatever you care about. Each trade idea opens up to deeper views with:

  • P&L charts
  • Technical analysis
  • Implied volatility data
  • Risk metrics

Navigation just makes sense. You can jump between screens without getting lost or breaking your workflow.

Learning Curve

If you know the basics of options, you’ll pick up Option Samurai pretty quickly. It sticks to plain language instead of jargon, which helps if you’re newer to options.

Learning tools include:

  • A detailed knowledge base with step-by-step guides
  • Video tutorials for key features
  • Pre-built scan templates that work out of the box
  • Clear explanations for scan parameters

Start with the simple scans and tweak them as you get more comfortable. No need to dive into the deep end right away.

Mobile Compatibility and Accessibility

Option Samurai works on your phone, tablet, or computer, pretty much anything. You can scan, analyze, and track trades wherever you are.

  • iOS and Android smartphones
  • Tablets
  • Mac and Windows computers
  • Linux systems

The mobile version keeps all the core features, just shrunk down for smaller screens. You won’t miss out on opportunities just because you’re away from your desk.

Scanning Capabilities

Types of Scans Available

Option Samurai offers a variety of scans to fit different trading styles:

  1. Strategy-Based Scans: Search for specific strategies like covered calls, iron condors, or calendar spreads.
  2. Volatility-Based Scans: Find setups based on IV metrics, IV rank, IV vs. realized volatility, or skew analysis.
  3. Technical Analysis Scans: Spot options on stocks that hit certain technical signals (moving averages, RSI, chart patterns, etc.).
  4. Fundamental Scans: Screen for options on stocks with certain fundamentals like earnings dates, dividends, or analyst ratings.
  5. Unusual Options Activity: Track big or odd options volume that could hint at smart money moves.

Filtering Options and Parameters

You get over 150 filtering parameters, sorted into categories:

Strategy Performance Filters:

  • Return on investment
  • Probability of profit
  • Delta/theta ratio
  • Expected value

Stock Filters:

  • Price range
  • Market cap
  • Sector
  • Dividend yield
  • Earnings dates

Volatility Filters:

  • IV rank/percentile
  • IV vs. historical volatility
  • Skew analysis
  • Term structure

Technical Filters:

  • Moving averages
  • RSI
  • MACD
  • Support/resistance

Liquidity Filters:

  • Open interest
  • Volume
  • Bid-ask spread
  • Option volume ratio

Customization Depth

You can tailor scans as much as you want:

  • Create and save custom scans
  • Combine filters with AND/OR logic
  • Sort results by any parameter, even stack multiple sorts
  • Build custom “Universe” lists to scan just the stocks you care about
  • Set up scan alerts, so you get notified when new trades match your filters

Option Samurai balances easy templates with deep customization. It works for both newbies and more seasoned traders.

Pricing and Value Proposition

Subscription Tiers and Pricing Structure

There are two main plans:

Beginner Plan: $39/month (annual)

  • Ready-to-use scan gallery
  • Volatility analysis tools
  • 24 strategies
  • 150+ filters
  • Trade log (up to 2 accounts)
  • End-of-day data
  • Mobile access

Advanced Plan: $59/month (annual)

  • Everything in Beginner
  • Unlimited trading accounts
  • Intraday data
  • Scan alerts with notifications
  • Excel/Google Sheets integration
  • Premium market insight reports
  • Custom strategy screener (coming soon)

Monthly billing is available, but it’s about 20% pricier than annual.

Free Trial Options

You can try Option Samurai free for 14 days, no credit card needed. The trial unlocks all features, so you can really kick the tires before you pay.

Cost-to-Feature Ratio Compared to Competitors

Here’s how Option Samurai stacks up:

  • Option Samurai: $39-$59/month (annual), strong scanning tools, user-friendly.
  • ORATS: $99+/month, deeper analytics but a tougher learning curve.
  • Market Chameleon: $99/month, focused on earnings data.
  • Barchart: $99/month, covers options and futures.
  • OptionStrat: $19.99-$59.99/month, simpler features, lower price.

Option Samurai sits in the middle price-wise, but you get a lot for your money. It’s a solid pick if you want serious scanning power without the headache of ultra-complex platforms.

Pros and Cons

Clear Strengths

User-Friendly Design:

  • Clean, approachable interface
  • Logical workflow from scan to analysis to trade
  • Pre-built scans ready to use

Comprehensive Data Integration:

  • Wide US market coverage
  • Multiple data sources for reliability
  • Technical, fundamental, and options data all in one place

Powerful Analysis Tools:

  • In-depth volatility analysis
  • P&L charts for strategies
  • Scenario testing
  • Trade logging and performance tracking

Mobile Compatibility:

  • Full-featured mobile access
  • Consistent across devices
  • Real-time alerts wherever you are

Honest Limitations

No Direct Trade Execution:

  • You’ll need a third-party broker to place trades
  • Broker integration options are limited

Learning Resources:

  • Educational content is helpful, but not as deep as some competitors
  • A few advanced features need options knowledge to use well

Data Refresh Rates:

  • Lower-tier plan gives you end-of-day data only
  • Intraday data is for higher-priced plans

Economic Data Integration:

  • Not much focus on macroeconomic data compared to some platforms

Ideal User Profile

Option Samurai fits best for:

Day Traders: Scanning power and intraday data (Advanced plan) make it good for spotting short-term trades.

Swing Traders: The technical filters and strategy templates help if you hold positions for a few days or weeks.

Income-Focused Investors: If you want covered calls, cash-secured puts, or wheel strategies for regular income, the tools here are excellent.

It’s not really built for high-frequency algo traders or folks who need institutional-level data depth.

Final Verdict and Rating

Numerical Rating: 4.2/5

Option Samurai scores a solid 4.2 out of 5. It brings together powerful features, a friendly design, and fair pricing. It really nails the core needs of options traders without drowning you in complexity.

Strengths behind this rating:

  • Wide market coverage
  • Intuitive interface
  • Strong volatility tools
  • Flexible customization
  • Good mobile experience
  • Consistent workflow

Areas for improvement:

  • More broker integrations would help
  • Could use deeper educational resources
  • More macroeconomic context wouldn’t hurt

Who Should Consider This Scanner

Option Samurai stands out for a few specific types of traders:

  1. Intermediate options traders who want to save time tracking down trades that actually fit their strategy.
  2. Income-focused investors searching for steady covered call or cash-secured put setups.
  3. Technical traders who like to blend chart analysis with their options moves.
  4. Mobile-first traders who need everything to work smoothly on their phones or tablets.
  5. Traders moving from stocks to options who could use some help figuring out the mechanics of new strategies.

There’s a 14-day free trial, so you can just try it out and see if it clicks with your trading style. Honestly, with its mix of useful features and reasonable price, Option Samurai feels like a breath of fresh air for anyone tired of sifting through endless market noise.