# LEAN: pricing, API and features

Category: [Trading bots & backtesting](https://tokvane.app/categories/trading-bots) · Vendor: QuantConnect · Website: https://www.lean.io/ · Status: active

Open-source event-driven algorithmic trading engine in Python and C# for research, backtesting and live trading across multiple asset classes including crypto.

> LEAN (QuantConnect) — pricing: open-source; free tier: Yes; REST: unknown; MCP: unknown; open source: Yes.

## Pricing

- **Model:** open-source
- **Free tier:** Yes — Engine is free (Apache-2.0). QuantConnect Cloud free plan: unlimited backtesting, 1 backtest node, 0 live trading nodes, community support.
- **Plans:** unknown
- **Notes:** QuantConnect Cloud paid plans (Researcher, Team, Trading Firm, Institution) show no dollar prices in the fetched page text; 1 USD = 100 QCC credits.

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://www.quantconnect.com/pricing_

## Access & auth

- **Authentication:** unknown
- **KYC required:** unknown
- **Notes:** Run locally via LEAN CLI or on QuantConnect Cloud; live trading uses the user's brokerage credentials.

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://www.lean.io/_

## Coverage

- **Exchanges:** Cloud live-trading crypto brokerages: Binance, Bybit, Kraken, Coinbase, Bitfinex, Alpaca (Researcher tier and up)
- **Chains:** unknown
- **Assets:** Equities, forex, futures, options, indexes, CFDs and crypto

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://www.quantconnect.com/pricing_

## Capabilities

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

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://www.lean.io/_

## Interfaces

- **REST API:** unknown
- **WebSocket:** unknown
- **SDKs:** python, csharp
- **Official MCP server:** unknown
- **Other:** LEAN CLI, VSCode integration, Jupyter Lab

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://www.lean.io/_

## Open source & self-hosting

- **Open source:** Yes
- **Licence:** Apache-2.0
- **Self-host:** Yes
- **Repository:** https://github.com/QuantConnect/Lean

_Verified on 2026-10-30. Source: https://api.github.com/repos/QuantConnect/Lean_

## FAQ

**Does LEAN have a free tier?**
Yes. Engine is free (Apache-2.0). QuantConnect Cloud free plan: unlimited backtesting, 1 backtest node, 0 live trading nodes, community support. (verified 2026-10-30)

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

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

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

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

Information only, not financial or investment advice.