Alpaca VS OANDA
Head-to-head market data API comparison.
UPDATED 2026-05-27 · 7 axes scored
Quick Decision
▶ PICK ALPACA IF DATA-API
- Retail algo traders
- Python quants
- Paper trading bots
- US equity automation
▶ PICK OANDA IF DATA-API
- Forex algo traders
- FX backtesting (deep history)
- CFD automation
- EA developers
Side-by-Side Matrix
| METRIC | ALPACA | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Doc Quality | 4/5 | 4/5 |
| Data Latency | second | tick |
| SDK Languages | 4 languages | 3 languages |
| Free Tier | Yes | Yes |
| Affiliate Program | No | Yes |
| Asset Coverage Breadth | 3 classes | 4 classes |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities · US Options · Crypto | Forex · CFDs · Commodities · Indices |
| Historical Depth | 7+ years (minute bars); limited tick | 2001–present (FX tick and candle) |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | $0 |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | 120 req/sec on REST; no stated limit on streaming |
Asset Class Coverage
Where the two providers overlap and where each has unique coverage.
| ASSET CLASS | ALPACA | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| CFDs | — | ✓ Covered |
| Commodities | — | ✓ Covered |
| Crypto | ✓ Covered | — |
| Forex | — | ✓ Covered |
| Indices | — | ✓ Covered |
| US Equities | ✓ Covered | — |
| US Options | ✓ Covered | — |
| TOTAL CLASSES | 3 | 4 |
Only Alpaca
US Equities · US Options · Crypto
Only OANDA
Forex · CFDs · Commodities · Indices
Pricing Tier Map
Full tier ladder side-by-side · names and prices as published by each provider · 2 vs 2 tiers.
ALPACA · 2 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Free $0/mo
Real-time IEX data + paper trading
02
Algo Trader Plus $99/mo
SIP real-time data + unlimited API calls
▲ Free Tier · Free tier: real-time IEX feed, unlimited historical (15-min delay on SIP)
OANDA · 2 TIERS FREE TIER
01
Practice Account $0
Full API access on demo account
02
Live Account Spread-based
Live trading + full historical data API
▲ Free Tier · Free practice/demo account with full API access
Technical Stack Fit
SDK languages and data formats determine integration cost for your existing codebase.
| DIMENSION | ALPACA | OANDA |
|---|---|---|
| API Types | REST · WebSocket · SDK | REST · WebSocket |
| SDK Languages | Python · JavaScript · Go · C# | Python · Java · JavaScript |
| Data Formats | JSON | JSON |
| Rate Limits | Free: 200 req/min; Algo Trader Plus: up to 10,000 req/min | 120 req/sec on REST; no stated limit on streaming |
| Latency Class | second | tick |
Fit Profile
ALPACA · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Retail algo traders
- Python quants
- Paper trading bots
- US equity automation
Not Ideal For
- International markets
- Deep historical tick data
- Options analytics
Full Alpaca Review
OANDA · PROFILE DATA-API
Best For
- Forex algo traders
- FX backtesting (deep history)
- CFD automation
- EA developers
Not Ideal For
- Equities data
- Crypto beyond CFDs
- Non-FX asset classes
Full OANDA Review
Adjacent Comparisons
Related matchups — same category first, then cross-category for context.
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