Alpaca
Brokerage APIs for trading stocks, options and crypto in code.
How the 8.2 was reached
- Quality of output8/10
API usage grew nearly 4x quarter over quarter, powering 10M+ accounts in 40+ countries; BrokerChooser scores it 4.1/5 for algo trading. brokerchooser.com
- Ease of use8/10
Free sign-up without a sales conversation, with API docs and code snippets. alpaca.markets
- Pricing value8/10
Commission-free stock and ETF trading with 200 free API calls per minute; Algo Trader Plus is $99/month. brokerchooser.com
- API and integration quality9/10
Trading, Broker and Market Data APIs with OpenAPI spec, SDKs including Alpaca-Py, and a full reference with snippets. docs.alpaca.markets
- Solves the problem it claims to solve8/10
Delivers stock, options and crypto trading via APIs at scale; some users report withdrawal issues and per-trade fees on crypto and options. smartasset.com
8.2/10 is the mean of the 5 criteria that apply. Scored on the five-criteria rubric v1, 29 September 2026. How scoring works
Pricing
- Commission-free US stocks and ETFs
- 200 free API calls per minute
- Higher market data access
Key Features
- Trading, Broker and Market Data APIs
- OpenAPI spec
- Alpaca-Py SDK
- Multi-leg options trading
- MCP server for AI-driven trades
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free sign-up with no sales call
- Strong API docs and SDKs
- Commission-free stocks and ETFs
- Reported 10M+ accounts in 40+ countries
Cons
- Some users report withdrawal issues
- Per-trade fees on crypto and options
- Algo Trader Plus costs $99/month
- US-focused asset coverage
Alpaca is a strong pick for developers and fintechs building trading or brokerage products. Casual investors who want a simple app should look elsewhere.
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