Alpaca VS IEX Cloud (Discontinued)
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · ALPACA · 3/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPACA IF DATA-API
- Retail algo traders
- Python quants
- Paper trading bots
- US equity automation
▶ PICK IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) IF DATA-API
- Historical reference only
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPACA | IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Doc Quality | 4/5 | 3/5 |
| Data Latency | second | second |
| SDK Languages | 4 languages | 5 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 3 classes | 5 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · US Options · Crypto | US Equities · US Options · Crypto · Forex · Commodities |
| Historical Depth | 7+ years (minute bars); limited tick | Service discontinued |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | N/A |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | Service discontinued |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPACA | IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities | — | ✓ Covered |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Forex | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Options | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 3 | 5 |
Only IEX Cloud (Discontinued)
Forex · Commodities
Shared · 3
US Equities · US Options · Crypto
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 2 vs 1 tiers.
ALPACA · 2 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free $0/mo
Real-time IEX data + paper trading
02
Algo Trader Plus $99/mo
SIP real-time data + unlimited API calls
▲ Free Tier · Free tier: real-time IEX feed, unlimited historical (15-min delay on SIP)
IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) · 1 TIERS
01
Discontinued N/A
IEX Cloud shut down on August 31, 2024
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | ALPACA | IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST · WebSocket · SDK | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Go · C# | Python · JavaScript · Java · Go · Ruby |
| Data Formats | JSON | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | Service discontinued |
| Latency Class | second | second |
Fit Profile
ALPACA · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Retail algo traders
- Python quants
- Paper trading bots
- US equity automation
Not Ideal For
- International markets
- Deep historical tick data
- Options analytics
Full Alpaca Review
IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Historical reference only
Not Ideal For
- Any new project — service is shut down
Full IEX Cloud (Discontinued) Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
Alpaca vs DatabentoIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs DatabentoAlpaca vs Polygon.io (now Massive)IEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs Polygon.io (now Massive)Alpaca vs FinnhubIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs FinnhubAlpaca vs Alpha VantageIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs Alpha VantageAlpaca vs Twelve DataIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs Twelve DataAlpaca vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)IEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)Alpaca vs FinazonIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs FinazonAlpaca vs OANDAIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs OANDA