Tool Comparison
Capitol Trades vs HedgeFollow
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You want US government trades, news, and blogs.
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want institutional ownership, insider data, and screeners.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Pick Capitol Trades if
Capitol Trades
Free · Web
- You want US government trades, news, and blogs.
Pick HedgeFollow if
HedgeFollow
Free • Paid plans available · Web
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want institutional ownership, insider data, and screeners.
- You've outgrown the basics and want pro-level depth
Skip both if: They solve different problems; honestly, you might end up wanting both.
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Our take
The bottom line
Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow aren't really direct rivals: Capitol Trades is built around US government trades and news, while HedgeFollow is about institutional ownership and insider data. HedgeFollow simply does more: 11 categories to Capitol Trades's 4, including institutional ownership, insider data, and screeners. Capitol Trades counters by being completely free.
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Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- HedgeFollow
- Broader coverage
- HedgeFollow11 vs 4 categories
- Asset coverage
- Capitol TradesAdds mutual funds and cryptos
- Free plan
- Both
What Capitol Trades does best
- Track U.S.
- Filters for political trades by chamber, party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, trade size, sector, and issuer country.
- Direct access to trade detail pages with traded date, published date, filed date, reporting gap, owner type, asset type, and disclosed size range.
- Trade details for reviewing the transaction date, filing date, owner, asset type, and disclosed size range.
- Browsing access to issuer pages with market snapshots and lists of politician trades tied to that issuer.
What HedgeFollow does best
- Fund pages show estimated assets under management, holdings, trades, concentration, turnover, performance estimates, and HedgeFollow ratings.
- The insider tracker refreshes every five minutes and filters Form 4 transactions by role, value, date, and transaction type.
- The filing feed covers Forms 13F, 13D, 13G, and Form 4.
- Stock pages show institutional holders, reported calls and puts, ownership trends, average buy prices, and money-flow estimates.
- ETF dashboards aggregate institutional activity for Bitcoin, gold, silver, and oil funds.
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 | Free • Paid plans available |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | Free: history: Website data restricted to the past 3 years | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | — | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +2 more | — |
Categories covered | 4 | 11 |
Regions | North America | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | Latency: Real-time and End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Capabilities | Universe builder | — |
| Try it | Visit Capitol Trades | Visit HedgeFollow |
Standout features
The best features of Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow.ShowHide
Standout features
What Capitol Trades does best
- Track U.S.
- Filters for political trades by chamber, party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, trade size, sector, and issuer country.
- Direct access to trade detail pages with traded date, published date, filed date, reporting gap, owner type, asset type, and disclosed size range.
- Trade details for reviewing the transaction date, filing date, owner, asset type, and disclosed size range.
- Browsing access to issuer pages with market snapshots and lists of politician trades tied to that issuer.
What HedgeFollow does best
- Fund pages show estimated assets under management, holdings, trades, concentration, turnover, performance estimates, and HedgeFollow ratings.
- The insider tracker refreshes every five minutes and filters Form 4 transactions by role, value, date, and transaction type.
- The filing feed covers Forms 13F, 13D, 13G, and Form 4.
- Stock pages show institutional holders, reported calls and puts, ownership trends, average buy prices, and money-flow estimates.
- ETF dashboards aggregate institutional activity for Bitcoin, gold, silver, and oil funds.
All details
Every attribute we track for Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow.ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsOptionsCryptosBondsPrivate FundsOther | StocksETFsOptions |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediate | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailAnalystsStudents/Researchers | Not specified |
Regions | North America | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Countries: US4 exchangesIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Import methods | Not specified | CSVManual |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builder | Not specified |
Vendor & support | 2iQ Research GmbHCountry: GermanySupport: Email and Phone | HedgeFollowSupport: Chat |
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 | Freehistory: Website data restricted to the past 3 years | Free |
| Entry paid plan | — | Subscription“Paid subscription” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow?
Capitol Trades leans toward US government trades, news, and blogs, while HedgeFollow puts more weight on institutional ownership, insider data, and screeners. They're built for different jobs, so it depends on which features you'll actually use.
How much do Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow cost?
Good news: both Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: Capitol Trades or HedgeFollow?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Should I choose Capitol Trades or HedgeFollow?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Capitol Trades if US government trades and news matter to you; go with HedgeFollow if you'd rather have institutional ownership and insider data. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Capitol Trades and HedgeFollow cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and options. Capitol Trades also handles mutual funds, cryptos, and bonds.
Does Capitol Trades or HedgeFollow have real-time data?
HedgeFollow offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Capitol Trades runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Which has a better stock screener: Capitol Trades or HedgeFollow?
HedgeFollow has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Capitol Trades doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with Capitol Trades or HedgeFollow?
HedgeFollow handles portfolio tracking. Capitol Trades is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio 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.