FOIAsearch adds Watchlist, and Flags coverage that SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
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Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Tool Comparison
FOIAsearch vs SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) includes IPO, Secondary Offerings, News, and Education categories that FOIAsearch omits.
In depth comparison
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
Pricing
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.
Community votes (overall)
SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada)
sedarplus.ca
Official Canadian public‑filings system operated by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA). Public users can search issuer profiles and disclosure documents (financial statements, MD&A, prospectuses, material change reports, etc.), as well as CSA lists such as Reporting Issuers, Cease Trade Orders, and the Disciplined List. Advanced search supports ‘Document content’ full‑text queries. Search results can be exported to CSV; individual filings download as PDFs. Ticker lookup is not the primary key—use issuer/fund profile name or profile number.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Public search across profiles (companies, investment funds, fund groups) and documents; includes lists for Reporting Issuers, Cease Trade Orders, and Disciplined List.
- Advanced filters: profile name/number, filing category & type (e.g., Annual/Interim MD&A, financials, prospectuses), submitted date ranges, and ‘Document content’ full‑text search.
- One‑click download of selected filings as PDFs; export entire document search result set to CSV for offline analysis.
- Issuer/fund profile pages with tabs for filings and profile details.
- Help Centre and system status pages maintained by CSA; service generally available 24/7 with periodic maintenance windows.
Community votes (overall)
Where they differ
FOIAsearch
Distinct strengths include:
- 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.
SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada)
Distinct strengths include:
- Public search across profiles (companies, investment funds, fund groups) and documents; includes lists for Reporting Issuers, Cease Trade Orders, and Disciplined List.
- Advanced filters: profile name/number, filing category & type (e.g., Annual/Interim MD&A, financials, prospectuses), submitted date ranges, and ‘Document content’ full‑text search.
- One‑click download of selected filings as PDFs; export entire document search result set to CSV for offline analysis.
- Issuer/fund profile pages with tabs for filings and profile details.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FOIAsearch | SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Alerts, Regulatory Filings Monitoring Unique: Watchlist, Flags | Shared: Alerts, Regulatory Filings Monitoring Unique: IPO, Secondary Offerings, News, Education |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Bonds, Funds, Real Estate |
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
| 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 FOIAsearch and SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) both support?
Both platforms cover Alerts, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do FOIAsearch and SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) require subscriptions?
Both FOIAsearch and SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access FOIAsearch and SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada)?
Both FOIAsearch and SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) 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 SEDAR+ (CSA Public Filings — Canada) stands out for Public search across profiles (companies, investment funds, fund groups) and documents; includes lists for Reporting Issuers, Cease Trade Orders, and Disciplined List., Advanced filters: profile name/number, filing category & type (e.g., Annual/Interim MD&A, financials, prospectuses), submitted date ranges, and ‘Document content’ full‑text search., and One‑click download of selected filings as PDFs; export entire document search result set to CSV for offline analysis..
Keep exploring
Keep exploring
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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.