Finnhub vs Currents API: full comparison for 2026
Quick verdict
Finnhub (3.6/5) edges ahead of Currents API (3.4/5) overall. Finnhub is the better choice for developers who need market data and news from one key. Currents API is the stronger option for students and hobbyists testing news features for free. The right pick depends on your budget, how much history you need and whether you need full text.
Finnhub vs Currents API: head-to-head summary
| Criterion | Finnhub | Currents API |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 | 2018 |
| HQ | New York, USA | Not publicly disclosed |
| Team size | Not publicly disclosed | Not publicly disclosed |
| Rating | 3.6 / 5 | 3.4 / 5 |
| Primary differentiator | Company news bundled with quotes, fundamentals and estimates | A free tier that developer roundups often single out as generous |
| Pricing model | Free key; paid market-data bundles | Free tier; monthly plans |
| Entry price | Varies by data bundle | $69/mo (third-party listing) |
| Formats & SDKs | REST API, JSON, WebSocket | REST API, JSON |
| Typical uses | Financial services, Research & academia | News & content apps, Research & academia |
Finnhub vs Currents API: overview
Finnhub
Finnhub is a New York fintech founded in 2018, according to CB Insights, that sells stock, forex and crypto data over REST and WebSocket, with staff reported in New York, Mumbai, Sydney and Ho Chi Minh City. News is one feature among many. A free key returns a year of North American company news and general market headlines at up to 60 calls a minute, but it is meant for personal, non-commercial use, and low-latency news streaming is a premium feature. Commercial data bundles are priced on Finnhub's site, with the All-in-One plan listed at $1,000 a month.
Currents API
Currents API has been running since about 2018 and offers latest-news and search endpoints with language, region and category filters. Developer roundups often recommend its free tier, but the quoted limit swings between 600 requests a day, 600 a month and 250 a day, and the free plan covers latest news only, with no historical search. One report lists paid plans from $69 a month for 75,000 requests (independently unverifiable). The operator, location and team are not stated anywhere public.
Features: Finnhub vs Currents API
| Capability | Finnhub | Currents API |
|---|---|---|
| Full article text | ✗ | ✗ |
| Historical archive | ✗ | ✗ |
| NLP enrichment | ✗ | ✗ |
| Story/event clustering | ✗ | ✗ |
| Licensed publisher content | ✗ | ✗ |
| Streaming or webhooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Free access | ✓ | ✓ |
Formats and SDKs: Finnhub vs Currents API
| Format / SDK | Finnhub | Currents API |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | ✓ | ✓ |
| Python SDK | ✓ | N/A |
| Node.js SDK | ✓ | N/A |
| Webhooks | N/A | N/A |
| WebSocket | ✓ | N/A |
| MCP server | N/A | N/A |
| S3/bulk delivery | N/A | N/A |
| BigQuery | N/A | N/A |
Pricing comparison: Finnhub vs Currents API
| Criterion | Finnhub | Currents API |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price | Varies by data bundle | $69/mo (third-party listing) |
| Pricing model | Free key; paid market-data bundles | Free tier; monthly plans |
| Access models | Free tier, Monthly plans | Free tier, Monthly plans |
| Price transparency | Quote only | Public price |
| Price tier | Enterprise / quote | Budget |
Who each API suits: Finnhub vs Currents API
| Dimension | Finnhub | Currents API |
|---|---|---|
| Buyer type | Individuals to enterprise | Individuals to enterprise |
| Typical uses | Financial services, Research & academia | News & content apps, Research & academia |
| Example use cases | Fintech prototypes that show news beside charts. Student and personal investing projects. | Coursework and hackathons. Prototype news feeds. |
| How you get access | Free tier | Free tier |
Finnhub vs Currents API: pros and cons
| Finnhub | |
|---|---|
| + | A generous free rate limit of 60 calls a minute |
| + | One key for prices, fundamentals and news keeps fintech prototypes simple |
| + | Official SDKs in many languages |
| + | WebSocket support for streaming quotes |
| - | News is basic, with headlines and summaries but no full text |
| - | The free key is non-commercial |
| - | The low-latency news stream is a premium add-on |
| Currents API | |
|---|---|
| + | The free tier is easy to get and well covered in tutorials |
| + | Simple endpoints for latest news and search |
| + | Several languages and regions |
| - | Published limits conflict between sources |
| - | The free plan has no historical search and bars commercial use |
| - | No identifiable operator or support commitments |
Who should choose Finnhub?
A typical fit: fintech prototypes that show news beside charts.
Company news bundled with quotes, fundamentals and estimates. Paid access is quote-based. Typical uses: Financial services, Research & academia.
Who should choose Currents API?
A typical fit: coursework and hackathons.
A free tier that developer roundups often single out as generous. Paid access starts at $69/mo (third-party listing). Typical uses: News & content apps, Research & academia.
Decision matrix: Finnhub vs Currents API
| Your situation | Recommended choice |
|---|---|
| You want to start free before paying | Both |
| Your budget is at the lower end | Currents API |
| You need full article text in the response | Neither returns full text |
| You need years of historical news | Neither offers a deep archive |
| You need licensed premium or wire content | Neither; look at Factiva, AP or LexisNexis |
| You are wiring news into an LLM agent | Both work through plain REST calls |
Use case fit: Finnhub vs Currents API
| Use case | Finnhub fit | Currents API fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial services | Strong | Limited | Finnhub |
| Research & academia | Strong | Strong | Both equally |
| News & content apps | Limited | Strong | Currents API |
Verdict: Finnhub vs Currents API
Finnhub (3.6/5) is the stronger overall choice as a news data source. Company news bundled with quotes, fundamentals and estimates.
Currents API (3.4/5) is worth a look if you need prototype news feeds. If your situation matches that, Currents API is a competitive option.
Related comparisons
Finnhub vs Currents API FAQ
Is Finnhub better than Currents API?
Finnhub (3.6/5) scores higher overall, but "better" depends on your use case. Finnhub's strongest advantage: a generous free rate limit of 60 calls a minute. Currents API's strongest advantage: the free tier is easy to get and well covered in tutorials.
How do Finnhub and Currents API differ in pricing?
Finnhub: free key; paid market-data bundles, priced by quote. Currents API: free tier; monthly plans, with paid access from $69/mo (third-party listing). Both offer some free access for testing.
Which is better for enterprise: Finnhub or Currents API?
Neither sells an enterprise contract. Neither carries licensed publisher content, so check copyright terms before republishing anything.
What are the main differences between Finnhub and Currents API?
What sets Finnhub apart: company news bundled with quotes, fundamentals and estimates. What sets Currents API apart: a free tier that developer roundups often single out as generous. They also differ on entry price (Varies by data bundle vs $69/mo (third-party listing)) and typical uses (Financial services, Research & academia vs News & content apps, Research & academia).
Verify all details directly with each API before making a decision.