Alpaca

API

Realtime & historical US equities/ETFs market data API

Overview

The Alpaca Data API v2 provides RESTful endpoints for accessing realtime and historical market data on all US equities and ETFs. Key endpoints include /bars (historical price bars), /quotes (bid/ask data), /trades (execution details), and /snapshots (current asset state). Responses are JSON-formatted. Use cases include backtesting trading strategies, building algorithmic trading systems, creating financial analytics dashboards, and powering portfolio tracking tools. It supports minute-level and daily historical data, plus realtime updates for active markets, catering to both research and live trading needs.

Example Integration (JavaScript)

script.js JS


fetch('https://alpaca.markets/docs/api-documentation/api-v2/market-data/alpaca-data-api-v2/')
  .then(res => res.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data))
  .catch(err => console.error(err));

Key Features

RESTful API
JSON response format
Realtime market data
Historical data (daily/minute)
US equities & ETFs coverage
API key authentication

Frequently Asked Questions

? Is Alpaca free to use?

Yes, Alpaca offers a free tier with basic access to market data; paid plans (like Unlimited) provide higher rate limits and additional features.

? Does it require an API Key?

Yes, you need to sign up for an Alpaca account to obtain an API key for authenticating all requests.

? What is the response format?

All API responses are in JSON format, which is easy to parse and integrate into most applications.

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Tool Info

Pricing Freemium

Category Finance

Platform Public API

Pros

⊕ Freemium pricing model
⊕ Comprehensive market data coverage
⊕ Well-documented endpoints
⊕ Suitable for backtesting & live trading
⊕ Reliable uptime

Cons

⊖ Rate limits on free tier
⊖ Limited to US equities/ETFs only
⊖ Advanced features require paid plans
⊖ No international market coverage