★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
ORTEX vs Semrush
Start here
ORTEX
Free • From $39/mo · Web · Mobile · API
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $39/mo instead of $139.95/mo
- Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
- You care about short interest, insider data, and quant, things Semrush doesn't offer
Pick Semrush instead if
Semrush
Free • From $139.95/mo · Web · Mobile · API
- You care about app & website traffic and sheets / excel add-ins, things ORTEX doesn't offer
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
ORTEX and Semrush cover a lot of the same ground (2 shared categories, APIs & data feeds and blogs), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. ORTEX simply does more: 14 categories to Semrush's 4, including short interest, insider data, and quant. Semrush counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
ORTEX
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Semrush
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Cheaper paid plan
- ORTEX$39/mo vs $139.95/mo
- Free trial
- Semrush7 days
- Broader coverage
- ORTEX14 vs 4 categories
- Real-time data
- ORTEX
- 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 • From $39/mo | Free • From $139.95/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | 7 days |
Plan limits | 9 limits: API Trader: credits per month: 1,000, API Trader: rate limit: 1 req/s +7 more | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | No | — |
Integrations | Microsoft Excel (Add-in) and Python SDK | Google Analytics, Google Search Console +1 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | — |
Categories covered | 14 | 4 |
Regions | North America, Europe | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: Real-time and End of Day, Granularity: Minute and EOD +1 more | — |
Capabilities | Universe builder | — |
Security | — | Data residency: US and SSO: SAML |
| Try it | Visit ORTEX | Visit Semrush |
Where each one shines
What ORTEX and Semrush each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What ORTEX and Semrush each do best.What ORTEX does best
- Monitoring short interest and securities-lending conditions with utilization, cost to borrow, shares on loan, and percentage of free float on loan.
- Comparison tools for lending-based short-interest estimates with official U.S. exchange-reported short interest and European flagged-short disclosures.
- Tracking intraday and real-time estimates from ORTEX lender and broker data pools where plan access supports those views.
- Research coverage for options activity and flow signals using OPRA-sourced options data, with OPRA terms required before access.
- Alpha-signal modules such as Short Squeeze, EPS, RSI, MACD, and Company Events as research context with back-tested statistics.
What Semrush does best
- Analysis of website traffic, visitor sources, engagement, keywords, competitors, backlinks, SEO performance, paid search, and market benchmarks.
- Semrush One and AI visibility products to monitor brand and content visibility across AI search and classic SEO workflows.
- The Standard API for eligible SEO Toolkit Business users, with separately purchased API units and request or line-based consumption.
- Separate API paths for Trends, Listing Management, and Map Rank Tracker, noting that local APIs and map rank APIs have their own access and billing rules.
- Export support for data and reports through CSV, Excel, PDF, JSON, Google Sheets, Position Tracking, Site Audit, and App Center connector workflows.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for ORTEX and Semrush, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for ORTEX and Semrush, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsOptions | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | North AmericaEurope | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica |
Coverage details | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker | Not specified |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-timeEnd of Day | Not specified |
Data granularity | MinuteEOD | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python | Auth: APIKey and OAuth2 |
Integrations | Microsoft Excel (Add-in)Python SDK | Google AnalyticsGoogle Search ConsoleGoogle Sheets |
Export formats | CSV | CSVExcelPDFJSON |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | Data residency: USSSO: SAML |
Capability signals | Universe builder | Not specified |
Vendor & support | Ortex Technologies LimitedCountry: United KingdomSupport: Email and Phone | Semrush Inc.Country: United StatesSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 | Methodology 4/5Reliability 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 | Free |
| Entry paid plan | $39/mo“Basic Annual” | $139.95/mo“Pro” |
| Tier 2 | $49/mo“Basic Monthly” | $249.95/mo“Guru” |
| Tier 3 | $99/mo“Advanced Annual” | $499.95/mo“Business” |
| Tier 4 | $149/mo“Advanced Monthly” | Subscription“Enterprise” |
| Tier 5 | €49/mo“API Trader”credits per month: 1,000 · rate limit: 1 req/s · +1 more | — |
| Tier 6 | €129/mo“API Quant”credits per month: 10,000 · rate limit: 5 req/s · +1 more | — |
| Tier 7 | €379/mo“API Developer”credits per month: 100,000 · rate limit: 50 req/s · +1 more | — |
| Top plan | Subscription“API Enterprise” | — |
| Free trial | — | 7 days |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between ORTEX and Semrush?
ORTEX leans toward short interest, insider data, and quant, while Semrush puts more weight on app & website traffic, APIs & data feeds, and sheets / excel add-ins. They overlap in 2 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do ORTEX and Semrush cost?
Good news: both ORTEX and Semrush have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Do ORTEX and Semrush have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose ORTEX or Semrush?
It depends on what you're after. Pick ORTEX if short interest and insider data matter to you; go with Semrush if you'd rather have app & website traffic and sheets / excel add-ins. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do ORTEX and Semrush cover?
ORTEX covers stocks, ETFs, and options. Semrush covers other.
Does ORTEX or Semrush have real-time data?
ORTEX offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Semrush runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.
Can I export data from ORTEX and Semrush?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: ORTEX or Semrush?
ORTEX has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; Semrush doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Keep researching
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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.