Databento is a market data platform designed for U.S.-based traders, offering real-time and historical data from over 60 trading venues like NASDAQ, NYSE, and CME. It features direct exchange feeds, low-latency APIs, and a flexible pricing model starting at $199/month. QuantVPS complements Databento by providing ultra-low latency hosting for automated trading, with plans ranging from $59 to $299/month. Together, these platforms cater to traders needing precise data and fast execution.
Key Points:
- Databento: Direct exchange feeds, nanosecond timestamps, and $125 in free credits for new users.
- QuantVPS: Sub-1ms latency, 99.999% uptime, and compatibility with major trading platforms.
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | Databento | QuantVPS |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Market data | Low-latency hosting |
| Pricing | Starts at $199/month | $59–$299/month |
| Latency | 6.1 microseconds (data normalization) | Sub-1ms (execution) |
| Key Strength | Direct exchange feeds | Ultra-low latency infrastructure |
| Suitable For | Data-heavy traders | Execution-focused traders |
Databento is ideal for strategy development and backtesting, while QuantVPS excels in execution speed. Combining both can optimize trading workflows.
Disrupting the financial data industry | Databento
1. Databento
Databento provides U.S. traders with extensive market data, offering both real-time and historical information for U.S. equities. Covering 15 exchanges and 30 Alternative Trading Systems (ATSs), the platform supports over 21,000 products and 3 million symbols. This includes major venues like NASDAQ, NYSE, and Cboe, ensuring a comprehensive market overview.
What sets Databento apart is its use of direct exchange feeds. Instead of relying on Securities Information Processors (SIPs), the platform sources data directly from exchanges, resulting in full order book depth, auction imbalance data, and ultra-low latency. Databento processes data with an impressive 6.1-microsecond normalization latency and maintains 99.99% uptime.
Data Schemas and Granularity
Databento supports a variety of data schemas, such as Market by Order (MBO) for reconstructing the full order book, Market by Price (MBP) for aggregated depth, as well as trades data, OHLCV bars, and imbalance information. All of this comes with nanosecond-level timestamps. The platform’s API can replay every U.S. equities trade, quote, and order at speeds of up to 19.2 million ticks per second, making it ideal for high-intensity backtesting. Additionally, Databento provides corporate actions data, including splits, dividends, and merger details.
This comprehensive data offering is paired with flexible pricing options, making it accessible to a range of users.
Pricing Structure and Value Proposition
Databento addresses a key industry challenge: high exchange license fees. Its "Databento US Equities Mini" plan offers real-time top-of-book data without these fees for any active subscription. This feature is particularly appealing to smaller trading firms and individual quantitative traders who previously found institutional-grade data out of reach.
The Standard plan, priced at $199 per month, includes unlimited access to seven years of OHLCV history, 12 months of Level 0 and Level 1 historical data across 12 schemas, and one month of Level 2 (MBP-10) and Level 3 (MBO, Imbalance) history. It also provides live data without requiring exchange license fees.
"With Databento, I can get anything I want in 5 minutes. The data quality, flexible formats, and competitive pricing policy have set Databento apart."
- Nikita Ostroverkhov, Algo Trading, MA Investments
Integration Capabilities
Databento offers a developer-friendly experience with client libraries for Python, C++, and Rust. For other programming languages, users can utilize the HTTP API for historical and reference data or the Raw API for live feeds. The Live API also supports intraday replay, allowing traders to request data from a specific start time within the last 24 hours, which is invaluable for backtesting and refining strategies.
Both the live and historical APIs use the same schemas, datasets, and symbology, ensuring a seamless transition from research to production.
Business Credibility and Market Position
Databento’s reputation is bolstered by its strong client base and investor backing. The platform serves over 3,000 leading firms and high-growth startups and has raised more than $27 million in funding, reflecting confidence in its technology and business model.
Professionals in the industry have praised Databento’s approach. Michael Tung of Belvedere Trading remarked, "Databento’s advanced technology and highly customizable market data offerings are going to be a game changer for a wide variety of market data users across the ever-evolving financial industry."
"Finally a vendor that knows what they are doing because […] they occupied the same seat as their target customers."
- Paul Aston, Founder, Tixall Global Advisors, LLC
Databento’s technical strengths further solidify its position. With a median latency of 590 microseconds for real-time stock data and the capability to normalize 16 petabytes of market data, the platform is built for serious quantitative trading operations.
For traders needing Level 2 or Level 3 data, Databento offers feeds like Nasdaq TotalView-ITCH, which provides granular order book details essential for advanced trading strategies. Whether it’s brokerage firms seeking indicative best bid and offer (BBO) data or hedge funds requiring full market depth reconstruction, Databento caters to a diverse range of use cases.
2. QuantVPS
QuantVPS is all about ultra-low latency hosting for automated trading. With a lightning-fast latency of under 0.52ms to the CME from its Chicago data center near the CME Group, it’s built for traders who need speed. To give you an idea of its scale, over $14.48 billion in trades flowed through its low-latency servers in just 24 hours as of July 11, 2025.
Infrastructure and Performance Specifications
QuantVPS’s infrastructure is built for reliability and speed, using enterprise-level hardware like AMD EPYC processors, NVMe storage, and plenty of RAM. This setup ensures smooth, around-the-clock operation for trading bots and automated systems. The platform boasts 99.999% uptime and offers a 1Gbps+ network connection, with bursts up to 10Gbps. Security is a major focus, with DDoS protection and advanced firewalls safeguarding trading operations. Plus, traders can securely access their environment from any device, so managing strategies is always convenient.
Trading Platform Compatibility
QuantVPS works seamlessly with all major futures trading platforms, including NinjaTrader, MetaTrader 4/5, TradeStation, Quantower, and Tradovate. Its infrastructure is fine-tuned for these platforms, and pre-configured environments make setup a breeze. Tom Leeson, CEO of AlgoTradingSystems.net, had this to say about the platform:
"QuantVPS delivers unmatched performance, reliability, and stability, making them the ideal choice for our demanding automated trading systems."
AlgoTradingSystems.net has even partnered with QuantVPS to provide pre-installed trading strategies, offering traders a ready-to-go solution for deploying automated systems. This compatibility, paired with its straightforward pricing tiers, makes QuantVPS a reliable option for traders of all levels.
Pricing Structure and Value Tiers
QuantVPS offers a clear pricing model with four tiers designed to meet different trading needs:
| Plan | Monthly Cost | Cores | RAM | Storage | Multi-Monitor Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VPS Lite | $59 | 4x AMD EPYC | 8GB DDR4 | 70GB NVMe | Up to 1 monitor |
| VPS Pro | $99 | 6x AMD EPYC | 16GB DDR4 | 150GB NVMe | Up to 2 monitors |
| VPS Ultra | $199 | 24x AMD EPYC | 64GB DDR4 | 500GB NVMe | Up to 4 monitors |
| Dedicated | $299 | 12x+ AMD Ryzen | 128GB DDR4/5 | 2TB+ NVMe | Up to 6 monitors |
All plans come with 24/7 expert technical support, automatic backups, and access to data centers in both Chicago and New York. Whether you’re running a couple of charts on the VPS Lite plan or conducting heavy backtesting on the Dedicated plan, there’s an option tailored to your trading complexity.
User Experience and Support Quality
For traders relying on Databento’s market data, QuantVPS provides a stable, low-latency environment that ensures both speed and reliability. The platform has earned an "Excellent" rating on Trustpilot, scoring 4.8/5 based on 259 reviews. Users frequently praise its reliability and the noticeable speed improvements over traditional setups. As one trader, Jayden Ingram, shared:
"Never realized how much latency was eating into my profits until I switched. My fill speed is next-level now."
Support is another strong point. QuantVPS offers help through tickets, live chat, and a detailed knowledge base. This ensures traders get quick assistance, whether they’re setting up or troubleshooting complex automated strategies. For those using market data platforms like Databento, QuantVPS’s robust infrastructure is a game-changer, enabling seamless handling of high-frequency data feeds and rapid backtesting without the limitations of home-based setups.
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Strengths and Weaknesses
Databento and QuantVPS work together to meet two critical needs in modern trading: reliable market data and ultra-low latency execution. Below, we break down their key strengths and limitations, offering a closer look at how they address these demands.
Databento’s Key Strengths
High-Quality Market Data
Databento provides top-tier market data directly from exchanges, spanning over 60 venues, 3+ million symbols, 15 U.S. exchanges, and 30 ATSs – all under a single plan. By using direct proprietary feeds instead of traditional SIPs, Databento ensures accurate trade signs, odd lot quotations, full order book visibility, auction imbalance data, and reduced latency.
Rick Zhan, VP of Quant Research at a quant hedge fund managing $50 billion+, shared his experience:
"The documentation is awesome. It’s easy to read, clean, and modern."
Flexible and Transparent Pricing
Databento offers both pay-as-you-go and subscription options, catering to different user needs. New users also benefit from $125 in free credits. Its "mini-NBBO" feed eliminates costly exchange license fees, making it a budget-friendly choice for traders.
Developer-Focused Features
With a seamless self-service onboarding process and robust APIs for Python, C++, and Rust, Databento empowers traders to quickly access the data they need without hassle. Nikita Ostroverkhov from MA Investments highlighted this advantage:
"With Databento, I can get anything I want in 5 minutes. The data quality, flexible formats, and competitive pricing policy have set Databento apart."
Databento’s Limitations
Inconsistent Data at Times
There can be occasional mismatches between official exchange statistics and data derived from electronic trading sessions. These discrepancies may affect backtesting accuracy. Additionally, slight variations in timestamp publication times can introduce biases, requiring careful handling.
Feed Timing Issues
Delays in certain feeds, such as the Nasdaq TotalView-ITCH feed’s B-side lagging behind the A-side, can create timing inconsistencies. Traders need to implement robust logic to handle delayed packets and maintain reliable operations.
Limited Coverage in Credit Markets
While Databento excels in equities, its coverage of the credit market is less comprehensive. Alex Reyfman commented on this gap:
"Portfolio and risk management in equities are ahead of credit, largely due to the availability of high-quality data. In equities, firms can access clean, reliable market data from providers like Databento. In credit, that’s not the case."
QuantVPS’s Key Strengths
Blazing Fast Latency
QuantVPS offers ultra-low latency, clocking in at under 1ms from its Chicago data center. With 99.999% uptime and network speeds exceeding 1Gbps (with bursts up to 10Gbps), it ensures reliable and rapid execution.
Broad Platform Compatibility
QuantVPS supports all major trading platforms, including NinjaTrader, MetaTrader 4/5, and TradeStation. Pre-configured environments simplify setup, while dependable hardware ensures smooth performance.
Highly Rated Customer Support
QuantVPS enjoys a strong reputation for customer service, boasting a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot based on 259 reviews.
QuantVPS’s Limitations
Fixed Pricing Model
QuantVPS operates on a fixed monthly pricing structure, ranging from $59 to $299. This may not suit traders with fluctuating needs or those who only require occasional access.
No Market Data Services
QuantVPS focuses solely on hosting and execution. Traders must source market data separately, which can add complexity and increase costs.
Less Scalable for Heavy Data Needs
For traders handling extensive historical data processing, QuantVPS may not match the scalability of platforms dedicated to market data. The choice ultimately depends on whether execution speed or data breadth is the higher priority.
Final Assessment
After delving into the detailed comparison, the ultimate decision boils down to your trading priorities. Instead of trying to use both platforms for overlapping purposes, align your choice with the specific needs of your trading approach.
Databento shines for data-heavy operations. With access to over 60 venues, 3 million symbols, and a staggering 16 PB of historical data, it’s a powerhouse for quantitative research, backtesting, and firms that demand deep market insights. Its nanosecond timestamps and direct proprietary feeds are especially valuable for high-frequency traders who rely on precision. The platform’s flexible, usage-based pricing model – plus $125 in free credits for new users – makes it a practical option for smaller traders or firms looking to test strategies before scaling up.
QuantVPS excels in execution speed and dependability. If your focus is on minimizing order execution latency, QuantVPS delivers consistent performance and reliable uptime. Its compatibility with major trading platforms like NinjaTrader, MetaTrader 4/5, and TradeStation makes it a strong choice for both discretionary traders and automated systems that require stable and fast execution.
For algorithmic traders, Databento’s extensive data coverage supports the development of sophisticated strategies. Brett Harrison, founder of Architect, highlights its value:
"I’ve worked with many third-party financial data providers over the years – Reuters, Activ, Bloomberg, Exegy, Redline, Quanthouse, Quincy – but Databento is the first market data provider I have ever seen that is truly an ‘as-a-service’ solution for professional-grade market data."
On the other hand, day traders and scalpers, who prioritize execution speed over historical data, may find QuantVPS’s infrastructure better suited to their needs.
Databento’s pricing structure adapts to individual traders with lower costs for light use, scaling up for data-intensive operations. In contrast, QuantVPS offers predictable monthly pricing ($59–$299), which simplifies budgeting.
For traders looking to optimize their performance, combining both platforms can be a game-changer. Use Databento for strategy development, backtesting, and market research, and rely on QuantVPS for live execution where low latency is critical. This approach ensures seamless performance across the entire trading workflow, from research to execution.
FAQs
What sets Databento’s market data apart from traditional providers?
Databento simplifies the process of working with market data by providing standardized schemas and consistent data formats. This approach eliminates much of the hassle typically encountered with traditional providers, allowing users to easily integrate and analyze various data types.
The platform is also built with flexibility and reliability in mind, making it a perfect fit for quantitative traders, backtesters, and developers of automated trading systems. By streamlining access to high-quality market data, Databento helps users save time and overcome technical challenges.
How does Databento’s pricing model support smaller trading firms and individual traders?
Databento’s pay-as-you-go pricing model offers a practical and cost-conscious solution, especially for smaller trading firms and individual traders. Instead of demanding a hefty upfront payment, this model lets users pay only for the data they actually use, helping them keep expenses under control.
This setup works particularly well for those who are new to trading or working with limited budgets. It ensures access to reliable market data without straining financial resources. Plus, as your trading activities expand, you can seamlessly adjust your data usage without worrying about restrictive contracts or inflated costs.
Does Databento support different programming languages for traders with varying technical skills?
Databento is built to cater to traders with varying levels of technical know-how. With support for several programming languages via its Raw API, HTTP API, and client libraries, it provides the tools needed to seamlessly integrate its data into any workflow. Whether you’re a seasoned programmer or just starting out, Databento ensures compatibility with your preferred coding language.
