Save 69% with UniRateAPI. Get 593 currencies including forex, crypto & precious metals in one unified API.
You want forex, crypto, and metals under one key, and you're sensitive to CMC's $29 Hobbyist entry price. UniRate's $9 plan gives you 7× more requests plus forex and metals in one contract.
You need long-tail altcoin coverage (CMC indexes 2.4M+ assets) or you're already paying for their widget, content, or portfolio products and want one vendor. Their brand still carries weight in crypto newsroom citations.
Don't just compare sticker prices. Look at what you actually get for your money.
CoinMarketCap's Hobbyist plan has far fewer requests. You'd need their $79 Startup plan to approach our volume.
CoinMarketCap is crypto-only. You'd need a separate API for forex rates and precious metals.
Pay less and get more. Our $9 plan beats their $29 Hobbyist on both price and volume.
See how much you'd save by switching to UniRateAPI
Plus, you get time-series included (CoinMarketCap charges $29/mo for that)!
Head-to-head on the four fields that matter most.
| Field | UniRateAPI | CoinMarketCap |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 200 requests/day (6,000/month) | 10,000 calls/month |
| Paid entry price | $9/mo — 750,000 req/mo | $29/mo — 110,000 req/mo |
| Rate limits / update frequency | Real-time, monthly quota (no daily cap) | Varies by plan |
| Historical depth | 1999-2026 | 12 months on Hobbyist |
Pricing verified April 2026 against CoinMarketCap public pricing page.
See what you'd actually pay for comparable features
| Plan | Price | Requests | Overage Rate | Time-Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | 10,000/month | N/A | |
| Hobbyist | $29/mo | 110,000/month | $0.0005/req | |
| Startup | $79/mo | 300,000/month | $0.0005/req | |
| Standard | $299/mo | 1,200,000/month | $0.0005/req |
To match UniRateAPI's features and request limits, you'd need CoinMarketCap's $79/mo plan.
| Feature | UniRateAPI | CoinMarketCap |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Price | $9/mo | $29/mo |
| API Requests/Month | 750,000 | 110,000 |
| Time-Series Endpoint | Included | Requires $29/mo |
| Currencies | 593 | 2.4M+ assets |
| Cryptocurrency Support | 420+ | Comprehensive (2.4M+ crypto assets) |
| Precious Metals | Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium | No |
| Free Tier | 200 requests/day | 10,000 calls/month |
| Historical Data | 1999-2026 | 12 months on Hobbyist |
CoinMarketCap doesn’t cover all four LBMA metals in one key. UniRateAPI does — live XAU/XAG/XPT/XPD spot, 36–58 years of history, $9/mo bundled with forex and crypto.
UniRateAPI offers more value, better features, and lower costs compared to CoinMarketCap.
Our $9/mo plan offers 750,000 requests. CoinMarketCap's $29 Hobbyist plan only includes 110,000.
Get forex, crypto, and precious metals in one API. With CoinMarketCap, you'd need additional APIs for forex.
All our features are available on the $9 plan. CMC locks historical data depth behind higher tiers.
One price, all features. No complex credit systems or tiered endpoint access.
Here's what you might be missing with CoinMarketCap:
Switching from CoinMarketCap to UniRateAPI is straightforward. Our REST API follows industry standards, making migration simple.
Create your account in seconds, no credit card required.
Your API key is generated instantly upon registration.
Simply update your API endpoint and start using UniRateAPI.
Curated by relevance to CoinMarketCap — same category or closest competitor set.
Join thousands of developers who chose UniRateAPI for reliable, affordable currency data.