Databento VS Tiingo
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · DATABENTO · 3/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK DATABENTO IF DATA-API
- Quant researchers
- HFT developers
- Backtesting engines
- Academic research
▶ PICK TIINGO IF DATA-API
- Indie devs
- News-driven systems
- Long-history backtesting (50+ yr)
- Multi-asset (equity + crypto + forex)
- Python users (mature SDK)
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | DATABENTO | TIINGO |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 5/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | tick | tick |
| SDK Languages | 6 languages | 2 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 5 classes | 7 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · US Futures · US Options · Crypto · FX | US Equities · ETFs · Mutual Funds · Crypto · Forex · News · Chinese Equities |
| Historical Depth | 2004–present (varies by dataset) | 50+ years (US equities, mutual funds) |
| Starting Price | From $0 | $0/mo |
| Rate Limits | No hard rate limits on historical; live feed by subscription tier | Free: 50 req/hour, 1,000 req/day, 500 unique symbols/month; Power: unlimited unique symbols |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | DATABENTO | TIINGO |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Equities | — | ✓ Covered |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| ETFs | — | ✓ Covered |
| FX | ✓ Covered | — |
| Forex | — | ✓ Covered |
| Mutual Funds | — | ✓ Covered |
| News | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| US Futures | ✓ Covered | — |
| US Options | ✓ Covered | — |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 5 | 7 |
Only Databento
US Futures · US Options · FX
Only Tiingo
ETFs · Mutual Funds · Forex · News · Chinese Equities
Shared · 2
US Equities · Crypto
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 4 vs 3 tiers.
DATABENTO · 4 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Usage-based From $0
Pay-as-you-go for historical data; no subscription
02
Standard $199/mo
Monthly subscription for individuals and small teams
03
Plus Per-contract
For investment firms and institutional service providers
04
Unlimited Per-contract
Complete historical access for institutional users
▲ Free Tier · $125 in free credits for new users (6-month expiry); usable on historical data
TIINGO · 3 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free $0/mo
50 req/hour, 1,000 req/day, 500 unique symbols/month
02
Power $10/mo
Unlimited unique symbol API calls, unlimited saved screens, 15 custom indicators
03
Commercial Custom
Commercial license + commercial-use rights
▲ Free Tier · Free starter — 50 req/hour, 1,000 req/day, 500 unique symbols/month, EOD data
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | DATABENTO | TIINGO |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST · WebSocket · SDK | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · Rust · C++ · Go · Java · C# | Python · JavaScript |
| Data Formats | DBZ (native) · CSV · JSON · Parquet | JSON · CSV |
| Rate Limits | No hard rate limits on historical; live feed by subscription tier | Free: 50 req/hour, 1,000 req/day, 500 unique symbols/month; Power: unlimited unique symbols |
| Latency Class | tick | tick |
Fit Profile
DATABENTO · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Quant researchers
- HFT developers
- Backtesting engines
- Academic research
Not Ideal For
- Retail traders needing cheap real-time quotes
- Non-technical users
Full Databento Review
TIINGO · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Indie devs
- News-driven systems
- Long-history backtesting (50+ yr)
- Multi-asset (equity + crypto + forex)
- Python users (mature SDK)
Not Ideal For
- Tick-level options HFT
- L2 order book
- Sub-millisecond latency
Full Tiingo Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
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