# Is Alpaca Trading API safe to connect to an AI agent?

> Is Alpaca Trading API safe for an AI agent? Can trade unattended. Safety 50%. Safeguards and gaps, each from official sources, checked 2026-10-26.

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# Is Alpaca Trading API safe to connect to an AI agent?

**Can trade unattended.** [Safety 50%](https://tradingagentstack.com/safety-score/) Can trade unattended. Built from our sourced listing, last checked 2026-10-26. Not financial advice.

## What an AI agent can do

- **Live vs paper:** live and paper [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

- **Order approval:** n/a [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

- **Markets:** US stocks, ETFs, options, crypto

- **Pricing:** free Basic data plan (real-time IEX; SIP history older than 15 min); Algo Trader Plus $99/mo (all US exchanges + OPRA); no separate ~$9 unlimited SIP-style plan for new Trading API subscribers

## Safeguards that exist

- **Paper, demo or testnet mode:** Paper, demo or testnet mode available [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

- **Withdrawal permission needed or allowed:** Trading API can't withdraw: deposits and withdrawals are handled in the web dashboard, not via the API (official docs) [source](https://alpaca.markets/learn/fund-live-trading-account)

- **Scoped keys, permission scopes or IP whitelisting:** OAuth apps request scopes (account:write, trading, data); access is read-only unless a scope grants more (official docs) [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/using-oauth2-and-trading-api)

## Safeguards that are missing

- **Can it place live orders unattended?:** Can place live orders with no documented approval step [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

- **Order approval or confirmation options:** No approval or limit option in our listing [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

- **Open source or audited:** No public source code in our listing [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

## Safety score

[Safety 50%](https://tradingagentstack.com/safety-score/) Can trade unattended. Not a ranking; affiliate links never affect it. [How it's calculated](https://tradingagentstack.com/safety-score/)

| Input | From our listing | Points |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Can it place live orders unattended? | Can place live orders with no documented approval step | 0 / 25 |
| Order approval or confirmation options | No approval or limit option in our listing | 0 / 15 |
| Paper, demo or testnet mode | Paper, demo or testnet mode available | 15 / 15 |
| Withdrawal permission needed or allowed | Trading API can't withdraw: deposits and withdrawals are handled in the web dashboard, not via the API (official docs) [source](https://alpaca.markets/learn/fund-live-trading-account) | 15 / 15 |
| Scoped keys, permission scopes or IP whitelisting | OAuth apps request scopes (account:write, trading, data); access is read-only unless a scope grants more (official docs) [source](https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/using-oauth2-and-trading-api) | 10 / 10 |
| Open source or audited | No public source code in our listing | 0 / 10 |
| Sourced and verified facts | Facts from the vendor's official docs | 10 / 10 |
| Total | 50% of the points we could check | **50 / 100** |

## Sources

- [https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api](https://docs.alpaca.markets/us/docs/about-market-data-api)

- [https://alpaca.markets/learn/fund-live-trading-account](https://alpaca.markets/learn/fund-live-trading-account)

- [https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/using-oauth2-and-trading-api](https://docs.alpaca.markets/docs/using-oauth2-and-trading-api)

Full listing: [Alpaca Trading API](https://tradingagentstack.com/tool/alpaca-trading-api/) · How the score works: [Safety score method](https://tradingagentstack.com/safety-score/) · [Alpaca API vs Interactive Brokers API](https://tradingagentstack.com/compare/alpaca-api-vs-ibkr-api/)

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