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Best Low IV Stocks for Debit Spreads: 10 Ranked
Ten names where implied volatility is low both against their own history and in absolute terms — the two tests a debit spread candidate has to pass.
On this page
The short answer
Debit spreads are net long premium, so they want cheap volatility the same way credit spreads want rich volatility. The mistake is screening on IV rank alone: a name whose implied volatility is 90% but sits at the bottom of its own 120% range has a low IV rank and is not remotely cheap.
This screen applies both tests — low IV rank and 30-day implied volatility under 50% in absolute terms. That second filter is what stops the list filling with permanently volatile small caps having a quiet month, which is the failure mode of every naive low-IV screen.
ApexVol screens 417 optionable names for this list, requiring a $10+ share price and 5,000+ contracts of average daily option volume before ranking. Ranked by lowest IV rank, filtered to 30-day implied volatility below 50% in absolute terms. Requires $10+ share price and 5,000+ contracts average daily option volume.
Ranked at a glance
10 picks,
in order.
Ranked by lowest IV rank, filtered to 30-day implied volatility below 50% in absolute terms. Requires $10+ share price and 5,000+ contracts average daily option volume.
| Rank | Name | Key stat | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BIDU | IV percentile 1 (IV 37.2%) | Implied volatility of 37% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 2 | CCJ | IV percentile 1 (IV 46.4%) | Implied volatility of 46% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 3 | KGC | IV percentile 1 (IV 44.2%) | Implied volatility of 44% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 4 | NEM | IV percentile 1 (IV 43.7%) | Implied volatility of 44% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 5 | SPCX | IV percentile 1 (IV 42.0%) | Implied volatility of 42% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 6 | NVDA | IV percentile 2 (IV 30.7%) | Implied volatility of 31% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 7 | NVO | IV percentile 2 (IV 30.3%) | Implied volatility of 30% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 8 | TSLA | IV percentile 2 (IV 45.9%) | Implied volatility of 46% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 9 | WBD | IV percentile 2 (IV 2.1%) | Implied volatility of 2% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
| 10 | JD | IV percentile 3 (IV 29.4%) | Implied volatility of 29% is both low outright and at the 3th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for. |
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BIDU Top pick
Implied volatility of 37% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 1 (IV 37.2%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 1, 30-day IV 37%
-
CCJ
Implied volatility of 46% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 1 (IV 46.4%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 1, 30-day IV 46%
-
KGC
Implied volatility of 44% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 1 (IV 44.2%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 1, 30-day IV 44%
-
NEM
Implied volatility of 44% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 1 (IV 43.7%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 1, 30-day IV 44%
-
SPCX
Implied volatility of 42% is both low outright and at the 1th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 1 (IV 42.0%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 1, 30-day IV 42%
-
NVDA
Implied volatility of 31% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 2 (IV 30.7%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 2, 30-day IV 31%
-
NVO
Implied volatility of 30% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 2 (IV 30.3%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 2, 30-day IV 30%
-
TSLA
Implied volatility of 46% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 2 (IV 45.9%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 2, 30-day IV 46%
-
WBD
Implied volatility of 2% is both low outright and at the 2th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 2 (IV 2.1%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 2, 30-day IV 2%
-
JD
Implied volatility of 29% is both low outright and at the 3th percentile of its own year, so long premium is not being overpaid for.
IV percentile 3 (IV 29.4%), measured 2026-09-30
Ideal for IV rank 3, 30-day IV 29%
Live data, refreshed October 1, 2026. October 2026 data refresh: rebuilt from 417 liquid names on the 2026-09-30 data snapshot. Top pick BIDU at IV rank 1, 30-day IV 37%.
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Questions
About this ranking.
Why do debit spreads want low implied volatility?
A debit spread pays premium out rather than collecting it, so it is net long volatility. Entering when implied volatility is high means overpaying for the long leg and watching vol mean-revert against the position. It is the mirror image of the condition a credit spread wants.
Why cap absolute IV as well as IV rank?
Because IV rank is relative and can mislead badly. A biotech at 90% implied volatility that normally runs 120% has a low IV rank while being enormously expensive in absolute terms. Requiring both tests is what makes the list actually cheap rather than merely quiet by its own standards.
Bull call spread or bear put spread?
Same structure, opposite direction. A bull call spread buys a lower strike and sells a higher one for a net debit; a bear put spread does the reverse. Both cap profit and loss, and both prefer to be opened when volatility is cheap.
Is low IV a signal that nothing will happen?
It is the market's estimate, not a guarantee — and it is exactly why debit spreads can pay. If implied volatility is low and the stock then moves more than priced, the long premium you bought cheaply is what captures it.
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