Alpaca MCP Server

@jwaresolutions

About Alpaca MCP Server

No overview available yet

Config

Add this server to your MCP-compatible client using the configuration below.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "alpaca": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": [
        "/path/to/alpaca-server/build/index.js"
      ],
      "env": {
        "ALPACA_API_KEY": "",
        "ALPACA_SECRET_KEY": "",
        "ALPACA_BASE_URL": ""
      }
    }
  }
}

Tools

No tools detected

We auto-extract tools from the README. The maintainer can list them under a ## Tools heading to populate this section.

Overview

What is Alpaca MCP Server?

Alpaca MCP Server is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides seamless integration between the Alpaca Trading API and AI assistants or development tools. It allows users to manage trading accounts, view positions, get market data, and handle orders through MCP-compatible interfaces like Claude Desktop or Cline/Claude Dev Tools.

How to use Alpaca MCP Server?

Install the alpaca-trade-api Python package, clone the repository, and set environment variables for your Alpaca API credentials (APCA_API_KEY_ID, APCA_API_SECRET_KEY, APCA_API_BASE_URL). Configure the MCP client (e.g., Cline or Claude Desktop) by adding a JSON entry pointing to the alpaca_mcp_server.py script with the required environment variables. Run the server with python alpaca_mcp_server.py to make tools available.

Key features of Alpaca MCP Server

Real-time account details, buying power, equity, and status
Portfolio management with position-level P&L tracking
Live stock quotes showing bid/ask prices and spreads
Order listing with status, type, and fill details
Built-in paper trading support for safe testing
Compatible with live trading (use with caution)

Use cases of Alpaca MCP Server

AI-assisted portfolio review and account status checks
Automated market data retrieval for analysis
Monitoring open and recent orders through natural language
Paper trading strategy tests before going live

FAQ from Alpaca MCP Server

What API credentials are needed?

You need an Alpaca API Key ID and Secret Key, plus a base URL for either paper trading (https://paper-api.alpaca.markets) or live trading (https://api.alpaca.markets). These are set as environment variables.

How do I switch between paper and live trading?

Change the APCA_API_BASE_URL environment variable: use https://paper-api.alpaca.markets for paper trading or https://api.alpaca.markets for live trading. The server defaults to paper trading for safety.

What tools are provided?

Four tools: get_account (account details), get_positions (current holdings with P&L), get_quote (real-time quote for a symbol), and get_orders (list recent orders with optional status/limit filters). All are listed by calling tools/list.

What are the known transport or authentication methods?

The server uses environment variables for authentication (APCA_API_KEY_ID, APCA_API_SECRET_KEY). Communication follows the MCP protocol over standard input/output; tested on Apple Silicon M1 Pro laptops running macOS.

How do I troubleshoot common issues?

Ensure environment variable names match exactly (APCA_API_KEY_ID, APCA_API_SECRET_KEY, APCA_API_BASE_URL). Verify internet connectivity and valid API keys. Install dependencies with pip install alpaca-trade-api. Test manually using JSON-RPC: echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}' | python alpaca_mcp_server.py.

Frequently asked questions

What API credentials are needed?

You need an Alpaca API Key ID and Secret Key, plus a base URL for either paper trading (`https://paper-api.alpaca.markets`) or live trading (`https://api.alpaca.markets`). These are set as environment variables.

How do I switch between paper and live trading?

Change the `APCA_API_BASE_URL` environment variable: use `https://paper-api.alpaca.markets` for paper trading or `https://api.alpaca.markets` for live trading. The server defaults to paper trading for safety.

What tools are provided?

Four tools: `get_account` (account details), `get_positions` (current holdings with P&L), `get_quote` (real-time quote for a symbol), and `get_orders` (list recent orders with optional status/limit filters). All are listed by calling `tools/list`.

What are the known transport or authentication methods?

The server uses environment variables for authentication (`APCA_API_KEY_ID`, `APCA_API_SECRET_KEY`). Communication follows the MCP protocol over standard input/output; tested on Apple Silicon M1 Pro laptops running macOS.

How do I troubleshoot common issues?

Ensure environment variable names match exactly (`APCA_API_KEY_ID`, `APCA_API_SECRET_KEY`, `APCA_API_BASE_URL`). Verify internet connectivity and valid API keys. Install dependencies with `pip install alpaca-trade-api`. Test manually using JSON-RPC: `echo '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"tools/list"}' | python alpaca_mcp_server.py`.