Alpaca Trading Bot: Automate Your Stock Strategy with AI
Alpaca is a commission-free brokerage built for algorithmic trading. Pair it with VibeTrader and you have a fully automated stock trading system — no coding required.
What Is Alpaca?
Alpaca is a commission-free brokerage designed for algorithmic and automated trading. Unlike traditional brokerages, Alpaca provides a clean REST API that's purpose-built for bots. You can trade stocks and ETFs with zero commissions, and Alpaca offers both a paper trading environment and live trading on the same API.
VibeTrader connects directly to Alpaca — your funds stay in your Alpaca account, and VibeTrader sends trade orders based on your bot's rules.
Why Use Alpaca for Automated Trading?
- Commission-free — $0 per trade for stocks and ETFs
- Built for automation — REST API designed for algorithmic strategies
- Paper trading — Full-featured sandbox with real market data, no real money
- Fractional shares — Trade any dollar amount, not just whole shares
- Regulated & trusted — SEC-registered, FINRA member, SIPC protected
How to Connect Alpaca to VibeTrader
- Open an Alpaca account — Free at alpaca.markets. Takes about 5 minutes.
- Get your API keys — From the Alpaca dashboard, generate paper or live API keys.
- Connect in VibeTrader — Go to Settings → Broker and enter your API key and secret.
- Build your bot — Describe your strategy in plain English and activate.
Example Alpaca Bot Strategies
SPY RSI Mean Reversion
"Buy $500 of SPY when RSI(14) drops below 30. Sell when RSI rises above 60 or at 4% stop-loss."
NVDA Golden Cross
"Buy NVDA when the 50-day moving average crosses above the 200-day MA. Use a 7% trailing stop."
Multi-Stock Dip Buyer
"Buy AAPL, MSFT, or GOOGL when any drops more than 4% in a single trading day. Sell at 5% profit or 5% stop-loss."
Paper Trading vs Live Trading
| Paper Trading | Live Trading | |
|---|---|---|
| Real money | No | Yes |
| Real market data | Yes | Yes |
| Commission | Free | Free (Alpaca) |
| VibeTrader plan required | Free tier | Paid plan |
Always validate your strategy in paper trading before committing real capital. Past performance in paper mode does not guarantee live results.
Get Started in Minutes
Create your VibeTrader account, connect Alpaca, and your first bot can be live within minutes — no coding required.
Start Automating with Alpaca Today
Connect your Alpaca account and describe your strategy in plain English. VibeTrader does the rest.
Get Started Free →