# Kelp: pricing, API and features

Category: [Trading bots & backtesting](https://tokvane.app/categories/trading-bots) · Vendor: Stellar Development Foundation (open-source project) · Website: https://github.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp · Status: discontinued

Open-source market-making and trading bot for the Stellar DEX and centralized exchanges such as Binance, Kraken and Coinbase Pro. The repo now sits under stellar-deprecated and is archived (last push 2023-11).

> Kelp (Stellar Development Foundation (open-source project)) — pricing: open-source; free tier: Yes; REST: unknown; MCP: unknown; open source: Yes.

## Pricing

- **Model:** open-source
- **Free tier:** Yes — Free open-source software under Apache-2.0; README calls it experimental.
- **Plans:** unknown
- **Notes:** Discontinued: GitHub repo is archived under the stellar-deprecated org.

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp/master/README.md_

## Access & auth

- **Authentication:** api-key
- **KYC required:** No
- **Notes:** Runs on the user's own machine or server; trading uses the user's own exchange API keys. Any KYC is the exchange's.

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp/master/README.md_

## Coverage

- **Exchanges:** Stellar DEX; Kraken, Binance and Coinbase Pro (via CCXT), more via CCXT-REST
- **Chains:** Stellar
- **Assets:** Stellar assets and CEX pairs; supports custom stablecoin pricing

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp/master/README.md_

## Capabilities

- **Capabilities:** automation, live-trading, order-execution, multi-exchange

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp/master/README.md_

## Interfaces

- **REST API:** unknown
- **WebSocket:** unknown
- **SDKs:** go
- **Official MCP server:** unknown
- **Other:** Local GUI, binary/Docker releases, optional CCXT-REST server and Postgres

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp/master/README.md_

## Open source & self-hosting

- **Open source:** Yes
- **Licence:** Apache-2.0
- **Self-host:** Yes
- **Repository:** https://github.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/stellar-deprecated/kelp/master/README.md_

## FAQ

**Does Kelp have a free tier?**
Yes. Free open-source software under Apache-2.0; README calls it experimental. (verified 2026-10-30)

**Does Kelp offer an API?**
REST: unknown. WebSocket: unknown. Official MCP server: unknown. Verified 2026-10-30.

**Is Kelp open source or self-hostable?**
Open source: Yes; licence: Apache-2.0; self-host: Yes. Verified 2026-10-30.

**What are alternatives to Kelp?**
Other trading bots & backtesting in our directory: 3Commas, ADAMANT TradeBot, AI Hedge Fund Crypto, Alertatron, Algobot.

Alternatives: https://tokvane.app/alternatives/kelp

Information only, not financial or investment advice.