how do you get stock quotes

This guide explains how do you get stock quotes for U.S. equities and cryptocurrencies, what quote fields mean, where data comes from, programmatic access (APIs/feeds), practical steps, and key cav...

2026-02-04 11:01:00

By Emma Shah

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How do you get stock quotes

Brief overview

If you asked "how do you get stock quotes", this guide answers that question step‑by‑step for both U.S. equities and digital assets. You will learn what a stock quote is, the typical fields you will see (price, bid/ask, volume, timestamp, and more), where quotes come from, differences between real‑time and delayed feeds, programmatic access options (APIs and streaming), practical user tools (spreadsheets, apps), and important caveats such as licensing, latency, and accuracy.

This article is beginner friendly, practical, and highlights Bitget services where appropriate (Bitget exchange for execution and Bitget Wallet for crypto price access). It is neutral, factual, and not investment advice.

Definition and purpose of a stock quote

A stock quote is a snapshot of current market information for a security: the most recent trade price, the best bid and ask prices, recent trade volume, and a timestamp telling you when the data was recorded. For cryptocurrencies the concept is the same, but the quote may aggregate across multiple trading venues.

Why quotes matter:

Price discovery: Quotes show the price at which participants are willing to buy or sell.
Trading and execution: Traders use quotes to decide trade timing and size.
Portfolio tracking and reporting: Investors track positions and mark‑to‑market values using quotes.
Research and analysis: Historical and live quotes feed charts, indicators, and quantitative models.

When you ask "how do you get stock quotes", you are effectively asking how to obtain that current market snapshot reliably and legally.

What a stock quote typically contains

A quote display can range from a short one‑line summary to a full order‑book feed. Common fields include:

Last (trade) price: The price of the most recent completed trade.
Bid (best bid): Highest price currently offered by buyers.
Ask (best ask or offer): Lowest price sellers are asking.
Last trade time / timestamp: Time when the last trade occurred (and which timezone or exchange clock was used).
Change and percent change: Difference between the last price and a reference price (usually previous close) shown as absolute and percent values.
Volume: Number of shares (or tokens) traded in a given period, often day‑to‑date.
Open / High / Low: Opening price, daily high and low for the trading session.
Previous close: The last official closing price from the prior trading day.
52‑week high / low: Full year range used to gauge longer‑term volatility.
Exchange: Which exchange reported the last trade (e.g., Nasdaq-listed, or an exchange identifier for crypto venues). For aggregated quotes the exchange field may indicate the feed or consolidated tape.
Market cap: Company market capitalization (price × shares outstanding), often updated periodically, not every tick.
Fundamentals: Commonly shown fundamentals include EPS, P/E ratio, dividend yield, and shares outstanding. These are not part of the raw market quote but are frequently displayed alongside.

Differences between summary fields and full market data:

Summary or snapshot: provides Level 1 information (last, bid, ask, basic volume) suitable for retail display.
Full market data: includes Level 2/order book depth, individual venue trades, timestamps with greater precision, and other metadata used by professional traders.

When you decide how do you get stock quotes, choose the data depth you need: quick reference or exchange‑grade market depth.

Primary sources of stock quotes

There are multiple categories of sources to obtain quotes. They differ by speed (latency), completeness, cost, and licensing.

Financial portals and news sites

Financial portals and news sites offer user‑friendly quote lookup, charts, and curated news. Examples include large portals and aggregator sites that provide easy access without special accounts.

Characteristics:

Mostly free or freemium.
Designed for human consumption (web pages, apps).
Often show delayed quotes (commonly 10–20 minutes) to non‑logged or non‑subscribed users.
Good for quick research, charts, and alerts, but not ideal for low‑latency trading.

When you ask how do you get stock quotes for quick monitoring, financial portals are often the first stop.

Brokerages and trading platforms

Broker platforms integrate quotes with order execution, watchlists, and alerts. For account holders many brokers provide real‑time Level 1 quotes; non‑customers may see delayed data.

Characteristics:

Real‑time quotes for account holders or premium subscribers.
Integrated execution: same platform for looking up prices and placing orders.
Additional features: conditional orders, paper trading, and research reports.

Recommendation: If you want real‑time tradeable quotes with execution, use a regulated broker. For crypto, consider Bitget for exchange access and order placement.

Stock exchanges and official market data vendors

Exchanges (for example the major U.S. equity exchanges) and market data vendors provide authoritative, licensed feeds.

Characteristics:

Authoritative: direct feed from the exchange or consolidated tapes.
Low latency: designed for professional use.
Cost: usually paid subscriptions with licensing restrictions for redistribution.

Professional traders and institutions commonly subscribe to exchange or vendor feeds for trading systems.

Governmental and educational sources

Government investor education pages and agency websites explain quotes, trading mechanics, and investor protections.

Characteristics:

Reliable explanation and guidance; not live data providers.
Good for learning fundamentals and understanding regulatory context.

Investor education resources are useful when you learn what quote fields mean and how to interpret them.

Real‑time vs delayed quotes, and market depth

Understanding latency and depth is essential when deciding how do you get stock quotes for a specific use.

Delayed quotes: Often delayed by 10–20 minutes for free feeds. Delay is a licensing decision: exchanges restrict free real‑time distribution.
Real‑time quotes: Delivered with minimal delay. Usually require a subscription, a broker account, or exchange licensing.
Level 1 data: Best bid and ask, last trade price, and basic volume. Adequate for most retail purposes.
Level 2 data (order‑book depth): Shows multiple price levels on both buy and sell sides, and often includes which market participants or venues are placing orders. Level 2 is critical for market‑making, high‑frequency strategies, and detailed execution planning.

When you plan to trade actively or run automated strategies, you must consider whether Level 1 suffices or Level 2 is required. The choice affects cost and technical complexity.

Programmatic access to quotes (APIs and feeds)

Developers and algorithmic traders obtain quotes programmatically via APIs or direct feeds. Typical patterns include REST polling for occasional updates and streaming/WebSocket feeds for continuous real‑time data.

REST APIs: Good for periodic updates or historical data. Systems poll endpoints at intervals subject to rate limits.
Streaming / WebSocket: Push model that sends updates in real time; better for low latency and high update frequency.
Polling vs subscribing: Poll when you need infrequent snapshots; subscribe when you need a live push and to avoid request limits.

When deciding how do you get stock quotes programmatically, pick the API type that matches latency needs and expected request volume.

Public and freemium APIs

There are several public and freemium APIs suitable for hobbyists, researchers, and small apps. Typical attributes:

Lower cost or free tier with rate limits.
Useful for historical prices, daily snapshots, and light polling.
Licensing caveats: free tiers may restrict commercial redistribution.

Common usage patterns when using freemium APIs:

Use REST endpoints for end‑of‑day or minute‑level updates.
Respect rate limits and caching to avoid throttling or unexpected charges.

When you ask how do you get stock quotes cheaply, freemium APIs are a common answer — but verify licensing and latency for your needs.

Professional and exchange feeds

For low latency, high throughput, and licensed redistribution, professionals use paid market data feeds:

Exchange direct feeds: raw, low‑latency data directly from an exchange.
Vendor feeds: normalized data from market data vendors with robust SLAs.
FIX and proprietary protocols: common for high‑performance trading infrastructure.

These feeds come with contracts, usage monitoring, and costs that scale with usage and redistribution rights.

Crypto price sources

Cryptocurrencies trade 24/7 on many venues. Programmatic sources include:

Exchange REST and WebSocket APIs: direct access to an exchange’s order book, trades, and account features. For execution and the freshest trade data, exchange APIs are primary — Bitget’s API is an example of an exchange API you can use for both quotes and execution.
Aggregator APIs: services that combine prices from multiple exchanges to provide a consolidated view and circulating supply estimates.
Cross‑exchange price differences: because crypto markets are decentralized, prices vary across venues; aggregators help detect the midpoint or volume‑weighted price across exchanges.

When you want crypto quotes, pick between raw exchange feeds (best for execution) and aggregator feeds (best for a single consolidated price view).

Getting quotes in common user tools

You do not need to be a developer to get reliable quotes. Consumer tools make it easy.

Spreadsheets and Office integrations

Modern spreadsheets include native stock data features.

Example features: data types that convert a ticker into a stocks record with price and fundamentals, and functions to pull historical prices.
Use cases: portfolio trackers, performance reports, and research tables.

Practical tips:

Verify whether the spreadsheet function returns real‑time or delayed data.
Cache large queries to avoid slowdowns and API limits.

Mobile apps, watchlists and alerts

Mobile broker apps and financial portals let you create watchlists and set push or email alerts for price thresholds, percent change, or news.

Alerts are useful when you can’t monitor quotes continuously.
Watchlists give quick at‑a‑glance quotes and small charts.

Bitget’s app can provide watchlists and alerts for crypto assets; for equities, use a regulated broker with alert capabilities.

Professional terminals and charting platforms

For institutional‑grade features use professional terminals and charting platforms.

These platforms provide exchange‑grade data, advanced analytics, programmable alerts, and execution connectivity.
They are costly, but necessary for quantitative trading, complex derivatives, or institutional reporting.

How to read and interpret quotes correctly

Basic interpretation rules:

Last vs bid vs ask: The last price is what someone paid; the bid and ask are the highest buyer and lowest seller prices currently available. A trade executes when buyer and seller agree on price.
Spread: Ask minus bid. Narrow spreads indicate high liquidity; wide spreads signal lower liquidity or higher transaction costs.
After‑hours / pre‑market quotes: U.S. equities have extended hours where quotes may be shown separately. Prices in these sessions can be more volatile and less liquid.
Timestamp and exchange identifiers: Check whether timestamps are in exchange timezone and whether the trade came from a consolidated tape or a specific venue.

Correct reading reduces mistakes like assuming a displayed price is tradeable in size, or confusing delayed data for real‑time.

Practical step‑by‑step guide to get a quote

Identify the ticker symbol for the security. For U.S. equities use the official ticker; for crypto use the trading pair (e.g., token/USD or token/USDT).
Choose a source: portal for fast lookup, broker for tradeable real‑time quotes, or API for programmatic access.
Verify real‑time vs delayed: check provider notes or account requirements for live data.
Confirm exchange and session: is the quote from regular market hours, pre‑market, after‑hours, or aggregated across exchanges?
Interpret fields before deciding: look at bid/ask, spread, volume, and timestamp. If executing, consider available size at quoted prices.

This checklist answers the simple question of how do you get stock quotes in a reliable, repeatable way.

Accuracy, latency, licensing and costs

Factors that affect quote reliability:

Latency: The time between an actual market event and its arrival to your system. Lower latency requires closer infrastructure and potentially paid feeds.
Aggregation vs venue specificity: Aggregated quotes smooth differences; venue‑specific quotes show exact on‑venue conditions.
Licensing and redistribution: Exchanges and vendors control usage. Commercial redistribution often requires paid licenses.
Costs: Free feeds may be delayed; real‑time feeds are often charged monthly or per message.

Always validate that your chosen data source permits your intended use (personal monitoring vs commercial redistribution) and that costs fit your budget.

Crypto‑specific considerations (if seeking crypto quotes)

For crypto quotes remember these differences:

Multiple exchange prices: No single consolidated tape; prices may differ across venues.
24/7 trading: There are no traditional market open/close times; periods of low liquidity can occur at any hour.
Larger spreads for illiquid tokens: Small tokens may show wide spreads and shallow order books.
Aggregator vs raw feeds: Aggregators provide a single reference price; raw exchange feeds give actual venue conditions for execution.
API rate limits: Crypto APIs commonly throttle requests. Use WebSocket subscriptions or paid tiers for heavier usage.

If you ask how do you get stock quotes for crypto, expect to choose between exchange APIs for execution and aggregator APIs for a consolidated price view. Prefer Bitget services where you want integrated execution and reliable wallet connectivity.

Use cases and limitations

Common use cases for quotes:

Charting and technical analysis.
Algorithmic and high‑frequency trading.
Portfolio valuation and performance reporting.
Market research and academic studies.

Limitations to be aware of:

Free quotes may be delayed and not suitable for live trading.
Discrepancies can arise between sources due to data timing or aggregation logic.
Execution price can differ from displayed quote due to market impact and slippage.
Quotes are informational and not investment advice.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Are free quotes reliable for trading?

A: Free quotes can be reliable for monitoring and research but are often delayed or aggregated. For live trading, especially high‑volume or time‑sensitive trades, use real‑time broker or exchange feeds.

Q: How do you get stock quotes in real time?

A: Subscribe to a broker’s real‑time feed, use an exchange subscription, or a paid market data vendor. For crypto, subscribe to an exchange WebSocket stream or a premium aggregator.

Q: What is Level 2 data?

A: Level 2 shows multiple price levels on both sides of the order book, indicating depth and order sizes beyond the top bid and ask. It helps assess liquidity and short‑term price pressure.

Q: Can I redistribute quotes from a free API?

A: Often not. Many free APIs restrict commercial redistribution. Always check licensing terms before embedding quotes in a product.

Q: How do I get historical quotes for backtesting?

A: Use vendor APIs or exchanges that provide historical trades or minute‑level OHLCV data. Many vendors provide downloadable datasets for backtesting under specific terms.

Practical example: getting a quote in three ways

Casual lookup on a portal: enter the ticker, view the last price, bid/ask, and daily chart. Good for quick checks.
Broker account: log into your trading account, add the symbol to a watchlist, enable real‑time quotes and alerts. Suitable for retail trading.
Programmatic: use an API key with a REST endpoint for daily snapshots or subscribe to a WebSocket feed for continuous updates. Ideal for automated systems.

Each option answers the question how do you get stock quotes for different user needs.

截至 2026-01-23, 据 exchange and market data commentary and vendor notices: exchanges and vendors continue to emphasize licensing controls and tiered access for real‑time feeds, which affects cost and access models for retail and institutional users.

Note: the above sentence indicates contemporary regulatory and market practice as of the reporting date; check your chosen provider for up‑to‑date terms and pricing.

Safety, compliance and best practices

Verify provider licensing before commercial use.
Respect API rate limits and implement backoff and caching.
Use secure keys and rotate credentials for programmatic access.
For crypto, secure private keys in a hardware or approved wallet — prefer Bitget Wallet for integrated custody options where available.

更多建议与下一步

If you are testing programmatic quotes, start with a free or sandbox API tier and a small set of tickers to validate latency and data format. For trade execution, connect to a regulated broker or Bitget exchange and verify real‑time data access in your account.

Further exploration

Try pulling a few sample quotes into a spreadsheet to see how timestamp, bid/ask and last trade differ across providers.
If you need exchange‑grade latency, contact a data vendor for pricing and licensing.

Final note: When you search how do you get stock quotes, the right method depends on whether you need quick reference, execution‑grade latency, or comprehensive historical data. Start simple, validate the data against a trusted source, and scale your data access as your needs grow.

FAQ recap (short answers)

Q: Are free quotes fine for research? A: Yes, for many research tasks free quotes work if you accept delay and licensing limits.
Q: How to get tradeable real‑time quotes? A: Use a broker or exchange subscription with real‑time Level 1 (or Level 2) access.
Q: What is the difference between aggregator and exchange feed? A: Aggregators combine venues into a single price; exchange feeds show on‑venue order book and trades.

Call to action

Explore Bitget features for market access and Bitget Wallet for secure custody if you need integrated crypto price data and execution. For equities, choose a regulated broker that provides the depth of data and execution quality you require.

The content above has been sourced from the internet and generated using AI. For high-quality content, please visit Bitget Academy.