VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

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Tool Comparison

FOIAsearch vs PCAOB AuditorSearch comparison

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

Quick takeaways

FOIAsearch adds Alerts, Watchlist, and Flags coverage that PCAOB AuditorSearch skips.

In depth comparison

FOIAsearch logo

FOIAsearch

foiasearch.com

Free SEC‑FOIA log search with investor‑oriented alerts. Tracks FOIA requests filed with the SEC (post‑Oct 1, 2019), highlights requests denied under Exemption 7(A) (B7A)—a known signal of ongoing enforcement activity—and offers alerts for portfolio tickers and issuer‑relations (‘IR Watch’) plus monthly Prominent Reporter Alerts. Built by Edwin Dorsey (The Bear Cave).

Platforms

Web

Pricing

FreeSubscription

Quick highlights

  • Unified search of SEC FOIA Logs with lists for ‘All Requests’ and ‘B7A Exempt Requests’.
  • ‘Protect My Portfolio’ email alerts on FOIA activity tied to saved companies/tickers.
  • ‘IR Watch’ alerts when hedge funds, research firms, or reporters FOIA your company (IR use‑case).
  • Monthly ‘Prominent Reporter Alerts’ to see what journalists are requesting before stories publish.
  • B7A (FOIA Exemption 7(A)) call‑outs; academic work shows B7A denials are predictive of ongoing/future SEC investigations.

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PCAOB AuditorSearch logo

PCAOB AuditorSearch

pcaobus.org

Free public database built from Form AP filings. Users can search audit engagements by company, firm, or partner, or download the full dataset as a CSV file updated daily. Bulk downloads are timestamped in Eastern Time and do not include the ticker field.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Searchable by engagement partner, audit firm, or public company, with support for company name, CIK, ticker, and firm identifiers.
  • Displays engagement partner details, audit firm name and location, and the extent of participation of other firms.
  • Bulk dataset download in CSV format, updated daily. The file includes all Form AP data fields documented in the dictionary, with timestamps in Eastern Time.
  • Form AP filings are required for each audit of a public company, forming the core of the database.
  • Advanced search tools and a contact form are available for deeper queries and user support.

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Where they differ

FOIAsearch

Distinct strengths include:

AlertsWatchlistFlags
  • Unified search of SEC FOIA Logs with lists for ‘All Requests’ and ‘B7A Exempt Requests’.
  • ‘Protect My Portfolio’ email alerts on FOIA activity tied to saved companies/tickers.
  • ‘IR Watch’ alerts when hedge funds, research firms, or reporters FOIA your company (IR use‑case).
  • Monthly ‘Prominent Reporter Alerts’ to see what journalists are requesting before stories publish.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeFOIAsearchPCAOB AuditorSearch
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Unique: Alerts, Watchlist, Flags

Shared: Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks

Other

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web

Web

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Free

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Unified search of SEC FOIA Logs with lists for ‘All Requests’ and ‘B7A Exempt Requests’.
  • ‘Protect My Portfolio’ email alerts on FOIA activity tied to saved companies/tickers.
  • ‘IR Watch’ alerts when hedge funds, research firms, or reporters FOIA your company (IR use‑case).
  • Monthly ‘Prominent Reporter Alerts’ to see what journalists are requesting before stories publish.
  • B7A (FOIA Exemption 7(A)) call‑outs; academic work shows B7A denials are predictive of ongoing/future SEC investigations.
  • Covers SEC FOIA requests filed after Oct 1, 2019; links back to the official SEC FOIA Logs page for provenance.

Unique

  • Searchable by engagement partner, audit firm, or public company, with support for company name, CIK, ticker, and firm identifiers.
  • Displays engagement partner details, audit firm name and location, and the extent of participation of other firms.
  • Bulk dataset download in CSV format, updated daily. The file includes all Form AP data fields documented in the dictionary, with timestamps in Eastern Time.
  • Form AP filings are required for each audit of a public company, forming the core of the database.
  • Advanced search tools and a contact form are available for deeper queries and user support.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do FOIAsearch and PCAOB AuditorSearch both support?

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

Do FOIAsearch and PCAOB AuditorSearch require subscriptions?

Both FOIAsearch and PCAOB AuditorSearch keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access FOIAsearch and PCAOB AuditorSearch?

Both FOIAsearch and PCAOB AuditorSearch 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?

FOIAsearch differentiates itself with Unified search of SEC FOIA Logs with lists for ‘All Requests’ and ‘B7A Exempt Requests’., ‘Protect My Portfolio’ email alerts on FOIA activity tied to saved companies/tickers., and ‘IR Watch’ alerts when hedge funds, research firms, or reporters FOIA your company (IR use‑case)., whereas PCAOB AuditorSearch stands out for Searchable by engagement partner, audit firm, or public company, with support for company name, CIK, ticker, and firm identifiers., Displays engagement partner details, audit firm name and location, and the extent of participation of other firms., and Bulk dataset download in CSV format, updated daily. The file includes all Form AP data fields documented in the dictionary, with timestamps in Eastern Time..

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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.