Alpha Vantage vs IEX Cloud (Discontinued)
Head-to-head comparison of two trading data providers. Updated 2026-05-23.
Overall winner: Alpha Vantage — wins 1 of 6 comparison axes.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Alpha Vantage | IEX Cloud (Discontinued) |
|---|---|---|
| API Quality | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Doc Quality | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Free Tier | Yes ✓ | No |
| Affiliate Program | No | No |
| Data Latency | minute | second |
| SDK Languages | 5 languages | 5 languages |
| Asset Coverage | US Equities, Global Equities, Forex, Crypto, Commodities | US Equities, US Options, Crypto, Forex, Commodities |
| Historical Depth | 20+ years (daily); intraday 1-2 months on free | Service discontinued |
| Starting Price | $0/mo | N/A |
| Rate Limits | Free: 25/day; paid from 75/min | Service discontinued |
Alpha Vantage: 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
IEX Cloud (Discontinued): Best For
- Historical reference only
Not Ideal For
- Any new project — service is shut down
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