Alpaca vs Coinbase on TradersPost

Alpaca and Coinbase differ on 13 of 21 points TradersPost compares: authentication, stocks, stock options, short selling and 9 more. Both support crypto, market orders, limit orders, stop limit orders and modify open orders.

Alpaca Coinbase

  • Authentication

    OAuth

    OAuth or API key

  • Stocks

    Supported

    Not supported

  • Stock Options

    Supported

    Not supported

  • Short selling

    Partial

    All but Crypto

    Not supported

  • Fractional quantity

    Partial

    All but Stock Options

    Supported

  • Stop orders

    Limited

    Crypto: Stop-limit only. Plain stop orders are not offered.

    Limited

    Stop-limit only. Plain stop orders are not offered.

  • Trailing stops

    Partial

    All but Crypto and Stock Options

    Not supported

  • Bracket orders

    Partial

    All but Crypto and Stock Options

    Not supported

  • Day orders

    Partial

    All but Crypto

    Not supported

  • Good till canceled orders

    Partial

    All but Stock Options

    Supported

  • Immediate or cancel orders

    Partial

    All but Stock Options

    Supported

  • Fill or kill orders

    Partial

    All but Crypto and Stock Options

    Supported

  • Paper accounts

    Supported

    Not supported

Alpaca: short selling and day orders aren't available on crypto.

Alpaca: fractional quantity, good till canceled orders and immediate or cancel orders aren't available on stock options.

Alpaca: trailing stops, bracket orders and fill or kill orders aren't available on crypto and stock options.

Same on both 5

  • Crypto
  • Market orders
  • Limit orders
  • Stop limit orders
  • Modify open orders

Neither supports 3

  • Index Options
  • Futures
  • Trailing stop attached to entry

Link to this comparison /compare/connections/alpaca-vs-coinbase

See order support for every connection

Brokers change their rules, so check their docs before you connect. TradersPost does not recommend a broker.

Worth knowing about each

Alpaca

  • Alpaca does not accept index-option orders through TradersPost. Use stock or ETF options, or a broker that lists index options.
  • Complex order classes (OCO, OTO, bracket) are not sent for Alpaca crypto or options.
  • Crypto on Alpaca is long-only through TradersPost. Trailing stops are not sent for Alpaca options.

View Alpaca connection View Alpaca docs

Coinbase

  • Spot crypto only.
  • Dust above the tradable minimum still counts toward max strategy positions.

View Coinbase connection View Coinbase docs

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