Broker APIs
The API is cheap. The data is not.
Trading APIs are often free while the market-data feed is not — and most real strategies need the data. Here is what each one actually costs.
| Broker | Trading API | Market data | Expired options history |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dhan | ₹0 | ₹499/mo | ✓ Available |
| Fyers | Free | Free | × Not offered |
| Upstox | ₹10 per executed order | — | ✓ Available |
| Angel One | Free | Free | × Not offered |
| Zerodha | ₹2,000/mo | Extra | Not verified |
| Alice Blue | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| ICICI Direct | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
The free-API trap
A free trading API tells you almost nothing. Most strategies need historical and live market data, and that is where the cost sits. The “free” and the “₹499” you see quoted are usually two different products at the same broker.
If you backtest options
Only 2 of the 7 brokers here are confirmed to serve history for expired options contracts. Without it you cannot test an options strategy against what actually happened — and this is the field comparison tables leave out most often.
Per-broker guides — authentication flow, rate limits, instrument coverage and known gaps — are being written. Pricing captured 10 Aug 2026 and changes often; confirm on the broker’s own page.