Option Samurai is an options screener built around a single, clear purpose: helping retail traders find options trades that match their criteria without spending hours doing it manually. The founder built the first version in Excel while working as a portfolio manager and trading options after work. When the spreadsheet hit its limits, it became a proper platform. That origin is evident in the product. It is not built around flow alerts or dark pool data. It is built around the problem of scanning thousands of options contracts to find trades that meet a specific set of parameters, then analyzing them properly before placing them.
Two paid plans exist: Beginner at $35/month (billed annually, or the equivalent of $39/month billed monthly based on stated annual pricing) and Advanced at $50/month (billed annually, or $59/month billed monthly). A 14-day free trial is available with no credit card required.
Credibility Check
Company: Financial Samurai LTD Registered address: Ahad Ha’Am St 54, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel (confirmed in site footer and About page) Contact (general): shogun@optionsamurai.com (About page) / welcome@optionsamurai.com (FAQ) Founder and CEO: Leav Graves, licensed investment professional with over 19 years of trading experience, including working professionally through the 2008 financial crisis Legal status: Not investment advice, per disclaimer on every page Trustpilot: No Trustpilot profile found as of April 2026 Backed by: Citi’s Innovation Lab approached the platform to introduce it as part of their program; Accenture and Barclays logos also appear on the homepage
The company address, legal entity name, and founder’s name are all disclosed clearly on the About page and site footer. The About page is unusual in the category for its transparency: Leav Graves describes building the tool out of personal need, names Citi’s Innovation Lab as having approached the company, and is candid that Option Samurai is an options analysis tool and not investment advice.
What Option Samurai Is and Is Not
Option Samurai is an options screener for strategy-based trading. It helps traders who already know what strategy they want to run, covered calls, iron condors, spreads, diagonals, and so on, find the best specific implementations of that strategy across the market right now. The platform pulls from 8 data sources and maintains hundreds of data points for every stock and option in the US, covering over 1 million options contracts and 5,000+ tickers.
It is not a real-time flow scanner. There are no dark pool prints, no sweep alerts, no unusual order detection in the way that platforms like FlowAlgo or Cheddar Flow work. Option Samurai does include an unusual options volume tracker, but the product’s identity is built around screening for strategy-fit trades rather than detecting institutional order flow. Traders who are primarily flow-focused should look at the best options flow scanners comparison instead.
The target user, as Option Samurai states directly on the FAQ: traders who have a funded account and broker permissions to trade options.
The Options Screener
The screener is the core of the platform. It scans the entire market using over 170 filters across stock fundamentals, strategy performance and risk parameters, historical volatility, and technical indicators. The workflow the platform describes is: Scan, then Analyse, then Trade. The scanner surfaces candidates; the analysis tools evaluate them; the trade log manages them after entry.
Filters span multiple data categories. Stock-side filters include technical indicators, fundamentals, analyst recommendations and price targets, dividend data, and earnings date proximity. Options-side filters include IV percentile rank, IV versus realized volatility, expected move, liquidity measures, Greeks including Gamma added in Q1 2025, and strategy-specific risk and return parameters. The breadth of filter combination is what distinguishes this screener from simpler tools: a trader can build a scan that requires, for example, IV rank above a specific threshold, a stock above its 50-day moving average, a minimum probability of profit, and a maximum risk dollar amount, all simultaneously.
Scans can be saved and reused. The platform includes a gallery of predefined scans covering ready-to-go strategies: examples listed include selling puts on dividend aristocrats, wheel candidates, and unusual option volume plays. Traders who want to start scanning without building filters from scratch have working templates available immediately.
Scan watching is an Advanced plan feature: saved scans run intraday and send notifications when new trades appear. That converts the screener from a tool requiring manual refresh into something closer to a persistent alert system.
24 Supported Strategies
Option Samurai supports 24 options strategies. Confirmed in the FAQ and features page: covered call, naked put (cash-secured put), long call, long put, married call (protective call), married put (protective put), bull call spread, bull put spread, bear call spread, bear put spread, straddle, strangle, iron condor, diagonals, butterflies, and more. The platform is specifically designed to make finding trades across all of these strategies efficient without requiring the trader to switch tools or tabs.
For income-focused traders running covered calls, cash-secured puts, or the wheel strategy, the covered call screener is accessible directly. Option Samurai’s screener capability in this area is also relevant to traders evaluating the best covered call screener and best high premium options screener categories.
Custom Option Strategy Scanner
The Custom Strategy Scanner launched in Q2 2025 and is described by Option Samurai as one of the most powerful and unique features on the platform. It allows scanning for any option structure a trader can design: not just the 24 predefined strategies, but any combination of legs, strikes, and directions the trader defines themselves.
A modified covered call, a non-standard iron condor, a ratio spread variant, or a structure that does not have a standard name can be screened market-wide. The platform states explicitly that this allows traders to find trades that are not available anywhere else. Both plans include some Custom Strategy scanning: Beginner supports up to 2 legs total (stock and options), Advanced supports up to 5 legs (up to 4 options plus 1 stock).
This feature pushes Option Samurai’s screener capability materially beyond what typical options screeners offer. Most platforms screen for preset strategies. The ability to define custom multi-leg structures and scan the entire market for the best current implementation of those structures is genuinely uncommon.
Implied Volatility Analysis
Implied volatility tools are built throughout the platform. IV percentile rank is available as a filter within the screener, allowing traders to target strategies in high IV environments (premium selling) or low IV environments (directional buying) by setting minimum or maximum IV rank thresholds. The platform also surfaces IV versus realized volatility comparisons, which is useful for identifying whether current IV is elevated relative to how much the stock has actually been moving.
The IV percentile and IV rank distinction is maintained on the platform. Both measures are available, which matters because they produce different readings on the same underlying and the choice between them affects entry decisions for volatility strategies. For a broader look at how Option Samurai compares across this specific capability, the best implied volatility screener comparison covers the field.
An implied and historical volatility comparison chart is included in the analysis tools: a side-by-side view of IV and realized volatility (HV) over time, described as essential for finding overvalued options and assessing option pricing trends.
The platform also shows Expected Move, described as an intuitive way to understand how much a stock is expected to move by expiration based on options prices. This gives traders a market-implied range before entering a position, which is directly relevant to strike selection and probability of profit assessment.
The Stock Analyzer and Monte Carlo Simulator
The Stock Analyzer takes a specific stock and simulates possible option trades based on user-specified scenarios, using a Monte Carlo method to model a range of potential outcomes. Traders input their view on where a stock might go and get a data-driven suggestion of which options structure best fits that scenario.
This tool is included in both plans and is one of the more distinctive features in the category. Rather than requiring a trader to start with a strategy and find a stock, the Stock Analyzer lets a trader start with a stock and a directional view and arrive at the strategy that fits.
An Optimal Trade Analyzer for Iron Condors and Calendar Spreads is also available. The platform describes it as exploring billions of trades for maximum profits using advanced algorithms, regardless of the trader’s experience level.
Trade Log and Portfolio Tracking
Option Samurai includes a trade log specifically designed for options trading. Traders can log positions, track them through their lifecycle, and review closed trades to build pattern recognition over time. The platform also describes the trade log as a way to test ideas without risking real capital: following positions on paper to evaluate a strategy before committing money.
The Beginner plan supports 2 trading accounts in the trade log; the Advanced plan supports unlimited accounts. Traders who manage multiple strategies or broker accounts across different purposes will need the Advanced plan for full trade log flexibility.
Excel and Google Sheets Integration
Data export to Excel and Google Sheets is an Advanced plan feature. The platform describes it as an integration that allows traders to use their own spreadsheet workflows with hundreds of new data points sourced from Option Samurai. Traders who already use custom spreadsheets for position sizing, tracking, or further analysis can connect their existing systems directly.
Alerts and Mobile Access
Intraday market alerts are available: the platform monitors saved scans during the trading day and sends notifications when new trades appear that match the criteria. This removes the need to be watching the screen continuously, a stated design goal from the founder’s original motivation for building the tool.
The platform is fully accessible on mobile. Option Samurai describes it as a full-featured mobile version where all features are accessible on the go. Multi-platform support is confirmed: mobiles, Mac, Linux, and other devices are all supported through the browser-based platform. No separate app download is required.
Dark mode was added in Q2 2025, available via a toggle in the main menu.
Direct Broker Integration
Option Samurai supports sending trades directly from the platform to supported brokers. The feature is live with more brokers described as coming soon. Traders who find a trade through the screener and want to execute without switching to a separate platform can send the order directly from the trade window. This reduces friction and the risk of order entry errors from manually re-entering trade parameters.
Premium Reports (Advanced Plan)
The Advanced plan includes unique premium reports sent to subscribers by email. Examples published on the pricing page include a Center of Mass report and an Open Interest report. These are described as analyzing the aggregated market and liquid stocks, providing data and insights not available elsewhere in the platform’s real-time tools.
Pricing
Option Samurai has 2 paid plans plus the 14-day free trial.
| Plan | Monthly Billing | Annual Billing |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | $39/month | $35/month |
| Advanced | $59/month | $50/month |
Beginner includes: Options screener with 170 filters, 24 strategies, predefined scan gallery, save and reuse scans, stock analyzer, implied volatility suite, IV percentile rank, unusual options volume tracker, trade log (2 accounts), full mobile access, intraday technical stock analysis engine, analyst recommendations and price targeting, earnings date filters, dividend data, multi-level results sorting, customizable universe lists, end-of-day data, Custom Strategy Screener (2 legs total).
Advanced adds: Custom Strategy Screener up to 5 legs (4 options + 1 stock), scan watching with intraday alerts, Excel/Google Sheets integration, unlimited trade log accounts, unique premium reports (emailed), intraday data.
The key practical differences between the two plans: intraday data versus end-of-day data, the Custom Strategy Screener leg limit (2 versus 5), scan watching and intraday alerts, Excel/Google Sheets export, and unlimited trade accounts. Traders who need to monitor scans without being at a screen continuously need the Advanced plan for the alert feature. Traders who use the screener primarily to research during off-hours and place trades manually can get meaningful value from the Beginner plan.
Refund policy: No refunds on initial payments or monthly renewals. Annual renewals only: full refund available within the first 7 calendar days after renewal, on request to the support team. No credit card is required for the free trial.
Contracts: None. Recurring billing, cancellable at any time, no questions asked per the FAQ.
Pros
- 14-day free trial with no credit card required. The most generous trial window in the category
- Custom Strategy Scanner: scan the entire market for any multi-leg structure the trader defines, including non-standard strategies. Advanced plan supports up to 5 legs
- 170 filters covering stock fundamentals, technicals, IV data, earnings proximity, dividends, analyst recommendations, and strategy-specific risk and return parameters
- 24 supported strategies including covered calls, spreads, iron condors, butterflies, diagonals, straddles, and more
- Stock Analyzer with Monte Carlo simulator: start from a stock and a view, arrive at the best strategy fit
- IV percentile rank and IV versus historical volatility both available as screener filters and analysis charts
- Expected Move data visible before entering a position
- Direct trade transmission to supported brokers from within the platform
- Full mobile access to all features
- Intraday alerts on saved scans (Advanced plan) reduce the need for active monitoring
- Excel and Google Sheets integration (Advanced plan)
- Company address, legal entity, and founder disclosed transparently on the About page
- No contract. Cancel anytime
Cons
- Not a flow scanner. No dark pool data, no sweep detection, no real-time institutional order printing. Wrong tool if flow data is the primary need
- No Trustpilot profile or independent public review record
- Scan watching with intraday alerts requires the Advanced plan. Beginner plan data is end-of-day only, which limits same-session responsiveness
- Full Custom Strategy Scanner capability (5 legs) requires the Advanced plan; Beginner is limited to 2 legs
- Broker integration is live but described as having more brokers coming soon, suggesting current coverage may be limited
- No community element. No Discord, no live streams, no chatroom
Bottom Line
Option Samurai earns its place for traders who build their trades around strategy parameters rather than flow signals. The screener is deep: 170 filters, 24 strategies, and a Custom Strategy Scanner that allows market-wide scanning for any structure the trader can define are capabilities that most competing screeners do not match. The Stock Analyzer with Monte Carlo simulation adds a distinct entry point for traders who start from a view on a stock rather than from a strategy.
The 14-day no-credit-card trial is the right entry point. Enough time to run the screener across multiple strategies, test the custom scanner, and assess whether the workflow fits the approach. For traders already using a flow scanner and looking for a complementary screener tool to find the best implementation of a strategy once a direction is identified, Option Samurai serves that role well.
FAQ
Who should sign up for Option Samurai?
Traders who have a funded account and broker permissions to trade options, per Option Samurai’s own FAQ. The platform is designed for traders who want to find specific options trades that match their strategy, risk, and return parameters, rather than traders who primarily monitor real-time order flow. Even traders restricted to certain account types, such as an IRA that prohibits naked calls, can filter the screener to show only strategies that apply to their situation.
Does Option Samurai offer a free trial?
Yes. A 14-day free trial is available with no credit card required. This is one of the longest no-obligation trial windows in the options scanner category. After the trial, subscriptions move to the Beginner or Advanced paid plan. All initial payments and monthly renewals are non-refundable. Annual renewals only are eligible for a full refund within 7 calendar days of renewal.
What is the Custom Strategy Scanner and which plan includes it?
The Custom Strategy Scanner, launched in Q2 2025, allows traders to define any multi-leg options structure, including non-standard strategies not covered by the platform’s 24 preset strategies, and scan the entire market for the best current implementation. Beginner plan subscribers can use it with up to 2 legs total (stock and options). Advanced plan subscribers can use up to 5 legs (up to 4 options plus 1 stock). Option Samurai describes this as allowing traders to find trades that cannot be found anywhere else.
What is the difference between the Beginner and Advanced plans?
Both plans include the full screener with 170 filters, all 24 strategies, the Custom Strategy Scanner, the Stock Analyzer, IV tools, the trade log, and mobile access. The Advanced plan adds: intraday data (Beginner uses end-of-day data), Custom Strategy Scanner up to 5 legs (Beginner is 2), scan watching with intraday alerts, Excel and Google Sheets integration, unlimited trade log accounts (Beginner supports 2), and unique premium reports emailed to subscribers.
Does Option Samurai track unusual options activity?
Yes. An Unusual Options Volume Tracker is included on the platform and is described as analyzing market data for significant options volume and providing insights for strategic trading. This is distinct from real-time sweep detection or dark pool prints. Option Samurai monitors volume for unusually elevated activity as a signal worth investigating, rather than providing a live feed of institutional order flow.
Can Option Samurai send orders directly to a broker?
Yes. Direct trade transmission to supported brokers is available from within the trade window. Traders can find a trade through the screener, analyze it, and send it to their broker without manually re-entering the trade parameters. Option Samurai notes that more brokers are being added.
Is Option Samurai data real-time?
The Advanced plan includes intraday data. The Beginner plan uses end-of-day data. Both plans support intraday technical stock analysis through the scanning engine, but for full intraday options data and the scan watching alert system that notifies on new intraday trade matches, the Advanced plan is required.
Who founded Option Samurai and where is the company based?
Option Samurai was founded by Leav Graves, a licensed investment professional with over 19 years of trading experience including working professionally through the 2008 financial crisis. Graves built the first version as a personal tool while working as a portfolio manager. The company is Financial Samurai LTD, headquartered at Ahad Ha’Am St 54, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel.