★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
Capitol Trades vs ORTEX
Pick Capitol Trades instead if
Capitol Trades
Free · Web
- You care about newsletters, something ORTEX doesn't offer
Start here
ORTEX
Free • From $39/mo · Web · Mobile · API
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Our take
The bottom line
Capitol Trades and ORTEX cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, US government trades, news, and blogs), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. ORTEX simply does more: 14 categories to Capitol Trades's 4, including short interest, insider data, and quant, plus a mobile app. Capitol Trades counters by being completely free.
What readers say
Capitol Trades
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
ORTEX
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Real-time data
- ORTEX
- Broader coverage
- ORTEX14 vs 4 categories
- Mobile app
- ORTEX
- API access
- ORTEX
- Global coverage
- ORTEX
- Asset coverage
- Capitol TradesAdds mutual funds and cryptos
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Free • From $39/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | Free: history: Website data restricted to the past 3 years | 9 limits: API Trader: credits per month: 1,000, API Trader: rate limit: 1 req/s +7 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | No | Yes |
Broker sync | — | No |
Integrations | — | Microsoft Excel (Add-in) and Python SDK |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +2 more | — |
Categories covered | 4 | 14 |
Regions | North America | North America, Europe |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 3 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: Minute and EOD +1 more |
Capabilities | Universe builder | Universe builder |
| Try it | Visit Capitol Trades | Visit ORTEX |
Where each one shines
What Capitol Trades and ORTEX each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What Capitol Trades and ORTEX each do best.What Capitol Trades does best
- Tracking 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.
- Original filing links to verify disclosures at the source before acting on a trade.
- Browsing access to issuer pages with market snapshots and lists of politician trades tied to that issuer.
What ORTEX does best
- Monitoring short interest and securities-lending conditions with utilization, cost to borrow, shares on loan, and percentage of free float on loan.
- Comparison tools for lending-based short-interest estimates with official U.S. exchange-reported short interest and European flagged-short disclosures.
- Tracking intraday and real-time estimates from ORTEX lender and broker data pools where plan access supports those views.
- Research coverage for options activity and flow signals using OPRA-sourced options data, with OPRA terms required before access.
- Alpha-signal modules such as Short Squeeze, EPS, RSI, MACD, and Company Events as research context with back-tested statistics.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Capitol Trades and ORTEX, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Capitol Trades and ORTEX, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsOptionsCryptosBondsPrivate FundsOther | StocksETFsOptions |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediate | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailAnalystsStudents/Researchers | Not specified |
Regions | North America | North AmericaEurope |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | Real-timeEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | MinuteEOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | Not specified | REST |
API auth & delivery | Not specified | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python |
Integrations | Not specified | Microsoft Excel (Add-in)Python SDK |
Export formats | Not specified | CSV |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Universe builder | Universe builder |
Vendor & support | 2iQ Research GmbHCountry: GermanySupport: Email and Phone | Ortex Technologies LimitedCountry: United KingdomSupport: Email and Phone |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Freehistory: Website data restricted to the past 3 years | Free |
| Entry paid plan | — | $39/mo“Basic Annual” |
| Tier 2 | — | $49/mo“Basic Monthly” |
| Tier 3 | — | $99/mo“Advanced Annual” |
| Tier 4 | — | $149/mo“Advanced Monthly” |
| Tier 5 | — | €49/mo“API Trader”credits per month: 1,000 · rate limit: 1 req/s · +1 more |
| Tier 6 | — | €129/mo“API Quant”credits per month: 10,000 · rate limit: 5 req/s · +1 more |
| Tier 7 | — | €379/mo“API Developer”credits per month: 100,000 · rate limit: 50 req/s · +1 more |
| Top plan | — | Subscription“API Enterprise” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Capitol Trades and ORTEX?
Capitol Trades leans toward US government trades, news, and blogs, while ORTEX puts more weight on short interest, insider data, and quant. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Capitol Trades and ORTEX cost?
Good news: both Capitol Trades and ORTEX 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 ORTEX?
Honestly, neither is aimed at beginners. Expect a learning curve either way; that's the trade-off for the depth they offer.
Can I use Capitol Trades or ORTEX on my phone?
ORTEX lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Capitol Trades doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Does Capitol Trades or ORTEX have an API?
ORTEX has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. Capitol Trades doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose Capitol Trades or ORTEX?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Capitol Trades if newsletters matter to you; go with ORTEX if you'd rather have short interest and insider data. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Capitol Trades and ORTEX cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and options. Capitol Trades also handles mutual funds, cryptos, and bonds.
Does Capitol Trades or ORTEX have real-time data?
ORTEX 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 covers international markets: Capitol Trades or ORTEX?
ORTEX has documented international coverage (North America and Europe), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. Capitol Trades is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from Capitol Trades and ORTEX?
ORTEX exports to CSV. Capitol Trades is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: Capitol Trades or ORTEX?
ORTEX has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Capitol Trades doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Keep researching
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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.