Provider profile · 2026 edition
Alpaca review 2026: scores, pricing and alternatives.
A US self-clearing broker whose Broker API lets partners embed shares, options, bonds and crypto.
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A US self-clearing broker whose Broker API lets partners embed shares, options, bonds and crypto.
Alpaca scores 4.2 out of 5 (83 out of 100) in the Buckingham Intelligence Wealth and Brokerage Infrastructure Index 2026 and ranks 2 of 11. It is strongest for fintech apps wanting US shares, options and crypto through one API, with 5 out of 5 for asset range, regulatory standing, market reach and asset protection and security. Not published or not stated on the pages read: pricing, published pricing and integration and launch.
Scores from the Wealth and Brokerage Infrastructure Index 2026.
| Segment | Score out of 100 | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| For fintech apps and neobanks | 80 | 2 of 11 |
| For banks and wealth managers | 88 | 1 of 11 |
| For brokers expanding abroad | 82 | 2 of 11 |
The score out of 5 is the overall score out of 100 divided by 20. Leader goes to the top three overall, Best for to the first in each segment, and Top rated for to a score of 5 out of 5 on a criterion. Awards cannot be bought.
Where it scores best, and where to check closely, as shown in each ranking.
Fintech apps wanting US shares, options and crypto through one API.
What Alpaca publishes on its own pages, read on 26 October 2026.
A US self-clearing broker whose Broker API lets partners embed shares, options, bonds and crypto. It publishes licences in three jurisdictions, SIPC cover with its limit, ISO 27001:2022 and SOC 2 Type II, and partners in more than 40 countries. Partner pricing is not published.
| Fact | What the provider publishes |
|---|---|
| Assets | "Embed fractional stocks, options, fixed income, crypto, high-yield cash"; US Treasury bills and corporate bonds; "Hundreds of German stocks and ETFs available today". |
| Regulatory standing | Alpaca Clearing "member FINRA / SIPC"; Alpaca Crypto LLC "a FinCEN registered money services business (NMLS # 2160858)"; AlpacaX Crypto regulated by The Securities Commission of The Bahamas, "registration number 208648 B". |
| Reach | "Supporting 200+ partners in 40+ countries." |
| Integration | Broker API with event streaming, "KYC as a service" for non-registered technology partners, and a paper trading API for testing. |
| Protection | "SIPC protection up to $500,000 per customer (cash sub-limits apply)"; clears and holds assets "as members of DTCC, FICC, and OCC"; "ISO 27001:2022 certified, SOC 2 Type II controls". |
| Pricing | Broker API pricing not published; the pricing page returned "not found". |
| Date read | 26 October 2026 |
A fact that is not published is scored as not offered or, for a fee, as if it were high. It is never estimated.
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: alpaca.markets/broker, alpaca.markets.
Each score with the evidence behind it.
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Wealth and Brokerage Infrastructure Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
The other providers in the same ranking, ordered by score.
| Provider | Score out of 5 | Rank | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactive Brokers | 4.4 | 1 of 11 | Brokers wanting the widest market access with published fees |
| Saxo | 3.5 | 3 of 11 | Banks and wealth managers wanting the widest instrument list |
| Upvest | 3.1 | 4 of 11 | European fintechs launching investing across many countries |
| Apex Fintech Solutions | 3.1 | 5 of 11 | US fintechs wanting a sandbox and a branded app in weeks |
| WealthKernel | 3.1 | 6 of 11 | UK and EU firms wanting tax wrappers and full investor protection |
| DriveWealth | 3.0 | 7 of 11 | Global apps wanting fractional US shares and funds |
| Tiger Brokers | 2.9 | 8 of 11 | Licensed brokers in Hong Kong and Singapore wanting US and Asian markets |
| Seccl | 2.2 | 9 of 11 | UK advisers and fintechs wanting ready-made portals and pensions |
| lemon.markets | 1.9 | 10 of 11 | German and EU fintechs wanting a BaFin-licensed brokerage API |
| FNZ | 0.8 | 11 of 11 | Large institutions replacing several wealth platforms with one |
Side by side on every criterion, fact and award.
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