Covered call screens
Compare strikes, expirations, premiums, yield, and downside assumptions in one repeatable workbook.
MarketXLS for Excel
Options Data in Excel
Bring options data into Excel with MarketXLS: option chains, quotes, Greeks, expiration analysis, Black-Scholes tools, and strategy worksheets.
- Option chain formulas in Excel
- Greeks and pricing workflows
- Best fit: MarketXLS Advanced or Business
The short version
Options analysis needs the chain, not just the quote
MarketXLS is an Excel add-in for stock market data. It lets investors pull stock quotes, historical prices, fundamentals, options chains, Greeks, and screening results directly into Excel using formulas.
For options traders, the key difference is simple: you are not just importing a price. You are building an option chain, Greeks, scanner, payoff, and risk workflow inside the spreadsheet where you make the trade decision.
What you can build
Keep the data connected to the decision
MarketXLS is most useful when the market data is part of the workbook, not a separate export you have to clean up before every decision.
Spread analysis
Model verticals, calendars, and multi-leg trades with quote data and Greeks next to payoff calculations.
Risk monitoring
Track delta, theta, vega, expiration exposure, and underlying moves without rebuilding a chain by hand.
How it works
From blank sheet to live model
Choose the underlying
Start with the stock or ETF you want to analyze, such as SPY, AAPL, or QQQ.
Pull the chain
Use MarketXLS options formulas to bring strikes, expirations, quotes, and chain data into Excel.
Add Greeks and scenarios
Place Greeks, volatility, pricing assumptions, and payoff calculations beside the contracts you are comparing.
Build the strategy sheet
Use the data for covered calls, spreads, expiration review, risk monitoring, and trade selection inside the same workbook.
Excel-native
Start with a formula, not another export
Put quotes, history, fundamentals, options, and screening fields directly where your model already lives.
=QM_GetOptionChain("SPY")Returns an option chain for a symbol so you can analyze strikes and expirations in Excel.
MarketXLS Advanced=QM_GetOptionQuotesAndGreeks("SPY")Pulls option quote fields and Greeks for deeper trade analysis.
MarketXLS Advanced=BlackScholes(...)Supports theoretical options pricing and scenario analysis.
=OptionSymbol(...)Helps construct or normalize option symbols for worksheet models.
=Last("SPY")Adds the underlying stock or ETF price to option strategy sheets.
=HistoricalVolatility("AAPL")Supports volatility-aware option research and trade selection.
For options workflows, start with MarketXLS Advanced
Options data is not a small add-on to a basic quote page. If chains, Greeks, or option strategy analysis matter, MarketXLS Advanced is the right starting plan.
- Choose MarketXLS Advanced for option chains, Greeks, and active trading workflows.
- Choose MarketXLS Business when the options workflow supports professional, firm, or client-facing work.
- Do not choose a basic quotes-only workflow if your decision depends on strikes, expirations, premiums, or Greeks.
Before you choose
How MarketXLS compares to the usual workarounds
| Need | Broker export | Free quote sites | MarketXLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option chain access | Often tied to a broker workflow and not model-friendly. | Manual tables that do not belong to your workbook. | Pull option chains directly into Excel for repeatable analysis. |
| Greeks | Available in some platforms, but hard to reuse in Excel. | Often missing or not export-ready. | Use Greeks beside positions, spreads, payoff tables, and risk calculations. |
| Strategy analysis | Good for placing orders, weaker for custom models. | Requires copy and paste. | Build covered call, spread, volatility, and expiration worksheets around live data. |
| Plan fit | Depends on broker. | No commercial workflow. | MarketXLS Advanced for options; MarketXLS Business for professional use. |
Common objections
When the built-in tools stop being enough
How do I get options data in Excel?
Use MarketXLS options functions to pull option chains, quotes, and Greeks into Excel. This gives you a spreadsheet-native workflow for screening, modeling, and monitoring trades.
How do I pull an option chain into Excel?
MarketXLS Advanced supports option chain formulas such as =QM_GetOptionChain("SPY"), which can return strikes and expirations directly into a worksheet.
Can Excel show real-time options chains?
Excel can show options chains when connected to a data add-in built for options. MarketXLS Advanced is the plan designed for real-time quote and options workflows.
Explore more
Related Excel market data pages
Useful guides
Go deeper on the workflow
Frequently asked questions
How do I get options data in Excel?
Use MarketXLS options functions to pull option chains, quotes, and Greeks into Excel. This gives you a spreadsheet-native workflow for screening, modeling, and monitoring trades.
How do I pull an option chain into Excel?
MarketXLS Advanced supports option chain formulas such as =QM_GetOptionChain("SPY"), which can return strikes and expirations directly into a worksheet.
Can Excel show real-time options chains?
Excel can show options chains when connected to a data add-in built for options. MarketXLS Advanced is the plan designed for real-time quote and options workflows.
How do I calculate options Greeks in Excel?
You can pull Greeks through MarketXLS options functions or build calculations around pricing formulas such as Black-Scholes, depending on the data and model you need.
Does Google Finance provide options data?
Google Finance is useful for basic stock data but is not a complete options chain and Greeks workflow for Excel. MarketXLS is built for that options use case.
Can I analyze covered calls or spreads in Excel?
Yes. MarketXLS can provide the option chain and quote data that covered call, vertical spread, calendar spread, and payoff worksheets need.
Which MarketXLS plan includes options data?
MarketXLS Advanced is the recommended starting plan for options data. MarketXLS Business is the correct plan for professional, commercial, or client-facing users.
Can I screen option contracts in Excel?
Yes. MarketXLS options workflows can support filtering and comparison across contracts, strikes, expirations, premiums, and Greeks inside Excel.
Can I use MarketXLS for covered call analysis?
Yes. Covered call users can compare premiums, strikes, expirations, underlying prices, and return assumptions in one spreadsheet.
Can I combine options data with stock data in the same workbook?
Yes. MarketXLS can place underlying stock data and options data in the same Excel workflow, which is useful for spreads, covered calls, volatility review, and risk monitoring.