Tool Comparison
Databento vs Tiingo
- Paid from
- $199/mo, billed monthly
- Free plan
- No
- Platforms
- Web, API
Best if
- You want order book / level II and options.
- Paid from
- $30/mo, billed monthly
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API
Best if
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want a lower paid starting price: $30/mo, billed monthly instead of $199/mo, billed monthly
- You want screeners, portfolio, and news.
Pick Databento if
Databento
From $199/mo, billed monthly · Web · API
- You want order book / level II and options.
Pick Tiingo if
Tiingo
Free • From $30/mo, billed monthly · Web · API
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want a lower paid starting price: $30/mo, billed monthly instead of $199/mo, billed monthly
- You want screeners, portfolio, and news.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Databento and Tiingo cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, APIs & data feeds, dividends, and splits), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Databento includes order book / level II and options, and Tiingo includes screeners and portfolio.
What readers say
Databento
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Tiingo
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Tiingo
- Cheaper paid plan
- Tiingo$30/mo, billed monthly vs $199/mo, billed monthly
- Beginner friendly
- Tiingo
What Databento does best
- Historical downloads and live streaming for supported equities, equity options, futures, spreads, and options on futures.
- Schemas ranging from trades and OHLCV bars to top-of-book, market-by-price, and full market-by-order data.
- HTTP and raw TCP APIs, plus official Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
- CSV, JSON, and Databento Binary Encoding output, with flat-file and packet-capture delivery where offered.
- Security-master, symbology, corporate-action, and adjustment data for supported products and venues.
What Tiingo does best
- Use the Tiingo app's screener, saved metrics, portfolios, and scenarios, with Starter and Power limits.
- End-of-day price APIs with proprietary error checking and historical coverage for U.S. stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, ADRs, and supported international data.
- Access corporate-actions data for dividends and splits, including historical and announced events where covered.
- Stream or request IEX real-time U.S. equity data through REST and WebSocket endpoints.
- Access real-time and historical forex data for 140+ currency pairs.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | From $199/mo, billed monthly | Free • From $30/mo, billed monthly |
Free tier | No | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | 19 limits: Starter: unique symbols per month: 500, Starter: requests per hour: 50 +17 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | — | No |
Integrations | Python client, C++ client +1 more | AmiBroker |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Quants/Developers, Algo Traders +2 more | — |
Categories covered | 5 | 6 |
Regions | North America, Europe | North America, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming and Real-time, Granularity: Tick, Second, Minute, and EOD +1 more | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming, Real-time, and End of Day, Granularity: Tick and EOD +1 more |
Capabilities | — | Universe builder |
Security | — | Status page |
| Try it | Visit Databento | Visit Tiingo |
Standout features
The best features of Databento and Tiingo.ShowHide
Standout features
What Databento does best
- Historical downloads and live streaming for supported equities, equity options, futures, spreads, and options on futures.
- Schemas ranging from trades and OHLCV bars to top-of-book, market-by-price, and full market-by-order data.
- HTTP and raw TCP APIs, plus official Python, C++, and Rust client libraries.
- CSV, JSON, and Databento Binary Encoding output, with flat-file and packet-capture delivery where offered.
- Security-master, symbology, corporate-action, and adjustment data for supported products and venues.
What Tiingo does best
- Use the Tiingo app's screener, saved metrics, portfolios, and scenarios, with Starter and Power limits.
- End-of-day price APIs with proprietary error checking and historical coverage for U.S. stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, ADRs, and supported international data.
- Access corporate-actions data for dividends and splits, including historical and announced events where covered.
- Stream or request IEX real-time U.S. equity data through REST and WebSocket endpoints.
- Access real-time and historical forex data for 140+ currency pairs.
All details
Every attribute we track for Databento and Tiingo.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsOptionsFutures | StocksETFsMutual FundsCryptosCurrencies |
Experience | IntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Quants/DevelopersAlgo TradersInstitutional InvestorsHedge Funds | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaEurope | North AmericaAPAC |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Countries: US and CNIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | StreamingReal-time | StreamingReal-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | TickSecondMinuteEOD | TickEOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | RESTWebSocket |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: PythonDocs | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python |
Integrations | Python clientC++ clientRust client | AmiBroker |
Export formats | CSVJSON | JSONCSV |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | Status page |
Capability signals | Not specified | Universe builder |
Vendor & support | Databento, Inc.Country: USSupport: Email and Chat | Tiingo Inc.Country: USFounded 2014Support: Email |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | — | Free“Starter”unique symbols per month: 500 · requests per hour: 50 · +6 more |
| Entry paid plan | $199/moBilled monthly“CME Standard” | $30/moBilled monthly“Power (Individual)”annual price usd: 300 · unique symbols per month: 110,070 · +7 more |
| Tier 2 | $1750/moBilled monthly“CME Plus” | $50/moBilled monthly“Business / Organization”annual price usd: 499 · commercial use: Internal business/organization use |
| Tier 3 | $4500/moBilled monthly“CME Unlimited” | — |
| Top plan | One-time“Usage-based historical” | — |
Alternatives
Free alternatives
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Databento and Tiingo?
Databento leans toward APIs & data feeds, order book / level II, and options, while Tiingo puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, screeners, and portfolio. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is Databento or Tiingo free to use?
Tiingo has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. Databento is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Tiingo and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Which is better for beginners: Databento or Tiingo?
Tiingo is the friendlier place to start; its interface takes less getting used to. Both work fine once you're past the basics.
Do Databento and Tiingo have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose Databento or Tiingo?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Databento if order book / level II and options matter to you; go with Tiingo if you'd rather have screeners and portfolio. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Databento and Tiingo cover?
Both cover stocks and ETFs. Databento also handles options and futures. Tiingo adds mutual funds, cryptos, and currencies on top.
Do Databento and Tiingo offer real-time data?
Yes, both serve real-time market data, so either works when timing matters.
Can I export data from Databento and Tiingo?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: Databento or Tiingo?
Tiingo has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Databento doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Databento or Tiingo?
Tiingo handles portfolio tracking. Databento is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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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.