The best broker APIs for algo trading, and how to set each one up.
One guide per broker, ten to fifteen minutes each. Every key Firefly uses can place orders and read positions and can never withdraw. Pick yours, or read the comparison below first.
Which broker API is best for algo trading in India?
For an individual automating one account, the honest answer is whichever of Angel One or Zerodha you already hold, because both now meet SEBI's retail algo framework: static IP registration, trading-only keys and order tagging. Where they differ is cost and friction. Angel One SmartAPI has no monthly API fee, approves a trading app immediately and is the broker we recommend for Terra; open an account through fintrens.com/join if you do not have one (we are a referral partner and receive a fee; you pay nothing extra). Zerodha Kite Connect is the most mature API in India with the best documentation, free on the Personal plan for your own account, with a daily login token to manage.
And for US stocks and crypto?
For US equities, Alpaca is the simplest API to start on: commission-free, separate paper and live keys, no IP whitelisting, and it is what Nova uses by default. Interactive Brokers adds options, portfolio margin and global markets at the price of a more involved session-based login. For crypto, Binance Spot API keys with withdrawals disabled and an IP restriction are the standard; Meta runs on them. Whatever you choose, the rule is the same: the key may trade and read, never withdraw, and you should be able to revoke it in one click. The static IP guide covers the one requirement that trips most people up in India.
No broker account yet? Open an Angel One account — the smoothest API onboarding for Terra. We are an Angel One referral partner and receive a fee from them; you pay nothing extra. Another broker with an API? Ask us.