★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
Capitol Trades vs ORTEX
Capitol Trades
Best for newsletters
Free
ORTEX
Best for short interest and insider data
Free • From $39/mo
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
The verdict
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.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- ORTEX
- Broader coverage
- ORTEX14 vs 4 categories
- API access
- ORTEX
- Real-time data
- ORTEX
- Global coverage
- ORTEX
- Asset coverage
- Capitol TradesAdds mutual funds and cryptos
Choose
Capitol Trades if…
- You care about newsletters, something ORTEX doesn't offer
Choose
ORTEX if…
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about short interest, insider data, and quant, things Capitol Trades doesn't offer
Comparison snapshot
| 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 | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | No | Yes |
Broker sync | — | No |
Integrations | — | Microsoft Excel (Add-in) |
| 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 |
Standout features
What Capitol Trades does best
- Tracks U.S. politicians’ disclosed trades (Senate/Congress) and presents them via Trades, Politicians, and Issuers explorers.
- Claims “new trades and analytics are published as close to real-time as possible”; also offers a Twitter feed for newly published trades.
- Trade explorer supports multi-dimensional filtering (e.g., chamber, party, committee, state, asset type, transaction type, trade size, sector, issuer country).
- Trade detail pages show traded date, published date, filed date and “Reporting Gap”, owner (e.g., self/spouse/joint), asset type, and trade size ranges; includes “View Original Filing” links back to disclosures.
- Covers multiple disclosed asset types including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, stock options, crypto, bonds, and private equity funds (as labeled on trade pages).
What ORTEX does best
- Short interest and lending analytics including utilization, cost to borrow, shares on loan, and percentage of free float on loan, with intraday and real-time estimates from a large pool of lenders and brokers.
- Official U.S. exchange-reported short interest (bi-monthly) and European flagged shorts, alongside lending-based estimates.
- Options coverage with unusual activity and flow detection; OPRA-sourced data gated by user agreement to OPRA terms.
- Alpha trading signals across themes like Short Squeeze, EPS, RSI, MACD, and Company Events, each with back-tested stats and intraday updates.
- Configurable stock screener including short-interest columns; results can be exported.
Data & access 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 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: APIKey |
Integrations | Not specified | Microsoft Excel (Add-in) |
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.
Pricing breakdown
Free
Lower starting price
Plans & pricing
- history: Website data restricted to the past 3 years
$39/mo
Starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
3Where the two tools cover the same ground.
Capitol Trades strengths
1What you only get with Capitol Trades.
ORTEX strengths
11Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
Loading sentiment chart...
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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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.