Finnhub VS MetaAPI
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-23 · 7 axes scored
WINNER · FINNHUB · 2/7 AXES
Quick Decision
▶ PICK FINNHUB IF DATA-API
- Indie developers
- Screener apps
- Sentiment / news analytics
- Global equities
▶ PICK METAAPI IF DATA-API
- MT4/MT5 EA automation
- Forex broker API access
- Copy trading systems
- Multi-account management
▼ Skip both if
- Tick data / HFT
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | FINNHUB | METAAPI |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | second | 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 · ETFs | Forex · CFDs · Indices · Commodities |
| Historical Depth | 30+ years (daily); 1 year intraday on free | Broker-dependent; typically 1-5 years via MT4/MT5 |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0/mo |
| Rate Limits | Free: 60/min; paid: 300/min | Varies by plan; 10k calls/mo free |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | FINNHUB | METAAPI |
|---|---|---|
| CFDs | — | ✓ Covered |
| Commodities | — | ✓ Covered |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | — |
| ETFs | ✓ Covered | — |
| Forex | ✓ Covered | ✓ Covered |
| Global Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| Indices | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 5 | 4 |
Only Finnhub
US Equities · Global Equities · Crypto · ETFs
Only MetaAPI
CFDs · Indices · Commodities
Shared · 1
Forex
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 2 vs 3 tiers.
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
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 | FINNHUB | METAAPI |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST · WebSocket | REST · WebSocket · SDK |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Go · Ruby · PHP | Python · JavaScript · Java |
| Data Formats | JSON | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 60/min; paid: 300/min | Varies by plan; 10k calls/mo free |
| Latency Class | second | second |
Fit Profile
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
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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