Free Alternatives to Databento

Checking

Free replacement verdicts

Databento logo

Free Alternatives to Databento

Zero-cost replacements grouped by fit, tradeoffs, pricing friction, and platform access. Use this list to test Databento before paying for another subscription.

Switching from Databento doesn't have to cost a thing. We've curated 20 free-tier alternatives that cover similar workflows, from Dividends to Splits and beyond. Each pick below is framed by fit, caveats, and access friction so you can trial replacements without opening your wallet.

Disclosure: outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor links

Which Alternative Should You Use?

FinancialData.Net logo

FinancialData.Net

Closest replacement

Best for: Developers who want prices, fundamentals, statements, options, funds, ESG, calendars, ownership data, and news from one API.

  • FinancialData.Net best matches the base workflow on market data API, options data, and AI agent data access.
  • FinancialData.Net adds a free starting point that the base tool does not show. Free access caveat: signup required and Free plan lists 300 requests/day..

Watch for: Serious use is paid: The free tier is useful for testing but is capped at 300 requests/day and excludes many higher-value datasets and MCP access.

Alpha Vantage logo

Alpha Vantage

Best workflow fit

Best for: Developers and students looking for a simple API key for market, fundamentals, macro, FX, crypto, commodity, and options data.

  • Alpha Vantage best matches the base workflow on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Alpha Vantage adds a free starting point that the base tool does not show. Free access caveat: signup required and Free key is limited to 25 API requests per day..

Watch for: Free quota is small: A standard free limit of 25 API requests per day.

GuruFocus logo

GuruFocus

Quality-checked pick

Best for: Value investors looking for long historical fundamentals, GF Score, GF Value, and guru/institutional holdings.

  • GuruFocus best matches the base workflow on screening and idea generation, API and market data, and options and trading workflows.
  • GuruFocus adds a free starting point that the base tool does not show. Free access caveat: signup required and A free account has limited access..

Watch for: Paid access is region and tier dependent: Annual paid memberships, region add-ons, API plans, and pay-as-you-go API credits.

TradingView logo

TradingView

Strong runner-up

Best for: Traders and investors looking for charting, alerts, screeners, and market coverage across many asset classes.

  • TradingView best matches the base workflow on screening and idea generation, API and market data, and options and trading workflows.
  • TradingView adds a free starting point that the base tool does not show. Free access caveat: signup required and Basic tier limits charts per tab, indicators, alerts, watchlists, and historical bars..

Watch for: Real-time market data can require add-ons: Optional real-time quote subscriptions and exchange-specific data fees.

Detailed Alternatives

I want to

Free tiers first, then the lowest starting price.

7
Investing.com logo
Partial replacement

Investing.com

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Users looking for one free global market portal for quotes, charts, calendars, news, watchlists, and portfolio tracking.

Keep

  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Stock Ideas
  • Screeners
  • Stock Comparison
  • Data Visualizations

Lose

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Free access is ad-supported and does not include the full InvestingPro research layer, Free WarrenAI access is limited to 10 lifetime messages and requires an account; paid plans include 50 or 500 credits per month, and ProPicks, premium reports, and deeper datasets are plan-gated.
  • Not a broker or API product: Investing.com does not provide trade execution or a public API. Widgets and RSS are its public integration methods.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Investing.comFree • From $13.99/mo
Free tier
Free, no signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-05 via pricing.

16
Trading Economics logo
Partial replacement

Trading Economics

Tested by us

Bottom line: Developers and analysts needing macro indicators, economic calendar data, markets data, forecasts, financials, Excel/Sheets integrations, and API/WebSocket delivery.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Macro Data
  • Calendar
  • Alerts
  • News

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Options
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on options data, quant research, and screening and idea generation.
  • Free-plan limits: API pricing page lists Standard at $149/month billed yearly, API pricing page lists Professional at $299/month billed yearly, and Enterprise is contact-sales/customized; guest credentials provide limited sample access.
  • Real API use is paid: Guest credentials are limited/sample access. Standard and Professional API plans are billed yearly.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Trading EconomicsFree • From $22/mo
Free tier
Free, no signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

10

Bottom line: Investors and analysts needing official Hong Kong listed-company announcements, filings, corporate calendars, and exchange market data.

Keep

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • News
  • Alerts
  • Calendar
  • IPO

Lose

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on historical market data, options data, and quant research.
  • Free-plan limits: HKEXnews and public exchange pages are free, Public quote data is delayed, and Real-time, historical, tick, and order-book data require licensed market-data services.
  • Public quotes are delayed: Public website quotes are delayed by at least 15 minutes. Real-time and deeper feeds require paid licenses.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX)Free • Paid plans available
Free tier
Free, no signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

11
Fintel logo
FintelPartial replacement
11
Fintel logo
Partial replacement

Bottom line: Investors looking for ownership, short interest, options sentiment, filings, dashboards, alerts, and quant-style scores in one research site.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends

Gain

  • Short Interest
  • Insider Data
  • Institutional Ownership
  • Which ETF includes this Stock?

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Splits
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and quant research.
  • Free-plan limits: Free public access is available, Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers gate paid research workflows, and Broker-linked retail ownership features require sign-in and supported U.S. brokerage access.
  • Many core workflows are paid: Advanced research tools, premium datasets, leaderboards, AI private research, portfolio tools, and advanced AI access are tier-gated.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
FintelFree • Paid plans available
Free tier
Free, no signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

12
Nasdaq.com logo
Nasdaq.comPartial replacement
12
Nasdaq.com logo
Partial replacement

Nasdaq.com

Tested by us

Bottom line: Retail investors looking for quotes, screeners, calendars, filings, options chains, watchlists, and portfolio tracking from Nasdaq's investor portal.

Keep

  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Screeners
  • Portfolio
  • Watchlist
  • News

Lose

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and quant research.
  • Free-plan limits: Nasdaq.com investor pages are freely accessible for basic quotes, calendars, watchlists, screeners, and news, Smart Portfolio @ Nasdaq is documented by TipRanks as the premium portfolio analytics layer, and The current official Smart Portfolio FAQ describes free and Pro capabilities but does not publish a price.
  • Not Nasdaq Data Link: Nasdaq.com is the investor portal. Users looking for licensed datasets, APIs, or exchange feeds need Nasdaq Data Link or Nasdaq market-data products.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Nasdaq.comFree • Paid plans available
Free tier
Free, no signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via support.

18
Yahoo Finance logo
Yahoo FinancePartial replacement
18
Yahoo Finance logo
Partial replacement

Yahoo Finance

Tested by us

Bottom line: Investors who want free quotes, news, watchlists, portfolios, charts, and basic research in one product.

Keep

  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • News
  • Alerts
  • Calendar
  • Portfolio

Lose

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free account/sign-in may be required for some portfolio and watchlist features, and Premium portfolio analytics, research, screeners, and longer downloadable history are paid.
  • Data is informational, not trading-grade: Yahoo says all finance data is informational and not intended for trading or investing purposes.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Yahoo FinanceFree • From $95.40/yr
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-20 via pricing.

13
Marketstack logo
MarketstackPartial replacement
13
Marketstack logo
Partial replacement

Bottom line: Developers needing a simple REST stock-data API with a free tier, low starting price, EOD history, intraday data, corporate actions, ETF holdings, bonds, commodities, ratings, and EDGAR endpoints.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • ETF Analysis
  • Analyst Ratings & Price Targets
  • Pricing tiers with monthly request limits (Free: 100/mo; Basic: 10k/mo; Professional: 100k/mo; Business: 500k/mo; Enterprise: custom) and annual discounts up to 15%.
  • V2 REST/JSON API for end-of-day (EOD) prices with adjusted fields for splits/dividends (e.g., `split_factor`, `dividend`).

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Options
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on options data, quant research, and AI agent data access.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free plan lists 100 requests/month, and Basic is listed at $9.99/month and Professional at $49.99/month.
  • Request limits are tight at low tiers: Free includes 100 requests/month, and endpoint-specific limits can apply even on paid tiers.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
MarketstackFree • From $9.99/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

3
TradingView logo
TradingViewPartial replacement
3
TradingView logo
Partial replacement

TradingView

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Traders and investors looking for charting, alerts, screeners, and market coverage across many asset classes.

Keep

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Data Visualizations
  • Quant
  • Screeners
  • ETF Screeners

Lose

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
  • DBN, CSV, JSON, Parquet, flat-file, and raw packet-capture delivery where supported.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Basic tier limits charts per tab, indicators, alerts, watchlists, and historical bars, and Some real-time exchange data is sold separately from platform plans.
  • Real-time market data can require add-ons: Optional real-time quote subscriptions and exchange-specific data fees.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
TradingViewFree • From $12.95/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

6
EODHD logo
EODHDPartial replacement
6
EODHD logo
Partial replacement

EODHD

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Developers and quants needing market data APIs across equities, ETFs, funds, forex, crypto, and options.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Calendar
  • News
  • News Sentiment
  • Corporate Actions & Special Situations

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
  • DBN, CSV, JSON, Parquet, flat-file, and raw packet-capture delivery where supported.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, quant research, and backtesting and quant research.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free plan shows 20 API calls per day, and Paid personal plans default to 100,000 daily API calls.
  • Free API quota is very limited: 20 API calls per day on the Free plan.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
EODHDFree • From $19.99/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

8
Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) logo
Financial Modeling Prep (FMP)Partial replacement
8
Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) logo
Partial replacement

Bottom line: Developers and analysts needing REST/WebSocket market data, fundamentals, calendars, transcripts, ownership, ESG, and macro datasets.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Screeners
  • News
  • Calendar
  • IPO

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Options
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on options data, quant research, and AI agent data access.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Basic plan is limited to 250 API calls per day, and Free tier has end-of-day timeframe, around 5 years of history, and limited bandwidth.
  • Free sandbox is limited: The Basic plan is capped at 250 API calls per day, end-of-day timeframe, and around 5 years of history.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Financial Modeling Prep (FMP)Free • From $264/yr
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

9
FINVIZ logo
FINVIZPartial replacement
9
FINVIZ logo
Partial replacement

FINVIZ

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Investors and traders looking for a fast U.S. stock screener with heat maps and snapshot views.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends

Gain

  • Screeners
  • ETF Screeners
  • Stock Comparison
  • Data Visualizations

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Splits
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Credit card required, Free stock quotes are delayed by one minute and futures by 20 minutes, and The 7-day Elite trial requires a card and automatically converts to the selected paid plan.
  • U.S. market coverage: U.S.-only coverage for NYSE, Nasdaq, and Amex equities.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
FINVIZFree • From $299.50/yr
Free tier
Free, card required
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via support.

1
FinancialData.Net logo
FinancialData.NetClosest replacement
1
FinancialData.Net logo
Closest replacement

Bottom line: Developers who want prices, fundamentals, statements, options, funds, ESG, calendars, ownership data, and news from one API.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Sheets / Excel Add-ins
  • Quant
  • News
  • Calendar

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
  • DBN, CSV, JSON, Parquet, flat-file, and raw packet-capture delivery where supported.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on historical market data, quant research, and screening and idea generation.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free plan lists 300 requests/day, and Professional is $149/month or $1,299/year and includes MCP server plus internal commercial use.
  • Serious use is paid: The free tier is useful for testing but is capped at 300 requests/day and excludes many higher-value datasets and MCP access.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
FinancialData.NetFree • From $29/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

5
TipRanks logo
TipRanksPartial replacement
5
TipRanks logo
Partial replacement

TipRanks

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Retail investors looking for analyst consensus, expert rankings, Smart Score, news sentiment, and stock ideas.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Stock Ideas
  • Top Analysts
  • Screeners
  • ETF Screeners

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
  • DBN, CSV, JSON, Parquet, flat-file, and raw packet-capture delivery where supported.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free/Basic MCP OAuth quota is 10 tool calls per month, and Free API-key tier is limited to 10 requests per minute and 50 requests per month.
  • Best tools are paid: Premium and Ultimate gate Smart Portfolio, Smart Score, expert/insider/hedge-fund tools, exports, and higher MCP quotas.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
TipRanksFree • From $29.95/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

20
Tiingo logo
TiingoPartial replacement
20
Tiingo logo
Partial replacement

Bottom line: Developers and quants who need flat-rate APIs for prices, fundamentals, news, forex, crypto, or corporate actions.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • News
  • End-of-day (EOD) price API with proprietary error-checking and historical coverage.
  • The current pricing page lists 109,745 global securities: 49,283 U.S. and Chinese stocks plus 60,462 ETFs and mutual funds.
  • Corporate actions API for dividends and splits, including both historical and announced events.

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Options
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on options data, quant research, and screening and idea generation.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Pricing page lists Starter at $0/month, and Individual Power is listed at $30/month or $300/year.
  • Commercial use needs the right plan: Individual and Commercial plans allow internal use only. Display or data redistribution requires a separate license.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
TiingoFree • From $30/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

14
Fiscal.ai logo
Fiscal.aiPartial replacement
14
Fiscal.ai logo
Partial replacement

Fiscal.ai

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Investors who want AI-assisted company research backed by financials, estimates, transcripts, filings, and dashboards.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Stock Ideas
  • Screeners
  • Stock Comparison
  • Data Visualizations

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Options
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free terminal access has dashboard, history, event, and AI prompt limits, and Free API access covers 100 companies, 50 requests per minute, and 250 requests per day.
  • Free access is limited: The free API is limited to 100 companies, 50 requests per minute, and 250 requests per day. Deeper history, exports, and some datasets require paid plans.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Fiscal.aiFree • From $39/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

19
OpenBB logo
OpenBBPartial replacement
19
OpenBB logo
Partial replacement

Bottom line: Analysts and teams looking for a customizable financial workspace that connects their own data, vendors, dashboards, and AI agents.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options

Gain

  • Sheets / Excel Add-ins
  • Data Visualizations
  • Custom Dashboards
  • AI Research

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Dividends
  • Splits
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Community Edition is free for individuals, and OpenBB Copilot is limited to 20 queries per day on Community.
  • Does not provide production market data: OpenBB says Workspace includes a limited FMP-powered sandbox, but organizations connect their own datasets for production workflows.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
OpenBBFree • From $500/yr
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-29 via pricing.

2
GuruFocus logo
GuruFocusQuality-checked pick
2
GuruFocus logo
Quality-checked pick

GuruFocus

Analyst pickTested by us

Bottom line: Value investors looking for long historical fundamentals, GF Score, GF Value, and guru/institutional holdings.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Stock Ideas
  • Screeners
  • ETF Screeners
  • Top Analysts

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
  • DBN, CSV, JSON, Parquet, flat-file, and raw packet-capture delivery where supported.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and options data.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, A free account has limited access, and Free members have limited portfolio capacity.
  • Paid access is region and tier dependent: Annual paid memberships, region add-ons, API plans, and pay-as-you-go API credits.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
GuruFocusFree • From $549/yr
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

4
Alpha Vantage logo
Alpha VantageBest workflow fit
4
Alpha Vantage logo
Best workflow fit

Alpha Vantage

Tested by us

Bottom line: Developers and students looking for a simple API key for market, fundamentals, macro, FX, crypto, commodity, and options data.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • News
  • News Sentiment
  • Market Sentiment
  • Calendar

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
  • DBN, CSV, JSON, Parquet, flat-file, and raw packet-capture delivery where supported.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on quant research, screening and idea generation, and backtesting and quant research.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free key is limited to 25 API requests per day, and Personal premium plans run from $49.99 to $249.99 monthly or $499 to $2,499 yearly.
  • Free quota is small: A standard free limit of 25 API requests per day.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
Alpha VantageFree • From $49.99/mo
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Drop-in replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

15
QuantConnect logo
QuantConnectPartial replacement
15
QuantConnect logo
Partial replacement

Bottom line: Quants and systematic traders looking for an end-to-end research, backtesting, cloud deployment, and live-trading workflow on LEAN.

Keep

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Options

Gain

  • Quant
  • Backtesting
  • Paper Trading
  • Auto-Trading & Bots

Lose

  • Order Book / Level II
  • Dividends
  • Splits
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on historical market data, AI agent data access, and screening and idea generation.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free tier includes one free backtest node and one free research node according to QuantConnect tier documentation, and Paid pricing depends on the selected organization tier, seats, compute nodes, data, and support.
  • Plan and add-on complexity: Backtest/live nodes, data resolution, users, notifications, and hosted data features vary by organization tier and add-ons.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
QuantConnectFree • Contact for pricing
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

17
Trendlyne logo
TrendlynePartial replacement
17
Trendlyne logo
Partial replacement

Trendlyne

Tested by us

Bottom line: Indian investors looking for one product for screeners, DVM scores, analyst forecasts, alerts, portfolios, broker sync, and options tools.

Keep

  • Options
  • Dividends
  • Splits

Gain

  • Screeners
  • Analyst Forecasts
  • Analyst Ratings & Price Targets
  • Data Visualizations

Lose

  • APIs & Data Feeds
  • Order Book / Level II
  • Live and historical data from more than 45 exchanges with more than 15 years of history in supported datasets.
  • Trades, top of book, L2 market by price, L3 market by order, statistics, status, definitions, and second through daily OHLCV bars.
  • HTTP and raw TCP APIs with Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.

Watch out

  • Avoid as a full replacement if you rely on market data API, historical market data, and quant research.
  • Free-plan limits: Signup required, Free plan exists; paid monthly plans shown include GuruQ at INR 310/month, Pro Global at INR 1500/month, and Pro Plus Global at INR 2000/month, and Annual prices shown include GuruQ at INR 2,190, StratQ at INR 5,900, Pro Global at INR 7,500, and Pro Plus Global at INR 10,000.
  • Plan matrix is complex: India-only, global, SmartOptions, Excel Connect, alert frequency, backtest limits, and download limits vary materially by tier.
Price
DatabentoFrom $199/mo
TrendlyneFree • Paid plans available
Free tier
Free with signup
Replacement
Partial replacement

Pricing checked 2026-08-23 via pricing.

What This Shortlist Tells You

FinancialData.Net is the closest drop-in replacement with overlapping coverage in APIs & Data Feeds, Options, and Dividends while adding Sheets / Excel Add-ins and Quant coverage, REST API for real-time and historical prices, company statements, insider and institutional activity, earnings releases, and related datasets. and Coverage includes U.S. and international equities, indexes, funds, derivatives, OTC securities, crypto, foreign exchange, and commodities. features, and a free tier (workflow overlap ~80%).

Every pick keeps a free tier; start with FinancialData.Net, GuruFocus, and TradingView to road-test Databento workflows without paying up front.

Need mobile access? GuruFocus, TradingView, and TipRanks bring phone-ready workflows that Databento lacks.

Round out your stack with new coverage areas like Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Quant, News, and Calendar.

Coverage Snapshot

Where alternatives already align

Most shared categories across the top matches.

Dividends×18Splits×16APIs & Data Feeds×14Options×14Order Book / Level II×2

New angles introduced

Categories the alternatives add beyond Databento.

News+17Calendar+16Financials+13Insider Data+13Screeners+13IPO+12Alerts+11Institutional Ownership+11

Free Access & Pricing

Free options

All 20

20 vetted picks keep a permanent free tier so you can validate workflows before upgrading.

Mobile ready

10/20

10 alternatives bring native mobile access.

API availability

14/20

14 of the shortlisted tools expose API endpoints for automation-heavy workflows.

Quality checks

7 starred / 13 tested

7 tools are flagged as analyst picks; 13 have been hands-on tested.

Avg. coverage overlap

65%

Average percentage of categories shared with the base tool.

Free Alternatives FAQ

What are the best free alternatives to Databento?

Start with FinancialData.Net, GuruFocus, and TradingView to replicate Databento workflows without paying for a subscription.

Do these picks stay permanently free?

Yes. Each platform listed keeps a standing free tier with no credit card required -- though export limits or seat caps may apply if you scale usage.

Which Databento workflows stay covered on the free plan?

Expect solid overlap across APIs & Data Feeds, Options, Dividends, Splits, and Order Book / Level II, so core Databento workflows can move over without a paid upgrade.

What extra coverage do the free alternatives add?

Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Quant, News, Calendar, IPO, Short Interest, Macro Data, Financials, Scores, ESG Ratings, Insider Data, Institutional Ownership, US Government Trades, ETF Analysis, Fund Analysis, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Stock Ideas, Screeners, ETF Screeners, Top Analysts, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Backtesting, Correlation, Portfolio, Watchlist, Alerts, Corporate Actions & Special Situations, Yield Curves, Credit Ratings & Outlooks, Flags, Valuation Models, Improved Filings, Transcripts, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Ratings & Price Targets, AI Research, AI Chat, Broker Connectors, Education, Blogs, Videos, Forums, Newsletters, Custom Dashboards, Stock Handbook, Paper Trading, Webhooks, Options P&L, News Sentiment, Market Sentiment, Risk Metrics, Performance Attribution, Bulls Say Bear Say, Guidance / Pre-announcements, Compounding Calculator, Retirement Calculator, CDS Spreads, Official Sources, Which ETF includes this Stock?, Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Auto-Trading & Bots, and Research Templates show up most often as bonus coverage beyond the base platform, giving you room to experiment before upgrading.

Where might I still rely on Databento?

Order Book / Level II, APIs & Data Feeds, Options, Splits, and Dividends remain strengths for Databento. Keep it handy for those tasks or plan for a paid upgrade if they matter.

Feedback

Missing an alternative, or is a listing out of date? Tell me and I will look.

Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.