★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs Open Payments (CMS)
Start here
GuruFocus
Best for stock ideas and screeners
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API · 21% positive (14 votes)
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, things Open Payments (CMS) doesn't offer
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick Open Payments (CMS) instead if
Open Payments (CMS)
Best for regulatory filings monitoring and official sources
Free · Web · API
- You care about regulatory filings monitoring and official sources, things GuruFocus doesn't offer
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
The verdict
The bottom line
GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, data visualizations and APIs & data feeds), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 48 categories to Open Payments (CMS)'s 4, including stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, plus a mobile app. Open Payments (CMS) counters by being completely free.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus48 vs 4 categories
- Global coverage
- GuruFocus
- Asset coverage
- GuruFocusAdds stocks and ETFs
- Free plan
- Both
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $549/yr | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | 41 limits: Free: portfolio limit: Up to 3 portfolios with 25 stocks each for free members, Free: data api requests: 100/month included in the Free API package +39 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | Yes | — |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data API, GuruFocus MCP Server +3 more | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +9 more | — |
Categories covered | 48 | 4 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 5 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +3 more | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 8 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +6 more | — |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | Data residency: US |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit Open Payments (CMS) |
Standout features
What GuruFocus does best
- Research global stocks with long historical financials, valuation data, charts, comparisons, market valuation indicators, economic indicators, industry data, and company-level fundamentals.
- Use the All-in-One Screener with hundreds of filters across fundamentals, valuation, profitability, growth, dividends, guru holdings, insider trades, predefined value screens, custom filters, saved screens, and downloads.
- Backtest screener strategies across many countries with configurable stock count, ranking metric, sort order, date range, and rebalance frequency.
- Use GF Score to compare stocks through a 0-100 framework built around financial strength, profitability, growth, valuation, and momentum.
- Use GF Value to frame fair value from historical multiples, past returns, and analyst estimates, then classify stocks by valuation range.
What Open Payments (CMS) does best
- Search official Sunshine Act records for payments and ownership interests reported by drug manufacturers, device manufacturers, and group purchasing organizations.
- Compare General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership or Investment Interests across program years.
- Look up physicians, non-physician practitioners, teaching hospitals, manufacturers, products, payment categories, dates, and dollar amounts from the public web tool.
- Use charts, filters, and downloadable tables to move from a provider, company, or product question into the underlying records.
- Download bulk datasets when healthcare, pharma, medtech, policy, or compliance workflows need repeatable offline analysis.
Data & access details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | Countries: US |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | End of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
Pricing sources | ExchangeVendorModel | Not specified |
Data partners | QuoteMediaMorningstarRefinitivFREDSEC / local regulators | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and GoDocs | Auth: None |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | Not specified |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Status pageEncryption in transit | Data residency: US |
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, and GrowthBroker syncMulti-currencyYield curvesAI summaries: Transcripts | Not specified |
Vendor & support | GuruFocus.com, LLCCountry: United StatesFounded 2004Support: Email, Chat, Phone, and Forum | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health & Human ServicesCountry: USSupport: Email and Phone |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 5/5Reliability 5/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing breakdown
$549/yr
Starting price
Plans & pricing
- portfolio limit: Up to 3 portfolios with 25 stocks each for free members
- data api requests: 100/month included in the Free API package
- +1 more
- billing: Annual only
- data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership
- +2 more
- billing: Annual only
- data api requests: 500/month included with Premium Plus membership
- +2 more
- billing: Annual only
- data api requests: 2,000/month included with Professional membership
- requests: 100/month
- billing: Billed annually
- monthly request limit: No limit
- +10 more
- billing: Billed annually
- monthly request limit: No limit
- +1 more
- initial top up: $100 credit
- company profile: $0.10/request
- +10 more
Free
Lower starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
2Where the two tools cover the same ground.
GuruFocus strengths
46What you only get with GuruFocus.
Open Payments (CMS) strengths
2What you only get with Open Payments (CMS).
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
Loading sentiment chart...
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS)?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while Open Payments (CMS) puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, data visualizations, and regulatory filings monitoring. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use GuruFocus or Open Payments (CMS) on my phone?
GuruFocus lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Open Payments (CMS) doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose GuruFocus or Open Payments (CMS)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and screeners matter to you; go with Open Payments (CMS) if you'd rather have regulatory filings monitoring and official sources. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) cover?
Both cover other. GuruFocus also handles stocks, ETFs, and bonds.
Which covers international markets: GuruFocus or Open Payments (CMS)?
GuruFocus has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, and more), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. Open Payments (CMS) is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS)?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or Open Payments (CMS)?
GuruFocus has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Open Payments (CMS) doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or Open Payments (CMS)?
GuruFocus handles portfolio tracking. Open Payments (CMS) is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
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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.