Connect over WebSocket
Authenticate with one API key at wss://ws.optiondata.io and subscribe during U.S. market hours for continuous option trade prints.
Options Flow API
Options Flow API — Real-Time U.S. Options Tape
Stream the live U.S. options tape over WebSocket — every print with premium, sentiment, contract metadata, and Greeks so your scanners react in market time, not after the close.
Who this is for: options flow traders, alert products, and automation that need OPRA-licensed trade prints with server-side filters (symbol, premium, expiry) — not delayed end-of-day CSVs.
How teams use the options flow API
Ingest the live tape, filter noise server-side, enrich with Greeks/IV, and route only actionable prints into alerts, dashboards, or models.
Filter on the server
Reduce bandwidth with symbol lists, minimum premium, sentiment, expiration windows, and RAW vs AGGREGATED stream modes.
Read 30+ fields per print
Each qualifying trade can include side, size, price, premium, Greeks, implied volatility, and sentiment for immediate scoring.
Close the loop with history
Validate recurring flow patterns later with ClickHouse SQL against 2.8B+ stored trades — same dataset as the live stream.
What you get on the options flow stream
- OPRA-licensed U.S. equity option trades during market hours
- Server-side filters for symbols, premium, sentiment, and expiry
- Delta, Gamma, Theta, Vega, Rho and implied volatility when available
- RAW original prints or AGGREGATED consolidated events
- JSON payloads built for Python, TypeScript, Go, and cURL clients
- Same API key as historical SQL and option-chain REST
Example: large-premium flow alerts
// Stream filtered options flow over WebSocket
const ws = new WebSocket(
'wss://ws.optiondata.io?token=YOUR_API_KEY&symbols=SPY,QQQ&min_premium=50000'
);
ws.onmessage = (event) => {
const trade = JSON.parse(event.data);
// trade.symbol, trade.premium, trade.delta, trade.sentiment, ...
if (trade.premium >= 250000) alertLargePrint(trade);
};Related options data APIs
Flow is strongest when paired with chain context and historical validation.
Options flow API FAQ
What is an options flow API?
An options flow API streams live option trade prints (the “tape”) so applications can detect large premium, sweeps, and unusual activity in real time. OptionData delivers OPRA-licensed U.S. equity option trades over WebSocket with Greeks and server-side filters.
How many option trades does OptionData stream per day?
Roughly 10 million+ U.S. equity option trades per trading day, depending on market volume, with 30+ fields available per qualifying print.
Can I filter options flow by premium or symbol?
Yes. Server-side filters support symbols, premium thresholds, sentiment, expirations, and stream mode so only relevant trades reach your client.
Is the feed OPRA licensed?
Yes. OptionData provides an OPRA-licensed U.S. equity options feed suitable for professional use cases under your plan terms.