Tool Comparison
BamSEC vs Smartfin
- Paid from
- $69/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You want screeners, improved filings, and diff view.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
- Paid from
- $8.33/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $8.33/mo instead of $69/mo
- You want scores, data visualizations, and checklist.
- You're newer to investing and want something approachable
Pick BamSEC if
BamSEC
Free • From $69/mo · Web
- You want screeners, improved filings, and diff view.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Pick Smartfin if
Smartfin
Free • From $8.33/mo · Web
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $8.33/mo instead of $69/mo
- You want scores, data visualizations, and checklist.
- You're newer to investing and want something approachable
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
BamSEC and Smartfin cover a lot of the same ground (6 shared categories, including stock ideas, transcripts, and financials), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. BamSEC includes screeners and improved filings, and Smartfin includes scores and data visualizations.
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BamSEC
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Key differences at a glance
- Cheaper paid plan
- Smartfin$8.33/mo vs $69/mo
- Free trial
- BamSEC7 days
- Asset coverage
- BamSECAdds funds
- Beginner friendly
- Smartfin
- Free plan
- Both
What BamSEC does best
- Browsing access to SEC filings from EDGAR in their original form, with BamSEC adding faster navigation, better document organization, and premium research workflows on paid plans.
- Search across company filings and transcripts with phrase, boolean, proximity, form-type, industry, market-cap, document-type, and watchlist filters.
- All-company document search and recent-filing screens to surface IPOs, spinoffs, activist filings, proxy fights, late filings, financing documents, and other event-driven research leads.
- Download support for filing tables to clean Excel files, pull similar historical tables, and merge tables across periods for faster model building.
- Comparison tools for filings with browser-based redlines that highlight added and removed text and tables between versions.
What Smartfin does best
- AI overviews summarize positives, negatives, recent financials, trends, and sector context.
- Scores compare value, profit, growth, and financial-health metrics with companies in the same sector.
- The visual explorer supports annual and quarterly charts, more than 200 metrics and ratios, and image downloads.
- Available financial history depends on plan: five years on Starter, ten years on Premium, and more than 30 years on Pro.
- Email and in-app alerts cover insider trades and analyst price-target changes.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $69/mo | Free • From $8.33/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | Free (Browse Filings): premium features: Document Search, table tools, document comparison, insider and instit... | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | No | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
Best for | Institutional Investors, Pro Retail +3 more | — |
Categories covered | 13 | 12 |
Regions | North America | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | Latency: Real-time and Survivorship-bias-free | Latency: Real-time and End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Data partners | SEC EDGAR and S&P Global Market Intelligence | — |
Capabilities | Universe builder | AI summaries: Filings |
| Try it | Visit BamSEC | Visit Smartfin |
Standout features
The best features of BamSEC and Smartfin.ShowHide
Standout features
What BamSEC does best
- Browsing access to SEC filings from EDGAR in their original form, with BamSEC adding faster navigation, better document organization, and premium research workflows on paid plans.
- Search across company filings and transcripts with phrase, boolean, proximity, form-type, industry, market-cap, document-type, and watchlist filters.
- All-company document search and recent-filing screens to surface IPOs, spinoffs, activist filings, proxy fights, late filings, financing documents, and other event-driven research leads.
- Download support for filing tables to clean Excel files, pull similar historical tables, and merge tables across periods for faster model building.
- Comparison tools for filings with browser-based redlines that highlight added and removed text and tables between versions.
What Smartfin does best
- AI overviews summarize positives, negatives, recent financials, trends, and sector context.
- Scores compare value, profit, growth, and financial-health metrics with companies in the same sector.
- The visual explorer supports annual and quarterly charts, more than 200 metrics and ratios, and image downloads.
- Available financial history depends on plan: five years on Starter, ten years on Premium, and more than 30 years on Pro.
- Email and in-app alerts cover insider trades and analyst price-target changes.
All details
Every attribute we track for BamSEC and Smartfin.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksFunds | Stocks |
Experience | IntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediate |
Target audience | Institutional InvestorsPro RetailAnalystsFinancial AdvisorsStudents/Researchers | Not specified |
Regions | North America | North America |
Coverage details | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker and CIK | Countries: USExchanges: XNYS and XNASIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-time | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
Data partners | SEC EDGARS&P Global Market Intelligence | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
Export formats | ExcelPDF | Image |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builder | AI summaries: Filings |
Vendor & support | BamSEC, LLCCountry: USSupport: Email | SmartfinSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 3/5Reliability 3/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free“Free (Browse Filings)”premium features: Document Search, table tools, document comparison, insider and instit... | Free“Starter” |
| Entry paid plan | $69/mo“Pro” | $8.33/mo“Premium” |
| Top plan | — | $16.99/mo“Pro” |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Enterprise” | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
Alternatives
Free alternatives
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between BamSEC and Smartfin?
BamSEC leans toward screeners, stock ideas, and improved filings, while Smartfin puts more weight on stock ideas, financials, and scores. They overlap in 6 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do BamSEC and Smartfin cost?
Good news: both BamSEC and Smartfin have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: BamSEC or Smartfin?
Smartfin is the friendlier place to start; its interface takes less getting used to. BamSEC assumes more experience, and rewards it with deeper analytics.
Should I choose BamSEC or Smartfin?
It depends on what you're after. Pick BamSEC if screeners and improved filings matter to you; go with Smartfin if you'd rather have scores and data visualizations. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do BamSEC and Smartfin cover?
Both cover stocks. BamSEC also handles funds.
Do BamSEC and Smartfin offer real-time data?
Yes, both serve real-time market data, so either works when timing matters.
Can I export data from BamSEC and Smartfin?
BamSEC exports to Excel. Smartfin is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: BamSEC or Smartfin?
BamSEC has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Smartfin doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
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Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.