Unusual Whales API
unusualwhales.com
Developer access to Unusual Whales options flow, dark pool, Greek exposure and congressional data via REST, WebSocket and MCP, with a one-week trial.
What it is
The Unusual Whales API is the programmatic side of the Unusual Whales dashboard. It exposes more than 100 endpoints covering options flow, dark pool prints, Greek exposure, volatility, congressional trading and more, over a REST interface with bearer-token authentication, WebSocket streaming, and an MCP server for connecting AI assistants such as Claude. Documentation includes an OpenAPI specification and a plain-text index written for AI tools.
It is a separate subscription from the retail dashboard. API Basic costs $150 a month and allows 40,000 requests a day with WebSocket access, real-time options flow, Nasdaq equities, dark pool data and a two-year historical lookback. API Advanced, at $375 a month, removes the daily request cap and adds a live CME futures tape over WebSocket plus premium endpoints for forex, commodities, economic indicators and digital currencies. The historical lookback is the same two years on both.
Before paying, note the licence: the page states that retail and API plans are for individual use. If you are building a product for other people, redistributing data or running it inside a company, the Business plans (from $625 a month, billed annually, including a Kafka streaming option) are the ones that cover it. Full historical option trades are a separate $250-a-month data product. A one-week free trial is offered on the API.
Key features
- 100+ REST endpoints
- Options flow, dark pool, congressional trades, Greek exposure, volatility and related market data, authenticated with a bearer token.
- WebSocket streaming
- Included on both API plans; Advanced adds a live CME futures tape over the same connection.
- MCP server and AI skills
- An MCP endpoint and a SKILL.md file let AI assistants query the data directly.
- Two-year history
- Both Basic and Advanced include a two-year historical lookback; complete historical option trades are sold separately.
- Premium endpoints
- Advanced adds forex, commodities, economic indicator and digital currency endpoints.
- Kafka for business
- Business plans offer Kafka streaming and commercial licensing for companies building products on the data.
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| API Basic | $150/mo | 40,000 requests a day, WebSocket, real-time flow, dark pool, 2-year lookback, MCP; one-week free trial |
| API Advanced | $375/mo | Unlimited daily requests, live CME futures tape, forex, commodities, economic and crypto endpoints |
| Business | From $625/mo, billed annually | Commercial licensing; Startup, Kafka streaming and Enterprise options |
Retail and API plans are for individual use; commercial use needs a Business plan. Historical option trades are a separate product at $250 a month. The Whale Bundle combines Retail Max, API access and other add-ons.
Free option: No permanent free API tier. API Basic has a one-week free trial before billing starts.
Checked September 25, 2026 on unusualwhales.com. Prices change; confirm on the provider's site before you subscribe.
Strengths
- Options flow, dark pool, Greek exposure and congressional data from one provider and one token
- WebSocket streaming is included from the entry plan, not reserved for enterprise
- An MCP server and AI-oriented docs make it quick to connect to an AI assistant
- OpenAPI specification available for generating client code
Limitations
- No permanent free tier; the entry plan is $150 a month after the trial
- Basic and Advanced are licensed for individual use only; products for others need a Business plan from $625 a month
- Historical lookback is two years on both plans; full historical option trades cost extra
- A dashboard subscription does not include API access
Good fit for
- Developers building personal options-flow bots, alerts or dashboards
- Traders who want to feed flow and dark pool data into their own models or AI tools
- Startups that need licensed options-flow data (on a Business plan)
Look elsewhere if
- Traders who only want to look at flow, not code against it (the dashboard is cheaper)
- Anyone needing raw exchange-level tick data across all asset classes at low cost
Compare
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Unusual Whales API questions
How much does the Unusual Whales API cost?
API Basic is $150 a month and API Advanced is $375 a month. Business plans for commercial use start at $625 a month, billed annually.
Is there a free trial of the Unusual Whales API?
Yes, API Basic comes with a one-week free trial. There is no permanent free API tier.
Does the Unusual Whales API have a WebSocket?
Yes. WebSocket streaming is included on both Basic and Advanced; Advanced also streams a live CME futures tape.
Can I use the Unusual Whales API in a commercial product?
Not on Basic or Advanced, which are for individual use. Commercial use and redistribution need a Business plan.
Does the API work with Claude or other AI assistants?
Yes. Unusual Whales runs an MCP server and publishes a SKILL.md file so AI assistants can query the data.
Written from Unusual Whales API's own website and documentation. All Trading Tools lists and compares tools; it does not recommend trades or give financial advice. Sources: unusualwhales.com/developers, unusualwhales.com/pricing?product=api, api.unusualwhales.com/docs.