Alpha Vantage VS IEX Cloud (Discontinued)
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · ALPHA VANTAGE · 1/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPHA VANTAGE IF DATA-API
- Beginners
- Homework / hobby projects
- Technical indicator data
- Fundamentals screening
▶ PICK IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) IF DATA-API
- Historical reference only
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPHA VANTAGE | IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Doc Quality | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Data Latency | minute | second |
| SDK Languages | 5 languages | 5 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | No |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 5 classes | 5 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · Global Equities · Forex · Crypto · Commodities | US Equities · US Options · Crypto · Forex · Commodities |
| Historical Depth | 20+ years (daily); intraday 1-2 months on free | Service discontinued |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | N/A |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Service discontinued |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPHA VANTAGE | IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Forex | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Global Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Options | — | ✓ Covered |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 5 | 5 |
Only Alpha Vantage
Global Equities
Only IEX Cloud (Discontinued)
US Options
Shared · 4
US Equities · Forex · Crypto · Commodities
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 6 vs 1 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
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 | ALPHA VANTAGE | IEX CLOUD (DISCONTINUED) |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Java · PHP · C# | Python · JavaScript · Java · Go · Ruby |
| Data Formats | JSON · CSV | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Service discontinued |
| 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
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.
Alpha Vantage vs DatabentoIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs DatabentoAlpha Vantage vs Polygon.io (now Massive)IEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs Polygon.io (now Massive)Alpha Vantage vs AlpacaIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs AlpacaAlpha Vantage vs FinnhubIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs FinnhubAlpha Vantage vs Twelve DataIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs Twelve DataAlpha Vantage vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)IEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)Alpha Vantage vs FinazonIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs FinazonAlpha Vantage vs OANDAIEX Cloud (Discontinued) vs OANDA