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Crypto · head to head

CoinGecko vs MakerDAO

CoinGecko logo

CoinGecko

Crypto

The world's largest independent crypto data aggregator

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MakerDAO logo

MakerDAO

Crypto

The decentralized stablecoin protocol

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CoinGecko the free Demo plan allows 10,000 call credits a month and 100 calls a minute; MakerDAO makerDAO is governed as a decentralized autonomous organization by MKR token holder vote rather than a vendor, so it has no company-set price list, subscription tiers or sales contact; access and fees (stability fee, liquidation ratio) are set by on-chain governance vote rather than published as a product price
  • They diverge on capability: CoinGecko covers Price Tracking, MakerDAO covers DAI Stablecoin.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CoinGecko and MakerDAO actually diverge.

Attributes where CoinGecko and MakerDAO differ
AttributeCoinGeckoMakerDAO
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb
Founded20142015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Crypto).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CoinGecko

  • Price Tracking
  • Market Data
  • Portfolio Tracker
  • NFT Floor Prices
  • API Access
  • 600+ exchanges
  • DeFi protocols
  • Ios support

Only in MakerDAO

  • DAI Stablecoin
  • Vaults
  • Stability Fees
  • Liquidations
  • Governance
  • MKR Token
  • DAI
  • Spark Protocol

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CoinGecko

  • Pulling cryptocurrency prices and market data over an APInot MakerDAO
  • Tracking coin, exchange and market metrics programmaticallynot MakerDAO

MakerDAO

  • Definot CoinGecko
  • Stablecoinnot CoinGecko
  • Lendingnot CoinGecko

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CoinGecko

  • The free Demo plan allows 10,000 call credits a month and 100 calls a minute
  • Rate limits are a paid feature separate from volume, at 300 calls a minute on Basic and 500 above it
  • Credits and rate limits move together by plan, so a burst pattern needs a higher tier than its monthly total implies
  • The 20% saving requires annual billing
  • Enterprise credits and limits are custom with no published figure

MakerDAO

  • MakerDAO is governed as a decentralized autonomous organization by MKR token holder vote rather than a vendor, so it has no company-set price list, subscription tiers or sales contact; access and fees (stability fee, liquidation ratio) are set by on-chain governance vote rather than published as a product price

Pricing, plan by plan

CoinGecko

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Price data
    • Charts
    • Portfolio
  • Analyst$7.99/month
    • Advanced charts
    • DEX data
    • Token unlocks
  • Pro API$129/month
    • 500K calls/month
    • Historical data
    • Priority support

MakerDAO

Free
  • FreeFree
    • DAI minting
    • Vaults
    • Governance

Which should you pick?

Choose CoinGecko if

  • You need price tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want market data.
CoinGecko review

Choose MakerDAO if

  • You need dai stablecoin.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want vaults.
MakerDAO review

Questions people ask

Is CoinGecko or MakerDAO better?
Neither clearly leads. CoinGecko starts at Free and MakerDAO at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CoinGecko or MakerDAO?
CoinGecko starts at Free and MakerDAO at Free.
Does CoinGecko or MakerDAO run on more platforms?
CoinGecko runs on Web, Ios, Android. MakerDAO runs on Web.
Can I use CoinGecko for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CoinGecko best used for?
CoinGecko is most often used for pulling cryptocurrency prices and market data over an api, tracking coin, exchange and market metrics programmatically. Of those, pulling cryptocurrency prices and market data over an api and tracking coin, exchange and market metrics programmatically are not what MakerDAO is typically brought in for.
What can CoinGecko do that MakerDAO cannot?
CoinGecko covers Price Tracking, Market Data, Portfolio Tracker, NFT Floor Prices. MakerDAO covers DAI Stablecoin, Vaults, Stability Fees, Liquidations. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CoinGecko: What call limits and rate limits come with CoinGecko's Basic API plan?

Basic is $35/month ($29/month annual) and includes 100k calls per month with a 300 calls per minute rate limit.

Source
CoinGecko: What is the overage charge if CoinGecko API calls exceed the plan limit?

Overage charges are $0.0005 per call, or custom pricing is available for Enterprise plans.

Source
CoinGecko: Which CoinGecko API plan includes commercial use licensing?

Commercial license is included in Basic tier and above. The free Demo tier requires attribution.

Source
CoinGecko: What payment methods does CoinGecko accept for API subscriptions?

CoinGecko accepts Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, and JCB. Cryptocurrency is accepted on annual subscriptions for Analyst tier and above.

Source
CoinGecko: Are CoinGecko API payments refundable?

No. CoinGecko API subscription payments are non-refundable.

Source
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