Choose Narwhal API when
You need Narwhal's documented cross-domain data, explicit source and period semantics, and a shared REST and MCP quota rather than a market-data-only workflow.
Market data and streaming
Narwhal API vs Twelve Data
Twelve Data is a broad financial-market platform covering stocks, FX, crypto, funds, commodities, fundamentals, and technical indicators through REST and WebSocket APIs. Narwhal combines a smaller market-data surface with economics, SEC filing discovery, Palmoil, and public calendars through REST and MCP.
Decision
Choose Twelve Data for broad global instruments, intraday history, WebSocket streaming, technical indicators, or company fundamentals. Choose Narwhal when its published market coverage fits and you also need official-source economics, SEC filing metadata, Palmoil, holidays, or hosted MCP access under one contract.
Choose the alternative when
You need broad international instruments, real-time or intraday market data, WebSockets, crypto, funds, technical indicators, fundamentals, or spreadsheet integrations.
Evidence by requirement
Twelve Data has materially broader market coverage and streaming capability. Narwhal is compared on cross-domain contract fit, source transparency, and hosted MCP access.
| Requirement | Narwhal API | Twelve Data |
|---|---|---|
| Market breadth | A published catalogue of 102 common stocks plus FX rates and stored history. | Nearly one million instruments across stocks, FX, crypto, ETFs, mutual funds, commodities, and other asset classes. |
| Real-time delivery | Daily equity data with streaming for a smaller published set; current FX endpoints are available. | REST and WebSocket APIs cover real-time, delayed, intraday, and historical market data according to plan and market. |
| Beyond markets | Economics, SEC filing metadata, Palmoil, and public-holiday calendars share the account. | Fundamentals, corporate actions, analysis, technical indicators, and market reference data extend its market focus. |
| Interfaces | JSON REST and hosted MCP share authentication and quota. | REST, WebSocket, SDK, spreadsheet, JSON, and CSV workflows are documented. |
| Usage model | Plans use successful-request quotas shared across REST and MCP. | Plans use per-minute API credits and separate WebSocket credits; access varies by market and dataset. |
Sources and review date
The comparison uses Narwhal's current public contract and the following first-party competitor pages.
Reviewed:
Test Narwhal with the same job
Check the published coverage, inspect the response contract, and make a first request before choosing a provider.