Tool Comparison
Perplexity Finance vs SEC API (sec-api.io)
- Paid from
- $20/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, API
Best if
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $20/mo instead of $55/mo
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want screeners, watchlist, and data visualizations.
- Paid from
- $55/mo
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, API
Best if
- You want regulatory filings monitoring, financials, and management compensation.
Pick Perplexity Finance if
Perplexity Finance
Free • From $20/mo · Web · Mobile · API
- You want the cheaper way in: plans start at $20/mo instead of $55/mo
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want screeners, watchlist, and data visualizations.
Pick SEC API (sec-api.io) if
SEC API (sec-api.io)
Free • From $55/mo · Web · API
- You want regulatory filings monitoring, financials, and management compensation.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
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Our take
The bottom line
Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io) cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, insider data, institutional ownership, and APIs & data feeds), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Perplexity Finance simply does more: 12 categories to SEC API (sec-api.io)'s 7, including screeners, watchlist, and data visualizations, plus a mobile app. SEC API (sec-api.io) counters by keeping things simpler.
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Key differences at a glance
- Cheaper paid plan
- Perplexity Finance$20/mo vs $55/mo
- Broader coverage
- Perplexity Finance12 vs 7 categories
- Mobile app
- Perplexity Finance
- Global coverage
- Perplexity Finance
- Free plan
- Both
What Perplexity Finance does best
- Finance pages for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, crypto, options, charts, news, financial data, analyst estimates, ownership data, filings, and earnings context.
- Support for asking cited finance questions that can reference SEC filings, company documents, news, and third-party finance datasets.
- Upgraded charts with volume, OHLCV tooltips, candlestick or area views, comparison overlays, moving averages, and custom date ranges.
- Tools for building watchlists and review AI-generated briefings that combine watchlist price movement with relevant market news.
- Screening for stocks in natural language with filters, columns, sorting, and coverage that includes U.S. and Indian equities.
What SEC API (sec-api.io) does best
- Search tools across SEC filings through query and full-text APIs covering all EDGAR form types and historical filings back to 1993.
- Real-time WebSocket filing streams when new SEC filings need to trigger alerts, workflows, or downstream processing quickly.
- Convert XBRL filings to standardized JSON financial statements for income statement, balance sheet, cash flow, and US GAAP line-item workflows.
- Extract clean filing sections such as MD&A, Risk Factors, and other 10-K, 10-Q, or 8-K sections for research or AI pipelines.
- Access to specialized APIs for Forms 3/4/5, 13F, 13D/G, Form 144, ADV, S-1, 424B4, Form C, Form D, Reg A, N-PORT, N-PX, and N-CEN data.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free • From $20/mo | Free • From $55/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | 6 limits: Standard (Free): pro searches per day: 3, Pro: pro searches: Extended access +4 more | 9 limits: Free Tier: api calls: 100, Personal & Startups: query api rate limit: 20 requests/second/API key +7 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Broker sync | — | No |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Retail Traders, Pro Retail +6 more | — |
Categories covered | 12 | 7 |
Regions | North America, APAC | North America |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | Latency: Real-time | Latency: Real-time |
Data partners | 6 partners: Financial Modeling Prep, Unusual Whales +4 more | — |
Capabilities | Universe builder and AI summaries: Filings and News | — |
Security | SOC2 and Status page | — |
| Try it | Visit Perplexity Finance | Visit SEC API (sec-api.io) |
Standout features
The best features of Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io).ShowHide
Standout features
What Perplexity Finance does best
- Finance pages for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, crypto, options, charts, news, financial data, analyst estimates, ownership data, filings, and earnings context.
- Support for asking cited finance questions that can reference SEC filings, company documents, news, and third-party finance datasets.
- Upgraded charts with volume, OHLCV tooltips, candlestick or area views, comparison overlays, moving averages, and custom date ranges.
- Tools for building watchlists and review AI-generated briefings that combine watchlist price movement with relevant market news.
- Screening for stocks in natural language with filters, columns, sorting, and coverage that includes U.S. and Indian equities.
What SEC API (sec-api.io) does best
- Search tools across SEC filings through query and full-text APIs covering all EDGAR form types and historical filings back to 1993.
- Real-time WebSocket filing streams when new SEC filings need to trigger alerts, workflows, or downstream processing quickly.
- Convert XBRL filings to standardized JSON financial statements for income statement, balance sheet, cash flow, and US GAAP line-item workflows.
- Extract clean filing sections such as MD&A, Risk Factors, and other 10-K, 10-Q, or 8-K sections for research or AI pipelines.
- Access to specialized APIs for Forms 3/4/5, 13F, 13D/G, Form 144, ADV, S-1, 424B4, Form C, Form D, Reg A, N-PORT, N-PX, and N-CEN data.
All details
Every attribute we track for Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io).ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | StocksETFsMutual FundsCryptosOptions | StocksETFsMutual FundsFunds |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Retail TradersPro RetailLong-term InvestorsDay TradersStudents/ResearchersFinancial AdvisorsAnalystsInstitutional Investors | Not specified |
Regions | North AmericaAPAC | North America |
Coverage details | Countries: US and INIdentifiers: Ticker | Countries: USIdentifiers: Ticker and CUSIP |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Real-time | Real-time |
Data partners | Financial Modeling PrepUnusual WhalesQuartrFiscal.aiS&P Global Market IntelligenceMorningstar | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | RESTWebSocket |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeyDocs | Auth: APIKeySDKs: Python and TS |
Export formats | Not specified | JSONPDF |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | SOC2Status page | Not specified |
Capability signals | Universe builderAI summaries: Filings and News | Not specified |
Vendor & support | Perplexity AI, Inc.Support: Email, Chat, and Forum | Data2Value GmbHSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 4/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free“Standard (Free)”pro searches per day: 3 | Free“Free Tier”api calls: 100 |
| Entry paid plan | $20/mo“Pro”pro searches: Extended access · annual price usd: 200 | $55/mo“Personal & Startups”query api rate limit: 20 requests/second/API key · included download gbper month: 50 · +2 more |
| Tier 2 | $200/mo“Max”pro searches: Weekly limits for advanced use · annual price usd: 2,000 | $239/mo“Business (Internal Use)”query api rate limit: 40 requests/second/API key · included download gbper month: 100 · +2 more |
| Top plan | $10/mo“Education Pro” | — |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“Enterprise & Institutions” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io)?
Perplexity Finance leans toward screeners, watchlist, and data visualizations, while SEC API (sec-api.io) puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, regulatory filings monitoring, and insider data. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io) cost?
Good news: both Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io) have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use Perplexity Finance or SEC API (sec-api.io) on my phone?
Perplexity Finance lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. SEC API (sec-api.io) doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io) have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose Perplexity Finance or SEC API (sec-api.io)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Perplexity Finance if screeners and watchlist matter to you; go with SEC API (sec-api.io) if you'd rather have regulatory filings monitoring and financials. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io) cover?
Both cover stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. Perplexity Finance also handles cryptos and options. SEC API (sec-api.io) adds funds on top.
Do Perplexity Finance and SEC API (sec-api.io) offer real-time data?
Yes, both serve real-time market data, so either works when timing matters.
Which covers international markets: Perplexity Finance or SEC API (sec-api.io)?
Perplexity Finance has documented international coverage (North America and APAC), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. SEC API (sec-api.io) is more region-specific, mainly North America.
Is Perplexity Finance or SEC API (sec-api.io) better for day trading?
Perplexity Finance is the one positioned more for active traders. SEC API (sec-api.io) is the better fit if you care less about fast trading workflows and more about a calmer research process.
Which has a better stock screener: Perplexity Finance or SEC API (sec-api.io)?
Perplexity Finance has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; SEC API (sec-api.io) doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
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