Risk Disclosure
Investing Involves Risk of Loss
All investing involves substantial risk, including the possible loss of all principal invested. Past performance is not a guarantee of, and does not predict, future results. The value of investments can fall as well as rise. You may receive back less than you originally invested.
Options Trading Risk
Options trading is not suitable for all investors and is among the highest-risk activities available to retail investors. Before trading real options, you must read the Options Clearing Corporation's publication "Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options" (the "ODD"), available free from any broker that offers options.
Key risks you must understand:
- Total loss is normal, not exceptional. When you buy a call or put, you can lose 100% of the premium you paid — and with options, this happens routinely. An option that expires out-of-the-money is worth exactly zero.
- Time works against you. Options lose value every single day as they approach expiration (this is called "time decay" or "theta"). You can be correct about a stock's direction and still lose money if it doesn't move far enough, fast enough.
- You need to be right about three things at once — direction, magnitude, and timing. Being right about only one or two usually still loses money.
- Selling/writing options (not offered in this App's simulator) can expose you to losses far larger than your initial investment, theoretically unlimited for some strategies.
- Complex tax treatment. Options have their own tax rules that differ from stocks and can be complicated. Consult a tax professional.
Studies consistently show that roughly 70-90% of retail options traders lose money over time. Most would have done better in a simple low-cost index fund. If you choose to trade options with real money, only use money you can afford to lose entirely, practice extensively in a simulator first, and define your exit before every trade.
About This App's Options Simulator
The options simulator in this App lets you practice buying calls and puts using fake money and simulated prices. Premiums are calculated using a simplified Black-Scholes-style model — they approximate how real options behave but are not real market quotes. Real options pricing involves implied volatility, supply and demand, bid-ask spreads, and other factors not fully modeled here. The simulator is a teaching tool to help you understand mechanics (strikes, expirations, premiums, breakeven, the Greeks) before risking real money. Success in the simulator does not indicate you will succeed with real options.
Cryptocurrency Risk
If any third-party app linked from StockCraft offers cryptocurrency, please note: cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, largely unregulated, and may lose all value. They are not covered by FDIC insurance or SIPC protection. Many people have lost their entire crypto investment.
Credit Risk
Applying for or using credit products affects your credit score. Carrying a balance on credit cards generally results in interest charges (often 18%-30% APR or higher). These interest costs frequently exceed any signup bonus value. If you cannot pay your statement balance in full each month, credit card rewards programs are typically not financially beneficial.
Bank Account Risk
Bank promotional bonuses typically require maintaining direct deposits or minimum balances. Failing these requirements forfeits the bonus. Some bonuses are limited to new customers only.
Educational Calculators & Projections
This App includes calculators and visualizers — including the Compound Interest Visualizer, Dividend Reinvestment (DRIP) Simulator, Position Sizing Calculator, and Options Profit/Loss Graph. These are educational tools that produce hypothetical illustrations, not predictions or guarantees:
- Any growth rates, returns, or projections (such as a "10% historical average" or assumed dividend yields) are illustrative assumptions you can change. Real returns vary widely, are frequently negative for extended periods, and are never guaranteed.
- The Position Sizing Calculator illustrates a risk-management technique. It cannot prevent losses — stocks can gap past your stop-loss, and stop orders are not guaranteed to execute at any particular price.
- Figures shown do not account for inflation, taxes, fees, or commissions unless explicitly stated.
- These calculators are not financial planning, tax, or investment advice.
Government Assistance & Crisis Tools
This App includes a Cost-of-Living & Assistance Calculator, a Bill Prioritization tool, and links to third-party resources such as FindHelp.org and the 211 helpline. Please understand:
- The Assistance Calculator provides only a rough eligibility estimate based on general federal poverty guidelines. It is not an application and does not guarantee you will qualify for SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, WIC, or any program. Actual eligibility is determined solely by the administering agencies and depends on factors this App does not collect.
- The Bill Prioritization tool offers general educational guidance based on common consumer-protection principles. It is not legal, financial, or debt-counseling advice, and your specific situation may call for different priorities. If you face eviction, foreclosure, or debt collection, seek qualified help (a nonprofit credit counselor, legal aid, or 211).
- FindHelp.org, Benefits.gov, 211, and similar services are independent third parties not operated by or affiliated with StockCraft. We do not control and are not responsible for their content, availability, or the programs they list. We receive no compensation for referring you to them.
The Simulator Is Not Real
The Stock Market Simulator in this App uses algorithmically generated simulated prices. Performance in the simulator does not predict, demonstrate, or guarantee any results you might achieve in real trading. Real markets include factors not modeled in the simulator including bid-ask spreads, slippage, market impact, news events, after-hours trading, and human emotional response to gains and losses.
⚠ Plain English Summary: All real-money investing can lose you money. Options are especially risky — you can lose 100% of what you pay, time works against you, and most people lose overall. The stock and options simulators are fake practice, not predictions. The calculators show hypothetical "what-ifs," not promises. The assistance and bill tools are estimates and general guidance — not applications, legal advice, or guarantees. Don't risk money you can't afford to lose, and verify everything important with a licensed professional or the official source.
Summary in plain English. StockCraft is a free educational tool and paper-trading simulator. It is not a brokerage, financial advisor, or investment service. Simulator prices are generated by an algorithm and are not real market data. Nothing here is personalized financial advice. Investing involves real risk, including the loss of everything you invest. We earn commission on some links, at no cost to you. Consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.