Bear Put Spread Calculator
Calculate max profit, max loss, breakeven, and risk/reward for a bear put spread (debit put spread). Enter your strikes and premiums to evaluate the trade before you place it.
Enter your bear put spread details above, then click Calculate Spread to see max profit, max loss, breakeven, and risk/reward at expiration.
For educational purposes only. Not financial advice. Read full disclaimer
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Bear Put Spread Formulas
Net Debit = Long Premium - Short Premium
Max Profit = (Long Strike - Short Strike - Net Debit) x 100 x Contracts
Max Loss = Net Debit x 100 x Contracts
Breakeven = Long Strike - Net Debit
Risk/Reward = Max Loss / Max Profit
Return on Risk = (Max Profit / Max Loss) x 100
Worked Examples
Example 1: AAPL Bear Put Spread
AAPL is trading at $180. You buy the 180 put for $6.00 and sell the 170 put for $2.50 (1 contract).
- Net Debit = 6.00 - 2.50 = $3.50 per share ($350 total)
- Max Profit = (180 - 170 - 3.50) x 100 = $650
- Max Loss = 3.50 x 100 = $350
- Breakeven = 180 - 3.50 = $176.50
- Return on Risk = 650 / 350 x 100 = 185.7%
Example 2: SPY Narrow Spread
SPY is at $450. You buy the 450 put for $8.00 and sell the 445 put for $5.50 (2 contracts).
- Net Debit = 8.00 - 5.50 = $2.50 per share ($500 total)
- Max Profit = (450 - 445 - 2.50) x 100 x 2 = $500
- Max Loss = 2.50 x 100 x 2 = $500
- Breakeven = 450 - 2.50 = $447.50
- Risk/Reward = 500 / 500 = 1.00 : 1
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the long put strike — the higher strike you are buying. This is usually at-the-money or slightly in-the-money.
- Enter the short put strike — the lower strike you are selling. The distance between strikes determines the spread width.
- Enter the long put premium — the per-share price you pay for the higher-strike put.
- Enter the short put premium — the per-share credit you receive for selling the lower-strike put.
- Set the number of contracts — each contract represents 100 shares.
- Click Calculate Spread — review max profit, max loss, breakeven price, and risk/reward ratio.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is a bear put spread?
- A bear put spread is a bearish options strategy that involves buying a higher-strike put and selling a lower-strike put with the same expiration. You pay a net debit to enter, cap your profit at the spread width minus the debit, and limit your loss to the debit paid.
- When should I use a bear put spread instead of buying a put?
- Use a bear put spread when you expect a moderate decline, not a crash to zero. Selling the lower-strike put reduces your cost basis and breakeven compared to a naked long put, but it also caps your profit. This is ideal when you want defined risk with a lower capital outlay.
- How does time decay affect a bear put spread?
- Time decay (theta) has a mixed effect. If the spread is out-of-the-money, theta works against you because the long put loses value faster. If the spread is deep in-the-money, theta can work in your favor because the short put decays. Near expiration, spreads that are close to the strikes can see rapid changes in value.
- What happens if the stock is between the two strikes at expiration?
- If the stock closes between the long (higher) and short (lower) strike at expiration, the long put has intrinsic value while the short put expires worthless. Your profit equals the long strike minus the stock price minus the net debit, multiplied by 100 shares per contract.
- Can I lose more than the net debit?
- No. The maximum loss on a bear put spread is limited to the net debit paid to open the position. This occurs when the stock closes at or above the long (higher) strike at expiration, causing both options to expire worthless.