MarketParquet vs Alpaca
> market-data API bundled with a commission-free trading API
Alpaca pairs a commission-free trading API with a market-data API, which makes it a natural pick when you're running live algos through Alpaca. MarketParquet isn't a trading platform -- it's a bulk Parquet archive built for historical backtesting. Here's how the data side compares.
Side-by-side
| Alpaca | MarketParquet | |
|---|---|---|
| Asset classes | US stocks, ETFs, options, crypto | US stocks, ETFs, futures |
| History depth (stocks) | from 2016 | from 2000 (futures from Dec 2007) |
| Format | JSON via REST + WebSocket (no bulk files) | Apache Parquet, by-date partitioned |
| Real-time data | yes (free = IEX ~2.5% volume; SIP on paid) | no -- end-of-day batch only |
| Free tier | IEX real-time, history to 2016, 200 calls/min | recent daily sample, unlimited downloads |
| Full-data pricing | $99/mo (Algo Trader Plus, full SIP feed) | one-time $79 |
| Futures | no | yes -- from Dec 2007 |
| Split / dividend adjusted | yes (adjustment param; raw by default) | yes |
| Includes delisted tickers | partial (active/inactive flag) | yes |
Where Alpaca wins
- Tightly integrated with Alpaca's commission-free trading API -- data and order execution in one platform, ideal for live algo trading.
- Genuinely useful free tier: real-time IEX streaming plus historical bars back to 2016.
- Modern developer API with official SDKs (alpaca-py), WebSocket streaming, up to 10,000 calls/min on paid.
- Built-in split/dividend/spin-off adjustment via a query parameter, plus tick-level trades and quotes.
Where MarketParquet wins
- Bulk Parquet for backtesting -- load a whole trading day at once instead of paging a REST API symbol by symbol.
- Deeper history: US equities/ETFs from 2000 (and futures from Dec 2007) vs Alpaca's 2016 start.
- One-time $79 for the full archive vs $99/month for Alpaca's full-market (SIP) data.
- No IEX-vs-SIP limitation, and delisted tickers included for survivorship-bias-free backtests.
Which to pick
Pick Alpaca if you want real-time data wired directly to a commission-free trading API for live algo trading, or you need options or crypto.
Pick MarketParquet if you're backtesting US stocks, ETFs, or futures on history back to 2000 and want bulk Parquet for a one-time price, not a monthly plan.
FAQ
Is Alpaca market data free?
Alpaca's Basic plan is free and includes real-time data from the IEX exchange (about 2.5% of US volume) plus historical bars back to 2016, at 200 API calls/minute. Full-market real-time data (the SIP consolidated feed) requires Algo Trader Plus at $99/month. MarketParquet is a one-time $79 for the complete historical archive, with a free daily sample.
Does Alpaca provide bulk or Parquet data?
No -- Alpaca delivers JSON over a REST API and WebSocket stream; there's no bulk flat-file or Parquet download, so you page through the API and convert yourself. MarketParquet ships Parquet partitioned by trading day, ready for pandas, Polars, or DuckDB.
How far back does Alpaca historical data go?
Alpaca's US stock history goes back to 2016 (options only since February 2024). MarketParquet provides US stock/ETF history from 2000 and futures from December 2007, so it's the better fit if you need pre-2016 history for backtesting.
Alpaca vs MarketParquet for backtesting?
Alpaca is built around live trading -- its data API shines when you're also routing orders through Alpaca. For pure historical backtesting, MarketParquet's bulk Parquet loads faster, goes back further (2000 vs 2016), adds futures, and is a one-time $79 rather than $99/month for full-market data.
> Pricing and feature snapshots reflect public information at time of writing and may shift. Always confirm against Alpaca's own pricing page before committing.