VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing marketstack and OTC Markets will find that Both marketstack and OTC Markets concentrate on Data APIs, Dividends, and Splits workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. marketstack leans into ETF Holdings, Interest Rates, and Analyst Recommendations, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. OTC Markets stands out with Order Book / Level II, News, and Ticker Changes that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
marketstack vs OTC Markets
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- marketstack adds ETF Holdings, Interest Rates, Analyst Recommendations, and Analyst Price Targets coverage that OTC Markets skips.
- OTC Markets includes Order Book / Level II, News, Ticker Changes, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, and Screeners categories that marketstack omits.
- marketstack highlights: RESTful JSON API with secure API key access, HTTPS transport, and a 5 requests/sec global limit., End-of-day data with 15+ years of history across 500,000+ tickers, including MIC-level filtering and adjusted fields (open, close, volume)., and Intraday data for U.S. markets via IEX, with intervals from 1–60 minutes. Real-time reference prices are derived from IEX feeds; some fields require separate entitlements..
- OTC Markets is known 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..
marketstack
marketstack.com
A global market data API with free and paid tiers. End-of-day coverage spans 15+ years and 500k+ tickers, while intraday and real-time access are unlocked on higher plans. Rate limits apply: 5 requests per second globally, with some endpoints (like ETF holdings) counting as multiple calls. Premium tiers add features like SEC/EDGAR filings, analyst ratings, and bond/index data. Data is sourced from Tiingo for U.S. markets, and uptime is tracked on a public status page.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- RESTful JSON API with secure API key access, HTTPS transport, and a 5 requests/sec global limit.
- End-of-day data with 15+ years of history across 500,000+ tickers, including MIC-level filtering and adjusted fields (open, close, volume).
- Intraday data for U.S. markets via IEX, with intervals from 1–60 minutes. Real-time reference prices are derived from IEX feeds; some fields require separate entitlements.
- Professional and higher tiers include real-time stock prices with minute-level updates (1 API call per minute rate cap).
- Corporate actions endpoints for dividends and stock splits.
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).
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
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).
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
Where they differ
marketstack
Distinct strengths include:
- RESTful JSON API with secure API key access, HTTPS transport, and a 5 requests/sec global limit.
- End-of-day data with 15+ years of history across 500,000+ tickers, including MIC-level filtering and adjusted fields (open, close, volume).
- Intraday data for U.S. markets via IEX, with intervals from 1–60 minutes. Real-time reference prices are derived from IEX feeds; some fields require separate entitlements.
- Professional and higher tiers include real-time stock prices with minute-level updates (1 API call per minute rate cap).
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
| Attribute | marketstack | OTC Markets |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Dividends, Splits, APIs & SDKs Unique: ETF Holdings, Interest Rates, Analyst Recommendations, Analyst Price Targets | Shared: Data APIs, Dividends, Splits, APIs & SDKs Unique: Order Book / Level II, News, Ticker Changes, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, Screeners |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, ETFs, Bonds, Commodities | Stocks, Bonds |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Free, Subscription |
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 marketstack and OTC Markets both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Dividends, Splits, and APIs & SDKs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do marketstack and OTC Markets require subscriptions?
Both marketstack and OTC Markets keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access marketstack and OTC Markets?
Both marketstack 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?
marketstack differentiates itself with RESTful JSON API with secure API key access, HTTPS transport, and a 5 requests/sec global limit., End-of-day data with 15+ years of history across 500,000+ tickers, including MIC-level filtering and adjusted fields (open, close, volume)., and Intraday data for U.S. markets via IEX, with intervals from 1–60 minutes. Real-time reference prices are derived from IEX feeds; some fields require separate entitlements., 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..
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.