SETUP GUIDE

From install to first paper run.

Options Wheelhouse runs locally on an Android phone or Windows computer and currently connects only to Alpaca Paper for execution. Both apps provide the same core accounts, schedules, scans, lists, runs, store, settings, and learning capabilities; their screens, secure storage, and background scheduling follow the conventions of each platform.

NEW

Directional buy, monitor, and sell workflows

Buy Call and Buy Put select liquid contracts by DTE and delta, cap debit, contracts, and capital, use limit buy-to-open orders, and monitor profit, loss, and time-to-expiration for sell-to-close exits. Follow The Money waits for the first five-minute regular-session candle, trades a confirmed break with a call or put, and treats the largest same-side open-interest strike—or a configured alternate indicator level—as the underlying target. Buy Rising Symbols applies its own moving-average, momentum, pullback, and dollar-volume rules.

Each workflow has a separate candidate-list generator. The Follow The Money generator ranks liquid symbols by directional call/put interest imbalance and remaining distance to an open-interest target. Open interest includes buyers and sellers, so it confirms price action rather than proving where new money was invested.

1

Download and install Options Wheelhouse

Download Options Wheelhouse

Android phone: install the APK offered on the Downloads page on a device you control. Android may ask you to approve installation from the browser or file manager used for the download.

Windows computer: choose the ZIP or self-extracting EXE and follow the Windows installer instructions. Keep application and private data on a computer account you control. Never publish an APK, .env, vault, database, license, or backup file from your installation.

2

Start Options Wheelhouse

Android phone: open the native Options Wheelhouse app from the launcher. Its screens run directly in the app; there is no localhost browser dashboard.

Windows computer: launch Options Wheelhouse from the Start menu. The installer starts a private service on your computer and opens http://localhost:3080 in your browser. Do not expose that service to the public internet.

In both cases, the locally installed app is separate from OptionsWheelhouse.com and Alpaca’s broker systems.

3

Protect local credentials

Android phone: broker credentials are encrypted through Android Keystore. Use a strong device screen lock and keep Android security updates current.

Windows computer: choose a unique vault passphrase of at least 10 characters. It protects the AES-256-GCM vault and is not stored or recoverable by Options Wheelhouse. Use a password manager and keep a secure backup.

4

Create an Alpaca Paper account

Create or sign in to an Alpaca account and generate paper-trading API credentials. Confirm that the credentials are for the paper environment—not a live brokerage account. Options Wheelhouse’s current executable adapter rejects live execution.

5

Connect Alpaca Paper

Open Accounts, choose Alpaca Paper, enter a display name and your paper API key and secret, then select Verify & save. Leave Require approval enabled while learning. Set a conservative maximum contract count.

6

Learn the strategy first

Use the in-app Learn area to review structure, parameters, monitoring needs, and trade-offs. Confirm option approval assumptions, assignment behavior, maximum possible loss, and capital requirements. Short strangles have undefined risk; paper results do not make them safe for live use.

7

Run manually

Choose a strategy, a single symbol or reusable list, and strategy-specific risk settings. Review the proposal, market data, legs, limit price, and buying-power effect. Approve only if you understand every field. A successful target scan only creates a list; it does not run a trade.

8

Add a schedule carefully

Choose weekdays and either one time or a repeating interval during market hours. Scheduled runs depend on the local device. On Windows they pause when the service stops, the computer sleeps, or the vault locks. On Android, WorkManager schedules background work, but Android battery optimization, connectivity, a force-stopped app, or manufacturer restrictions can delay it. Alpaca’s market clock gates runs for market hours and holidays, but you remain responsible for supervision.

9

Review and iterate

Use Run History and performance summaries to inspect outcomes by account, strategy, and symbol. Treat net premium as one incomplete metric: it may not reflect open risk, unrealized losses, assignment, fees, taxes, or realistic live fills.