VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) will find that Both OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) concentrate on Data APIs, News, and Regulatory Filings Monitoring workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. OTC Markets leans into Order Book / Level II, Ticker Changes, and Splits, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) stands out with IPO, Secondary Offerings, and Insider Data 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
OTC Markets vs SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- OTC Markets adds Order Book / Level II, Ticker Changes, Splits, Dividends, and Screeners coverage that SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) skips.
- SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) includes IPO, Secondary Offerings, Insider Data, 13F, 13D/13G, Alerts, and Education categories that OTC Markets omits.
- OTC Markets 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., and Reference & pricing files (security master with optional CUSIP), plus End‑of‑Day pricing files; secure SFTP delivery supported..
- SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) is known for: Full‑Text Search (since 2001) with fielded filters: word/phrase, company/ticker/CIK/person, filing category/types, filed date ranges, ‘principal executive offices in’ and ‘incorporated in’., ‘Latest Filings’ list shows filings as they are submitted (with RSS for any filter; ownership Forms 3/4/5 can be included/excluded/only)., and Company Search with ‘more search options’, plus dedicated searches for Mutual Funds (prospectuses/proxy voting) and Variable Insurance Products..
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).
SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings)
sec.gov
Primary U.S. source for public company, fund, and insider filings. The Full‑Text Search covers filings since 2001 (including exhibits), while the ‘Latest Filings’ view shows near‑real‑time submissions as they are processed. Search tools include Company search, Mutual Fund & Variable Insurance product search, CIK lookup, and RSS subscriptions. Developers can consume JSON via data.sec.gov (Submissions, XBRL Company Facts/Concepts/Frames). Programmatic access must include a descriptive User‑Agent and respect the SEC fair‑access limit (currently 10 requests/sec).
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Full‑Text Search (since 2001) with fielded filters: word/phrase, company/ticker/CIK/person, filing category/types, filed date ranges, ‘principal executive offices in’ and ‘incorporated in’.
- ‘Latest Filings’ list shows filings as they are submitted (with RSS for any filter; ownership Forms 3/4/5 can be included/excluded/only).
- Company Search with ‘more search options’, plus dedicated searches for Mutual Funds (prospectuses/proxy voting) and Variable Insurance Products.
- CIK Lookup & helper datasets (company_tickers*.json) to map tickers↔CIK (company/fund/series/class).
- Developer APIs on data.sec.gov: submissions by CIK; XBRL endpoints (companyfacts, companyconcept, frames); bulk nightly ZIPs (submissions.zip, companyfacts.zip).
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
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.
SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings)
Distinct strengths include:
- Full‑Text Search (since 2001) with fielded filters: word/phrase, company/ticker/CIK/person, filing category/types, filed date ranges, ‘principal executive offices in’ and ‘incorporated in’.
- ‘Latest Filings’ list shows filings as they are submitted (with RSS for any filter; ownership Forms 3/4/5 can be included/excluded/only).
- Company Search with ‘more search options’, plus dedicated searches for Mutual Funds (prospectuses/proxy voting) and Variable Insurance Products.
- CIK Lookup & helper datasets (company_tickers*.json) to map tickers↔CIK (company/fund/series/class).
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | OTC Markets | SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, News, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, APIs & SDKs Unique: Order Book / Level II, Ticker Changes, Splits, Dividends, Screeners | Shared: Data APIs, News, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, APIs & SDKs Unique: IPO, Secondary Offerings, Insider Data, 13F, 13D/13G, Alerts, Education |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Bonds, Hedge Funds, Private Funds, Real Estate, Funds |
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 |
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 OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, News, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, and APIs & SDKs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) require subscriptions?
Both OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings)?
Both OTC Markets and SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) 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?
OTC Markets differentiates itself with 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., whereas SEC EDGAR — Company Filings (Full‑Text Search & Search Filings) stands out for Full‑Text Search (since 2001) with fielded filters: word/phrase, company/ticker/CIK/person, filing category/types, filed date ranges, ‘principal executive offices in’ and ‘incorporated in’., ‘Latest Filings’ list shows filings as they are submitted (with RSS for any filter; ownership Forms 3/4/5 can be included/excluded/only)., and Company Search with ‘more search options’, plus dedicated searches for Mutual Funds (prospectuses/proxy voting) and Variable Insurance Products..
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.