Alpha Vantage API Reference

Overview

Alpha Vantage provides APIs with free and paid entitlements for current and historical stock prices, forex rates, cryptocurrency data, technical indicators, and fundamental data (earnings, balance sheets, income statements). Covers global equities, ETFs, mutual funds, and commodities.

Base URL

https://www.alphavantage.co/query

All requests use a single endpoint with function parameter to select the data type.

Authentication

• API Key: REQUIRED. Get a free key at https://www.alphavantage.co/support/#api-key
• Pass as query parameter: &apikey=YOUR_KEY

Rate Limits

• Free tier: 25 requests per day for available free endpoints. Entitlement and per-minute quotas vary by plan; do not assume every documented function is free.
• Premium tiers available for higher limits (30, 75, 150+ calls/min).
• Exceeding limits returns a polite JSON message, not an error code.

Key Endpoints (by function parameter)

1. Stock Time Series

Intraday

GET /query?function=TIME_SERIES_INTRADAY&symbol={symbol}&interval={interval}&apikey={key}

Example:

https://www.alphavantage.co/query?function=TIME_SERIES_INTRADAY&symbol=AAPL&interval=5min&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Daily

GET /query?function=TIME_SERIES_DAILY&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Daily (Adjusted for splits/dividends)

GET /query?function=TIME_SERIES_DAILY_ADJUSTED&symbol=AAPL&outputsize=full&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Weekly / Monthly

GET /query?function=TIME_SERIES_WEEKLY_ADJUSTED&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=TIME_SERIES_MONTHLY_ADJUSTED&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Response (Daily):

{
  "Meta Data": {
    "1. Information": "Daily Prices (open, high, low, close) and Volumes",
    "2. Symbol": "AAPL",
    "3. Last Refreshed": "2024-11-01",
    "4. Output Size": "Compact",
    "5. Time Zone": "US/Eastern"
  },
  "Time Series (Daily)": {
    "2024-11-01": {
      "1. open": "228.6900",
      "2. high": "229.8600",
      "3. low": "225.8200",
      "4. close": "228.5200",
      "5. volume": "50423432"
    },
    "2024-10-31": {
      "1. open": "229.3400",
      "2. high": "230.2000",
      "3. low": "226.3700",
      "4. close": "227.5500",
      "5. volume": "51235678"
    }
  }
}

2. Stock Search (Symbol Lookup)

GET /query?function=SYMBOL_SEARCH&keywords={query}&apikey={key}

Example:

https://www.alphavantage.co/query?function=SYMBOL_SEARCH&keywords=microsoft&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Response:

{
  "bestMatches": [
    {
      "1. symbol": "MSFT",
      "2. name": "Microsoft Corporation",
      "3. type": "Equity",
      "4. region": "United States",
      "5. marketOpen": "09:30",
      "6. marketClose": "16:00",
      "7. timezone": "UTC-04",
      "8. currency": "USD",
      "9. matchScore": "1.0000"
    }
  ]
}

3. Global Quote (Real-Time Price)

GET /query?function=GLOBAL_QUOTE&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

The default quote updates at end of day. Real-time and delayed US quotes require the relevant entitlement; intraday, daily-adjusted and some indicators (including MACD) are premium. Check function-specific documentation before choosing a call.

Returns latest price, volume, change, change percent for a single symbol.

4. Forex (FX) Rates

Real-Time Exchange Rate

GET /query?function=CURRENCY_EXCHANGE_RATE&from_currency=USD&to_currency=EUR&apikey=YOUR_KEY

FX Time Series

GET /query?function=FX_DAILY&from_symbol=EUR&to_symbol=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=FX_WEEKLY&from_symbol=EUR&to_symbol=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=FX_MONTHLY&from_symbol=EUR&to_symbol=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=FX_INTRADAY&from_symbol=EUR&to_symbol=USD&interval=5min&apikey=YOUR_KEY

5. Cryptocurrency

Real-Time Exchange Rate

GET /query?function=CURRENCY_EXCHANGE_RATE&from_currency=BTC&to_currency=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Crypto Time Series

GET /query?function=DIGITAL_CURRENCY_DAILY&symbol=BTC&market=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=DIGITAL_CURRENCY_WEEKLY&symbol=BTC&market=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=DIGITAL_CURRENCY_MONTHLY&symbol=BTC&market=USD&apikey=YOUR_KEY

6. Technical Indicators

GET /query?function={INDICATOR}&symbol={symbol}&interval={interval}&time_period={n}&series_type={type}&apikey={key}

*Required for most indicators; some (like MACD, BBANDS) have additional parameters.

Common Indicator Functions: SMA, EMA, WMA, DEMA, TEMA, VWAP, RSI, MACD, STOCH, ADX, CCI, AROON, BBANDS, AD, OBV, ATR, WILLR, MOM

Example -- RSI (14-day):

https://www.alphavantage.co/query?function=RSI&symbol=AAPL&interval=daily&time_period=14&series_type=close&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Example -- MACD:

https://www.alphavantage.co/query?function=MACD&symbol=AAPL&interval=daily&series_type=close&apikey=YOUR_KEY

7. Fundamental Data

Company Overview

GET /query?function=OVERVIEW&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Returns: market cap, PE ratio, EPS, dividend yield, 52-week high/low, sector, description, and ~60 other fields.

Income Statement

GET /query?function=INCOME_STATEMENT&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Balance Sheet

GET /query?function=BALANCE_SHEET&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Cash Flow

GET /query?function=CASH_FLOW&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Earnings

GET /query?function=EARNINGS&symbol=AAPL&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Returns both annual and quarterly earnings (EPS, estimated EPS, surprise).

8. Commodities & Economic Indicators

GET /query?function=WTI&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=BRENT&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=NATURAL_GAS&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=COPPER&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=ALUMINUM&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=WHEAT&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=CORN&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=COTTON&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=SUGAR&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=COFFEE&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Economic indicators:

GET /query?function=REAL_GDP&interval=quarterly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=CPI&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=INFLATION&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=RETAIL_SALES&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=UNEMPLOYMENT&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=FEDERAL_FUNDS_RATE&interval=monthly&apikey=YOUR_KEY
GET /query?function=TREASURY_YIELD&interval=monthly&maturity=10year&apikey=YOUR_KEY

Notes

• All values are returned as strings in JSON.
• JSON keys use numbered prefixes (e.g., "1. open", "2. high").
• Time series data is keyed by date/timestamp strings, not arrays.
• When rate limited, the API returns: {"Note": "Thank you for using Alpha Vantage! ..."}
• For outputsize=full, daily data goes back 20+ years.
• datatype=csv is available only on endpoints that document it. Inspect JSON Information, Note, and Error Message fields even after HTTP 200.
• Free tier is very restrictive (25/day). For production use, a premium key is recommended.