VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 19, 2025

Head-to-head

OTC Markets vs YCharts comparison

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 Regulatory Filings Monitoring coverage that YCharts skips.

YCharts includes Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, Alerts, Financials, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and Broker Connectors 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..

YCharts is known for: Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

OTC Markets has a free tier, while YCharts requires a paid plan.

OTC Markets logo

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).

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free
Subscription

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).

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YCharts logo

YCharts

ycharts.com

Hands-on review

Advisor-focused research, portfolio analytics, and proposal platform. Lower tiers are more view-only, while add-ons unlock the Excel add-in and broader fund/SMA datasets. Intraday quotes are available on a short delay (about 90–120 seconds).

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
  • Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

4 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Data APIs, News, and APIs & SDKs plus 1 more area.

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.

YCharts

Distinct strengths include:

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeOTC MarketsYCharts
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Data APIs, News, APIs & SDKs, Screeners

Unique: Order Book / Level II, Ticker Changes, Splits, Dividends, Regulatory Filings Monitoring

Shared: Data APIs, News, APIs & SDKs, Screeners

Unique: Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, Alerts, Financials, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Broker Connectors

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Stocks, Bonds

Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End 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

Subscription

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • 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).
  • Coverage of OTC Link ATS via MIC 'OTCM'; OTC Link ATS/ECN/NQB each operate as SEC‑regulated ATSs.

Unique

  • Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
  • Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
  • Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
  • Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
  • Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.
  • Advisor ecosystem integrations including Addepar, Orion, Redtail, Schwab Advisor Center, iRebal, Pershing, LPL ClientWorks, Black Diamond, and VRGL.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Yes

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do OTC Markets and YCharts both support?

Both platforms cover Data APIs, News, APIs & SDKs, and Screeners workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

OTC Markets offers a free entry point, while YCharts requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access OTC Markets and YCharts?

Both OTC Markets and YCharts 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 YCharts stands out for Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

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.