VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing OpenCorporates and Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) will find that Both OpenCorporates and Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) concentrate on Data APIs, and Other workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. OpenCorporates leans into Regulatory Filings Monitoring, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) stands out with APIs & SDKs, and Citations & Source Pinning 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
OpenCorporates vs Wayback Machine (Internet Archive)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- OpenCorporates adds Regulatory Filings Monitoring coverage that Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) skips.
- Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) includes APIs & SDKs, and Citations & Source Pinning categories that OpenCorporates omits.
- OpenCorporates highlights: 230M+ company records spanning 145+ jurisdictions, aggregated from 140+ official registries with full provenance and source links., Versioned REST API with JSON (default) or XML output; API keys required. Free tier provides up to 200 requests per month (50 per day)., and OpenRefine Reconciliation API allows entity-matching from company names to legal identifiers..
- Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) is known for: On‑demand archiving via Save Page Now (SPN2) with POST/GET; options include capture_outlinks, capture_all, capture_screenshot, custom UA/cookies, and conditional capture (if_not_archived_within)., Snapshot discovery: Availability API (/wayback/v1/available) returns the closest archived capture to a URL/time; CDX Server API lists/filters captures; Memento TimeGate/TimeMap endpoints enable time‑based content negotiation., and Operational endpoints: user status (remaining/active SPN sessions) and system status (overload/OK) for SPN2..
- Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) offers mobile access, which OpenCorporates skips.
OpenCorporates
opencorporates.com
The world’s largest open database of legal entities, offering both a public-facing search and an API. Free access is available for personal or public-benefit use, while commercial API access and bulk datasets require a paid plan. Bulk deliveries are provided via SFTP in CSV format, and the platform includes a public status page for web, API, knowledge base, and SFTP availability.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- 230M+ company records spanning 145+ jurisdictions, aggregated from 140+ official registries with full provenance and source links.
- Versioned REST API with JSON (default) or XML output; API keys required. Free tier provides up to 200 requests per month (50 per day).
- OpenRefine Reconciliation API allows entity-matching from company names to legal identifiers.
- Enterprise bulk access via SFTP, with six structured CSV datasets (Companies, Officers, Non-Registered Addresses, Alternative Names, Additional Identifiers, and Relationships).
- Relationships dataset includes 30M+ links covering subsidiaries, branches, control statements, and shareholdings, with data from sources like the SEC and UK PSC.
Wayback Machine (Internet Archive)
web.archive.org
General‑purpose web archiving used widely in financial research to cite and compare historical webpages (IR pages, fund fact sheets, product sites). Save Page Now (SPN2) enables on‑demand snapshots with options like outlink capture and full‑page screenshots. Availability and CDX APIs expose snapshot discovery; Memento provides time‑based negotiation. Rate limits/quotas apply to SPN2; crawling and replay behavior may vary by target site robots/policies. Some large platforms (e.g., Reddit) restrict Wayback access to content.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- On‑demand archiving via Save Page Now (SPN2) with POST/GET; options include capture_outlinks, capture_all, capture_screenshot, custom UA/cookies, and conditional capture (if_not_archived_within).
- Snapshot discovery: Availability API (/wayback/v1/available) returns the closest archived capture to a URL/time; CDX Server API lists/filters captures; Memento TimeGate/TimeMap endpoints enable time‑based content negotiation.
- Operational endpoints: user status (remaining/active SPN sessions) and system status (overload/OK) for SPN2.
- Mobile & extensions: official iOS/Android apps and browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) for quick saving and lookup.
- Quotas/limits (SPN2): per‑minute, per‑day, per‑URL, resource size and screenshot size limits; concurrency dampening by host; max outlinks/embeds returned.
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
OpenCorporates
Distinct strengths include:
- 230M+ company records spanning 145+ jurisdictions, aggregated from 140+ official registries with full provenance and source links.
- Versioned REST API with JSON (default) or XML output; API keys required. Free tier provides up to 200 requests per month (50 per day).
- OpenRefine Reconciliation API allows entity-matching from company names to legal identifiers.
- Enterprise bulk access via SFTP, with six structured CSV datasets (Companies, Officers, Non-Registered Addresses, Alternative Names, Additional Identifiers, and Relationships).
Wayback Machine (Internet Archive)
Distinct strengths include:
- On‑demand archiving via Save Page Now (SPN2) with POST/GET; options include capture_outlinks, capture_all, capture_screenshot, custom UA/cookies, and conditional capture (if_not_archived_within).
- Snapshot discovery: Availability API (/wayback/v1/available) returns the closest archived capture to a URL/time; CDX Server API lists/filters captures; Memento TimeGate/TimeMap endpoints enable time‑based content negotiation.
- Operational endpoints: user status (remaining/active SPN sessions) and system status (overload/OK) for SPN2.
- Mobile & extensions: official iOS/Android apps and browser extensions (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) for quick saving and lookup.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | OpenCorporates | Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Other Unique: Regulatory Filings Monitoring | Shared: Data APIs, Other Unique: APIs & SDKs, Citations & Source Pinning |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Other | Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, API, Mobile |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | Free |
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 OpenCorporates and Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, and Other workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do OpenCorporates and Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) require subscriptions?
Both OpenCorporates and Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) ships a dedicated mobile experience, while OpenCorporates focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
OpenCorporates differentiates itself with 230M+ company records spanning 145+ jurisdictions, aggregated from 140+ official registries with full provenance and source links., Versioned REST API with JSON (default) or XML output; API keys required. Free tier provides up to 200 requests per month (50 per day)., and OpenRefine Reconciliation API allows entity-matching from company names to legal identifiers., whereas Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) stands out for On‑demand archiving via Save Page Now (SPN2) with POST/GET; options include capture_outlinks, capture_all, capture_screenshot, custom UA/cookies, and conditional capture (if_not_archived_within)., Snapshot discovery: Availability API (/wayback/v1/available) returns the closest archived capture to a URL/time; CDX Server API lists/filters captures; Memento TimeGate/TimeMap endpoints enable time‑based content negotiation., and Operational endpoints: user status (remaining/active SPN sessions) and system status (overload/OK) for SPN2..
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.