pinnapi API Review 2026

pinnapi is a Pinnacle-sourced odds API that launched after Pinnacle closed its public API in July 2025. It delivers live and pre-game prices through REST endpoints, SSE streams for drop alerts, and an optional raw WebSocket feed. One source, one schema, no aggregation.

The headline feature is a permanent free tier: 100 requests per day, no card, no expiration. Most Pinnacle alternatives offer a time-limited trial. pinnapi lets you build against real data indefinitely at low volume, which suits prototyping and low-frequency models that poll a few times an hour. For background on why developers need Pinnacle access in the first place, see our Pinnacle API guide.

pinnapi lists 12 sport categories, all from Pinnacle's board:

• US majors: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL.
• Global: soccer, tennis, rugby (union and league), golf, and volleyball/handball.
• Combat sports: MMA and boxing.
• Esports: Dota 2, CS2, and League of Legends.

Market types are moneylines, spreads, totals, and team totals across all periods. Player props and specials are available through an include_specials=1 flag. The directory marks pinnapi as having schedules, and the fixtures endpoint does return upcoming events with start times.

Compared to PinnOdds (a structurally similar competitor), pinnapi does not list cricket, which PinnOdds added in July 2026. If cricket is in your requirements, verify coverage before signing up.

The API surface mirrors the standard Pinnacle-alternative pattern. REST endpoints live under /kit/v1/ for live markets, pre-match fixtures, and single-event lookups. Auth works through an x-portal-apikey header, x-api-key header, or ?key= query parameter.

SSE streams push odds-drop alerts when a price moves beyond a configurable threshold (5% default). Separate streams cover live and pre-match markets. The site claims 15 to 40ms from price change to notification, which is a strong latency claim. We have not verified that number independently.

The raw WebSocket feed is a $99/mo add-on. You subscribe by sport ID or event ID (up to 200 per connection per stream) and receive snapshots followed by incremental updates with add, upd, and del operation codes. One connection per account.

Official SDKs cover Python (pip install pinnapi) and Node.js (npm install pinnapi). Both wrap the REST, drops buffer, and SSE interfaces.

Four paid tiers plus the permanent free tier:

• Free tier: 100 requests per day, no card, no expiration. The site says "free for as long as you're building," which makes this the most accessible entry point among Pinnacle-focused APIs.
• Drops, $99/mo: SSE drop alerts for live and pre-match markets. No REST throughput beyond what drops deliver.
• REST, $99/mo: 10 requests per second, unlimited daily volume. No SSE drops.
• Edge, $149/mo: 10 requests per second plus SSE drops. The site labels this "most popular."
• Scale, $229/mo: 30 requests per second plus SSE drops.
• Raw WebSocket, +$99/mo: Add-on for any paid plan. Raw Pinnacle frames.

Quarterly billing saves roughly 16%, semi-annual roughly 24%. The plan names differ from PinnOdds (Drops/REST/Edge vs Stream/Pro/Pro+SSE) but the prices and rate limits are nearly identical, which is worth noting if you are comparing the two.

The permanent free tier and the SSE drop layer define the audience:

• Developers prototyping a model or tool that needs a Pinnacle anchor. 100 free requests a day is enough to poll every 15 minutes across a handful of sports.
• Drop-alert systems that notify users when Pinnacle moves a line. The SSE stream handles the detection and push, so you write the consumer, not the watcher.
• +EV and arbitrage workflows using Pinnacle as fair value, with soft-book prices pulled from a separate aggregator.

Skip it if you need multi-book coverage, historical odds, or closing lines. pinnapi is a single-source feed with no archive. If your model grades itself against closing numbers, you will need a second provider for that data. Check the historical odds guide for options.

The Pinnacle-alternative space has grown since the July 2025 closure, and several providers now offer similar REST/SSE/WebSocket stacks at similar price points. pinnapi's advantage is the permanent free tier. Most competitors offer a time-boxed trial (24 hours to a few days), which forces a buy-or-drop decision before you have fully tested.

The 15 to 40ms latency claim for SSE alerts, if accurate, would be fast. That number is self-reported and we have not benchmarked it. If latency is critical to your strategy, test pinnapi's SSE feed against a competitor's WebSocket on the same events and measure the delta yourself.

On coverage, pinnapi lists 12 sport categories to PinnOdds' 13 (no cricket). Feature-wise, pinnapi does not offer an entity-matching service like PinnOdds' SportsMeld. The core data and pricing are close enough that the free tier and cricket coverage are likely the deciding factors between the two. Test pinnapi's free tier here.

pinnapi is a solid Pinnacle feed with the lowest barrier to entry in the segment. The permanent free tier removes the time pressure that trials create, and the SSE drop-detection streams add value on top of raw snapshots. Official Python and Node SDKs make integration straightforward.

The caveats are the same as every single-source feed: no closing lines, no historical archive, no second book. The structural similarity to PinnOdds (identical endpoint paths, identical pricing, identical auth methods) is hard to miss and worth your own investigation. Take the free tier for a spin, validate the data and latency against your use case, and decide from there.