VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database vs OTC Markets comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database adds Data Visualizations coverage that OTC Markets skips.

OTC Markets includes Order Book / Level II, News, Ticker Changes, Splits, Dividends, and Screeners categories that CFPB Consumer Complaint Database omits.

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database highlights: Interactive explorer to filter, chart trends over time, map by geography, and read consented narratives., Programmatic access via the Consumer Complaint Database Search API; results available as JSON, CSV, XLS, or XLSX., and Daily refresh cadence; complaints published after a response or after 15 days; complaints referred to other regulators are not published..

OTC Markets is known for: Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots., Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements., and Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported..

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database logo

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

consumerfinance.gov

Official U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) database of consumer financial complaints. Complaints are published after the company responds or after 15 days (whichever comes first); the database generally updates daily. Narratives are published only with consumer consent and are scrubbed to remove personal information. The dataset includes product/issue taxonomies, company names, location fields (state/ZIP with privacy rules), submission channel, dates, company response categories, timeliness, tags (e.g., servicemember, older adult) and more. UI provides filters, trends, and maps; API returns JSON/CSV/Excel formats for programmatic use.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Interactive explorer to filter, chart trends over time, map by geography, and read consented narratives.
  • Programmatic access via the Consumer Complaint Database Search API; results available as JSON, CSV, XLS, or XLSX.
  • Daily refresh cadence; complaints published after a response or after 15 days; complaints referred to other regulators are not published.
  • Detailed fields: product/sub‑product, issue/sub‑issue, company, dates (received/sent to company), state/ZIP (privacy rules), submission channel, tags (e.g., Servicemember, Older American), company public response, response category, timeliness, and (if consented) complaint narrative.
  • Download tools on the site plus API endpoints for bulk or filtered pulls; annual and topical reports summarize trends.

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OTC Markets logo

OTC Markets

otcmarkets.com

Primary operator and market data source for U.S. OTC equities via OTC Link ATS/ECN/NQB (SEC‑regulated ATSs). Commercial data products include Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside quote & trades), Level 2+ (full quote book with MPIDs), 15‑minute delayed Level 1+, End‑of‑Day, reference/security master, and compliance datasets (Blue Sky, Promotion/CE, Compliance Analytics). Delivery options include real‑time multicast feeds, SFTP/FTP files, and a REST Disclosure API. Website provides delayed quotes, corporate actions, screeners and issuer news (DNS).

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots.
  • Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements.
  • Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported.
  • Disclosure API (REST, JSON/CSV/XML) with app‑key auth; filter by symbol/CUSIP/company; document retrieval; plan‑level rate‑limit guidance.
  • Compliance & regulatory data: Blue Sky Data (state eligibility monitoring), Promotion Data file (Caveat Emptor/tier/share data), and Compliance Analytics (multi‑factor risk scoring).

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

3 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring.

Where they differ

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database

Distinct strengths include:

  • Interactive explorer to filter, chart trends over time, map by geography, and read consented narratives.
  • Programmatic access via the Consumer Complaint Database Search API; results available as JSON, CSV, XLS, or XLSX.
  • Daily refresh cadence; complaints published after a response or after 15 days; complaints referred to other regulators are not published.
  • Detailed fields: product/sub‑product, issue/sub‑issue, company, dates (received/sent to company), state/ZIP (privacy rules), submission channel, tags (e.g., Servicemember, Older American), company public response, response category, timeliness, and (if consented) complaint narrative.

OTC Markets

Distinct strengths include:

  • Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots.
  • Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements.
  • Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported.
  • Disclosure API (REST, JSON/CSV/XML) with app‑key auth; filter by symbol/CUSIP/company; document retrieval; plan‑level rate‑limit guidance.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeCFPB Consumer Complaint DatabaseOTC Markets
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Unique: Data Visualizations

Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Unique: Order Book / Level II, News, Ticker Changes, Splits, Dividends, Screeners

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Other

Stocks, Bonds

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web, API

Web, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free

Free, Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Interactive explorer to filter, chart trends over time, map by geography, and read consented narratives.
  • Programmatic access via the Consumer Complaint Database Search API; results available as JSON, CSV, XLS, or XLSX.
  • Daily refresh cadence; complaints published after a response or after 15 days; complaints referred to other regulators are not published.
  • Detailed fields: product/sub‑product, issue/sub‑issue, company, dates (received/sent to company), state/ZIP (privacy rules), submission channel, tags (e.g., Servicemember, Older American), company public response, response category, timeliness, and (if consented) complaint narrative.
  • Download tools on the site plus API endpoints for bulk or filtered pulls; annual and topical reports summarize trends.

Unique

  • Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots.
  • Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements.
  • Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported.
  • Disclosure API (REST, JSON/CSV/XML) with app‑key auth; filter by symbol/CUSIP/company; document retrieval; plan‑level rate‑limit guidance.
  • Compliance & regulatory data: Blue Sky Data (state eligibility monitoring), Promotion Data file (Caveat Emptor/tier/share data), and Compliance Analytics (multi‑factor risk scoring).
  • Coverage of OTC Link ATS via MIC 'OTCM'; OTC Link ATS/ECN/NQB each operate as SEC‑regulated ATSs.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Not yet

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

Standard listing

Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and OTC Markets both support?

Both platforms cover Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Do CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and OTC Markets require subscriptions?

Both CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and OTC Markets keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and OTC Markets?

Both CFPB Consumer Complaint Database and OTC Markets prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

CFPB Consumer Complaint Database differentiates itself with Interactive explorer to filter, chart trends over time, map by geography, and read consented narratives., Programmatic access via the Consumer Complaint Database Search API; results available as JSON, CSV, XLS, or XLSX., and Daily refresh cadence; complaints published after a response or after 15 days; complaints referred to other regulators are not published., whereas OTC Markets stands out for Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots., Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements., and Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported..

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.