Alpha Vantage VS MetaAPI
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPHA VANTAGE IF DATA-API
- Beginners
- Homework / hobby projects
- Technical indicator data
- Fundamentals screening
▶ PICK METAAPI IF DATA-API
- MT4/MT5 EA automation
- Forex broker API access
- Copy trading systems
- Multi-account management
▼ Skip both if
- Tick data
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPHA VANTAGE | METAAPI |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | minute | second |
| SDK Languages | 5 languages | 3 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 5 classes | 4 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · Global Equities · Forex · Crypto · Commodities | Forex · CFDs · Indices · Commodities |
| Historical Depth | 20+ years (daily); intraday 1-2 months on free | Broker-dependent; typically 1-5 years via MT4/MT5 |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Varies by plan; 10k calls/mo free |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPHA VANTAGE | METAAPI |
|---|---|---|
| CFDs | — | ✓ Covered |
| Commodities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | — |
| Forex | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Global Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| Indices | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 5 | 4 |
Only Alpha Vantage
US Equities · Global Equities · Crypto
Only MetaAPI
CFDs · Indices
Shared · 2
Forex · Commodities
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 6 vs 3 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
METAAPI · 3 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free $0/mo
2 MT accounts, 10k API calls/mo
02
Growth $15/mo
10 accounts, 100k calls/mo
03
Scale $49/mo
50 accounts, 1M calls/mo
▲ Free Tier · Free: 2 accounts, limited API calls, community support
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | ALPHA VANTAGE | METAAPI |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Java · PHP · C# | Python · JavaScript · Java |
| Data Formats | JSON · CSV | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Varies by plan; 10k calls/mo free |
| 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
METAAPI · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- MT4/MT5 EA automation
- Forex broker API access
- Copy trading systems
- Multi-account management
Not Ideal For
- US equities data
- Crypto exchange data
- Tick data archive
Full MetaAPI Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
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