Top Cryptocurrency APIs
We compiled a list of the top cryptocurrency exchange rate APIs that will help developers build apps that pull and manage crypto data for their clients.
AbstractAPI Currency Exchange Rates and FOREX API
While the AbstractAPI Currency Exchange API is not a crypto-specific API, it does have information on cryptocurrency exchange rates. The API can return information for many of the top cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, and Bitcoin Cash.
The API accepts simple REST requests, is secured by HTTPS, and returns data in JSON format. Updates can be requested as frequently as every 60 seconds. Endpoints are protected by an API key. There are endpoints for live data, historical market data, and conversions.
The API’s free tier allows up to 5000 requests per month at 1 request per second, but does not permit commercial use. This is the most generous request rate for a free tier of any currency exchange APIs we were able to find. Paid options start at $9 for 10,000 requests per month, and up to $79 per month for 500,000 requests.
AbstractAPI is an API company that hosts a number of different APIs. They have APIs to handle geolocation, image processing, email and phone validation, and much more. Their services are used by companies like Nokia, Google, Stanford, and Shopify.
Coinlayer API
The Coinlayer Cryptocurrency API is a simple REST API that returns data in JSON format for over 25 exchanges and up to 385 cryptocurrencies. It is secured by HTTPS and API keys, and backed by multiple renowned data sources, so information is always guaranteed to be current.
The API has endpoints to return live data, historical data, conversions, and a list option to list all cryptocurrencies and fiat currencies. By default, cryptocurrency rates are returned in USD, but the default fiat currency can be easily set by passing a parameter to the endpoint. The API also allows for JSON callbacks.
The free tier allows for just 100 requests per month and has limited support. It provides hourly updates and historical market data, and will limit the target currency to USD. The basic tier, which costs $9.99 per month, allows all target currencies, access to the conversion endpoint, more support, and up to 5000 requests per month. Prices increase from there for more requests and additional features.
AlphaVantage API
AlphaVantage API is another API that does not specialize in cryptocurrencies but has a lot of cryptocurrency data. It is a stock data API that returns data in either JSON format or as Google Sheets. It can be used as a stock tracker for market prices and fiat currencies, and also has a cryptocurrency feed.
The API has several different endpoints to return various types of stock data. The currency exchange rate endpoint returns the real-time currency exchange rate for any pair of digital currencies or fiat currencies, digital to fiat currency, or vice versa. There is also an intraday endpoint that returns time-series data of the cryptocurrency specified.
AlphaVantage also provides an excellent online academy for learning how the use the API. The AlphaAcademy is an open knowledge base for the AlphaVantage online community. Apart from the Academy, AlphaVantage also offers support through email.
The API is completely free to use for up to 5 requests per minute and 500 requests per day. For enterprise and other business users, premium memberships are available. Prices start at $75 per month for up to 75 requests per minute, and go up to $250 per month for 1200 requests per minute.
Coin Market Cap API
Coin Market Cap API touts itself as the “most trusted cryptocurrency market data provider in the world.” It provides eight separate endpoints for general cryptocurrency info, exchange data, global metrics, blockchain data, mappings to fiat currencies, access to 3rd party data, and utilities for working with cryptocurrencies.
Coin Market Cap is used by companies like Coinbase, Samsung, and Vela. Historical market data is provided as far back as 2013, and bulk historical data is available upon request. All data is returned in JSON format and the API is a simple REST API protected by an API key.
The API has a free tier that supports up to 10,000 requests per month, but only gives access to 11 market data endpoints and does not provide historical data. The next tier is the basic tier, which costs $29 per month for up to 40,000 calls per month and up to one month of historical data. The top tier is the professional tier, which is $700 per month and allows 3 million requests per month and up to a year of historical data.
Crypto Compare API
The Crypto Compare API is a dedicated crypto API that provides all manner of cryptocurrency data. The API returns data not only on prices and exchange rates, but also top cryptocurrency news, top-performing coins, historical data, and general information on cryptocurrencies.
The API has a streaming endpoint that returns all combinations and pricing info so developers can understand what needs to be streamed. The news endpoint returns recent articles from all partnered cryptocurrency news outlets.
The API has a free tier which is capped at 250,000 lifetime calls and 100,000 calls per month, with no support and limited access to historical data. The next tier up is the professional tier, which costs $80 per month for 250,000 calls per month, and email support.
Coin API
Coin API integrates over 300 cryptocurrency exchanges into a single API, and provides over 45,000 market updates per second. The REST API delivers data in either JSON, XML, or CSV format, and also provides access through Websockets or FIX.
There are separate endpoints for metadata, exchange rates, OHLCV, quotes, and trades. The company also provides SDKs for major programming languages on Github. The Websocket API and FIX API provide real-time streaming data.
The free tier is limited to 100 request per day, with no support and no FIX access. FIX access is not available until the top tier, which is $600 per month and includes priority email support, 100,000 requests per month, and unlimited FIX and Websocket API access. The medium tiers allow limited access to Websockets and have basic email support.
Binance API
Binance is much more than a simple currency exchange API, and for that reason, its documentation can be more difficult to navigate than some of the other APIs on this list. If all you are looking for is basic cryptocurrency conversion or crypto-to-fiat conversion, Binance will probably be overkill for your purposes.
However, if you are building a more complex app and want access to crypto wallets, staking endpoints, mining endpoints, futures endpoints, and spot account/trading then Binance is what you need. The API is a basic REST API and also offers access through Wesockets for streaming data.
Prices for the API are not listed online. Binance takes fees for trades made through its platform and offers discounts and bonuses for repeat customers.
Conclusion
There are many crypto exchange API options available out there, and most of them are competitively priced. Deciding which crypto exchange API is right for your needs will depend on your budget, the scale of your project, and your particular data or project management tool needs (for example Monday or ClickUp).
FAQs
Which Crypto Exchanges Have an API?
Many crypto APIs are run by crypto exchange providers. Those are
- Binance API
- Crypto Compare
- CoinBase API
- Coin Market Cap API
Other companies that run a crypto API include AbstractAPI, Coinlayer API, and AlphaVantage API.
Is There an API for Crypto?
Yes. Many companies run currency valuation and currency exchange APIs that include information on cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrency APIs have information on exchange trends in crypto markets, market data for crypto currency trends, historical market data, and general crypto data.
What Is the Best Cryptocurrency Exchange Script?
A crypto exchange script is a pre-built piece of software that helps you develop your own crypto trading API or platform. The top crypto scripts available now are:
- LocalBitcoins
- Paxful
- Remitano
- Coinbase
- Wazirx
- Bithumb
