Alpaca VS Polygon.io (now Massive)
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) · 2/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPACA IF DATA-API
- Retail algo traders
- Python quants
- Paper trading bots
- US equity automation
▶ PICK POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) IF DATA-API
- Algo traders
- Fintech app developers
- Options traders
- Crypto quants
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPACA | POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | second | tick |
| SDK Languages | 4 languages | 5 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 3 classes | 5 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · US Options · Crypto | US Equities · US Options · Forex · Crypto · Global Indices |
| Historical Depth | 7+ years (minute bars); limited tick | 2003–present (equities) |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | Free: 5/min; Starter: 15/min; Developer+: unlimited |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPACA | POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Forex | — | ✓ Covered |
| Global Indices | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Options | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 3 | 5 |
Only Polygon.io (now Massive)
Forex · Global Indices
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 4 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)
POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) · 4 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Stocks Basic $0/mo
EOD data, 5 calls/min
02
Stocks Starter $29/mo
15-min delayed data
03
Stocks Developer $79/mo
15-min delayed data, unlimited calls
04
Stocks Advanced $199/mo
Real-time data, WebSocket, full history
▲ Free Tier · Free tier (Stocks Basic): 5 API calls/min, EOD data only, no real-time
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | ALPACA | POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST · WebSocket · SDK | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Go · C# | Python · JavaScript · Go · Kotlin · Swift |
| Data Formats | JSON | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | Free: 5/min; Starter: 15/min; Developer+: unlimited |
| 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
POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Algo traders
- Fintech app developers
- Options traders
- Crypto quants
Not Ideal For
- Tick-level HFT (DBZ format not available)
- Institutional order book depth
Full Polygon.io (now Massive) Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
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