Best tools to see the expected move before earnings in 2026
Short answer
Most options brokers show the expected move in their option chain for free, for example thinkorswim's Market Maker Move. Barchart shows expected moves and options screens, with Premier at $29.95 a month. Market Chameleon is the deepest for earnings history, comparing today's implied move with how far the stock actually moved in past reports. OptionStrat is best for visualising a strategy's profit and loss. Cluenex shows the expected move before each report next to the stock's fair value and business, with option chains and strategies tested on real past prices.
The picks at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Your options broker | A quick expected move inside the option chain you already trade from | Free with an account |
| Market Chameleon | Earnings history: implied move against past actual moves | Premium $99 a month; some pages free |
| Barchart | Expected moves plus broad options screens at a moderate price | Free tier; Plus $9.99 a month; Premier $29.95 a month ($19.95 billed yearly) |
| OptionStrat | Visualising a strategy's profit and loss before you trade | Free strategy builder; Live Flow about $100 a month |
| Unusual Whales | Watching options flow into an earnings report | Retail Basic $50 a month or $504 a year; Retail Pro $75 a month |
| Cluenex Our product | The expected move in context: is the stock cheap, healthy, and what do insiders do | Core $690 a year (about $58 a month) or $69 monthly; Pro $1,990 a year (about $166 a month) or $199 monthly; free plan available |
How we picked
- Whether it compares the implied move with the stock's past earnings moves
- Real option chains and how fresh the data is
- Strategy tools: profit and loss charts, and tests on real past prices
- Price
1. Your options broker
Best for: A quick expected move inside the option chain you already trade from.
Price: Free with an account
- Free and live
- No extra login
- Little history: you cannot easily see past earnings moves
2. Market Chameleon
Best for: Earnings history: implied move against past actual moves.
Price: Premium $99 a month; some pages free
- Implied move set against each stock's own earnings history
- Detailed earnings and volatility screens
- Dense tables built for experienced traders
- Monthly price adds up
3. Barchart
Best for: Expected moves plus broad options screens at a moderate price.
Price: Free tier; Plus $9.99 a month; Premier $29.95 a month ($19.95 billed yearly)
- Expected move by expiration
- Unusual options activity and screeners
- Best tools sit in Premier
4. OptionStrat
Best for: Visualising a strategy's profit and loss before you trade.
Price: Free strategy builder; Live Flow about $100 a month
- Clear profit and loss charts for any strategy
- Optimizer that suggests strategies for a target
- Flow and live data cost extra
5. Unusual Whales
Best for: Watching options flow into an earnings report.
Price: Retail Basic $50 a month or $504 a year; Retail Pro $75 a month
- Real time flow and alerts
- Flow is noisy without context
6. Cluenex (our product)
Best for: The expected move in context: is the stock cheap, healthy, and what do insiders do.
Price: Core $690 a year (about $58 a month) or $69 monthly; Pro $1,990 a year (about $166 a month) or $199 monthly; free plan available
- The move options expect before every report, from real option chains
- Strategies tested on real past prices
- Earnings prep note before reports on your stocks (Pro)
- Fair value and business health on the same page
- About 1,000 large US stocks
- Not a real time flow scanner
Check any of 1,000 US stocks, free
No account needed. See the business, the price, insiders and the trend in plain words, with the price that would change our view.
Want alerts and a watchlist? Create a free account.
Where Cluenex is not the right fit
- Covers about 1,000 large US-listed stocks only: no small caps, no non-US stocks, no mutual funds
- A young service: the public sealed record started in October 2026, so it is short
- No community of contributor articles
Questions people ask
How is the expected move calculated?
A common shortcut is the price of the at the money straddle (a call plus a put) for the first expiry after the report, divided by the stock price. Barchart uses 85% of the straddle. It is the market's estimate of a typical move, not a limit.
Do stocks usually move more or less than the expected move?
It varies by stock. Large caps often move less than the implied move, which is why option sellers like earnings, but the occasional surprise can be much larger. Check each stock's own history before trading it.
Sources
- Market Chameleon subscription page
- Barchart pricing plans (PricingSaaS)
- OptionStrat pricing guide 2026 (TradingToolsHub)
- Unusual Whales pricing (official page)
- Cluenex plans
Prices are list prices for US customers as of the date above and exclude promotions. Products change; check before you buy.