VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Wednesday, November 19, 2025

Tool Comparison

InsideArbitrage vs OTC Markets comparison

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

Quick takeaways

InsideArbitrage adds Alerts, Calendar, Acquisitions, Spin-offs, Buybacks & Authorizations, Insider Data, Institutional Data, 13F, 13D/13G, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Watchlist, Blogs, Newsletters, Videos, Playbooks & Case Studies, and PDF Annotation coverage that OTC Markets skips.

OTC Markets includes Data APIs, Order Book / Level II, Ticker Changes, and APIs & SDKs categories that InsideArbitrage omits.

In depth comparison

InsideArbitrage logo

InsideArbitrage

insidearbitrage.com

Event‑driven research platform by Asif Suria focused on merger arbitrage, insider transactions, spinoffs, buybacks, activists, and related special situations. Premium includes tools like the Merger Arbitrage Tool, CVR database, buyback & spinoff trackers, premium screens (IA Score, cluster buys, ‘double dipper’), ‘Deals‑in‑the‑Works’ and deal calendars. IA Professional adds pro‑only features (e.g., CVR outcomes, activist tracker, reverse‑splits tracker, Insider Performance Score) and multi‑seat licensing.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

FreeSubscription

Quick highlights

  • Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems.
  • Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map.
  • Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks).
  • Spinoff suite: upcoming/completed spinoffs and ‘Spinsider’ screen; CVR deals database with outcomes.
  • Gurus/Institutional holdings pages aggregating 13F/13D/13G and Form 4 into manager dashboards.

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OTC Markets logo

OTC Markets

otcmarkets.com

Primary operator and market data source for U.S. OTC equities via OTC Link ATS/ECN/NQB (SEC‑regulated ATSs). Commercial data products include Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside quote & trades), Level 2+ (full quote book with MPIDs), 15‑minute delayed Level 1+, End‑of‑Day, reference/security master, and compliance datasets (Blue Sky, Promotion/CE, Compliance Analytics). Delivery options include real‑time multicast feeds, SFTP/FTP files, and a REST Disclosure API. Website provides delayed quotes, corporate actions, screeners and issuer news (DNS).

Platforms

WebAPI

Pricing

FreeSubscription

Quick highlights

  • Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots.
  • Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements.
  • Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported.
  • Disclosure API (REST, JSON/CSV/XML) with app‑key auth; filter by symbol/CUSIP/company; document retrieval; plan‑level rate‑limit guidance.
  • Compliance & regulatory data: Blue Sky Data (state eligibility monitoring), Promotion Data file (Caveat Emptor/tier/share data), and Compliance Analytics (multi‑factor risk scoring).

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Where they differ

InsideArbitrage

Distinct strengths include:

  • Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems.
  • Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map.
  • Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks).
  • Spinoff suite: upcoming/completed spinoffs and ‘Spinsider’ screen; CVR deals database with outcomes.

OTC Markets

Distinct strengths include:

  • Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots.
  • Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements.
  • Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported.
  • Disclosure API (REST, JSON/CSV/XML) with app‑key auth; filter by symbol/CUSIP/company; document retrieval; plan‑level rate‑limit guidance.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeInsideArbitrageOTC Markets
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: News, Dividends, Splits, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Screeners

Unique: Alerts, Calendar, Acquisitions, Spin-offs, Buybacks & Authorizations, Insider Data, Institutional Data, 13F, 13D/13G, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Watchlist, Blogs, Newsletters, Videos, Playbooks & Case Studies, PDF Annotation

Shared: News, Dividends, Splits, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Screeners

Unique: Data APIs, Order Book / Level II, Ticker Changes, APIs & SDKs

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, ETFs

Stocks, Bonds

Experience levels

Who each product is built for

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Platforms

Where you can access the product

Web

Web, API

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free, Subscription

Free, Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems.
  • Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map.
  • Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks).
  • Spinoff suite: upcoming/completed spinoffs and ‘Spinsider’ screen; CVR deals database with outcomes.
  • Gurus/Institutional holdings pages aggregating 13F/13D/13G and Form 4 into manager dashboards.
  • Event‑driven monitor & M&A news feed; earnings calendar; tender‑offers tracker; activist‑campaign tracker; C‑suite transitions tool.

Unique

  • Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots.
  • Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements.
  • Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported.
  • Disclosure API (REST, JSON/CSV/XML) with app‑key auth; filter by symbol/CUSIP/company; document retrieval; plan‑level rate‑limit guidance.
  • Compliance & regulatory data: Blue Sky Data (state eligibility monitoring), Promotion Data file (Caveat Emptor/tier/share data), and Compliance Analytics (multi‑factor risk scoring).
  • Coverage of OTC Link ATS via MIC 'OTCM'; OTC Link ATS/ECN/NQB each operate as SEC‑regulated ATSs.
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 InsideArbitrage and OTC Markets both support?

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

Do InsideArbitrage and OTC Markets require subscriptions?

Both InsideArbitrage and OTC Markets keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access InsideArbitrage and OTC Markets?

Both InsideArbitrage and OTC Markets 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?

InsideArbitrage differentiates itself with Merger Arbitrage Tool with announced‑deal lists, spread tracking, calendars and deal updates; ‘Deals in the Works’ and deal post‑mortems., Insider data hub with ‘Insider Weekends’, cluster buys, buys near highs, flip‑floppers, top‑performing insiders and sector heat‑map., and Buyback suite: daily buyback announcements, searchable buyback history, ‘Buyback Wednesdays’, and ‘Double Dipper’ (insiders + buybacks)., whereas OTC Markets stands out for Real‑Time Level 1+ (inside bid/offer + trades) and Level 2+ (full quote book with market participant IDs) data products; Delayed Level 1+ on a 15‑minute basis; End‑of‑Day snapshots., Level 2 quote montage specification (fields: MPID, price, QAP, size, time‑of‑update) and display requirements., and Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported..

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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.