Alpaca Paper Trading API: paper trading review & facts
API sandbox · last verified 2026-10-17
Alpaca is a API sandbox, covering US. Price: Free. Data: Real-time IEX data (Paper Only accounts get IEX only).
- Website
- https://alpaca.markets
- Markets
- US
- Asset classes
- stocks
- Market data
- Real-time IEX data (Paper Only accounts get IEX only)
- Price
- Free
- Account / signup
- Paper Only Account needs only an email
- Starting balance
- $100,000 default; balance set when creating a new paper account
- Reset
- Create/delete paper accounts (replaces reset)
- Replay
- unknown
- Platforms
- API
- Country availability
- Available globally (provider statement)
'Anyone globally can create an Alpaca Paper Only Account' - Notable limits
- ~10% of eligible orders get random partial fill; no slippage/fees/dividends modelled
- Affiliate program
- no (official: no referral programme for API partners) (we do not currently earn from this listing)
- Tags
- usapino-account
FAQ
Is Alpaca paper trading free?
Our dataset lists the price as: Free.
Does Alpaca use real-time or delayed data?
Real-time IEX data (Paper Only accounts get IEX only).
Do I need an account to paper trade on Alpaca?
Paper Only Account needs only an email.
How much virtual money does Alpaca give you?
$100,000 default; balance set when creating a new paper account.
Can I reset my Alpaca paper account?
Create/delete paper accounts (replaces reset).
Which countries can use Alpaca?
Available globally (provider statement). 'Anyone globally can create an Alpaca Paper Only Account'.
Listed in
Best for US stocksBest for India (NSE/BSE)Best for UK tradersBest for AustraliaBest for CanadaBest for free paper tradingBest for practising without a brokerage accountBest for real-time dataBest for algo/API testing
Comparisons
Similar simulators
Interactive Brokers Paper TradingTradeStation Simulatormoomoo Paper TradingTradeskillTradersPost (paper broker)TradingView Paper Trading
Sources
- https://www.tradewink.com/compare/best-paper-trading-simulators
- https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/paper-trading
- https://alpaca.markets/support/does-alpaca-have-a-referral-program-for-its-api-partners-including-revenue-share
Information only, not financial advice. Simulated results do not predict real results. Features and availability change and vary by country; check the provider's site. Sponsored or affiliate links, if any, are labelled.