USAspending vs Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) comparison

USAspending focuses on Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations while Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) specializes in Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Citations & Source Pinning. They overlap in 3 categories, so choose based on your preferred workflow and pricing.

Good news—both USAspending and Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) offer free plans. You can try each platform without commitment and only pay when you need premium features.

Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) has a mobile app so you can check your research on the go. USAspending is web-only, so you'll need a browser to access it from mobile devices.

Yes, both platforms offer API access for developers and quants who want to build custom integrations or automate their workflows.

Choose USAspending if you need Advanced Search & profiles across awards, recipients, agencies, federal accounts; filters include date, place of performance, NAICS/PSC, Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA), DEFC for COVID/infrastructure., and Spending Explorer and Agency/Federal Account profiles for top‑down views of obligations/outlays and drill‑downs by budget hierarchy.. Go with Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) if 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)., and 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. better fits how you invest.

Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) offers real-time data feeds, which is essential for active traders. USAspending uses delayed or end-of-day data, which works fine for longer-term investors who don't need up-to-the-second quotes.

USAspending supports data exports to CSV, and JSON. Wayback Machine (Internet Archive) has more limited export options.