Free crypto APIs compared (2026)
Free crypto data APIs got scarcer in 2026. CoinDesk Data (formerly CryptoCompare) retired its free tier in May, Moralis dropped its self-serve free plan in August, and CoinGlass, CoinAPI and Kaiko have never had a self-serve free tier. These are the ones that are still free as of November 2026, what each free tier actually allows, and whether you can use it commercially.
We build Crypto Data API, so read this as a vendor's comparison. Every competitor fact below comes from that provider's own pricing or documentation pages, linked under Sources, as of 2026-11-04. Prices and limits change, so check their site before you buy. If we got something wrong, email [email protected] and we'll fix it.
Which one should you use?
CoinGecko Demo (10,000 calls/month) or CoinMarketCap Basic (15,000 credits/month, with commercial use for one product).
Crypto Data API: 1,000 requests a day once your email is confirmed, with commercial use allowed.
Hyperliquid's own API (its own venue, limited history), Alpaca's historical crypto bars (its own venue, from 2021), and CoinGecko's keyless MCP server.
Free tiers side by side
| Provider | Free allowance | Key needed? | Commercial use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto Data API | 100 requests/day, 1,000/day after email confirmation (10/min). | Yes (an agent can mint its own). | Yes; bulk resale as a competing product excluded. | Derivatives, ETF flows, volatility index, Hyperliquid data, MCP. |
| CoinGecko (Demo) | 10,000 calls/month, 100/min. | Yes (plus a keyless shared tier). | Not stated for Demo; attribution required. | 1 year of daily history. Keyless MCP server. |
| CoinMarketCap (Basic) | 15,000 credits/month, 50/min. | Yes (plus a keyless public route). | Yes, one product up to 100k users (FAQ). | 1 credit per 100 data points. No OHLCV history. |
| Hyperliquid API | 1,200 weight/min per IP. | No. | Not applicable (public venue API). | Its own venue only. Last 5,000 candles. No OI history or public liquidation feed. |
| Alpaca (historical crypto bars) | Free plan: 200 calls/min. | Not for historical crypto bars. | Unverified. | Alpaca's own venue (plus Kraken feeds). Bars from 2021. No derivatives. |
| Massive / Polygon.io (Basic) | 5 calls/min, end-of-day data. | Yes. | Individual use. | Spot only from 4 venues. 2 years of history. |
| Blockworks / Messari | 200 req/min on public and unpaid models. | Optional. | Unverified. | Fundamentals and research. The legacy Messari API is in maintenance mode. |
| Codex ("Almost free") | 10,000 compute units/month, 5 req/s. | Yes, after a $1 one-time fee. | Unverified. | On-chain and DEX only. GraphQL. No WebSocket on free. |
| CoinDesk Data (CryptoCompare) | None since 21 May 2026. | - | - | Pricing by sales call. |
| CoinGlass | None. From $29/mo. | - | From $299/mo. | $29 and $79 plans are personal use. |
| CoinAPI | None. A $25 one-time credit after adding a card. | - | Display to users may count as redistribution. | 400+ exchanges. |
| Moralis | None self-serve since 2026. Trial by request. | - | - | Cheapest plan $149/mo. |
| Kaiko | Trial by request form. | - | Licence agreement. | Contact sales. |
How to choose a free crypto API
Count your calls per month, not per minute. A bot polling one endpoint every minute makes about 43,000 calls a month, more than any of the monthly free tiers. A daily allowance (like ours) or a keyless venue API suits steady polling better.
Check commercial use before you launch. Several free and cheap plans are personal use only, or require attribution. That matters the moment your project has users.
Check history depth. Free tiers often cap history at a year or less, or exclude candle history entirely (CoinMarketCap Basic).
Our pick, explained
For why we set our own free tier at 1,000 requests a day, and what confirming your email unlocks, read Best free crypto API in 2026.
Free tiers that ended in 2026
- CoinDesk Data (formerly CryptoCompare): the free tier was retired on 21 May 2026. See CryptoCompare alternative.
- Moralis: its docs now say there is no self-serve free plan. The cheapest API plan is $149 a month.
- Messari: its API is in maintenance mode after the Blockworks acquisition. See Messari alternative.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best free crypto API in 2026?
- For prices and market caps across many coins, CoinGecko's Demo or CoinMarketCap's Basic plan. For derivatives (funding, open interest, liquidations), ETF flows and Hyperliquid data, Crypto Data API's free tier, which allows 1,000 requests a day after email confirmation.
- Is there a free crypto API with no API key?
- Yes, a few: Hyperliquid's own API (its own venue), Alpaca's historical crypto bars, CoinGecko's keyless public API and MCP server, and CoinMarketCap's keyless public route. Each has tight shared limits or covers a single venue.
- Is the CryptoCompare API still free?
- No. CryptoCompare is now CoinDesk Data, which retired its free API tier on 21 May 2026.
- Can I use a free crypto API commercially?
- It depends on the provider. CoinMarketCap's Basic plan includes commercial use for one product, and Crypto Data API's free tier allows commercial use (excluding bulk resale as a competing data product). Massive's free plan is individual use, and CoinGlass has no free plan at all.
A free key gives you 100 requests a day straight away and 1,000 a day once you confirm your email, with no card. Every endpoint is documented, and the same data is available to AI agents through our MCP server.
Get a free API keyRead the docsSee pricingSources
- CoinGecko API pricing
- CoinMarketCap API pricing
- CoinMarketCap API FAQ
- Hyperliquid rate limits
- Alpaca historical crypto data
- Alpaca data plans
- Massive currencies pricing
- Blockworks API authentication and limits
- Codex pricing
- CoinDesk Data: changes to free tier access
- CoinGlass pricing
- CoinAPI free credits explained
- Moralis pricing docs
- Kaiko pricing and contracts
- Crypto Data API pricing
- Crypto Data API agent pricing (x402)
- Crypto Data API docs
- Crypto Data API terms