This guide walks through every column and visual element in the Ainvest options chain so you can confidently interpret the data and make informed trading decisions.

https://www.ainvest.com/options/{TICKER}/

 and select the Option Chain tab. For ETFs, use 

https://www.ainvest.com/etfs/{TICKER}/options/

 Open the ticker page, tap the Options tab, then select the Chain sub-tab.

https://cdn.ainvest.com/kamisAssets/Screenshot2026-01-30at11.n7mt60dtc.png

Web option chain showing the dual-panel layout with calls on the left, puts on the right, and columns for Premium, OI, Turnover, Vol, %Chg, Chg, Price, Ask, Bid, and Strike

The current price of the underlying asset is displayed as a reference line across the chain (for example, "SPY 691.89"). Contracts that are in the money (ITM) are visually distinguished from contracts that are out of the money (OTM), making it easy to see at a glance which contracts carry intrinsic value.

Mobile option chain view showing single-column layout with expiration date tabs and strike price rows

 toggle sits at the top of the screen, letting you choose which contract type to display.

run across the top (for example, "30 Jan", "06 Feb", "13 Feb", "20 Feb"). Tap a tab to load the chain for that expiration.

The mobile layout is intentionally simpler. It presents the most essential pricing data without the full set of columns available on the web, keeping the interface fast and readable on smaller screens.

The mobile app also provides a strike price analysis view with visual charts showing ITM and OTM breakdowns:

https://cdn.ainvest.com/kamisAssets/Screenshot2026-01-30at12.envt7gcj677.png

Mobile strike price analysis bar chart showing volume and open interest distribution across strikes

https://cdn.ainvest.com/kamisAssets/Screenshot2026-01-30at12.xcvq5ij2nle.png

Mobile ITM and OTM breakdown showing contract classification relative to current price

The premium is the market price of the option contract. It represents the cost a buyer pays and the income a seller receives. Premium is quoted on a per-share basis, so a premium of 3.50 on a standard contract (100 shares) means the total cost is $350.

The bid is the highest price a buyer is currently willing to pay for the contract. If you are selling an option, the bid is the price you can expect to receive in a market order.

The ask is the lowest price a seller is currently willing to accept. If you are buying an option, the ask is the price you will pay in a market order. The difference between bid and ask is called the spread and is a key indicator of liquidity -- tighter spreads generally mean more liquid contracts.

The last price at which the contract changed hands. This may differ from the current bid and ask, especially for contracts that do not trade frequently.

The absolute dollar change in the option's price compared to the previous session's close. A value of +0.45 means the contract's price has risen by $0.45 per share since yesterday's close.

The percentage change in the option's price from the previous close. This is useful for comparing movement across contracts with different price levels. A contract priced at 1.00 that moves +0.10 shows +10%, while a contract priced at 10.00 that moves +0.10 shows +1%.

The number of contracts traded during the current session. High volume indicates active trading interest at that strike and expiration. Volume resets to zero at the start of each trading day.

The total number of outstanding contracts that have not been closed, exercised, or expired. Open interest updates once per day (after the close). A contract with high OI has an established position base, which typically supports tighter bid-ask spreads and easier order fills.

The total dollar value of contracts traded during the session. Turnover is calculated as volume multiplied by the contract price multiplied by the contract multiplier (typically 100). It gives you a sense of the dollar flow into a particular strike.

The price at which the option holder has the right to buy (for calls) or sell (for puts) the underlying asset. Strikes are listed in the center column and increase from top to bottom (in ascending sort order). Strikes above the current underlying price are OTM for calls and ITM for puts; strikes below the current price are ITM for calls and OTM for puts.

— see every column described above with live data.

Reading the Option Chain

The Ainvest options chain includes a set of filters and sort controls that let you narrow the display to exactly the contracts you need. This article covers every available filter on web and mobile, and explains when to use each one.

 Open the ticker page, tap the Options tab, then select the Chain sub-tab. Filters are built into the top of the screen.

https://cdn.ainvest.com/kamisAssets/Screenshot2026-01-30at11.neql3d3sri.png

Web option chain filter bar showing Both/Call/Put toggle, Regular/Weekly selector, All Contracts, Both/ITM/OTM moneyness filter, Tab View/List View toggle, Ascending/Descending sort, and By Expiration/By Strike organization

The web interface provides the following filter controls:

 Display calls and puts side by side (default).

 Monthly options that expire on the third Friday of each month.

 Options that expire every Friday (excluding the monthly expiration Friday). Weekly contracts are also referred to as "weeklys."

 Show both ITM and OTM contracts (same as All Contracts in most cases).

 Show only contracts with intrinsic value. For calls, these are strikes below the current price. For puts, these are strikes above the current price.

 Show only contracts without intrinsic value. For calls, these are strikes above the current price. For puts, these are strikes below the current price.

 Groups contracts by expiration date, then lists strikes within each group. This is the default.

 Groups contracts by strike price, then shows available expirations for each strike.

A dropdown menu lists all available expiration dates, each labeled with the number of days until expiration (for example, "30 Jan(0D)", "02 Feb(3D)", "07 Feb(8D)"). Select a specific date to display only the contracts expiring on that date.

https://cdn.ainvest.com/kamisAssets/Screenshot2026-01-30at12.329fy8f2bcu.png

Mobile option chain filters showing expiration date tabs and All/Call/Put toggle

The mobile interface offers a streamlined subset of filters:

Tabs across the top of the chain let you switch between expiration dates with a single tap. Swipe left or right to reveal additional dates.

Same as the web toggle. Tap All to see both calls and puts, or tap Call or Put to isolate one side.

The mobile chain does not include a Weekly/Regular toggle, a moneyness filter, or a By Strike organization mode. If you need those advanced filters, use the web interface.

Use this when you are looking for contracts that already have intrinsic value. Common scenarios include:

 Selling ITM calls to collect premium with a higher probability of assignment.

 Buying ITM puts for stronger downside protection.

Use this when you are looking for lower-cost speculative plays. OTM contracts have no intrinsic value and consist entirely of time value, making them cheaper but less likely to expire profitably.

 expire every Friday and are useful for short-term directional trades, earnings plays, or events with a known date.

 offer more time until expiration and tend to have higher open interest and tighter spreads.

Use this when you have a specific price target in mind. Organizing by strike lets you compare how the premium for a given strike changes across different expiration dates, which is essential for evaluating time decay and choosing the right expiration.

Use this when you have a target date in mind -- for example, an earnings date or a macro event. Organizing by expiration lets you compare premiums across all available strikes for that single date, which is the most common way to browse the chain.

 — filter and sort contracts with live market data.

Filtering and Sorting the Option Chain

Ainvest offers multiple ways to display the options chain on the web, letting you choose the layout that best fits your workflow. This article explains each view mode, organization option, and sort setting, along with how the mobile layout works.

. View controls appear above the chain alongside the filter controls.

 The mobile chain uses a fixed layout. There is no view toggle on mobile.

https://cdn.ainvest.com/kamisAssets/Screenshot2026-01-30at11.aq7new0utyf.png

Web option chain showing Tab View and List View toggle along with filter controls at the top of the chain

The web interface provides two distinct view modes. Toggle between them using the Tab View / List View control at the top of the chain.

Tab View groups contracts into tabbed sections by expiration date. Each tab represents one expiration. Click a tab to load all available strikes for that date.

 Focused analysis of a single expiration. If you already know which expiration you want to trade, Tab View keeps the display clean by showing only one date at a time.

List View displays all contracts in a continuous, scrollable list. Every expiration and strike combination is visible without switching tabs.

 Scanning across multiple expirations quickly. If you want to compare how premiums change from one expiration to the next without clicking between tabs, List View gives you that at-a-glance perspective.

Independent of the view mode, you can choose how contracts are grouped.

Contracts are grouped by expiration date first. Within each expiration group, strikes are listed in order. This is the default and the most common way to browse the chain.

 Targeting a specific expiration date. You see all strikes available for that date in one block, making it easy to compare premiums, volume, and open interest across the full range of strikes.

Contracts are grouped by strike price first. For each strike, the available expirations are listed underneath.

 Targeting a specific price level. If you believe the underlying will reach a particular price and you want to compare how time value differs across expiration dates for that exact strike, this mode puts all the relevant data in one place.

Both organization modes support ascending and descending sort:

 Strikes are listed from lowest to highest. In By Expiration mode, the nearest expiration appears first. This is the default.

 Strikes are listed from highest to lowest. In By Expiration mode, the furthest expiration appears first.

The mobile options chain uses a fixed layout that cannot be changed:

 Contracts are shown in a single list, one expiration at a time.

 A row of tabs across the top of the screen shows available expiration dates. Tap a tab to switch. Swipe the tab bar left or right to reveal additional dates.

 The mobile chain always behaves like Tab View -- one expiration at a time.

The mobile layout prioritizes simplicity and speed. For advanced view switching and organization options, use the web interface.

 The default combination. Use it when you want to focus on one expiration date and evaluate strikes within it. This is the most common workflow for selecting a single contract to trade.

 Use it when you want to scroll through multiple expirations in sequence without clicking tabs. Helpful for getting a broad sense of how premiums evolve over time.

 Use it when you have a price target and want to see all available expirations for that strike in a focused view.

 Use it when you want to scroll through multiple strikes and see the full expiration spectrum for each one. This is the most data-dense view and is best suited for advanced analysis.

 use the expiration tabs to quickly compare the same strike across nearby dates by tapping through consecutive tabs and noting how the bid and ask change.

 — switch between views and layouts with live data.

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