Sports API Review • Updated March 2026
SportMonks Review 2026: Pricing, Features & Honest Assessment
SportMonks is a European sports data provider primarily focused on football (soccer) and cricket. They offer detailed football data with good European league coverage. Their API uses an include-based system for nested data retrieval.
Sports
2 (Football, Cricket)
Competitions
1,500+
Endpoints
~150
Starter Price
€19/mo
SportMonks Pros & Cons
Pros
- Good European football league coverage
- Include-based API for flexible data fetching
- Cricket data available
- Decent documentation
- EU-based data processing (GDPR friendly)
Cons
- Only 2 sports (football and cricket)
- Complex include-based API can be confusing
- Higher pricing for the coverage offered
- No WebSocket support
- Limited real-time capabilities
- Inconsistent data availability across leagues
SportMonks vs SportsAPIPro: Feature Comparison
| Feature | SportsAPIPro | SportMonks |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Coverage | ||
| Football / Soccer | ||
| Cricket | ||
| Basketball | ||
| Tennis | ||
| Hockey | ||
| MMA / UFC | ||
| 20+ Total Sports | ||
| Data | ||
| Live Scores | ||
| Match Events | ||
| Lineups | ||
| Live Odds | Limited | |
| Player Stats | ||
| Technology | ||
| WebSocket Real-time | ||
| REST API | ||
| V2 Enhanced Endpoints | 1,734+ | |
| Pricing | ||
| Free Tier | 100 calls/day | Limited |
| Starter Price | $15/mo | €19/mo |
| Pro Price | $49/mo | €49/mo |
Pricing Comparison
SportsAPIPro
✓ 24+ sports included in all plans
SportMonks
2 (Football, Cricket) coverage
When to Use SportMonks
Best For
- Football apps targeting European leagues
- Cricket score apps
- EU-based projects needing GDPR compliance
Not Ideal For
- Multi-sport platforms
- Real-time betting apps
- US sports coverage
- Apps needing WebSocket
Our Verdict
SportMonks is a decent option for football and cricket data, especially for EU-based developers who value GDPR compliance. However, the limited sports coverage (only 2 sports) and lack of WebSocket support make it unsuitable for modern multi-sport applications. SportsAPIPro covers 24+ sports at competitive pricing with real-time WebSocket feeds.
Good for football/cricket in Europe. For broader sports coverage, SportsAPIPro is the clear winner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sports does SportMonks cover?
SportMonks covers only 2 sports: football (soccer) and cricket. For multi-sport coverage including basketball, tennis, hockey, MMA, and more, SportsAPIPro offers 24+ sports.
Is SportMonks good for beginners?
SportMonks has a learning curve due to its include-based API design. You need to specify which related data to include in each request. SportsAPIPro offers a more straightforward REST API that's easier for beginners.
Does SportMonks offer real-time data?
SportMonks offers near-real-time data through polling but lacks WebSocket support. SportsAPIPro provides true real-time data via WebSocket connections for live scores, match events, and odds.
What are the best SportMonks alternatives?
Top SportMonks alternatives include SportsAPIPro (24+ sports, WebSocket support, lower pricing), API-Football (football-focused), and Sportradar (enterprise). SportsAPIPro offers the best coverage-to-price ratio.
Ready to Try a Better Sports API?
Get started with SportsAPIPro — 24+ sports, 1,734+ endpoints, WebSocket real-time, and transparent pricing starting at $15/month.