VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON
Tool details checked August 23, 2026
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs Open Payments (CMS)
Start here
GuruFocus
Free • From $549/yr · Web · Mobile · API
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners.
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick Open Payments (CMS) instead if
Open Payments (CMS)
Free · Web · API
- You want regulatory filings monitoring and official sources.
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
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: 49 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.
What readers say
GuruFocus
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Open Payments (CMS)
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Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus49 vs 4 categories
- Global coverage
- GuruFocus
- Asset coverage
- GuruFocusAdds stocks and 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 • From $549/yr | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | 7 days | — |
Plan limits | 49 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 +47 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 | 49 | 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 | — |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | — |
Capabilities | 9 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +7 more | — |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | — |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit Open Payments (CMS) |
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS) each do best.What GuruFocus does best
- Research coverage for global stocks with long historical financials, valuation data, charts, comparisons, market valuation indicators, economic indicators, industry data, and company-level fundamentals.
- 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.
- ETF Screener and ETF GF Scores for filtering and comparing more than 5,000 U.S.
- Corporate and government bond screening by yield, maturity, ratings, coupon structure, outstanding amount, issuer, and industry, plus company-level bond tabs.
- Backtest screener strategies across many countries with configurable stock count, ranking metric, sort order, date range, and rebalance frequency; current membership terms give Premium the latest five years and Premium Plus/Professional history back to 2006.
What Open Payments (CMS) does best
- Search tools across official Sunshine Act records for payments and ownership interests reported by drug manufacturers, device manufacturers, and group purchasing organizations.
- Comparison tools for General Payments, Research Payments, and Ownership or Investment Interests across program years.
- Lookup tools for physicians, non-physician practitioners, teaching hospitals, manufacturers, products, payment categories, dates, and dollar amounts from the public web tool.
- Charts, filters, and downloadable tables to move from a provider, company, or product question into the underlying records.
- Download support for bulk datasets when healthcare, pharma, medtech, policy, or compliance workflows need repeatable offline analysis.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS), side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for GuruFocus and Open Payments (CMS), side by side.| 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 | Not specified |
Data granularity | EOD | Not specified |
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 | Not specified |
Capability signals | Custom formulasRanking backtestsUniverse builderFactors: Value, Quality, Momentum, and GrowthBroker syncMulti-currencyYield curvesCredit ratings+1 more | 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.
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 | Freeportfolio 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 | Free |
| Entry paid plan | $549/yr≈ $45.75/mo“Premium”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 200/month included with Premium membership · +2 more | — |
| Tier 2 | $1398/yr≈ $116.50/mo“Premium Plus”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 500/month included with Premium Plus membership · +2 more | — |
| Tier 3 | $200/mo“Data API Builder”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +12 more | — |
| Tier 4 | $2448/yr≈ $204/mo“Professional”billing: Annual only · data api requests: 2,000/month included with Professional membership | — |
| Tier 5 | $2000/mo“Data API Commercial”billing: Billed annually · monthly request limit: No limit · +1 more | — |
| Top plan | $100 per unit“Data API Pay As You Go”initial top up: $100 credit · stock daily prices: $0.05/request · +16 more | — |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Custom API / Enterprise Package” | — |
| Free trial | 7 days | — |
Questions we keep getting
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.