A comprehensive list of the best APIs for crypto data
Introduction
Though some argue that cryptocurrency and the trading thereof is slowly fading away, experts propose the opposite. Cryptocurrency is here to stay, no matter how volatile and unpredictable the markets are. In fact, due to this specific characteristic, it has garnered worldwide attention and lured millions of traders into trading the asset.
As crypto trading rose in popularity, the number of crypto data APIs also grew simultaneously. Nowadays, reliable and accurate cryptocurrency data APIs have become an undeniable source of information for research and technical analysis. Also, having a great amount of quality data in a trader’s arsenal proved to give an edge in the market.
In this article, we are going to explore some of the best API providers offering reliable cryptocurrency data. One thing that I would like to emphasize is that the list is totally subjective, also, I’ve personally used and tested the APIs that are going to be mentioned in the list. With that being said, let’s delve into the top cryptocurrency data APIs in the market!
Top 5 Cryptocurrency Data APIs
The ranking of the APIs is based on three factors: Ease of use, documentation, and pricing. After careful consideration, these are the five best cryptocurrency data APIs:
EOD Historical Data (EODHD)
Alpha Vantage
Polygon.io
Twelve Data
Finnhub
Now let’s dive deeper into each one of the APIs and discuss the reasoning behind their position in the list.
1. EOD Historical Data
Unmatched Data Coverage
EOD Historical Data’s cryptocurrency data API tops this list for a multitude of reasons. One of the standout features is the sheer volume of data available. With 30 years of historical data, the API covers not only US exchanges but also over 70 non-US exchanges worldwide. This extensive data gives traders a crucial edge in the market, paving the way for informed decision-making.
Ease of Use
One of the most significant advantages of EODHD’s API is its ease of use. The JSON responses provided are clean and require minimal effort from users to format and utilize. Additionally, the API offers customization options, allowing users to switch from JSON to CSV responses easily. The Bulk request feature is particularly useful for making numerous API calls to extract large volumes of crypto data efficiently.
Accessibility for Non-Technical Users
EODHD has made crypto data more accessible by introducing a suite of no-code solutions, including Excel and Google Sheets add-ons. These tools enable non-technical users to extract the desired cryptocurrency data seamlessly, without the need for coding skills. This innovation democratizes access to data, which was previously restricted to those well-versed in programming and data science.
Comprehensive Documentation
EODHD’s documentation is another strong point. It is well-organized and includes all the information users might need to effectively use their crypto data API. The documentation features in-depth explanations, code samples for various use cases, and brief descriptions of each output field, ensuring a smooth user experience.
Free Plan & Pricing
Regarding pricing for various types of crypto data, while EODHD offers a free plan ideal for familiarizing yourself with their APIs, a plan with end-of-day and live data starts at only $19.99. The next plan, which includes all features from the basic one plus real-time (websockets) data, is available for $29.99. For complete coverage of all types of crypto data, including fundamental, historical end-of-day, real-time data, intraday, financial news, and many more, the “real-deal” All-in-one offer is priced at $99.99.
Additional Features and Support
Beyond data quality and variety, EODHD excels in customer support and flexibility. They offer 24/7 live support and flexible pricing options, accommodating a wide range of user needs. With a robust 7-year reputation in the market, EODHD’s crypto data API is a reliable choice for traders and analysts alike.
Overall, EODHD’s cryptocurrency data API stands out as one of the best available. Its extensive data coverage, ease of use, accessibility for non-technical users, comprehensive documentation, and exceptional support make it a top choice for anyone looking to leverage crypto data in the cryptocurrency market.
2. Alpha Vantage
Reputation and Data Quality
The second API on our list is none other than Alpha Vantage, a well-known and reputable API provider celebrated for its data reliability and accuracy. Their crypto data API maintains this high standard, offering some of the most reliable data with a minimal margin of error. Alpha Vantage’s status as an official data vendor of NASDAQ further validates the quality of its data.
Ease of Use
Alpha Vantage’s crypto data API is very user-friendly, requiring minimal code to extract data. The clean JSON responses provided by the API save developers significant time in formatting the data, streamlining the development process.
Straightforward Documentation
I particularly appreciate the documentation provided by Alpha Vantage. It is straightforward and to the point, which is both awesome and time-saving. The platform’s categorization of its APIs enhances user experience by making it easy to find the necessary APIs. Additionally, Alpha Vantage employs an interesting labeling system in its documentation that highlights the most-used and trending API endpoints.
Free Plan
Alpha Vantage has one of the best free plans which provides users with roughly 750 API calls per month. In my opinion, it’s an incredible number for a free plan and suffice for beginners and people who are just starting out. Except for the intraday data, every other crypto data API endpoint comes with the free plan. If you want a custom plan for your organization, you can contact their sales team for a quote.
Drawback: Limited Endpoints
The primary drawback of Alpha Vantage is the limited number of crypto data API endpoints. Although it covers all the essential ones, the library of available crypto data APIs is relatively small. While this is not a significant downside, it is something to consider.
In conclusion, Alpha Vantage is a solid API provider offering reliable crypto data. It is highly recommended for both beginners who are just starting out and for developers looking to build applications. Their ease of use, reputable data quality, and efficient documentation make Alpha Vantage a strong choice in the crypto data API market.
3. Polygon.io
Popularity and Integration
Polygon.io is a widely popular platform among developers and traders due to its data reliability and accuracy. Many companies favor this API because it integrates seamlessly with various applications, making it a versatile tool in the industry.
Extensive API Endpoints
Polygon.io offers one of the most comprehensive suites of crypto data API endpoints available. This includes historical data, technical indicators, and a list of trades. Additionally, the intricately designed product page helps users understand the full range of offerings, enhancing the overall user experience.
Documentation and Usability
While the documentation for Polygon.io’s API is not particularly special, it is effective. It is well-organized and structured with clear explanations of parameters. A notable feature is the separate pages for each asset type, which saves time for users searching for specific endpoints. However, the documentation could benefit from the addition of code samples to help developers integrate the API more easily into their projects.
Pricing and Plans
Polygon.io offers an exciting free-tier plan and affordable premium subscriptions. The free plan is particularly impressive, allowing access to a wide range of crypto data with 5 API calls per minute. This is a generous offering. However, a significant downside is the free plan’s limitation of just 2 years of historical data, which can hinder users’ ability to conduct backtests and other technical analyses. The premium plans are reasonably priced, making them accessible and cost-effective for users. There is a $49 per month plan that allows users to access all of the currency-related API endpoints with unlimited API calls and 10+ years of historical data.
Despite the limited data coverage in its free plan, Polygon.io remains a valuable resource for both beginners and professionals. Its comprehensive suite of crypto data API endpoints and seamless integration capabilities make it a go-to platform for developers looking to build and scale applications.
4. Twelve Data
Twelve Data is one of the most popular platforms for financial data APIs. It’s loved by developers more than traders as Twelve Data can be greatly effective for developing and scaling applications.
API Library and Technical Indicators
The platform has a solid crypto data API library, covering all the basics like time-series data and real-time quotes. What impressed me the most, however, is its vast collection of technical indicators. While some are not applicable to cryptocurrency, the collection is still extensive.
Ease of Use
In terms of usability, Twelve Data’s crypto data APIs excel. They offer great flexibility and are very user-friendly. With minimal data manipulation and formatting, the data can be easily shaped to meet your needs, making it a convenient tool for developers.
Documentation
The documentation for Twelve Data is decent but has significant room for improvement. First, the current layout is somewhat cluttered and does not provide a good user experience. Second, the documentation lacks code samples in any programming language. Finally, the content depth is shallow, making it less useful for in-depth understanding. These issues collectively make the documentation less commendable.
Pricing Structure
Twelve Data offers a good free plan to start with, covering a reasonable amount of 4000 crypto pairs, though not all 10000 available pairs. However, the “credits per minute” pricing structure is quite confusing and frustrating to calculate for each API request. Additionally, the subscription plans are relatively expensive, leaning towards the costlier side. The plans start from $29 per month and go up to $999 per month. The cryptocurrency API endpoints can be accessed through any plans but only the API credits vary.
In summary, Twelve Data is an excellent choice for developers seeking reliable data to build commercial applications. However, for those just starting out as programmers, Twelve Data may not be the most recommended platform due to its complex pricing structure and less user-friendly documentation.
5. Finnhub
Finnhub’s crypto data API is a great resource that is available in the market today.
Ease of Use
Let’s start off with the ease of use. Finnhub’s APIs are very easy to work with, offering great flexibility and seamless integration opportunities. The responses received from the APIs are quite clean, requiring only minimal effort in data manipulation and formatting.
Documentation
The documentation for Finnhub is almost identical to that of Alpha Vantage, which might suggest they use a similar framework. This is a positive aspect, as it is well-organized with an interesting labeling system. The documentation includes sufficient explanations of parameters and output fields, along with code samples for each API endpoint, enhancing the user experience.
Pricing & Free plan
Though Finnhub offers a free plan for accessing crypto data APIs, the specifics, such as API request limits, are unclear. However, the premium subscription plans are quite reasonable and affordable, with a Basic plan starting at $50 per month. This offers good value for money, making it accessible to a wide range of users. There is also a standard plan at $130 per month which allows an additional 150 API calls per minute than the Basic plan.
Potential Drawbacks
There are a few considerations to keep in mind with Finnhub. Firstly, while the platform uses NBBO-backed data, some users have noted that data accuracy could be improved. Secondly, Finnhub’s developer community is quite small, with limited engagement on platforms like Reddit and GitHub, which may affect community support and resource availability.
In summary, Finnhub is a good platform for both beginners and professionals, offering a decent amount of crypto data API endpoints and affordable subscription plans. While it may have some issues with data reliability, it remains a great option for developing commercial applications and conducting research.
Conclusion
The core objective of this article is to highlight some of the best options for crypto data APIs while emphasizing the importance of choosing an API that perfectly fits your needs and expectations.
I want to stress that this list reflects my personal opinions, based on extensive experience with various APIs. However, the best API for you might not be on this list. You can create your own list by narrowing down your requirements and setting criteria to evaluate each API. During this exploration, you might discover the perfect API for your specific use case, one that may not even be featured here. Therefore, I highly recommend embarking on your own exploratory journey to find the right API for you.
With that said, you’ve reached the end of the article. I hope you found it informative and useful. If you know of other crypto data APIs that you believe are better than the ones listed, please share them in the comments. Thank you very much for your time.