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Founded in 2005, Markus Heitkoetter's Rockwell Trading offers a variety of options trading-focused software tools and courses designed to make you a better trader. Their flagship product, the "PowerX Optimizer", is one of the few stock scanner and analyzer tools that actually holds the potential to do just that. Although at a steep price point, this proprietary tool provides actionable insights to help you make smarter trades on every stock. However, you'll need some baseline education on options trading before diving right in.
Pros:
- Lots of high-level trading philosophy offered via free guidebooks
- PowerX Optimizer ranks among the best stock trading scanners and analytics tools
- No specific broker or trading execution platform required
- Access anywhere, anytime with fully web-based platform (no CDs or DVDs)
- Scans over 12,000 stocks and ETFs, providing entry and exit points
- 30-Day Money Back Guarantee, no questions asked
Cons:
- Some trades will inevitably result in financial losses (Trade at your own risk!)
- Relatively steep price point for their flagship PXO ($1,997 USD one-time payment)
- Somewhat elevated learning curve
Rollo BarberRayden JohnsonThe founder of Rockwell Trading, Markus Heitkoetter, said it himself: trading is a tough business. If you’re an at-home trader—whether as a full-time professional or first-timer—you know that the possibility of losing money on a bad trade always looms in the air.
Although losing trades is an inevitable part of investing and stock trading, the important thing is that you win more than you lose. To help you get there, there are countless self-proclaimed gurus and Wall Street tycoons selling stock trading programs. While some are legit products, others are little more than a money grab preying on the naive or the desperate.
One of the oldest and most well-known such stock trading programs is Rockwell Trading. Since the mid-2000s, Rockwell has sold educational options training programs and software dedicated to making day traders supposedly better at their craft. Today, they’re perhaps best known for their free day trading and options trading eBooks written by Markus himself.
But the question remains: is Rockwell Trading legit, or just one of the all too many scams that exist in the stock trading industry?
In this Rockwell Trading review, we’ll take an honest look at this options trading service. Specifically, we’ll go over the need-to-know aspects—both the good and the bad—so you can decide for yourself whether it’s right for you.
Table of Contents
What is Rockwell Trading and The PowerX Optimizer?
Rockwell Trading is a stock trading education and software brand founded by Markus Heitkoetter in 2005. Rather than one all-in-one suite, Rockwell consists of several software services and educational resources that each function as standalone products, including:
- The Wheel Options Strategy Book
- The PowerX Optimizer (Flagship)
- The PowerX Strategy
- Rockwell Freedom Mastermind
- Theta Kings
- “The Complete Guide to Day Trading” eBook
As stated above, the PowerX Optimizer software is the flagship money-maker product for Rockwell. Although they offer several other valuable trading products in their lineup, the PowerX Optimizer (“PXO”) contains the lion’s share of the value given that it’s a live, proprietary tool for actual stock and option trading.
Whereas Rockwell’s other products teach you how to trade, only the PXO allows you to put your newfound trading theory and knowledge into practice. Their proprietary stock scanner generates stock price charts that not only compare stock movements, but also recommendations on entry points, target buy openings, position sizes, and suggested profit targets.
In other words, the PowerX Optimizer has the benefit of inspiring confidence in investors because it doesn’t offer merely “data” but, rather, useful information that can improve your trading. The rest of the Rockwell product suite, in my opinion, are merely accessories to this core feature.
Is Rockwell Trading Legit?
Before diving into a detailed product review, let’s first take a broad look at Rockwell Trading as a company. Naturally, when dealing with trading education companies that can all-too-often headed by “stock gurus” and “self-made millionaires”, suspicion can arise.
In this industry, scammers and con men do, unfortunately, find their way onto the market from time to time. This has led many of our readers to ask: “Is Rockwell Trading legit?”
In short, the answer is yes. Rockwell Trading does indeed offer legitimate products, complies with federal and state regulations, and doesn’t falsely advertise or over-promise what their products can provide. While nobody should purchase Rockwell Trading under the expectation of becoming a master trader overnight, Rockwell and the PowerX Optimizer are legit educational products that can make you a better (and richer) trader.
Moreover, Rockwell Trading Services was recognized as an Inc. 5,000 Honoree by the publication in 2021. Previously, Rockwell has been the recipient of the Austin Award (2014) given only to the best businesses in Greater Austin, Texas.
As of 2024, Rockwell Trading is still active and has numerous recent media appearances. For instance, Rockwell Trading figures prominently in this March 2023 article in MoneyShow. Rockwell maintains great scores on customer review aggregator websites, and by all indications it seems as though the company is indeed legit and doing quite well.
Review and Ratings at a Glance
As of Q1 2022, Rockwell Trading enjoys a fairly high public rating on virtually all of the main ratings aggregator websites. Below, we’ve listed a handful of the company’s public ratings floating around online.
- Sitejabber:
From 3,599 Reviews - Sitejabber 12-Month Positive Review Rate: 94.5%
- Trustpilot:
From 157 Reviews - Better Business Bureau: From 33 Reviews
- Yelp:
From 6 Reviews
Based on our analysis, the individual reviews listed on the sites above appear to be legit. Although some companies are known to purchase positive reviews on sites such as Yelp and Trustpilot, Rockwell’s profiles seem to contain a reasonable mix of positive and critical reviews from verified users. This gives us more confidence in the veracity of their high online ratings.
Markus Heitkoetter: Who Is The Rockwell Trading CEO?
Before founding Rockwell Trading in 2005, Markus Heitkoetter was an IBM employee based in Munich, Germany. According to the Rockwell origin story posted on his personal YouTube channel, Markus decided to leave Germany in September 2002 after becoming disenchanted with his corporate job and wanting to trade full-time in America.
Arriving with $20,000 USD in startup funds saved, he founded Rockwell Trading, taking the Rockwell Center in Makati City, Philippines as its namesake.
Markus Heitkoetter, Rockwell Trading Founder & Owner
Another key personnel at Rockwell Trading is Mark Hodge (Head Trading Coach), who brings to the company several years of experience as a financial advisor with American Express and Morgan Stanley. At the helm of day-to-day operations is Debbie Montis (CEO) who has an entrepreneurial background.
There is also a cast of supporting team members at Rockwell who help maintain the day to day affairs of the company, including:
- Cristy Tabano (Social Media Manager)
- Ellen Sunaz (Client Success Manager)
- Jared Anderson (Director of Marketing)
- Kevin Hardman (Technical Marketer)
- Martin Flores (Content Manager)
- Nicole Thomas (Director of Project Management)
Debbie Montis, Rockwell Trading CEO
On the whole, it’s a positive sign that Rockwell is transparent about its executive team. Whereas some firms shroud their management personnel in secrecy, Rockwell isn’t afraid to tell their customers and community who they are.
Although we’re glad to see Rockwell proudly put names and faces to their management team, we admit that we can’t be certain that all team members are legitimate. Cursory Google searches for “Nicole Thomas Rockwell” and “Martin Flores Rockwell”, for example, return no personal identifiable pages (i.e., LinkedIn or Facebook) linking these individuals to the company, beyond possibly familial connections.
Rockwell Trading Products and Features
Below, we’ll take a look at the key products offered by Rockwell, including their various features (and bugs) to help you decide whether they provide the kind of value you’re looking for.
PowerX Optimizer (PXO)
As stated above, the PowerX Optimizer is, without a doubt, the meat and potatoes of Rockwell’s product suite. The PXO is an all-in-one software solution created by Rockwell’s team of software engineers to provide deep, real-time insights into financial markets.
In short, the PXO does the chart-reading footwork for you so you don’t have to preoccupy yourself with either technical or fundamental analysis. Rather, you can simply input a stock or ETF’s name or ticker label and, within seconds, receive advanced analytic readouts that tell you when you should consider getting in or out of a trade with that particular instrument.
Source: Rockwell Trading’s PowerX Optimizer Dashboard
Far and away, the PXO delivers the most value in its price recommendations. While other stock scanners can generate charts and provide basic pricing information, they lack this key ability to tell you when you should consider getting in and pulling out of your trade. More than any other feature, this is what Rockwell Trading can offer you that other services cannot.
Source: Rockwell Trading’s PowerX Optimizer “The Wheel” Analyzer
As you can see, there are a lot of buttons and tabs visible on the PXO’s interface. Although we would have liked to have seen a simpler, sleeker dashboard and user interface for the PXO, we also realize that a highly technical interface is probably necessary for a tool of this caliber.
Fortunately, with a few hours’ worth of training via Rockwell’s (complementary) masterclasses and tutorials, you can be brought up to speed on how to use the platform fairly easily. It’s worth noting, however, that utilizing the most important elements doesn’t require a steep learning curve. For example, the bright green downward-pointing arrows on the chart below indicate recommended entry points for options swing trades.
Source: Rockwell Trading’s PowerX Optimizer Stock Scanner
As a trader, it’s natural to have doubts and uncertainties. Where the PXO shines is in removing some of that critical uncertainty that can cost us hugely over time. The fact that the PXO informs you regarding the maximum price you should pay for a stock, or open a position at, can save you from executing bad trades and losing your money.
In sum, the PXO is a major confidence booster. It provides key data that can help you measure your trade’s risk as well as your expected return. The analytics that the PXO provides gives you the tools and insights necessary to take your trading game to the next level.
PowerX Optimizer Total Value
The PXO package is Rockwell’s bestselling trading tool targeted specifically at options traders who want to manage risk and increase their win rate. Best of all, the PXO is not sold on its own—rather, it comes with a slate of other products and value-added services, including:
- The Wheel Master Class Training ($997 Value)
- The PowerX Wheel Income Calculator ($997 Value)
- The PowerX Wheel Income Scanner ($997 Value)
- The PowerX Master Class ($997 Value)
- MightyNetworks VIP Group ($497 Value)
- Lifetime Updates ($997/Year Value)
- + More!
While these dollar values above are provided by Rockwell Trading and are likely inflated beyond their actual value, they still demonstrate that the PXO packs a lot of utility in its purchase price. When you purchase the PXO, not only do you get Rockwell’s top trading tool, but you also get a wealth of trading education resources, guaranteed updates, and group discussion forum access.
Interested in getting started? To order the PowerX Optimizer, you can use this product link here for a seamless, quick sign-up process.
The Wheel Options Strategy eBook
Perhaps the second-most valuable product in Rockwell’s lineup is, surprisingly, offered free of charge. The Wheel Options Strategy is written by Markus Heitkoetter himself and includes a thorough explainer of basic, intermediate, and advanced-level options trading concepts and clarifies Markus’ signature approach to trading.
The “wheel” approach to options trading is sometimes called the “triple income” strategy and Markus and the Rockwell team swear by it. The idea is to perpetually collect premiums from call options without ever assigning the stock. If the stock does get assigned, no big deal, you simply pocket the stock at a profit and start over with a new stock.
If that sounds like technical mumbo jumbo to you, you could definitely benefit from reading the Wheel Options Strategy book. To order a physical copy to your door, follow this order link and just pay a nominal five-dollar shipping and handling fee.
Source: Rockwell Trading’s “The Wheel Options Strategy” (PDF version)
As seen above, the Wheel Options Strategy book uses fairly straightforward language to explain its core trading principles. In this example, Markus is using the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) to demonstrate when to execute trades within the wheel strategy framework.
Source: Rockwell Trading’s “The Wheel Options Strategy” (PDF version)
On Page 54 (displayed above), Markus reveals how theta diminishes the closer an option gets to its expiration date. He goes on to use this lesson to demonstrate how an option’s time decay can be leveraged to generate large profits on your trades.
According to the Wheel Strategy philosophy, theta is an option trader’s best friend. By knowing how to properly utilize theta, Markus teaches you how to increase your winning percentage so that you can get yours closer to Markus’ (which currently sits at about 95%!). These secrets and more are contained in the Wheel Options Strategy playbook, which is currently available for free.
The Wheel Options Strategy is, in a nutshell, like an “investing for dummies” crash course centered around risk-managed options. Traders would do well to read it before getting started with any of Rockwell’s paid products or services.
Theta Kings
Behind the PowerX Optimizer is Rockwell’s secondary product, Theta Kings. Experienced options traders already likely know what theta is but, for those who don’t, here’s a simple definition:
Source: Investopedia
In other words, theta refers to the extent that an option (such as a put or a call) loses its value as time goes on. Theta Kings is a Rockwell-exclusive course that focuses on theta metrics to find winning options trades. It consists of an on-demand training seminar (can be taken anywhere, any time) in addition to two live trading recordings that apply the lessons learned.
In total, Theta Kings takes about three full days to complete, so it’s a great practical use of a long weekend or a holiday if you want to make the most of your time. In a nutshell, this course teaches you how to use time advantageously as an options trader. This way, you can exploit theta to find swing trades with high premiums.
How to Sign-up for Rockwell Trading
There’s no actual sign-up process involved with Rockwell Trading, since there’s no strict community platform for which you can make an account. Rather, getting started with Rockwell Trading is more a matter of buying the product or service of your choice.
However, as of Q1 2022, Markus Heitkoetter is hinting at an upcoming release of a Rockwell user network. Once it launches, I suspect that this platform will be used to foster discussions not only regarding how to optimize your Rockwell product experience, but also how to find quality stocks and trades more generally.
The good news is that you can request to sign up with just a click of a button. Navigate to Rockwell’s Request to Join sign-up page and hit the red button displayed below.
Source: Rockwell Trading
Once you’ve sent your request, you will receive an email containing an invite link from your Rockwell host. It remains unspecified who exactly the hosts are, but they likely do not include Markus Heitkoetter himself.
Note: Rockwell Trading customers should consider opening a self-directed IRA (SDIRA) account if one intends to trade stocks or options. This way, you can trade on a tax-deferred or tax-free basis and keep more of your gains.
Rockwell Trading Prices and Plans
The PowerX Optimizer is available with a one-time payment of USD $1,997. Many of their secondary products and services, such as their informational ebooks and guides, are available free of charge or involve a cursory shipping and handling fee.
At present, there is an accessory product offered by Rockwell Trading, which carries a different price. An on-demand put option course, “Theta Kings” is priced at USD $997 and is available to all customers regardless of whether they have already purchased the PXO.
At the time of writing, there is no “all in one” package offered by Rockwell. In our books, this is a serious oversight that we hope to see rectified in the future. For example, a discount package that includes the PXO in addition to Theta Kings and various other ebooks would be preferable to their current piecemeal system in which every product needs to be purchased one by one.
Currently, there is no publicly available information regarding Rockwell’s coaching membership plans. However, Rockwell has historically offered coaching services which include group strategy calls, coaching calls, virtual group training, personal one-on-one calls, and instructional videos that ranged in cost from $997 all the way up to $30,000 for a 36-month Diamond Plan.
What Is the Rockwell “Wheel Strategy”?
Rockwell founder Markus Heitkoetter claims that his signature Wheel Strategy is a “proven” options trading formula for making successful, profitable trades.
Although the Wheel Strategy isn’t a sure-fire method for winning a trade every time, it certainly can be utilized profitably. However, it can also backfire and result in losses if the trader is vulnerable to greed, needless profit-maximizing, or just sheer bad luck.
In essence, the strategy involves buying cash-secured puts on margin. If the option expires or closes at a profit without assignment, then the premiums are entirely profit. If the put is assigned, your account will then hold the stock. However, the goal is to avoid being assigned and instead to continue executing trades (“spinning the wheel”).
To keep the wheel spinning, you sell covered calls on the selected stock if it gets assigned. It’s important that you do so at a strike price higher than the cost basis of the stock, otherwise you may take a loss. As this process repeats, the trader collects premiums and lowers the overall cost basis of the stock until a profit is made.
Rockwell Wheel Strategy Principles and Benefits
The basic underlying principles of the Wheel Strategy are twofold:
- First, that you choose stocks you wouldn’t mind owning if the put option gets assigned.
- Second, that you defer losses until they’re no longer losses.
Therefore, if you play the Wheel Strategy correctly, you shouldn’t realize any losses. While the goal is to collect the premium on your stock of choice, you should be ready and willing to keep the stock if push comes to shove.
In short, the Wheel Strategy is a risk-managed approach to options trading that involves stocks that you wouldn’t mind owning if you had to. Think, for instance, of blue-chip stocks such as Alphabet (GOOGL), Costco (COST), or Coca-Cola (KO).
Below, I’ve listed a handful of the core benefits associated with the Wheel Strategy for options trading. Unlike other trading programs or philosophies, only the Wheel Strategy is virtually guaranteed to offer these unique advantages:
- Doesn’t require you to sit at your desk all day monitor price movements
- Doesn’t require your full attention at any point in the day
- Isn’t suspenseful, risky, or adrenaline-inducing
- Has a relatively high win rate
- Easy to manage, execute, and understand
For a more in-depth explanation, sign up for the free Wheel Options Trading Strategy book. In it, you’ll get a full step-by-step explanation provided by Rockwell founder Markus Heitkoetter himself. All you have to do is pay five bucks for shipping and handling.
To take your trading knowledge a step further, consider also checking out Rockwell’s guide to developing a perfect daily trading routine. In our books, this guide is relatively basic but provides enough information to get you started on the right track with the PXO.
Is There Risk Involved in the Wheel Options Trading Strategy?
Whenever assets are traded on financial markets—whether they are stocks, bonds, options, cryptocurrencies, or any number of other instruments—there is indeed risk involved. The Wheel Strategy is simply a proven method for managing risk within one’s trading strategy.
On the whole, the Wheel Strategy is a relatively low-risk options trading formula that is taught by Rockwell Trading’s expert staff. Nonetheless, there are some downsides to this approach that should be pointed out before getting started. I’ve listed these downside risks below:
- Price Movement Losses: You can get caught in a down market as you continuously turn the wheel, whereby the stock price drops over time and causes you to buy the instrument at a loss when the put option is assigned.
- Capital Demands: Trading options on margin can tie up many thousands of dollars in a trade in order to earn a profit of only a couple hundred dollars.
- Bagholding: If your option is assigned, you can be left holding onto a stock when you would rather continue buying puts on the stock.
In short, the Wheel Strategy is an asymmetric trade strategy because it covers your losses. You agree to execute the option at a pre-determined strike price, and pocket the premium on the trade. Although your potential earnings are limited, they are safer than they would be otherwise.
To use a baseball analogy, you can still win the game if you swing for base runs or doubles. You don’t need to swing for a triple or a home run every time you step up to the plate. Sometimes the former can win you more games than the latter—which is exactly what the Wheel Strategy seeks to do.
Pros and Cons of Rockwell Trading Services
Still unsure whether Rockwell Trading is right for you? In the section below, we’ve listed some of the top advantages of this trading service, as well as some of Rockwell’s main drawbacks.
Pros
- Lots of high-level trading philosophies offered via free guidebooks
- PowerX Optimizer ranks among the best stock trading scanners and analytics tools
- No specific broker or trading execution platform required
- Access anywhere, anytime with fully web-based platform (no CDs or DVDs)
- Scans over 12,000 stocks and ETFs, providing entry and exit points
- 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee, no questions asked
Cons
- Some trades will inevitably result in financial losses (Trade at your own risk!)
- Relatively steep price point for their flagship PXO ($1,997 USD one-time payment)
- Somewhat elevated learning curve
Fortunately, new users can schedule a live one-on-one demo with Rockwell trader Paul Harper using their online sign-up portal. This way you can get a hang of their trading platform without having to undergo any costly mistakes via trial-and-error.
In our experience taking Paul Harper’s PXO tour, there was no hassling nor pressuring involved. We simply logged in for our scheduled tour, and were given a walkthrough of their software for about 45 or 50 minutes without feeling obliged to make a purchase afterward.
Want to Get Started With Rockwell? Start HERE
In summary, Rockwell’s PowerX Optimizer is one of the most useful tools available to traders of all stripes and experience levels—whether you trade stocks or options. With a 30-day no-risk return policy, you can get your money back if you decide it’s not right for you. However, without knowing how to properly trade, the PowerX Optimizer alone won’t get you far.
Rockwell Trading recently released a new book entitled The Wheel Options Trading Strategy. At the time of writing, it’s an Amazon bestseller. It focuses on Markus’ core swing trading strategy to help equip you with the skills necessary to become a profitable options trader.
Currently, Rockwell offers readers a free hardback copy of the book delivered to your door—as long as you can cover the shipping and handling charges of $4.95 (for U.S. residents).
If you benefit from the trading philosophy contained in their free book, you can then decide whether their software suite (including the PowerX Optimizer) is right for you. However, I recommend starting out with their book in order to get a feel for whether you’ll like their products. To get even more value out of Rockwell Trading’s products, consider subscribing to more of the top investment newsletters in order to find more winning trades.
Founded in 2005, Markus Heitkoetter's Rockwell Trading offers a variety of options trading-focused software tools and courses designed to make you a better trader. Their flagship product, the "PowerX Optimizer", is one of the few stock scanner and analyzer tools that actually holds the potential to do just that. Although at a steep price point, this proprietary tool provides actionable insights to help you make smarter trades on every stock. However, you'll need some baseline education on options trading before diving right in. User Rating
Rollo BarberRayden Johnson
