Twitter API alternative for real-time streaming
Compare Twitter API pricing and choose a WebSocket streaming alternative for crypto alerts
The Challenge with X/Twitter API
X/Twitter's official API gives you raw tweets, not trading-ready alerts. To achieve low-latency delivery you need to build your own streaming pipeline. You need to handle reconnects and backfill. And you need to add enrichment: token detection, OCR, pricing.
Official access tiers vary by use case and limits. Review X's developer documentation to confirm current streaming options, pricing, and constraints before choosing a solution.
Pricing & Access Overview
| Service | Price | Delivery | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| X API (Official) | See X pricing | Tier-dependent | Limits & access vary by plan |
| TweetStream Basic | $199/mo | WebSocket + Discord | 400ms response time target |
| TweetStream Elite | $499/mo | WebSocket + Discord + History | 300ms response time target |
Sources: X API documentation
Feature Comparison
X/Twitter API (Direct)
- Full access to raw tweet data
- Maximum flexibility for custom implementations
- Streaming access and rate limits depend on tier
- Raw data requires parsing and enrichment
- No built-in OCR or token detection
TweetStream
- Published response time targets by plan
- Single API key, connect in minutes
- Token detection with live prices
- OCR extracts text from images
- Prediction market detection (Polymarket, Kalshi)
- No infrastructure to manage
Which One is Right for You?
Choose X/Twitter API if: You need raw data for a custom application, have engineering resources to build and maintain the pipeline, and don't need crypto-specific enrichment.
Choose TweetStream if: You want to act on signals, not build plumbing—alerts arrive with tokens, prices, and OCR ready to trade.
Perfect For
Crypto trading desks, algorithmic traders, research teams, and anyone who needs fast, enriched X/Twitter alerts without building infrastructure from scratch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Last updated: January 2026
Start real-time Twitter WebSocket alerts today
WebSocket delivery, OCR, and token detection—no infrastructure to build.
Start 1-Day TrialFrom $199/mo · 1-day trial included · OCR + token detection included