> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://rekko.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Manifold Markets API Guide
> Guide to the Manifold Markets API for play-money prediction markets. REST endpoints, market creation, and when to use real-money platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket instead.
## What this page covers
* What Manifold Markets is and how it differs from real-money platforms
* Manifold Markets API overview and key endpoints
* When to use Manifold vs real-money platforms
* How to access real-money prediction market data and analysis
***
## What is Manifold Markets?
Manifold Markets is an open-source prediction market platform that uses play money (called "mana"). Anyone can create a market on any topic, making it popular for community forecasting, research, and casual predictions.
| Feature | Details |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Currency | Play money (mana) — not real money |
| Market creation | Anyone can create a market |
| Categories | Unlimited — user-generated |
| Source code | Open source (GitHub) |
| API | Full REST API, no auth required for reads |
| Community | Active forecasting community, academic research |
### Key difference: play money vs real money
Manifold uses play money, which means prices may not reflect real market consensus the way real-money platforms do. Real money creates stronger incentives for accurate pricing — traders with genuine financial exposure research more thoroughly and correct mispricings faster.
For serious analysis, trading signals, or building trading bots, real-money platforms (Kalshi, Polymarket) provide more reliable price signals.
## Manifold Markets API
Manifold has a clean REST API. No authentication is needed for read operations.
### Base URL
```
https://api.manifold.markets/v0
```
### List markets
```python Python theme={null}
import httpx
resp = httpx.get("https://api.manifold.markets/v0/markets", params={"limit": 10})
markets = resp.json()
for m in markets:
print(f"{m['question'][:60]:60} | Prob: {m.get('probability', 'N/A')}")
```
```bash cURL theme={null}
curl "https://api.manifold.markets/v0/markets?limit=10"
```
```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
const resp = await fetch("https://api.manifold.markets/v0/markets?limit=10");
const markets = await resp.json();
markets.forEach((m) => console.log(`${m.question} | Prob: ${m.probability}`));
```
### Get a single market
```python theme={null}
resp = httpx.get(f"https://api.manifold.markets/v0/market/{market_id}")
market = resp.json()
```
### Search markets
```python theme={null}
resp = httpx.get("https://api.manifold.markets/v0/search-markets", params={"term": "Fed rate"})
results = resp.json()
```
### Market data format
| Field | Type | Description |
| -------------- | ------ | ---------------------------------------- |
| id | string | Unique identifier |
| question | string | The market question |
| probability | number | Current probability (0-1) |
| totalLiquidity | number | Available liquidity (mana) |
| volume | number | Total volume traded (mana) |
| creatorName | string | Who created the market |
| closeTime | number | When trading closes (Unix ms) |
| resolution | string | YES, NO, MKT, or null if unresolved |
| mechanism | string | `cpmm-1` (constant product market maker) |
### Place a trade (requires auth)
Trading requires an API key from your Manifold account:
```python theme={null}
resp = httpx.post(
f"https://api.manifold.markets/v0/market/{market_id}/bet",
headers={"Authorization": f"Key {MANIFOLD_API_KEY}"},
json={"amount": 100, "outcome": "YES"},
)
```
### Python SDK
The community maintains a Python client:
```bash theme={null}
pip install manifoldpy
```
```python theme={null}
from manifoldpy import api
markets = api.get_markets(limit=10)
```
## When to use Manifold vs real-money platforms
| Use case | Manifold | Real-money (Kalshi/Polymarket) |
| ----------------------------------- | -------- | ------------------------------ |
| Community forecasting | Yes | |
| Custom market creation | Yes | |
| Academic research on crowd wisdom | Yes | |
| Casual predictions with friends | Yes | |
| Financial trading and profit | | Yes |
| Building automated trading bots | | Yes |
| AI-powered analysis and signals | | Yes |
| Cross-platform arbitrage | | Yes |
| Portfolio management with real P\&L | | Yes |
Manifold is excellent for forecasting research and community engagement. For financial applications, real-money platforms provide stronger price signals and actual trading infrastructure.
## Real-money prediction market APIs
If you need real-money market data, AI analysis, or trading signals, the Rekko API provides unified access to Kalshi, Polymarket, and Robinhood:
```python Python theme={null}
import httpx
client = httpx.Client(
base_url="https://api.rekko.ai/v1",
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"},
)
# Real-money markets across all platforms
markets = client.get("/markets", params={"limit": 5}).json()
for m in markets:
print(f"{m['platform']:12} | {m['title'][:50]} | YES: {m['yes_price']:.2f} | Vol: ${m['volume_24h']:,.0f}")
```
```bash cURL theme={null}
curl "https://api.rekko.ai/v1/markets?limit=5" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
```
```javascript JavaScript theme={null}
const resp = await fetch("https://api.rekko.ai/v1/markets?limit=5", {
headers: { Authorization: "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" },
});
const markets = await resp.json();
```
Beyond market data, Rekko provides AI-powered analysis, probability estimates, trading signals with Kelly sizing, cross-platform arbitrage detection, and portfolio tracking — features that go well beyond what any single platform API offers.
## What's next
Kalshi vs Polymarket vs Robinhood — detailed comparison.
Step-by-step Python trading bot tutorial.
Get a free API key and start querying real-money markets.