Options trading can bring profit to the investor in a short period of time. However, in order to receive earnings, you need to have a good understanding of the market, know how to minimize risk, and understand what actions to take at a specific time.
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced investor, an options trading course can help you learn all the investing strategies and enhance your trading knowledge.
So, take a look at the various courses for different levels available online and sign up for the one that suits your needs the most.
Top Picks for Options Trading Courses
1. Options Trading for Rookies: Understand Options Completely (Udemy)
2. Options Trading for Beginners (Skillshare)
3. Options Trading Course (Bullish Bears)
4. Intermediate Track (Option Alpha)
5. The Complete Foundation Stock Trading Course (Udemy)
6. Professional Options Trader (Online Trading Academy)
7. Options Trading (Investor’s Business Daily)
8. Derivatives - Options & Futures (Coursera)
9. Options Trading: The Psychology of Trading (Skillshare)
Overview
Options Trading for Rookies: Understand Options Completely (Udemy) (Part 1-3)
Duration: 2h 24m
Price: $85
Level: Beginner
Instructor: Kal Zurn (options trader and a co-instructor at SharperTrades.com)
About the course
This trading course is for beginner traders who want to learn about what options are, how options work, and how to execute a trade.
Upon signing up, you will learn the basics of options trading, including differences between calls and puts, buying and selling options, trading verticals, strike prices, and more.
The main objective of this trading course is to teach the learners how to trade options effectively using successful trading strategies and receive consistent earnings. The course features trading examples, visual representations, and other educational and downloadable material.
This is part one of a three-course options trading bundle that will take your options trading knowledge to another level. To participate in the course, there are no other requirements than a desire to learn, a PC or tablet, and a pen and paper for taking notes.
Highlights
- Accessible on mobile and TV
- Unlimited lifetime access
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Certificate upon completion
- Suitable for everyone interested in trading options
Options Trading for Beginners (Skillshare)
Duration: 2h 38m
Price: Skillshare has a monthly subscription of $32 a month/ $168 annually
Level: Beginner
Instructor: Zac Hartley (entrepreneur and day trader)
About the course
During the course, you will learn the fundamentals of options trading and view actual options trades made by the instructor in real time. The lessons in the class include types of options, managing risk, options pricing, buying and selling options, and more.
You will also learn more about the trading mindset, risks, and profit that come with this type of trading and find out more about day trading options. You will learn from an experienced investor providing explanations and examples that are easy to follow.
The main goal of the trading course is to provide the learners with knowledge about options trading so they can become confident and integrate options into their trading routine.
Highlights
- Accessible on the Skillshare app
- Short completion time
- One-month trial on Skillshare
- Suitable for beginner investors
- Thorough lessons with examples
Options Trading Course (Bullish Bears)
Duration: 6 months to 1 year
Price: $49 per month
Level: Beginner and Intermediate
Instructor: Bullish Bears (educational trading community)
About the course
Compared to other trading courses with a duration of a couple of hours, this is an in-depth course about options trading that most students complete within six months to a year. The course focuses on options trading basics, how to read the options chain, and what steps to implement at a particular time.
Another thing that distinguishes this trading course from others is the ability to learn outside of class and join a trading community group. The course is suitable for everyone who likes to understand the trading market better.
Throughout the course, you will learn about all the components of an options trade, how to become a successful options trader, which are the most profitable options trading strategies, and more about the whole trading process. A verified certificate of participation is included in the course as well.
Highlights
- Long-duration course about trading options
- Flexible learning schedule
- Comes with out-of-class learning opportunities
- Seven-day full access free trial
- The Bullish Bears team lives streams for a couple of hours daily to show different ways of trading options
Intermediate Track (Options Alpha)
Duration: 4 hours
Price: Free
Level: Intermediate
Instructor: Kirk Du Plessis (founder and CEO of Option Alpha)
About the course
The Intermediate Track is a trading course intended for investors who have learned the basics of trading and are ready to implement options strategies to earn profit.
The objective of the course is to teach you about the difference between historical and implied market volatility and how to choose the right options strategy.
By signing up for this course, you can also learn how to choose strike prices and expiration dates and when to enter or exit a trade to minimize risk and receive profit.
Moreover, the lesson includes predicting the next market move and tips on getting trades filled. Options Alpha also has intermediate courses on bullish, neutral, and bearish options strategies, as well as courses for beginners and advanced investors.
Highlights
- Free access to extensive options trading courses
- Courses with video lessons
- Guided learning at a student’s pace
- In-debt lessons for intermediate investors
- Operated by a former investment banker and analyst
Professional Options Trader
Duration: in-person classroom 7 days, live virtual (recorded) classes 48 hours
Price: $5,500 for the basic course (+$13,750 for the eXtended Learning Track (XLT))
Level: all experience levels
Instructor: Online Trading Academy
About the course
The Online Trading Academy offers a combination of in-person and online classes for students who are serious about trading and would like to be able to recognize market turning points and make strong moves to earn profit.
The course features live market strategy sessions and interactive exercises, despite the student's level of experience.
The course is designed to help the learners apply the right trading strategies and take advantage of moves in the underlying asset.
The in-debt course covers time decay and market volatility and teaches the learners how to leverage reward while minimizing risk. While this is a costly course, you also have a free one-hour online introductory class to try it out before spending any money.
Moreover, this course doesn’t demand trading experience, but a general understanding of puts and calls and the trading process is required.
There is also no certificate upon completing the course, which is something to consider if this is something you need.
Highlights
- A course to understand, analyze, and properly execute option strategies
- It features on-demand video-based lessons
- A combination of in-person and online classes
- Detailed interactive curriculum
- A free one-hour online introductory class
Options Trading (Investor’s Business Daily) (3 courses)
Duration: 27 lessons - 7 hours and 42 minutes
Price: $897
Level: all experience levels
Instructor: Chuck Fulkerson (IBD Options Specialist)
About the course
The leader in investing education for years, Investor’s Business Daily offers thorough video lessons that you can watch at your own pace on any type of device. The course's main objective is to help the students master options trading and build a strong options trading plan.
The first course covers the basics of options trading and teaches how to choose the right option, when to use calls and puts, select strike prices, calculate premiums, understand the Greeks as an options expert, and more.
The instructor’s second course focuses on options trading strategies and using the right strategy for success. This course teaches how to use risk graphs and analyze potential options trades, profit from a stock’s expected movement, generate additional income with trading, and protect your most valuable assets.
Finally, the third course focuses on improving trading skills and learning to profit from any market direction. This course covers the foundations of spread trading, including types of spreads, balancing profits and probabilities, profiting from multi-legged options, and more.
Highlights
- In-depth video lessons from a renowned options specialist
- Three courses designed for students of all experience levels
- The courses are student-paced
- All three courses are easily accessible on any device
- The courses cover different aspects of options trading
Derivatives - Options & Futures (Coursera)
Duration: Approximately 16 hours
Price: Coursera Plus subscription - $399 per year
Level: Intermediate Level
Instructors: Interactive Brokers - Jeff Praismann (Senior trading education specialist), Andrew Wilkinson (Director of trading education), Steven Levine (Senior market analyst), Lucas Deaver (Media art director), and Mary MacNamara (Project manager and digital media producer)
About the course
This academic-oriented course is intended for those who want to learn all the core concepts of options trading. Having previous investing experience is beneficial but not required for this course.
The course focuses on helping the listeners acquire the skills they need to trade options successfully and stay informed on the risks many investors face and how to mitigate them to avoid heavy losses.
The course covers option types, different options strategies, the options contract components, and more. It has a flexible schedule, and the students earn a certificate upon completion.
The students will learn how to construct option trades, distinguish between calls and puts, examine charts, determine maximum profit and loss, and more.
Moreover, the students can further their education and open a free demo Trader Workstation Paper Trading account to get hands-on experience in a safe trading environment.
Highlights
- The course is offered fully online or in demand
- The students can learn on their schedule
- An in-depth course that covers theory and practice
- The students learn how to trade options based on the market
- Previous investment experience is not required
Options Trading: The Psychology of Trading (Skillshare)
Duration: 30 min
Price: Skillshare has a monthly subscription of $32 a month/ $168 annually
Level: All levels
Instructor: Richie Caragao (Successful and experienced Trader)
About the course
This 30-minute course focuses on managing emotions during trading. The students will learn why most traders fail most of the time when they are trading options and how to avoid such mistakes.
The instructor also teaches the students how to deal with wins and losses and begin a journey as successful traders. Aside from the necessary skills and knowledge, the trader’s emotions can also play a huge role in the outcome of the trading process.
In addition, the learners get insights into how professional traders think and how they become profitable traders.
Highlights
- A short class that caters to students with busy schedules
- The course focuses on trading psychology
- Suitable for traders of all experience levels
- The course is accessible on the Skillshare app
- Straight-to-the-point and clear instructions
Things to Look for in an Options Trading Course
As can be seen, there are online trading courses for investors of all levels. That said, if you are unsure which course to go for, there are several things you can consider helping you make the right decision.
Flexible schedule
When it comes to online courses, having enough time is very important. If you have a busy schedule, we recommend looking for online courses with flexible schedules designed to be self-paced and offer different options for learning.
Some courses have a duration of numerous hours, while others last for a couple of months up to a year. Hence, you can select them based on your schedule, needs, and preferences.
Required prerequisites
Options trading courses are tailored toward beginner traders, those who would like to broaden their knowledge of trading, and professionals who want to enhance their trading skills.
That said, you can look for trading courses that don’t require any prerequisites for learning and are suitable for all levels, or opt for a course that aligns with your trading needs the most.
Experienced instructor
Options trading is complex and requires extensive knowledge, experience, and trading skills. Given that you deal with real money, you can’t listen to everyone’s instructions and advice regarding this type of trading.
With this in mind, we recommend searching for a renowned instructor with suitable credentials and previous trading experience.
To find the best instructor, make sure to read more about the instructor before signing up for a course and learn more about their achievements in this field.
What you would like to learn
As mentioned, the courses are designed for investors with different knowledge levels and experiences. Before you sign up for any course, it is important to determine what aspects of trading you would like to focus on and what you would like to achieve.
If you are an experienced trader facing obstacles, you can look for trading courses that cover such topics. On the other hand, as a beginner, search for courses covering the basics of trading.
Correspondingly, if you want to know which options trading strategies to implement at a certain time, you can look for courses that cover various options trading strategies, etc.
You can also look for courses that replicate real-world trading situations, offer engaging trading examples, and more.
User experience
In the same way as purchasing any type of product or using a service, checking the experience of other users can be very beneficial for your decision.
Hence, before you sign up for any online course, you can research and check whether other learners are satisfied with the course.
An important thing to note is that not everyone can have the same experience while learning. However, if the course has positive reviews and aligns with what you are looking for, then the specific course can be a great option for you.
Certificate of completion
A certificate of completion can contribute to an excellent trading resume that is beneficial for potential jobs and enhance your confidence in your trading skills.
Some trading courses offer a certificate of completion, while others don’t. So, if you are looking for this, we suggest checking whether the course comes with a certificate upon completion before signing up.
Price
The courses come at different prices, depending on what they offer for the learner. Some instructors also provide free online courses, so you can decide what fits your budget and needs the most.
That said, the most expensive course is not always the best option, and vice versa. Hence, it is very important to determine whether the course is worth signing up for you before spending any money on.
Begin Trading
After completing the courses you have purchased, you can test your knowledge by jumping into the trading world with options trading. That way, you can use your knowledge to your advantage and determine what you need to improve.
To help you in the trading process, you can also get a subscription to a trading service such as Foolproof and stay on the right side of the market.
The trading veterans from Foolproof guide you through the process, finding trades about to make big movements.
The trading experts provide you with a thorough trading plan, and the platform sends you several trading alerts to make trades immediately. The subscription costs only $97 a month, and there is a seven days trial for free as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will you learn during an options trading course?
The main goal of a quality course is to give the students extensive knowledge about options trading, so they can develop and execute options trades successfully and earn a profit.
Different courses cover different aspects of options trading. From the fundamentals of options trading to implementing complex trading strategies for profit, such courses are designed to cater to students with varying levels of experience.
How do the options trading courses work?
The online courses use various educational content and techniques to help the students achieve their learning goals. There are in-person trading classes, recorded or live lessons with complimentary commentary, and other creative ways of learning.
During many online courses, the instructors execute trades in real-time to showcase an example and what actions they take in particular market situations. You only need to sign up, and you can start learning right away.
Aside from online courses, you can also consider reading books on options trading, watching videos, reading blogs, and more to elevate your trading to another level and become a successful trader.
How much do options trading courses cost?
You can opt for free online options courses, watch free video lessons online, sign up for a paid course provided by a professional and successful trader, and take advantage of their commentary and analysis. Some courses require a subscription, while others are paid per lesson.
How long does it take to earn profit as an options trader?
Whether you are trading as a beginner or professional, trading options successfully takes time and practice.
After completing such a course, you will receive a set of skills to trade successfully on the market and apply for entry-level positions in this field. The courses can be as short as several hours or take up several months to a year.
Conclusion
If you would like to start options trading or improve your knowledge about trading, you can do so by selecting an options trading course that works best for your needs. Options trading can provide potential profit regardless of the market's direction.
However, making the right moves requires extensive knowledge and practice. That said, the trading courses can guide you through the whole trading process and help you become a successful trader.