An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of programming instructions that allow software to interact with other software. In the case of Coinbase, their API allows developers to access the functionality of their exchange and build applications on top of it.
This enables people to trade cryptocurrencies without having to use the Coinbase website or buy/sell directly on the exchange.
The Coinbase API has been incredibly popular and has been used by some of the biggest names in the space, including Blockfolio and Shapeshift. It’s also been a key piece of infrastructure for many popular services like DeFi Pulse and MakerScan.
The Coinbase API is free to use for personal projects. For commercial projects, there is a monthly fee based on volume. The current fee tiers are:
$0 – 0 BTC traded.