LEAPS Options Screener: The AI-Powered 7-Layer Filter for Low-Cap Growth Stocks with Liquid Options
If you’re serious about finding high-asymmetry, long-dated options plays on small and mid-cap growth stocks, the LEAPS Options Screener is one of the most powerful free tools available online today. Built with a 7-layer filtering system and powered by Claude AI (Anthropic’s large language model), this screener helps retail traders and sophisticated investors identify LEAPS (Long-Term Equity Anticipation Securities) opportunities with genuine power-law upside potential — without needing an expensive terminal or institutional-grade data subscription.
What Is the LEAPS Options Screener?
The LEAPS Options Screener is a browser-based, AI-assisted stock and options screening tool designed specifically for traders looking to buy long-dated call or put options on low-capitalisation growth stocks. Unlike generic options screeners that simply filter by volume or open interest, this tool applies a multi-layered qualitative and quantitative framework to surface the highest-conviction setups.
The screener is hosted at marketinvestigation.com and runs entirely in your browser. There is no software to install, no account to create, and no subscription fee. All you need is a free Anthropic API key (more on that below).
The 7-Layer LEAPS Screening Framework
What separates this tool from other options screeners is its structured, layered approach to identifying LEAPS candidates. Each layer interrogates a different dimension of the trade thesis:
Layer 1 — LEAPS Liquidity: The screener evaluates whether long-dated options contracts (typically 12–24 months out) have sufficient open interest and bid-ask spread tightness to allow meaningful position sizing and eventual exit. Illiquid LEAPS are flagged and deprioritised, protecting you from getting trapped in a position you can’t exit.
Layer 2 — Fundamental Growth: This layer analyses the underlying business for hallmarks of compounding growth — revenue acceleration, expanding gross margins, strong unit economics, and scalable business models. Low-cap stocks with optionality require a fundamentally sound base before a LEAPS position makes sense.
Layer 3 — Catalyst Check: LEAPS are bets on time. This layer identifies upcoming binary events, product launches, regulatory approvals, earnings inflections, or macro tailwinds that could serve as the catalyst to drive the underlying stock significantly higher within the options timeframe.
Layer 4 — Narrative Fit: Markets are driven by stories as much as spreadsheets. Layer 4 assesses whether the stock has a compelling, investable narrative — the kind of story that attracts institutional attention and retail momentum. A strong narrative can compress valuation timelines dramatically.
Layer 5 — Technical Timing: Even the best fundamental idea can be an expensive options trade if entered at the wrong time. This layer analyses technical price structure, trend strength, support and resistance levels, and momentum indicators to help identify optimal entry timing for LEAPS positions.
Layer 6 — Risk Management: This layer evaluates downside risk specific to LEAPS: time decay (theta), implied volatility levels, the risk of the stock moving sideways (your worst outcome as a LEAPS buyer), and position sizing relative to overall portfolio exposure.
Layer 7 — Power-Law Asymmetry: The final and most distinctive layer asks the most important question for any LEAPS trade: does this position have genuine power-law return potential? That is, can a relatively small options premium return 5x, 10x, or more if the thesis plays out? This filter ensures you’re not paying high implied volatility for modest upside.
Who Is This Tool For?
The LEAPS Options Screener is built for:
- Retail options traders looking for structured, repeatable ways to find high-conviction LEAPS plays on growth stocks
- Investors who understand options basics (calls, puts, strike price, expiration, delta, implied volatility) and want to move beyond covered calls into asymmetric long strategies
- Small-cap and growth-stock enthusiasts who want to apply options leverage to their existing stock research
- Self-directed traders who want institutional-quality screening logic without paying for Bloomberg or FactSet
This is not a tool for complete beginners to options trading. A working knowledge of how LEAPS work — including time decay, implied volatility, and delta — will help you interpret and act on the screener’s outputs effectively.
How to Use the LEAPS Options Screener
Using the tool is straightforward:
Step 1: Get Your Anthropic API Key
The screener is powered by Claude, Anthropic’s AI model, which means you need a free API key to run it. Here’s how to get one:
- Go to console.anthropic.com
- Create a free account (you’ll need an email address)
- Once logged in, navigate to API Keys in the left-hand sidebar
- Click Create Key, give it a name, and copy the key immediately — it won’t be shown again
- New accounts typically receive a small amount of free API credits, enough to run many screens
Your API key is sent directly and only to api.anthropic.com — it is stored in memory for your session only and never persisted, logged, or shared. You can verify this by inspecting the tool’s source code.
Step 2: Enter Your API Key
Paste your Anthropic API key into the “Anthropic API Key” field at the top of the screener page and click Save. You’ll see a confirmation message: “Key saved for this session.”
Step 3: Run the Screen
Click the “Run Screen” button. The AI will begin working through all 7 layers of the framework, displaying progress as it analyses each dimension. The full analysis typically completes within 30–60 seconds.
Step 4: Review and Act
Review the screener’s output across all seven layers. The results will highlight which stocks pass the full 7-layer filter and, crucially, why. Use the narrative and risk analysis outputs to inform your own research before placing any trade.
Important Disclaimers
The LEAPS Options Screener is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Options trading involves significant risk, including the potential loss of your entire premium paid. Always verify outputs with live market data, consult a qualified financial adviser if appropriate, and never risk capital you cannot afford to lose.
Why Use AI for LEAPS Screening?
Traditional quantitative screeners are fast but shallow — they filter on numbers, not context. Claude AI can process qualitative information: industry dynamics, management credibility, competitive moats, narrative strength, and the kind of nuanced catalyst analysis that a spreadsheet simply cannot perform. The combination of structured 7-layer logic with AI-driven reasoning makes this screener uniquely powerful for identifying genuinely asymmetric LEAPS opportunities in the small and mid-cap space.
Whether you’re searching for the next multi-bagger in biotech, fintech, clean energy, or AI infrastructure, the LEAPS Options Screener gives you a systematic, repeatable process to surface the most compelling long-dated options plays — and the reasoning behind them.
Try it free at: marketinvestigation.com — LEAPS Options Screener
Disclaimer: This tool is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Trading financial instruments carries significant risk of loss. Always conduct your own due diligence and consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.