> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kindling.birklid.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Alpaca

> Developer-first brokerage API for commission-free stock, options, and crypto trading — includes Trading API for retail and Broker API for fintechs.

<div style={{display: "flex", gap: "8px", marginBottom: "1.5rem", flexWrap: "wrap"}}>
  <Badge>Commercial</Badge>
  <Badge color="#F97316">Applications Layer</Badge>
</div>

# Alpaca

**Commission-free brokerage and trading API — build, test, and deploy algorithmic trading systems or embed investing in your fintech product.**

<CardGroup cols={4}>
  <Card title="Type" icon="building">Commercial</Card>
  <Card title="Stack Layer" icon="browsers">Applications</Card>
  <Card title="Pricing" icon="credit-card">API free + data tiers</Card>
  <Card title="API" icon="plug">Yes (core product)</Card>
</CardGroup>

## What it is

Alpaca is a developer-first brokerage platform that provides commission-free trading via a clean REST API. It offers two main products: the Trading API for individual developers and retail algorithmic traders (stock, options, and crypto, with paper trading for testing), and the Broker API for fintechs and robo-advisors building investing features into their own products. SDKs span Python, Go, Node, .NET, and more.

Market data is available in both free real-time and premium historical tiers. The API-first approach and no-commission structure make it the default starting point for most algorithmic trading projects — you can build and test a complete strategy without paying per trade or dealing with legacy brokerage integration overhead.

<Tip>
  **Use this when** you're building an algorithmic trading system, backtesting strategies with live market data, or embedding investing functionality into a fintech app and need a developer-friendly, well-documented broker that doesn't charge per trade.
</Tip>

## Get started

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="alpaca.markets ↗" icon="globe" href="https://alpaca.markets/">
    API documentation, SDK downloads, and account setup.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Related tools

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="TradingAgents" icon="globe" href="/library/finance/trading-agents">
    Multi-agent LLM framework that replicates a trading firm's analyst structure.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Dexter" icon="github" href="/library/finance/dexter">
    Autonomous financial research agent with real-time market data.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>