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Bear Call Credit Spread Calculator

By the OptionProfit Editorial Team · Updated June 2026 · 2 min read · Risk disclaimer

A bear call credit spread sells a call and buys a higher-strike call, collecting a credit. It profits if the stock stays below the short strike.

Open the Bear Call Credit Spread calculator →

Key characteristics

When to use a bear call credit spread

Use it when you are neutral-to-bearish and want to be paid for the stock staying below a level. You sell a call and buy a higher-strike call for protection, collecting a net credit you keep if the stock does not rally through your short strike.

It is most attractive in high implied volatility, with the short strike placed above resistance so the odds favour the option expiring worthless.

Risks and management

Maximum profit is the credit; maximum loss is the strike width minus the credit, reached if the stock rises above the long strike. As with all credit spreads, risk exceeds reward, so the high probability has to pay off consistently.

Defend a tested spread by rolling it up and out for more credit, and consider taking profit at around half the maximum credit instead of holding to expiration.

Worked example. Stock at $100. You sell the $105 call and buy the $110 call for a $1.20 credit ($120). Max profit is $120 (below $105); max loss is the $5 width minus $1.20 = $380 (above $110); breakeven is $106.20.

Calculate it live

Use the free OptionProfit Bear Call Credit Spread calculator to load a live option chain, build the trade, and instantly see the payoff chart, breakevens, probability of profit, Greeks and a Monte Carlo simulation of outcomes.

Key takeaways

Frequently asked questions

What is my maximum loss?

The strike width minus the credit received; the long call defines and caps the risk.

How is this different from a bull put credit spread?

Both collect a credit and want the stock to stay on one side of a strike — the bear call profits if the stock stays down, the bull put if it stays up.

Can I combine the two?

Yes — selling a bull put and a bear call together on the same stock creates an iron condor, profiting if the stock stays within a range.

Related guides:
Credit vs Debit SpreadsIron Condor vs StrangleTheta Decay & Selling Premium
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