Best Options Trading Apps

Benzinga readers often choose TastyWorks, Webull or Interactive Brokers as the best options trading apps.

As options trading becomes more popular, more brokers are offering mobile options trading. Trading options from a mobile app can be more complicated than trading from a desktop platform — but with the right brokerage account and a little practice, you’ll be trading on the go in no time. Not sure where to begin your search for the best brokerage platform? Consider opening an account with one of our top choices if you value mobile options trading. Let's look at the best options trading apps for you.

Best Options Trading Apps

• Best for Stock Market News: Benzinga Pro
• Best for Global Traders: Interactive Brokers
• Best for Traders of All Levels: moomoo
• Best for Trading Ideas: Public.com
• Best for Education: TastyWorks
• Best for Intermediate Investors: Webull
• Best for Beginners: Robinhood
• Best for Beginner Options Traders: Olive Invest
• Best for Mobile Users: Plus500

1. Best for Stock Market News: Benzinga Pro

News is the most critical part of the stock market as news items come out all day, every day. When investors hear the news—or even get a glimpse of what’s to come—they act. These actions impact the markets, and there’s no better way to make wise investing decisions than to gain access to stock market news as soon as it happens.

Benzinga Pro provides you with the market news you need, the Audio Squawk broadcast each day, charts, insights, tips, indicators and much more. Signing up today allows you to start researching each new investment, ensuring that you will make the most of each options trade while having even more information for the next investment.

2. Best for Global Traders: Interactive Brokers

WIth IBKR, options commissions range from USD 0.15 to USD 0.65 per US options contract.

They have a powerful, award-winning trading platform and tools available on desktop, mobile and web. You can view market data, positions and trade multiple asset classes and products side-by-side on a single screen.

You can stay on top of your portfolio and the markets wherever you are. The IBKR Mobile app includes everything you need to trade and manage your options on-the-go.

The OptionTrader displays market data for the underlying, allows you to create and manage options orders including combination orders, and provides the most complete view of available option chains, all in a single screen.

3. Best for Traders of All Levels: moomoo

Moomoo is an award-winning platform for options traders. Its user-friendly design makes it easy to navigate, while providing powerful and extensive analysis capabilities. Stock options trading on moomoo is commission-free with no contract fees, along with free features like the options calculator, unusual activity log, options rankings andmore.

Other unique features of moomoo include:

• Real-time Level 2 stock and options market data
• Advanced technical indicators and charting 
• Smart orders
• Full extended trading hours from 4 AM to 8 PM EST
• Multi-market quotes
• Low fees including $0 commission on U.S. Stocks and options and $0 options contract fees
• Cash sweep program with 5.1% APY along with a 3.0% boost for qualified users

New features include:

• New User Deposit Bonus: Deposit $100 and receive 7 fractional shares of a star-stocked bundle ("Magnificent 7" at $5 each)
• New User Transfer Bonus: Get a 1.5% cashback on your initial transfer amount (up to $300)
• Referral Bonus: Invite a new user who deposits $100 or transfers in $1,000, and receive 7 fractional shares of a star-stocked bundle ("Magnificent 7" at $5 each)

Pros

• Options commissions/fees: $0 per contract
• Plus, $0 commission on U.S. stocks and ETFs
• Top-notch charting software for both its mobile and desktop platforms
• Level 2 data to help you make wiser investment decisions
• Powerful and customizable research tools 
• Extended trading hours and syncing across all devices to fit into busy lifestyles
• 24/7 customer service available via live chat, and phone support during trading days

Cons

• Does not support fractional stocks and Crypto

4. Best for Trading Ideas: Public.com

Public.com makes it possible for you to diversify your investments to a great extent, including stocks, ETFs, crypto and alternative assets, and it does all that from a very convenient mobile app. Users on the app get:

• A potential 50% rebate on all options transactions (meaning you get to earn 50% of the revenue that Public.com makes)
• The “education mode” that allows beginners to learn safely
• An educational section that will teach you all about options, alternative assets and more, including video content for visual learners

Moreover, Public.com onboards you properly so that you get the correct level of options access when you are onboarded, meaning that you can start on your level and grow organically. Look at the Options Hub at Public.com to learn more.

5. Best for Education: Tastyworks

If you’ve used the tastyworks desktop or browser platform, you were likely impressed with the broker’s wide range of unique charting and analysis options. Now, tastyworks has expanded its offerings to the mobile sphere with a free app available for Apple, Android and Windows devices, making it one of the best options trading apps.

Tastyworks’ mobile app offers a range of charting and analysis tools, mimicking its desktop platform with a simplified, perfect-for-mobile format. Some of the unique features the tastyworks app offers include:

• Simple follow and watchlist creation: Organize your trading portfolio with quick watchlist creations with a few taps. Tastyworks’ unique “Follow Feed” feature even allows you to track specific trading personalities’ performance and trades throughout the day.
• In-platform video feeds: Need trading inspiration? Enjoy in-platform videos and 8 hours of live content each trading day powered by tastytrade, one of the internet’s top financial programming networks. You can also find a wide range of prerecorded trading videos to improve your strategy straight from your mobile device.
• Quick and simple order placements: Tastyworks’ mobile app is optimized for handheld devices, giving you access to complex order types and placements without the full weight of the desktop version.

The tastyworks mobile app is the ideal choice for investors who need comprehensive options and futures capabilities with a format that’s suitable for on-the-go trading. Active traders will love the combination of in-depth analysis data and easy order placement capabilities. 

6. Best for Intermediate Investors: Webull

With over 11 million users worldwide, Webull has quickly grown into one of the market’s largest stock and options trading spaces. Unlike most brokers, Webull doesn’t charge any commission on its trading — including options trading.

Webull’s mobile app is comprehensive, allowing you to place options trades, track your portfolio over time, practice with a paper trading account and much more. Its mobile app also offers a number of unique features that set it apart from other brokers, including:

• Mobile voice commands: Place orders and perform research using voice commands like buy, sell and search without lifting a finger.
• Advanced order options: Webull has recently introduced more advanced order types, including stop-loss orders and one-cancels-the-other (OCO) orders to its mobile platform.
• Advanced market data: With a Webull subscription, you can access Level 1 and Level 2 market data — no matter where you are.

The Webull app is available as a free download for Apple and Android users. Windows desktop users may also enjoy the Webull desktop app, which makes it easier to execute trades quickly. In the future, Webull is working to continue expanding options order types and pursue Level 3 options choices. Options trading is available through Webull from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST every trading day. 

7. Best for Beginners: Robinhood

If you’re a new investor, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the sheer number of trading and charting options you’ll see with most brokerages. Investors looking for a simpler way to begin trading options may enjoy Robinhood’s no-frills mobile platform. It's one of the best options trading apps for beginners.

Like stock and ETF trading, buying and selling options is incredibly simple when you use Robinhood’s platform. Simple browse currently available options and click on a potential order to see what exactly you’re buying and how much it will cost you. Level 2 self-directed options strategies and Level 3 options orders (like credit spreads) are currently available on both desktop and mobile formats.  

Like Webull, Robinhood has ditched option fees in favor of commission-free trading. Robinhood has no commissions on options purchases or sales, no per-contract fees and no assignment fees. Though you’ll need a Robinhood Gold account to access more in-depth market research (a subscription costs $5 per month) you don’t need to be a Robinhood Gold member to access options trading.

Robinhood’s mobile app is available as a free download for both Apple and Android devices. 

8. Best for Beginner Options Traders: Olive Invest

Olive Invest was designed to make options trading easier for the investor, using AI and machine learning technologies to produce better strategies. You don’t have to do the math when Olive can do it for you. Plus, you get recommendations for trades made by professionals, allowing you to take a profitable path so that you can focus on income generation, increasing profits or specific entries into the market.

Best for beginners, anyone can use this platform to refine their options trades. Additionally, there are several educational tools on the site that teach you about the options market—one that’s often misunderstood by the public.

Remember, Olive Invest isn’t a brokerage. You connect through a secure API to your broker and make trades based on the recommendations you get. After a 2-week trial, you can purchase access to Olive for a monthly or yearly rate in an effort to improve your portfolio.

You can reach out to the customer service team during the trading day via the  phone or email, or you can use the FAQs in the Help Center to get answers to your questions. There are also educational tools, research options, and a community with over 20 million members that are working to achieve their investment goals.

9. Best for Mobile Users: Plus500

Plus500 is a global multi-asset fintech group that operates trading platforms globally, offering a range of trading products including CFDs, Share dealing, and Futures trading (US).

Highlights of this platform include:

• Quick onboarding
• Simplified mobile trading
• Easy-to-use platform
• Offers 2800+ CFDs, 2700+ Shares, and a variety of Futures (Metals, Crypto, Agriculture, Forex, Interest rates, Energy, Equity Index)
• Free deposits and withdrawals
• $100 minimum
• 0.7% currency conversion fee per transaction, when the currency in your account is different from those traded

Because Plus500 doesn’t charge a commission and only profits on spreads, you save money and don’t have to worry about overpriced fees. If you’re a beginner, there are insights, the Trading Academy and webinars you can check out on YouTube. You can jump into Plus500, make the most of your expertise, build your portfolio and quickly turn a profit.

Best Options Strategy

The best options trading strategy for you will vary depending on your personal risk tolerance, your trading style and the individual options you want to trade. Let’s take a look at 2 of the most commonly used options trading strategies for beginners to help you get started when using one of the best options trading apps.

• Covered call: A covered call is a common trading order used by investors who already own a select number of stocks and who believe that prices will remain stagnant or go down. When you sell a covered call, you collect a premium on stocks you own while waiting for the next increase in price. Selling covered calls can be risky if the asset you hold increases in value.
• Long call: A long call is one of the most basic types of options orders. If you believe that a stock is going to increase in price over time, you can “lock in” the price of the stock now by purchasing a call option. If the stock does increase in price, you can execute your option and immediately sell the order, taking a profit based on the differences in price. If the price of the stock decreases, you can choose not to execute the option.

Benzinga Options Newsletter 

Researching the best options trading apps is only a piece of the overall “puzzle” that is the options market. A comprehensive options trading strategy and a reliable research method are both absolutely crucial if you want to become a profitable options trader. However, with so much information available, how can you possibly separate investing fact from fiction?

Enter Benzinga Stocks To Watch, your daily source for hand-selected options and stock opportunities delivered straight to your inbox before the market opens. Benzinga Stocks To Watch is written by the internet’s top investing researchers, news correspondents and analysts — so you can rest with the peace of mind knowing you’ll always have access to reliable, professional investing advice.

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Entering the Options Market

After you’ve found the best options trading apps for you, you’ll want to take some more time researching the options market before you place your first call or put order. Subscribe to an options newsletter, familiarize yourself with some of the most common options trading terms and practice using a demo account before you begin investing. Just a few days of research can potentially compound your profits when you enter the market.  

Frequently Asked Questions