★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
OpenBB vs USAspending
Pick OpenBB if
OpenBB
Free • Contact for pricing · Web · Desktop · Mobile
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about sheets / excel add-ins, custom dashboards, and AI research, things USAspending doesn't offer
Pick USAspending if
USAspending
Free · Web · API
- You care about videos, other, and official sources, things OpenBB doesn't offer
- You're newer to investing and want something approachable
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
OpenBB and USAspending 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. OpenBB simply does more: 12 categories to USAspending's 5, including sheets / excel add-ins, custom dashboards, and AI research, plus a mobile app. USAspending counters by being completely free.
What readers say
OpenBB
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
USAspending
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- OpenBB
- Broader coverage
- OpenBB12 vs 5 categories
- Desktop app
- OpenBB
- Beginner friendly
- USAspending
- 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 • Contact for pricing | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 7 limits: Workspace Community: copilot queries per day: 20, Workspace Community: excel add in: No (per plan comparison) +5 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | Yes | No |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Integrations | OpenBB Skills, Workspace MCP server +2 more | — |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Institutional Investors, Analysts +2 more | — |
Categories covered | 12 | 5 |
Regions | — | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
Capabilities | IV surface and Yield curves | — |
Security | 6 signals: SOC2, SSO: SAML and OIDC +4 more | Data residency: US |
| Try it | Visit OpenBB | Visit USAspending |
Where each one shines
What OpenBB and USAspending each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What OpenBB and USAspending each do best.What OpenBB does best
- The open-source Open Data Platform locally under AGPL for unified financial and economic data access through provider connectors.
- Work across Python, REST API, notebooks, Workspace, and Excel-oriented workflows depending on whether you are coding, analyzing, or building dashboards.
- Connections for third-party data providers and your own API keys; OpenBB does not host or redistribute production market data for you.
- Tools for building Workspace dashboards with customizable UI components, apps, widgets, and firm-specific data integrations.
- Support for adding proprietary or internal data by exposing an API plus a widgets.json definition for custom Workspace widgets.
What USAspending does best
- Search tools across federal awards, recipients, agencies, federal accounts, contracts, grants, loans, direct payments, insurance, and other assistance records.
- Advanced Search filters such as award type, date, place of performance, NAICS, PSC, Assistance Listing, agency, recipient, and disaster-emergency funding codes.
- Tools for exploring top-down spending through Spending Explorer, agency profiles, and federal-account profiles before drilling into awards and recipients.
- The public REST API V2 with JSON responses for award and account workflows; current endpoint docs say authorization is not required.
- Download support for data through award archives, custom award downloads, custom account downloads, Advanced Search exports, award profile downloads, and the full database download.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for OpenBB and USAspending, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for OpenBB and USAspending, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsCryptosCurrenciesCommoditiesBondsOptionsFutures | Other |
Experience | IntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Institutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersStudents/Researchers | Not specified |
Regions | Not specified | North America |
Coverage details | Identifiers: Ticker | Countries: US |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | End of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: NoneSDKs: PythonDocs | Auth: None |
Integrations | OpenBB SkillsWorkspace MCP serverMCP serversExcel Add-in | Not specified |
Export formats | CSVExcel | CSVJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | SOC2SSO: SAML and OIDCStatus pageEncryption at restEncryption in transitRole-based access | Data residency: US |
Capability signals | IV surfaceYield curves | Not specified |
Vendor & support | OpenBB Inc.Founded 2021Support: Email and Forum | U.S. Department of the Treasury – Bureau of the Fiscal ServiceCountry: USSupport: Email |
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 | Free“Workspace Community”copilot queries per day: 20 · excel add in: No (per plan comparison) · +1 more | Free |
| Custom / enterprise | Contact sales“Workspace Pro”pricing model: One-time license for the entire team (contact sales) · support: 8 hours/day, 5 days/week (EST) | — |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between OpenBB and USAspending?
OpenBB leans toward APIs & data feeds, sheets / excel add-ins, and data visualizations, while USAspending puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, data visualizations, and videos. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do OpenBB and USAspending cost?
Good news: both OpenBB and USAspending have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Which is better for beginners: OpenBB or USAspending?
USAspending is the friendlier place to start; its interface takes less getting used to. Both work fine once you're past the basics.
Can I use OpenBB or USAspending on my phone?
OpenBB lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. USAspending doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do OpenBB and USAspending have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose OpenBB or USAspending?
It depends on what you're after. Pick OpenBB if sheets / excel add-ins and custom dashboards matter to you; go with USAspending if you'd rather have videos and other. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do OpenBB and USAspending cover?
OpenBB covers stocks, ETFs, and cryptos. USAspending covers other.
Can I export data from OpenBB and USAspending?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: OpenBB or USAspending?
OpenBB has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; USAspending doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Keep researching
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Feedback
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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.