VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON
Tool details checked August 23, 2026
Tool Comparison
FOIAsearch vs IBorrowDesk
Pick FOIAsearch if
FOIAsearch
Free • Paid plans available · Web
- You want regulatory filings monitoring and flags.
Pick IBorrowDesk if
IBorrowDesk
Free • From $1/mo · Web
- You want short interest.
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
FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, alerts and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. FOIAsearch includes regulatory filings monitoring and flags, and IBorrowDesk includes short interest.
What readers say
FOIAsearch
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
IBorrowDesk
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
Key differences at a glance
- Global coverage
- IBorrowDesk
- Asset coverage
- IBorrowDeskAdds ETFs
- Free plan
- Both
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 • Paid plans available | Free • From $1/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | No | No |
Broker sync | — | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 4 | 3 |
Regions | North America | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | 3 signals: Latency: 15-min Delayed and End of Day, Granularity: Minute and EOD +1 more |
| Try it | Visit FOIAsearch | Visit IBorrowDesk |
Where each one shines
What FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk each do best.What FOIAsearch does best
- Search SEC FOIA request logs by company or organization.
- Review separate lists for all requests and B7A-exempt requests.
- Use Protect My Portfolio for alerts about saved portfolio companies.
- Use IR Watch for alerts when hedge funds, research firms or reporters request information about an issuer.
- Receive a monthly roundup of SEC FOIA requests from selected reporters.
What IBorrowDesk does best
- Tracking borrow fee percentages and shortable share availability for stocks and ETFs from Interactive Brokers public data.
- Ticker pages to review recent borrow snapshots with timestamps, fee rates, and available shares.
- Monitor intraday changes with roughly 15-minute refreshes during North American trading hours and slower weekday updates outside those hours.
- Support for adding tickers to watchlists and set alerts for borrow availability or fee changes.
- IBorrowDesk as one input for short-interest, squeeze-risk, borrow-cost, and liquidity research.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Stocks | StocksETFs |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North America | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAm |
Coverage details | Countries: US | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | 15-min DelayedEnd of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | MinuteEOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
Export formats | Not specified | CSV |
| Plans & trust | ||
Vendor & support | Dorsey Research LLCSupport: Email | IBorrowDeskSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 3/5Reliability 3/5UX 4/5 | Methodology 3/5Reliability 3/5UX 3/5 |
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 | Free“Free Search” | Free |
| Entry paid plan | Subscription“Portfolio Alerts” | $1/mo“Supporter” |
| Tier 2 | Subscription“IR Watch” | $10/mo“Subscriber” |
| Top plan | Subscription“Prominent Reporter Alerts” | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk?
FOIAsearch leans toward alerts, regulatory filings monitoring, and watchlist, while IBorrowDesk puts more weight on short interest, watchlist, and alerts. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk cost?
Good news: both FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Should I choose FOIAsearch or IBorrowDesk?
It depends on what you're after. Pick FOIAsearch if regulatory filings monitoring and flags matter to you; go with IBorrowDesk if you'd rather have short interest. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk cover?
Both cover stocks. IBorrowDesk adds ETFs on top.
Which covers international markets: FOIAsearch or IBorrowDesk?
IBorrowDesk has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, APAC, and LatAm), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. FOIAsearch is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from FOIAsearch and IBorrowDesk?
IBorrowDesk exports to CSV. FOIAsearch is stingier about getting data out.
Keep researching
Other tools you might like
Keep Exploring
Feedback
Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.
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.