★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
Open Payments (CMS) vs QuickFS
Pick Open Payments (CMS) if
Open Payments (CMS)
Free · Web · API
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You care about regulatory filings monitoring and official sources, things QuickFS doesn't offer
Pick QuickFS if
QuickFS
Contact for pricing · Web
- You care about financials and sheets / excel add-ins, things Open Payments (CMS) 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.
Our take
The bottom line
Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, APIs & data feeds and data visualizations), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. The real difference is focus: only Open Payments (CMS) gives you regulatory filings monitoring and official sources, and only QuickFS gives you financials and sheets / excel add-ins.
What readers say
Open Payments (CMS)
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
QuickFS
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- Open Payments (CMS)
- API access
- Open Payments (CMS)
- Global coverage
- QuickFS
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 | Contact for pricing |
Free tier | Yes | No |
Free trial | — | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | No |
API access | Yes | No |
Integrations | — | FastFS.org successor referral and Microsoft AppSource legacy Excel listing |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 4 | 4 |
Regions | North America | North America, Europe, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Security | Data residency: US | — |
| Try it | Visit Open Payments (CMS) | Visit QuickFS |
Where each one shines
What Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS each do best.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.
What QuickFS does best
- Official homepage says QuickFS will not relaunch and that the founder introduced FastFS.org to a data vendor that could support a successor with major QuickFS-like features.
- Legacy product offered 20-year history for 200+ standardized metrics and statements across 40,000+ international stocks.
- Legacy Excel add-in used =QFS("ticker","metric","period") to pull data directly into models; Microsoft AppSource listings may still exist but require a QuickFS account and should not be treated as an active standalone service.
- Legacy API and exports covered fundamentals, market data, company metadata, CSV/Excel exports, and bulk downloads; current official homepage does not advertise active API access.
- Ticker format with country suffix (e.g., AAPL:US) and global coverage across U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and more were legacy capabilities.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Other | Stocks |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North America | North AmericaEuropeAPAC |
Coverage details | Countries: US | 4 countriesIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | End of Day |
Data granularity | EOD | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | Not specified |
API auth & delivery | Auth: None | Not specified |
Integrations | Not specified | FastFS.org successor referralMicrosoft AppSource legacy Excel listing |
Export formats | CSVJSON | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Data residency: US | Not specified |
Vendor & support | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health & Human ServicesCountry: USSupport: Email and Phone | QuickFS.net, LLCSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 5/5Reliability 5/5UX 4/5 | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 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 | Free | — |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“Closed / not relaunched” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS?
Open Payments (CMS) leans toward APIs & data feeds, data visualizations, and regulatory filings monitoring, while QuickFS puts more weight on financials, data visualizations, and APIs & data feeds. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is Open Payments (CMS) or QuickFS free to use?
Open Payments (CMS) has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. QuickFS is paid-only. If budget matters, start with Open Payments (CMS) and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Does Open Payments (CMS) or QuickFS have an API?
Open Payments (CMS) has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. QuickFS doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose Open Payments (CMS) or QuickFS?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Open Payments (CMS) if regulatory filings monitoring and official sources matter to you; go with QuickFS if you'd rather have financials and sheets / excel add-ins. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS cover?
Open Payments (CMS) covers other. QuickFS covers stocks.
Which covers international markets: Open Payments (CMS) or QuickFS?
QuickFS has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, and APAC), 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 Open Payments (CMS) and QuickFS?
Open Payments (CMS) exports to CSV. QuickFS is stingier about getting data out.
Feedback
Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.
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.