Our take on Alpaca Trading
Alpaca Securities LLC is US-based broker providing commission-free API stock trading. Alpaca Trading provides great API tools for algorithmic trading, zero-commission stock and ETF trading, and great charting tools through a web platform. Users dedicated to learning how to use the API and the programs will find that Alpaca provides a unique service. It is a good choice for beginner investors. On the other hand, Alpaca Trading relies heavily on its GitHub/Slack/other community forums for user support, as there is only extremely limited customer service. Furthermore, deposit or withdrawal is only possible via bank transfer. Finally, the product selection covers only US stocks and ETFs. BrokerChooser gave Alpaca Trading a 4.7/5 rating based on analyzing 500+ criteria and testing via opening a live account.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
• Great API trading service
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• Customer support limited to email
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• Free stock & ETF trading
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• Limited deposit and withdrawal options
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• Fantastic charting tools
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• Only US stocks and ETFs available
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Alpaca Trading main highlights
🗺️ Country of regulation | USA |
💰 Trading fees class | Low |
💰 Inactivity fee charged | No |
💰 Withdrawal fee amount | $0 |
💰 Minimum deposit | $0 |
🕖 Time to open an account | 1 day |
🎮 Demo account provided | Yes |
🛍️ Products offered | Stock, ETF, Crypto |
Alpaca Trading summary
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Fees
Alpaca Trading review
Account opening
Alpaca Trading review
Deposit and withdrawal
Alpaca Trading review
Web trading platform
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Mobile trading platform
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Desktop trading platform
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Markets and products
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Research
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Customer service
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Education
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Safety
Alpaca Trading review
Bottom line
Alpaca Trading is a great broker for traders looking to build their own algorithms and focusing on the US market.
Its API tools are outstanding, and fees are low: zero stock/ETF commission, and no inactivity or deposit fees. In addition, Alpaca provides free access to software such as Polygon, Alpha Vantage and TradingView, all of which have great research capabilities.
On the negative side, Alpaca has limited customer support, meaning that users must often turn to GitHub and other community forums for suggestions or peer help to debug code. Among other shortcomings, you can use only bank transfer to deposit or withdraw, while Alpaca only provides access to US stocks and ETFs.
Overall, Alpaca is an up-and-coming broker that is unique in its current space and provides a great product for traders from all experience levels who are interested in algo trading. If you are looking for a strong and savvy API stockbroker, try Alpaca and see what the hype is about.
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