SkillFoxx

Alpaca MCP Server

Alpaca's official MCP server: orders for stocks, ETFs, crypto and options, position management and market data in plain language

  • 1,078 ★ on the repository
  • Last commit
  • MIT
MCP serverOfficialEditors’ pick

Broad access

Why this level

  • In live mode it places real orders, with a risk of money loss
  • You must check paper versus live mode before use
  • It requires secret API keys and access to the portfolio
All reasons and checks

alpacahq/alpaca-mcp-serverAuthor:Alpaca

Install

Manual install

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alpaca": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["alpaca-mcp-server"],
      "env": {
        "ALPACA_API_KEY": "your_alpaca_api_key",
        "ALPACA_SECRET_KEY": "your_alpaca_secret_key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Paper mode is on by default.

Access and checks

How we review

Broad accessThe tool can change data, run commands or handle secrets.

  • In live mode it places real orders, with a risk of money loss
  • You must check paper versus live mode before use
  • It requires secret API keys and access to the portfolio

This is third-party code. Review the repository files before installing.

What it does

The server connects an AI client to Alpaca's trading API and lets you manage an account in plain language. Its tools place market, limit, stop and trailing orders for stocks, ETFs, crypto and options, cancel orders, view and close positions, read portfolio history, manage watchlists, look up assets, the market calendar, corporate actions and news. A separate block is market data: quotes, trades, bars and snapshots, including option Greeks and implied volatility. Paper mode is on by default; live trading must be enabled explicitly.

Who it is for. For traders and developers with an Alpaca account who build trading workflows and analytics through an agent.

Good fit when

  • You test trading ideas on an Alpaca paper account
  • You need market data and snapshots for stocks, crypto and options
  • You manage orders and positions through an AI client

Not a fit when

  • You are not ready for the risk of real trades and money loss in live mode
  • You have not checked whether paper or live mode is on
  • You plan to expose the server to the internet with keys and no protection

Example request

Show the balance and buying power on the paper account, then the latest AAPL quote

MCP

Transport
stdio, http
Authentication
API key

Environment variables

ALPACA_API_KEY required, secret
Alpaca account API key.
ALPACA_SECRET_KEY required, secret
Alpaca account secret key.
ALPACA_PAPER_TRADE
Defaults to true for paper mode. Setting false enables live trading.
ALPACA_TOOLSETS
Comma-separated list of toolsets to restrict the available operations.

Limitations

It needs Alpaca API keys, set in the MCP client config. ALPACA_PAPER_TRADE defaults to true; live trading sets it to false, so the mode must be checked before use. The server can place real orders and sees the portfolio, and keys are sensitive. The package does not configure remote MCP authentication, so it must not be exposed to the internet with keys. Alpaca account availability depends on jurisdiction.

How to disable. Remove the alpaca entry from the MCP client config and restart it. Revoke the API keys in the Alpaca dashboard.

FAQ

Can the server spend real money?

Yes, if paper mode is off. By default ALPACA_PAPER_TRADE is true; live trading sets it to false, so the mode matters.

Is this Alpaca's official server?

Yes. The repository belongs to alpacahq, the package is on PyPI and runs through uvx.

Discussion

No questions or reviews yet.

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Comparison with similar tools

Cards that share the main search query, and how they differ.

ToolOfficialAuthenticationRepository starsMain difference
Alpaca MCP Server (this card)yesAPI key1,078
EVM MCP Servernokey is optional379an MCP server for EVM networks
The Trader skillno1,732Claude plugin for reading investor filings, sizing portfolio positions and preparing orders for a separate brokerage connector

README in short

The README covers the v2 server built on FastMCP and OpenAPI, the differences from v1 and setup for Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, PyCharm, Claude Code and Docker. Configuration is through environment variables only: keys, the paper flag and toolset filtering. It lists capabilities for account, orders, positions, watchlists, assets and market data, plus a large set of example prompts and tools. It has separate sections on security, a risk disclosure and the note that live mode is enabled explicitly.

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