Comparison Tool

Expiration Comparator

Enter any ticker to compare all available covered call expirations side-by-side. Decide between weekly, monthly, or quarterly strategy in seconds.

◇ Enter a ticker above to compare all available expirations

How to Use the Expiration Comparator

Enter any ticker symbol and the tool fetches all available covered call candidates for that stock from our scanner. Each row represents the best-scoring option at each expiration date.

Use the comparator to decide between weekly, monthly, or quarterly strategies. Sort by annualized return to find the highest-yielding window, or sort by downside protection for the most conservative trade.

Once you find the right expiration, use the Break-Even Calculator to model the exact position before trading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which expiration is best for covered calls?

Most professionals target 30–45 DTE — the theta decay sweet spot where time value erodes most efficiently. Shorter DTE (7–14d) offers higher annualized yield but requires more active management. Longer DTE (60–90d) provides more premium in absolute dollars but lower annualized efficiency.

Does a higher DTE covered call pay more premium?

Yes in absolute dollar terms — but usually less on an annualized basis. A 30 DTE option collecting $3 yields more annualized income than a 60 DTE option collecting $4 at the same strike, because you can roll the 30 DTE position 12 times per year vs. 6 times.

How does the comparator choose which expirations to show?

The tool shows all expirations available in the CoveredCalls.live scanner for your ticker — typically covering weekly, monthly, and quarterly options up to 60 DTE. Each row represents the best available strike at that expiration based on the CCL Score.

What is the 45 DTE rule for covered calls?

The 45 DTE rule, popularized by TastyTrade, suggests opening covered calls at approximately 45 days to expiration and closing or rolling at 21 DTE (when ~50% of the premium has been captured). This captures the steepest portion of the theta decay curve.