CoinGecko vs CoinMarketCap API: plans, credits and x402
Updated 2026-11-01 · listed A to Z, not ranked
CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap are the two best-known crypto price and market data sites, and both sell an API. Both now also run x402 endpoints, where an AI agent pays per request in USDC with no API key.
Listed A to Z, from coingecko.com/en/api/pricing, docs.coingecko.com, coinmarketcap.com/api/pricing and CMC’s x402 page on Nov 1, 2026. Our own daily check of each x402 endpoint is shown below the table.
- Paid plans (monthly)
- Basic $35 (100k call credits); Analyst $129 (500k); Lite $499 (2M); Pro from $999 (5M+)
- x402 pay per request
- $0.005 USDC per request on Base, Solana or Polygon
- x402 endpoints
- Simple price, on-chain token price, pool search, trending pools, token data by address
- Notes
- x402 endpoints are marked experimental; CoinGecko recommends subscription endpoints for production
- Paid plans (monthly)
- Builder $29 (150K call credits); Startup $79 (450K); Growth $299 (2M); Professional $699 (5M); Enterprise custom
- x402 pay per request
- $0.01 USDC per request
- x402 endpoints
- Quotes latest, listings latest, DEX pair quotes, DEX search, MCP
- Notes
- x402 rate limit 30 requests/min per wallet
How we checked: Plan prices (monthly billing) and x402 prices are quoted from each official page on Nov 1, 2026; both say x402 pricing can change, and the live price is in each 402 response. Confirm with the provider before you buy.
Measured by us: the x402 endpoints
We call these x402 endpoints daily without paying and read the HTTP 402 reply. Not a ranking.
- CoinGecko: Up · $0.005 per call on Base · checked Nov 9, 2026, 10:50 AM ET · status
- CoinMarketCap: Up · no fixed price in the 402 · checked Nov 9, 2026, 10:50 AM ET · status
How they differ for an agent
- Subscription vs per call. A monthly plan fits steady, high volume. x402 fits an agent that makes occasional calls and should not hold an API key: it pays each request from a wallet.
- Coverage on x402. CoinGecko’s x402 set leans on on-chain token and pool data; CoinMarketCap’s covers its quotes and listings plus DEX data and an MCP endpoint.
- Networks. CoinGecko lists Base, Solana and Polygon for x402 payments. When we verified CoinMarketCap’s listing (Oct 22, 2026), its 402 offered payment on Base and BNB Chain.
FAQ
How do CoinGecko API and CoinMarketCap API prices compare?
It depends on volume and endpoint. On Nov 1, 2026 the entry plans were CoinGecko Basic at $35 a month for 100k call credits and CoinMarketCap Builder at $29 for 150K. Per request over x402, CoinGecko listed $0.005 and CoinMarketCap $0.01 USDC.
Can I use CoinGecko or CoinMarketCap without an API key?
Yes, through their x402 endpoints: the endpoint answers with HTTP 402 and a price, your client pays in USDC and retries. CoinGecko inserts /x402/ after /v3/ in supported paths; CoinMarketCap lists its x402 paths on its API page.
Are these x402 endpoints up right now?
We check each one daily without paying. See the live status pages for CoinGecko and CoinMarketCap linked on this page.
Sources (official pages, read 2026-11-01)
- coingecko.com
- coingecko.com/en/api/pricing
- docs.coingecko.com/docs/x402
- coinmarketcap.com
- coinmarketcap.com/api/pricing
- coinmarketcap.com/api/documentation/x402
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