★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
GuruFocus vs OTC Markets
Start here
GuruFocus
Best for stock ideas and ETF 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, ETF screeners, and top analysts, things OTC Markets doesn't offer
- You're a long-term investor who cares more about fundamentals than headlines
Pick OTC Markets instead if
OTC Markets
Best for order book / level II and official sources
Free • Contact for pricing · Web · API · Other
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about order book / level II 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 OTC Markets cover a lot of the same ground (4 shared categories, including screeners, news, and APIs & data feeds), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. GuruFocus simply does more: 48 categories to OTC Markets's 6, including stock ideas, ETF screeners, and top analysts, plus a mobile app. OTC Markets counters by being completely free.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- GuruFocus
- Free trial
- GuruFocus7 days
- Broader coverage
- GuruFocus48 vs 6 categories
- Real-time data
- OTC Markets
- Global coverage
- GuruFocus
- Asset coverage
- GuruFocusAdds ETFs and mutual funds
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $549/yr | Free • Contact for pricing |
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 | Market Data Licensing: note: Level 2 licenses include Level 1 licenses; CUSIP and Global OTC add-o... and OTC Disclosure API: rate limit per min: 1,000 |
| 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 | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +3 more |
Categories covered | 48 | 6 |
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 | 3 signals: Latency: Streaming, 15-min Delayed, and End of Day, Granularity: Tick and EOD +1 more |
Data partners | 5 partners: QuoteMedia, Morningstar +3 more | ICE Data Services |
Capabilities | 8 signals: Custom formulas, Ranking backtests +6 more | — |
Security | Status page and Encryption in transit | — |
| Try it | Visit GuruFocus | Visit OTC Markets |
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 OTC Markets does best
- Research OTCQX, OTCQB, OTCID, Pink, and Expert Market securities through public issuer pages with quotes, charts, financials, company news, and market-tier context.
- Use the OTC Markets Stock Screener to narrow OTC securities before moving into issuer pages, filings, quote history, and disclosure context.
- License real-time Level 1+ and Level 2+ products when quote, trade, security-reference, or market-participant depth data is needed in production systems.
- Use Level 2+ for quote-book depth and market-participant information, with licensing that also includes Level 1 access.
- Pull end-of-day OTC pricing files for closing trade and quote data plus OTC-specific attributes such as Caveat Emptor flags and market tier.
Data & access details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsBondsMutual FundsOptionsFundsOther | StocksBonds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsValue InvestorsQuality InvestorsDividend InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers+3 more | Retail TradersPro RetailInstitutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/Developers |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker and CIK | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker and CUSIP |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | Streaming15-min DelayedEnd of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | TickEOD |
Pricing sources | ExchangeVendorModel | Not specified |
Data partners | QuoteMediaMorningstarRefinitivFREDSEC / local regulators | ICE Data Services |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and GoDocs | Auth: APIKey1,000 req/minDocs |
Import methods | CSVBrokerOAuthManual | Not specified |
Integrations | GuruFocus Data APIGuruFocus MCP ServerGuruFocus Excel Add-inGuruFocus Google Sheets Add-onSnapTrade | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVExcelJSON | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Status pageEncryption in transit | Not specified |
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 | OTC Markets Group Inc.Country: United StatesSupport: Email and Phone |
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
- note: Level 2 licenses include Level 1 licenses; CUSIP and Global OTC add-o...
- rate limit per min: 1,000
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
4Where the two tools cover the same ground.
GuruFocus strengths
44What you only get with GuruFocus.
OTC Markets strengths
2What you only get with OTC Markets.
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
Loading sentiment chart...
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between GuruFocus and OTC Markets?
GuruFocus leans toward stock ideas, screeners, and ETF screeners, while OTC Markets puts more weight on screeners, news, and APIs & data feeds. They overlap in 4 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do GuruFocus and OTC Markets cost?
Good news: both GuruFocus and OTC Markets have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use GuruFocus or OTC Markets on my phone?
GuruFocus lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. OTC Markets doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web, API, and other.
Do GuruFocus and OTC Markets 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 OTC Markets?
It depends on what you're after. Pick GuruFocus if stock ideas and ETF screeners matter to you; go with OTC Markets if you'd rather have order book / level II and official sources. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do GuruFocus and OTC Markets cover?
Both cover stocks and bonds. GuruFocus also handles ETFs, mutual funds, and options.
Does GuruFocus or OTC Markets have real-time data?
OTC Markets offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. GuruFocus runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Which covers international markets: GuruFocus or OTC Markets?
GuruFocus has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, and more), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. OTC Markets is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Can I export data from GuruFocus and OTC Markets?
GuruFocus exports to CSV and Excel. OTC Markets is stingier about getting data out.
Which has a better stock screener: GuruFocus or OTC Markets?
Both GuruFocus and OTC Markets include stock screeners, and they differ more in interface than raw power; try both and see which one clicks for you.
Can I track my portfolio with GuruFocus or OTC Markets?
GuruFocus handles portfolio tracking. OTC Markets is really a research tool; you'd track your portfolio elsewhere.
Other tools you might like
These profiles share overlapping coverage with both sides of this matchup.
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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.