Alpaca VS Intrinio
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · INTRINIO · 2/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPACA IF DATA-API
- Retail algo traders
- Python quants
- Paper trading bots
- US equity automation
▶ PICK INTRINIO IF DATA-API
- Funded startups
- Fintech apps needing SIP data
- Multi-language SDK requirements
- Institutional buyers
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPACA | INTRINIO |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | second | tick |
| SDK Languages | 4 languages | 6 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 3 classes | 7 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · US Options · Crypto | US Equities · US Options · Global Indices · Mutual Funds · ETFs · Fundamentals · News |
| Historical Depth | 7+ years (minute bars); limited tick | Varies by product: EOD Stock Prices 50+ yrs, Fundamentals 15+ yrs, Estimates 20+ yrs, News up to 10 yrs |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0 |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | Per-product (institutional SLA — contact sales) |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPACA | INTRINIO |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | — |
| ETFs | — | ✓ Covered |
| Fundamentals | — | ✓ Covered |
| Global Indices | — | ✓ Covered |
| Mutual Funds | — | ✓ Covered |
| News | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Options | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 3 | 7 |
Only Alpaca
Crypto
Only Intrinio
Global Indices · Mutual Funds · ETFs · Fundamentals · News
Shared · 2
US Equities · US Options
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 2 vs 6 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)
INTRINIO · 6 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free Trial $0
Time-limited trial on most products
02
EOD Stock Prices $3,100/year
50+ years of dividend & split-adjusted OHLC, 100% US exchanges
03
EquitiesEdge $1,250/mo
Real-time + historical equities bundle
04
OptionsEdge $1,250/mo
Options chains + Greeks
05
US Fundamentals $9,600/year
Standardized fundamentals data
06
Nasdaq Basic $9,000/year
Nasdaq Basic real-time
▲ Free Tier · Free trials available on most products; no permanent free tier
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | ALPACA | INTRINIO |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST · WebSocket · SDK | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Go · C# | Python · Ruby · JavaScript · Java · C# · PHP |
| Data Formats | JSON | JSON · CSV · Parquet |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | Per-product (institutional SLA — contact sales) |
| Latency Class | second | tick |
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
INTRINIO · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Funded startups
- Fintech apps needing SIP data
- Multi-language SDK requirements
- Institutional buyers
Not Ideal For
- Indie devs
- Hobbyists
- Budget < $1k/mo
- Quick MVP prototyping
Full Intrinio Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
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