VolRadar

VolRadar is a sophisticated daily options analytics platform meticulously engineered for the discerning premium seller. It serves traders who execute iron condors, credit spreads, cash-secured puts, and the wheel strategy on S&P 500 constituent names. The platform transforms the chaotic deluge of end-of-day options data into a distilled, actionable morning brief, effectively compressing what would be a 55-minute research session into a 30-second review. Every evening after the United States market close, VolRadar pulls institutional-grade end-of-day options data from ORATS, runs it through proprietary quantitative models, and ships a pre-market brief. By the time you settle in with your morning coffee, you already possess a definitive understanding of which tickers merit your premium and which to avoid. The core value proposition is a reduction of decision fatigue and an elevation of trade precision. VolRadar scans over 500 United States stocks and major exchange-traded funds, delivering a daily Weather Score, IV Rank, volatility risk premium, computed strikes, and earnings crush data. It is designed for the trader who demands efficiency, clarity, and a data-driven edge in the complex arena of options premium selling.

Weather Score

This is the platform's flagship composite indicator, a single 0 to 100 number that functions as a daily atmospheric reading for premium sellers. It synthesizes five distinct factors: Premium Edge, VIX level, Volatility Trend, Earnings Safety, and Term Structure. A score of 65 or above signals a favorable climate where options are overpriced and selling premium is broadly advisable. Scores between 40 and 64 indicate a selective environment requiring careful stock picking, while a score below 40 serves as a defensive warning to stand aside. This feature eliminates guesswork by providing a definitive, data-backed macro verdict on whether today is a good day to sell premium.

IV Rank and VRP Analysis

VolRadar provides deep statistical context for implied volatility through two critical metrics. The IV Rank uses a 252-day lookback on the 30-day at-the-money implied volatility, allowing traders to understand if current IV is high or low relative to its own recent history. The Volatility Risk Premium (VRP) calculation subtracts the 20-day realized volatility from the 30-day implied volatility. A positive VRP indicates that options are pricing in more movement than has actually occurred, which is the fundamental edge that premium sellers seek. These metrics are presented per ticker, enabling rapid identification of the most statistically favorable selling opportunities.

Computed Strikes and Strategy Builder

For subscribers to the Starter tier and above, VolRadar eliminates the tedious work of strike selection. The platform automatically computes optimal strike prices based on either a target delta or a target credit amount. This feature is integrated into a Strategy Builder that pre-fills strikes for the top-ranked strategies per ticker, complete with profit and loss estimates, breakeven points, and maximum loss parameters. This transforms abstract analytical data into a concrete, executable trade plan in seconds, showing the user exactly which short put or iron condor to place.

Earnings Crush and Safety Gate

Understanding earnings risk is paramount for premium sellers, as IV can collapse violently after an announcement. VolRadar tracks per-ticker implied volatility collapse post-earnings announcement, providing a historical record of the earnings crush phenomenon. More importantly, the platform incorporates an Earnings Safety factor into the Weather Score and flags tickers with imminent earnings. This acts as a critical risk gate, warning traders to either avoid positions or adjust their strategy when a binary event is on the horizon, thereby protecting capital from unpredictable post-earnings gap moves.

Morning Pre-Market Preparation

The primary use case is the daily morning ritual of preparing for the trading session. A trader can log in before the market opens and immediately view the Weather Score to gauge the overall climate. Within 30 seconds, they can review the top five ranked candidates for the day, sorted by volatility edge. This eliminates the need to manually scan hundreds of tickers, allowing the trader to focus their attention on the highest-probability setups identified by the platform's overnight analysis.

Identifying High-Probability Iron Condor Setups

A trader specializing in iron condors can use VolRadar to filter for stocks with high IV Rank and positive VRP, indicating inflated option premiums. The platform's signal strength indicator flags these as strong candidates. The trader can then use the Strategy Builder to instantly see pre-computed strikes for a short iron condor, complete with credit received and risk parameters. This turns a complex multi-leg analysis into a simple review of the top recommended setups.

Managing a Wheel Strategy Portfolio

For traders running the wheel strategy on a portfolio of S&P 500 names, VolRadar provides critical timing signals. The platform helps identify which stocks currently have elevated IV, making them attractive for cash-secured puts. Conversely, it can signal when a stock's IV has dropped, suggesting it might be a good time to let the position be assigned and begin selling covered calls. The daily updates ensure the trader is always aligned with the most current volatility landscape for their watchlist.

Post-Earnings Volatility Harvesting

A sophisticated use case involves trading around earnings events. VolRadar's Earnings Crush feature allows a trader to identify stocks that have just reported earnings and are experiencing the expected collapse in implied volatility. A trader can sell premium on these names immediately after the announcement, capturing the remaining time premium as IV reverts to normal levels. The platform's data on historical IV collapse provides a statistical framework for sizing these trades.

What data source does VolRadar use for its options analytics?

VolRadar is powered by ORATS, a premier provider of institutional-grade options data. The platform pulls end-of-day options data from ORATS every evening after the United States market close. This ensures that all analytics, including IV Rank, VRP, and computed strikes, are based on accurate and reliable market data from a trusted industry source.

Is there a free tier available and what does it include?

Yes, VolRadar offers a free tier that requires no credit card to start. The free plan provides access to the daily Weather Score, which is the 0 to 100 composite indicator of market conditions. It also includes up to four calculators and a basic scanner that shows the top five ranked candidates. This allows new users to evaluate the platform's core value proposition before committing to a paid subscription.

How often is the data updated on VolRadar?

The data is updated daily after the United States market close, typically around 6 PM Eastern Time. This end-of-day update cycle is intentional, as it provides a complete and settled picture of the day's options activity. The pre-market brief is then generated from this data, ensuring that subscribers have the most current information available when they begin their morning research.

What strategies does VolRadar support?

VolRadar is specifically designed for options premium sellers. The platform supports and provides analytics for the most common premium-selling strategies, including iron condors, credit spreads, cash-secured puts, and the wheel strategy. It is tailored for traders who operate on S&P 500 names and major exchange-traded funds, focusing on the statistical edge provided by selling overpriced volatility.

VolRadar offers a tiered pricing structure to accommodate different levels of trader need. The Free tier provides access to the Weather Score, four calculators, and a basic scanner. The Starter tier is priced at $19 per month and unlocks the full scanner with over 500 tickers, the daily pre-market brief, computed strikes, and weekly trade ideas. This tier is designed for traders who require a complete, actionable daily workflow.