Best Financial Data APIs Compared: FMP vs EODHD vs Polygon vs IEX (2026)
Compare the top financial data APIs: Financial Modeling Prep, EOD Historical Data, Polygon.io, and IEX Cloud across pricing, features, data coverage, and accuracy.
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For most use cases, EOD Historical Data offers the best combination of coverage, reliability, and price at $39.99/month, while Financial Modeling Prep leads for SEC filing and fundamental data at $49.99/month. Polygon.io is the best choice for real-time options data at $79.99/month, and IEX Cloud is the budget option at $9/month for basic US stock data. Ecomerate integrates multiple providers to deliver AI stock research without requiring direct API integration.
Key Takeaways
- • EODHD: Best overall value — $39.99/month, 100k calls/day, 80+ international exchanges, 100+ years of data.
- • FMP: Best for SEC filings — Income statements, balance sheets, cash flows from 10-K/10-Qs with excellent structure.
- • Polygon: Best for options data — Real-time NBBO options chains, trades, and Greeks at $79.99/month.
- • IEX Cloud: Best budget option — $9/month for basics, but limited to IEX exchange data only.
- • Ecomerate integrates FMP + EODHD + Polygon — No API integration needed; access all data through AI queries.
Deep Dive: Financial Modeling Prep
Financial Modeling Prep is the go-to choice for fundamental data extracted from SEC filings. Their API provides structured financial statements from 10-K and 10-Q filings: income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and key financial ratios, all normalized across companies and periods. This makes FMP ideal for AI analysis because the data is machine-readable and consistently structured.
Deep Dive: EOD Historical Data
EODHD is the most comprehensive option for multi-market coverage. With data from 80+ stock exchanges worldwide and 100+ years of historical data, it's the best choice for investors tracking international markets or performing long-term backtesting. Their API returns end-of-day price data, fundamental data, and market data with generous rate limits.
Deep Dive: Polygon.io and IEX Cloud
Polygon.io leads for real-time and historical options data with NBBO options chains, trade data, Greeks, and daily OHLCV data. At $79.99/month, it is the most expensive option but justified for options-focused users. IEX Cloud is the budget option at $9/month, but only captures trades on IEX exchange (~2-3% of US volume).
Why Ecomerate Uses Multiple Providers
Ecomerate's platform integrates FMP, EODHD, and Polygon, providing redundancy and best-in-class data for every use case. Users get all these data sources through a single AI interface. No API keys, no multi-provider integration, no rate limit juggling. Join the beta and ask the AI Analyst to analyze any stock.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best financial data API overall?
For most developers, EOD Historical Data (EODHD) offers the best balance of coverage, reliability, and pricing at $39.99/month. Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) is excellent for SEC filing data. Polygon.io leads for real-time options data at $79.99/month. IEX Cloud is best for low-cost ($9/month) basic US stock data.
Which financial data API has the best SEC filing data?
Financial Modeling Prep (FMP) has the most comprehensive SEC filing data, including income statements, balance sheets, cash flow statements, and key financial metrics extracted from 10-K and 10-Q filings. EODHD also provides fundamental data but with less depth on SEC filings specifically.
Which API is cheapest for stock market data?
IEX Cloud is cheapest at $9/month for basic US stock data, but data volume is limited to IEX exchange trades only. EODHD offers the best value at $39.99/month with comprehensive US and international coverage from 80+ exchanges.
Do I need a financial data API if I use Ecomerate?
For most investors, Ecomerate provides all the financial data you need through its AI interface. Ecomerate's backend connects to multiple providers (FMP, EODHD, Polygon) to deliver stock data, SEC filing analysis, and market data through the AI Analyst. You only need a direct API if building a custom application.
Which API has the best real-time options data?
Polygon.io offers the best real-time options data at $79.99/month with NBBO options chains, trades, and Greeks. IEX Cloud also provides options data but only from the IEX exchange.
How does Ecomerate use financial data APIs?
Ecomerate integrates FMP (SEC filing data), EODHD (historical prices and international data), and Polygon (real-time market data). This multi-provider approach ensures redundancy and best-in-class data for every use case through a single AI interface.