When taking stock of how to invest in the market, you have options — both literally and figuratively. You can buy stocks, which represent shares of ownership in individual companies, or options, which let you bet on which direction you think a stock price is headed. While there are important differences between stocks and options... More From NerdWallet 10 Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor Plug in 3 Numbers to Plan Your Financial Future The Tesla Model 3: Everything We Know So Far Anna-Louise Jackson is a writer at NerdWallet.