VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing FlightAware and Open Payments (CMS) will find that Both FlightAware and Open Payments (CMS) concentrate on Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. FlightAware leans into Alerts, and Satellite / Geospatial, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Open Payments (CMS) stands out with Regulatory Filings Monitoring that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
FlightAware vs Open Payments (CMS)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- FlightAware adds Alerts, and Satellite / Geospatial coverage that Open Payments (CMS) skips.
- Open Payments (CMS) includes Regulatory Filings Monitoring categories that FlightAware omits.
- FlightAware highlights: Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions., Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data., and AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication..
- Open Payments (CMS) is known for: Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests., Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal., and Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style)..
- FlightAware ships a mobile app. Open Payments (CMS) is web/desktop only.
FlightAware
flightaware.com
A global flight-tracking platform offering free web and mobile access to live flight data. Premium subscriptions add unlimited alerts and extended historical lookback. Enterprise offerings include AeroAPI (REST), Firehose (streaming), and Rapid Reports (one-off email deliveries).
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions.
- Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data.
- AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication.
- FlightAware Firehose delivers a continuous enterprise-grade feed of real-time, historical, and predictive flight data over secure TCP/SSL connections.
- Global coverage powered by fused data sources: national air navigation providers, ACARS messages, over 30,000 terrestrial ADS-B receivers, Aireon space-based ADS-B with ~1-minute updates, and FlightAware’s HyperFeed® ML engine processing tens of thousands of position messages per second.
Open Payments (CMS)
openpaymentsdata.cms.gov
U.S. federal open‑data program (Affordable Care Act ‘Sunshine Act’) that publishes financial relationships between drug/device manufacturers (and GPOs) and healthcare providers (physicians, NPPs since PY2021, and teaching hospitals). CMS publishes the prior program year’s full datasets on or before June 30 each year and issues a January refresh. Data are accessible via the web search tool, bulk downloads, and a REST Open Data API (filter, query, aggregate).
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests.
- Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal.
- Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style).
- Publication cadence: initial annual publication on/around June 30 for the prior year, plus a January data refresh.
- Pre‑publication workflow: 45‑day recipient review & dispute (Apr 1–May 15) + 15‑day correction window (May 16–May 30).
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
FlightAware
Distinct strengths include:
- Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions.
- Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data.
- AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication.
- FlightAware Firehose delivers a continuous enterprise-grade feed of real-time, historical, and predictive flight data over secure TCP/SSL connections.
Open Payments (CMS)
Distinct strengths include:
- Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests.
- Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal.
- Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style).
- Publication cadence: initial annual publication on/around June 30 for the prior year, plus a January data refresh.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FlightAware | Open Payments (CMS) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations Unique: Alerts, Satellite / Geospatial | Shared: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations Unique: Regulatory Filings Monitoring |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Other | Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, Mobile, API | Web, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription, One-time | Free |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
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 FlightAware and Open Payments (CMS) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do FlightAware and Open Payments (CMS) require subscriptions?
Both FlightAware and Open Payments (CMS) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
FlightAware ships a dedicated mobile experience, while Open Payments (CMS) focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
FlightAware differentiates itself with Live flight tracking and flight-status pages with dedicated views for cancellations and delays, plus the signature MiseryMap® for U.S. air traffic disruptions., Premium subscriptions unlock unlimited flight alerts and access to three, five, or eight months of historical flight data., and AeroAPI (v4) provides RESTful access to current and historical flight data with JSON responses and API key authentication., whereas Open Payments (CMS) stands out for Three core datasets each year: General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership/Investment Interests., Web search/explorer with filtering and charts; program year downloads available from the portal., and Open Data API (ODA) for programmatic access with filtering, querying, and aggregation (SoQL‑style)..
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.