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Alpaca

Broker
Ratings
1.9 K
Traders
18.5 K
Publications
2
Trade
Overview
Reviews Publications

Reviews


wpscrm

terrible service your contact support button does not work very limited account options

AlpacaBroker

Hello, Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your recent support interaction did not meet your expectations. Could you please contact our support team at support@alpaca.markets and ask to speak with Jill? We would like to review the support you received and ensure your concerns are addressed.

faithfulpotential

I like the quick responses from the broker, I'm new to trading on my own and I am finding out that Alpaca is a good place to start. I do wish I had more than 3 trades per da though.

AlpacaBroker

We’re really happy to hear that you’re finding Alpaca to be a helpful place to start your trading journey. Our team is here to support you every step of the way, so if you ever have questions or need a hand with anything, don’t hesitate to reach out at support@alpaca.markets

AndrewMang

its easy to use and great for programmers

AlpacaBroker

Thank you for the feedback! We’re glad to hear that you find the platform easy to use and programmer-friendly. We really appreciate your support and hope it continues to make your trading experience smooth and efficient!

eduardodaniel_rodriguez

Es fácil e intuitivo para operar, comisiones mínimas. Las transacciones son rápidas

AlpacaBroker

Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear that you find the platform easy and intuitive to use, with low commissions and fast transactions. We really appreciate your input and will continue working to make your trading experience even better.

parkcc

Has flexible APIs and can support many interfaces and platforms. TradingView integration is really nice though, since I feel that it’s the best platform for graphing with a rich community of developers.

Mattiavelli

Python integration with the Alpaca-py API. Commission free trading. My only slight complaint would be the web-portal which lacks functionality and clarity. A refesh would be a good idea.

AlpacaBroker

Thank you for the great feedback! We’re glad to hear that you’re enjoying the Python integration and commission free trading. It’s awesome to know those features are working well for you! We also really appreciate your input on the web portal. Improving clarity and functionality is a priority for us, and feedback like yours helps guide our updates

kknockk

The API is easy and flexible. However I am missing a bit more powerful options to see P/L per stock directly from the API without needing to manually manage it

AlpacaBroker

Thank you for the feedback! We’re glad to hear that you find the API easy and flexible. We also appreciate your suggestion about providing more powerful options for viewing P/L per stock directly through the API. Feedback like yours helps us identify areas to improve, and we’ll definitely take this into consideration as we continue enhancing the platform and API

maticiar

I use Tradingview for mobile trading with Alpaca and I am quite satisfied. Also, as a European, I can buy US ETFs. Also, the minimal fees for trading stocks and options are great.

AlpacaBroker

Thanks for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear that TradingView and Alpaca are working well for you. We really appreciate your feedback and are happy to support your trading journey!

ashep5000

Alpaca and Trading View seem to work well together. I placed many trades on stock and ETFs. They also recently opened up crypto trades for AZ users so I was happy about that.

AlpacaBroker

Thanks for sharing your experience! It’s great to hear that Alpaca and TradingView are working well together for your stock and ETF trading. If there’s ever anything we can do to support your trading workflow, just let us know- we're always here to help!

rhoekman

5 stars if they would offer cash accounts not just margins accounts! Execution and fills are very fast. Also great API. If they would offer cash accounts I'd switch to it as my main broker in no-time!

AlpacaBroker

Thank you for the feedback! We’re thrilled to hear that you’re enjoying the fast execution/ fills and our API. We really appreciate your input about cash accounts- it's something we are reviewing on our end! Your feedback helps guide our priorities, and we’ll keep this in mind as we continue to improve our platform. Thank you!

devo111sports

It has been a pretty easy and seamless process connecting Alpaca to Tradingvie to accomplish what I set forth to accomplish. The only complaint that I have is my options trading level 2. I've applied for a level 3 twice and have received no response.

Terms and fees


Tradable assets
Stocks, Crypto, ETFs, Options
Min deposit
0.00 USD
Max leverage
4:1
Account opening
It is subject to review process
Deposit fee
Fees vary by type. See Broker Fee Schedule at Alpaca's website.
Withdrawal fee
Fees vary by type. See Broker Fee Schedule at Alpaca's website.
Inactivity fee
Fees vary by type. See Broker Fee Schedule at Alpaca's website.

About Alpaca


Founded
2018
Headquarters
United States of America
Documents
Disclosures
Regulators
FINRA
+2
Website
alpaca.markets
Community
AlpacaHQ
Support and feedback
support@alpaca.markets
Address
20 N San Mateo Dr, Ste #10, San Mateo CA, 94401, USA
Alpaca is a US-headquartered self-clearing broker-dealer and brokerage infrastructure for stocks, ETFs, options, crypto and 24/5 trading – raising over USD170 million in funding. Alpaca is backed by top-tier investors globally, including Portage Ventures, Spark Capital, Tribe Capital, Social Leverage, Horizons Ventures, Unbound, SBI Group, Derayah Financial, Elefund, and Y Combinator.

Important Documents

Tools and features


Order types
Market orders
Orders to buy or sell at the current market price. Executed instantly.
Limit orders
Orders to buy or sell at a specified price or better. Executed only when the specified price is reached.
Stop orders
Orders that activates when the price reaches a certain level, after which it is executed as a market order.
Stop limit orders
A combination of a stop order and a limit order. Activates when the stop price is reached but is executed only at the specified limit price.
Order features
Order history
Access to a list of previously placed orders with details of their execution.
Execution history on the chart
Display of executed orders directly on the chart for convenient analysis.
Position features
Partial position close
The ability to close only a portion of an open position, rather than the entire position.
Reverse position
Quickly closes the current position and opens an opposing position (e.g., from long to short).
Brackets
Order brackets
The ability to attach take-profit and stop-loss orders to an order.
Order brackets modification
The ability to modify take-profit and stop-loss levels after placing an order.
Add brackets to existing order
The ability to add take-profit and stop-loss brackets to existing order.
Position brackets
Take profit and stop loss brackets support for the position.
Position brackets modification
Modifying take-profit and stop-loss levels for an open position.
Add brackets to existing position
Adding take-profit and stop-loss levels to an already open position.
Trailing stop
A dynamic stop loss that automatically follows the price of an asset by a set distance. It is used to limit possible losses and manage risks.
Other
Demo account
A virtual account for practicing trading without the risk of losing real funds.
Level 2 data
Market depth (order book), showing buy and sell orders with volume details.
AD-free trading on chart for basic plan
A clean chart without distracting ads for convenient analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions


Alpaca allows to trade the following assets:
- Stocks
- Cryptocurrencies
- ETFs
- Options
Alpaca is regulated by the following organisations:
- FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.)
- SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission)
- SIPC (Securities Investor Protection Corporation )
To trade with Alpaca on TradingView, you’ll need an account. If you already have one, simply connect to Alpaca on the Trading Panel. If not, click Open account in the broker's profile, and you’ll be redirected to their website to complete the registration. Once your account is set up, return to our Superchart, find the broker’s icon on the trading panel, and log in with your credentials.

Note that different brokers have different terms, and Alpaca has its own account opening time — It is subject to review process.
No, Alpaca doesn't provide a demo account.
Alpaca requires a minimum deposit of 0 USD.

Brokers usually require deposits to manage risk, cover trading costs, and comply with regulations. Deposits act as collateral for leveraged trades, ensuring brokers don’t face losses if a trade goes against a trader. They also help cover fees, prevent fraud, and ensure serious trading activity.
No, Alpaca doesn't offer Level 2 data to its clients.

Level 2 is a subscription-based service that offers real-time access to the exchange’s order book. It gives traders and investors a detailed view of market depth and momentum, helping them make more informed and strategic trading decisions.
Yes, Alpaca applies the fee for accounts that remain inactive for some time: Fees vary by type. See Broker Fee Schedule at Alpaca's website..

Brokers impose inactivity fees to cover maintenance costs, comply with regulations, and encourage active trading. These fees help offset expenses for managing inactive accounts and prevent account abandonment.
Yes, Alpaca charges the withdrawal fee of Fees vary by type. See Broker Fee Schedule at Alpaca's website..
Alpaca allows leverage of up to 4:1.
Yes, Alpaca requires the deposit fee of Fees vary by type. See Broker Fee Schedule at Alpaca's website..
Alpaca allows the following order types:
- Market orders
- Stop orders
- Stop limit orders
- Limit orders
Yes, you can place bracket orders with Alpaca.
Yes, Alpaca requires 25.00% as a margin.
Brokers provide access to financial markets and execute trades. They act as intermediaries between traders and exchanges, providing the necessary infrastructure and tools to place buy and sell orders. They offer services such as order execution, market access, research, analysis, and customer support. Additionally, brokers facilitate the use of leverage, margin trading, and help ensure regulatory compliance, providing traders with a secure environment to trade effectively. Without brokers, individual traders would struggle to access markets and execute trades efficiently.
An order is an instruction for a broker to execute a trade - buy or sell an asset on behalf of a trader. Depending on your strategy, risk tolerance, and market condition, different kinds of orders can be more or less effective, let's see the basic ones.
- Market order. It's a basic type designed to buy or sell an asset immediately at the next price available
- Limit order. Specifies the maximum (for buying) or minimum (for selling) price at which a trader is willing to execute a trade. It's only executed if the price reaches the preset level. There are buy and sell limit orders - they're set to buy/sell an asset at or below/above a certain price
- Stop order. Triggered when an asset moves above or below a certain price level, always executed in the direction that the price is moving. There are stop-loss orders (automatically closes a position at a certain level if the market moves against you) and (initiates a trade when the price breaks a certain level)
Successful trading requires thorough preparation, ensuring every decision is well-informed and carefully considered. To develop a winning strategy, follow these key steps:
- Find the right asset using our screeners and heatmaps. Explore the stock market with the Stock Screener, track cryptocurrencies on the Crypto Coins Heatmap, and more tools to fin in the main menu
- Analyze price movements on our Supercharts. Utilize multiple drawing tools, built-in indicators, and advanced features to gain deeper market insights
- Stay on top of market changes with the Economic Calendar and the latest news, helping you quickly adapt to shifting conditions
- Test your strategy in a risk-free environment with a Paper Trading account to see how it performs before committing real capital
- Choose a broker and start your trading journey with confidence once you have a clear strategy in place
A broker's rating on TradingView is based on its clients' reviews. We ensure broker ratings reflect real user experiences by allowing reviews only from verified TradingView users with active linked accounts. Recent ratings carry more weight, providing up-to-date insights for informed decisions. This approach promotes transparency and prevents manipulation. Make sure to rate your broker to help it improve its service and assits other users in their choice.
Leverage is a mechanism that allows traders to open larger positions with a smaller amount of capital. It basically means borrowing funds from a broker, often multiplying your position size by 5x, 10x, or more. For example, with 5x leverage, a $100 deposit could open a $500 trade with your broker lending you $400 you don't have. It's a popular technique, but remember that while leverage increases potential profits, it also magnifies losses, which is why it's essential to learn how to manage risks.

It's always worth preparing for trades before actually executing them. On TradingView, you can do this with our Paper Trading functionality.
Margin trading means an investor buying an asset by borrowing the balance from a broker. It allows traders to increase their buying power, enabling larger positions with less upfront capital. While it can provide greater market exposure with less capital and amplify potential gains, it also comes with increased risks:
- Increased risk of losses, including exceeding initial investment
- Interest costs on borrowed funds
- Potential for margin calls requiring additional deposits
Make sure to analyze an asset thoroughly and test your strategy on a Paper Trading account to ensure you're ready to navigate these risks.
Commissions in trading are fees that brokers charge for executing trades on behalf of traders. These costs help brokers maintain their platforms, provide essential services, and ensure smooth access to financial markets.

Understanding commission structures is essential for traders, as fees can impact overall profitability. Choosing a broker with competitive rates and transparent pricing ensures cost-effective trading.