Alpha Vantage 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 ALPHA VANTAGE IF DATA-API
- Beginners
- Homework / hobby projects
- Technical indicator data
- Fundamentals screening
▶ PICK POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) IF DATA-API
- Algo traders
- Fintech app developers
- Options traders
- Crypto quants
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPHA VANTAGE | POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 3/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | minute | tick |
| 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 · US Options · Forex · Crypto · Global Indices |
| Historical Depth | 20+ years (daily); intraday 1-2 months on free | 2003–present (equities) |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/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 | ALPHA VANTAGE | POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) |
|---|---|---|
| Commodities | ✓ Covered | — |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Forex | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Global Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| Global Indices | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Options | — | ✓ Covered |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 5 | 5 |
Only Alpha Vantage
Global Equities · Commodities
Only Polygon.io (now Massive)
US Options · Global Indices
Shared · 3
US Equities · Forex · Crypto
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 6 vs 4 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
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 | ALPHA VANTAGE | POLYGON.IO (NOW MASSIVE) |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Java · PHP · C# | Python · JavaScript · Go · Kotlin · Swift |
| Data Formats | JSON · CSV | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid plans from 75/min up to 1200/min | Free: 5/min; Starter: 15/min; Developer+: unlimited |
| Latency Class | minute | tick |
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
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.
Alpha Vantage vs DatabentoPolygon.io (now Massive) vs DatabentoAlpha Vantage vs AlpacaPolygon.io (now Massive) vs AlpacaAlpha Vantage vs IEX Cloud (Discontinued)Polygon.io (now Massive) vs IEX Cloud (Discontinued)Alpha Vantage vs FinnhubPolygon.io (now Massive) vs FinnhubAlpha Vantage vs Twelve DataPolygon.io (now Massive) vs Twelve DataAlpha Vantage vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)Polygon.io (now Massive) vs EODHD (EOD Historical Data)Alpha Vantage vs FinazonPolygon.io (now Massive) vs FinazonAlpha Vantage vs OANDAPolygon.io (now Massive) vs OANDA