Delayed data provides price and volume information with a built-in time lag. The delay is usually 10–15 minutes for many stock exchanges, but it can vary depending on the asset, the exchange, and the data provider. The purpose of delayed data is to offer a lower-cost version of market information, since real-time data often requires paid licenses.
This type of data includes prices such as the last trade, bid, ask, volume, and OHLC values, but all of it reflects market conditions from the past, not the present moment. Delayed data is commonly used by retail traders, researchers, educational platforms, and applications that do not require immediate execution decisions.
While delayed data is usually accurate, it cannot be used for fast decision-making because markets may have already moved by the time the data is displayed. Investors who need real-time tracking, such as day traders, algorithmic traders, or institutional users, typically rely on paid real-time feeds instead.
Delayed data helps make market information more accessible to the public. It allows users to monitor trends and study market behavior without paying for premium real-time services, but it may not be suitable for time-sensitive trading.
Real-time data updates instantly as trades happen, while delayed data updates after a built-in time gap. This delay can create differences between the two, especially in fast-moving markets. Real-time data is essential for active trading, while delayed data is more suitable for general research or long-term analysis.
Exchanges sell real-time data as a licensed product. Delaying free data protects the value of premium real-time feeds and ensures exchanges can fund data infrastructure. The delay also helps separate professional trading use from basic informational use.
Delayed data works well for activities that do not require immediate execution, such as long-term investing, backtesting, charting, education, portfolio tracking, and general market research. It becomes less suitable for strategies that rely on precise timing, such as scalping, high-frequency trading, or fast risk management.
An investor checking a free financial website sees stock prices that are 15 minutes behind the live market. The displayed last price reflects where the stock traded earlier, not where it is trading right now.
FinFeedAPI offers both real-time and delayed data options depending on the product. Developers can use delayed data for dashboards, research tools, and applications that do not require instant price updates.
