Options flow is the live stream of options trades printing across the market — each one a contract, a size, and a price. Reading the flow means watching where the money is concentrating: which tickers, which strikes, calls versus puts.
The key thing beginners miss: flow tells you where attention is, not what happens next. A ticker lighting up means something is drawing money there — it's a place to start looking, not a verdict on direction.
Related terms
- Unusual options activity — Options volume well above a ticker's normal level. A prompt to look, not a direction.
- Confidence / activity score — A 0–100 measure of how MUCH is happening on a ticker. Not a probability the trade works.
- Watch-only — Analytics that never place trades or connect to a broker. You see the flow; every decision is yours.
See it in the flow
Open the dashboard to watch real options flow free, or read the beginner guides. Watch-only — not financial advice.