Alpha Vantage VS Finnhub
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · FINNHUB · 2/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPHA VANTAGE IF DATA-API
- Beginners
- Homework / hobby projects
- Technical indicator data
- Fundamentals screening
▶ PICK FINNHUB IF DATA-API
- Indie developers
- Screener apps
- Sentiment / news analytics
- Global equities
▼ Skip both if
- Tick data
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPHA VANTAGE | FINNHUB |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | minute | second |
| SDK Languages | 5 languages | 5 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 5 classes | 5 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · Global Equities · Forex · Crypto · Commodities | US Equities · Global Equities · Forex · Crypto · ETFs |
| Historical Depth | 20+ years (daily); intraday 1-2 months on free | 30+ years (daily); 1 year intraday on free |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Free: 60/min; paid: 300/min |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPHA VANTAGE | FINNHUB |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities | ✓ Covered | — |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| ETFs | — | ✓ Covered |
| Forex | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Global Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 5 | 5 |
Only Alpha Vantage
Commodities
Only Finnhub
ETFs
Shared · 4
US Equities · Global Equities · Forex · Crypto
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 6 vs 2 tiers.
ALPHA VANTAGE · 6 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free $0/mo
25 req/day, no real-time
02
75 req/min $49.99/mo
75 requests/min, no daily limits
03
150 req/min $99.99/mo
150 requests/min, no daily limits
04
300 req/min $149.99/mo
300 requests/min, no daily limits
05
600 req/min $199.99/mo
600 requests/min, no daily limits
06
1200 req/min $249.99/mo
1200 requests/min, no daily limits
▲ Free Tier · Free: 25 API requests/day, no real-time
FINNHUB · 2 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free $0/mo
60 calls/min, real-time US + global quotes
02
All-In-One $50/mo
300 calls/min, premium datasets, financials
▲ Free Tier · Free: 60 API calls/min, real-time quotes, WebSocket trades
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | ALPHA VANTAGE | FINNHUB |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST | REST · WebSocket |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Java · PHP · C# | Python · JavaScript · Go · Ruby · PHP |
| Data Formats | JSON · CSV | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Free: 60/min; paid: 300/min |
| Latency Class | minute | second |
Fit Profile
ALPHA VANTAGE · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Beginners
- Homework / hobby projects
- Technical indicator data
- Fundamentals screening
Not Ideal For
- Production trading systems
- Real-time needs on free tier
- Tick data
Full Alpha Vantage Review
FINNHUB · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Indie developers
- Screener apps
- Sentiment / news analytics
- Global equities
Not Ideal For
- Tick data / HFT
- Deep intraday history free tier
- Futures
Full Finnhub Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
Alpha Vantage vs DatabentoFinnhub vs DatabentoAlpha Vantage vs Polygon.io (now Massive)Finnhub vs Polygon.io (now Massive)Alpha Vantage vs AlpacaFinnhub vs AlpacaAlpha Vantage vs IEX Cloud (Discontinued)Finnhub vs IEX Cloud (Discontinued)Alpha Vantage vs Twelve DataFinnhub vs Twelve DataAlpha Vantage vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)Finnhub vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)Alpha Vantage vs FinazonFinnhub vs FinazonAlpha Vantage vs OANDAFinnhub vs OANDA