Finnhub API vs SecFeed API: Insider and 13F Data Compared
Finnhub is a global market data API with SEC filings, insider trades and ownership data. SecFeed covers only SEC filings. Plans, licensing and when each one fits.
Finnhub is a global market data API: real time prices, fundamentals, estimates, alternative data, and SEC data alongside. SecFeed is only SEC filings. Here is where each one is the better buy.
The short answer
- Choose Finnhub if you need prices and fundamentals across many countries, a generous free tier for insider trades, or global insider data beyond the US.
- Choose SecFeed if you need US SEC filings in depth (13F on every plan, 8-K items, 10-K sections, executive pay, Form D and more) and want to use the data in a product at a public price.
At a glance
| Finnhub API | SecFeed API | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Global market data | SEC filings |
| Free tier | 60 calls a minute, US, ongoing | 125 calls once, every dataset |
| Insider trades | Free tier, US and several other markets | Every plan, US since 2006 |
| 13F holdings | Premium, one year per call | Every plan |
| SEC filings list | Free tier | Every plan |
| Full text search of filings | Premium, or a separate search API through sales | Every plan, since 2001 |
| 8-K items, 10-K sections | Filing list, sentiment and similarity scores (premium) | Every 8-K item and 10-K, 10-Q section |
| Executive pay, Form D, funds | Not as dedicated SEC endpoints | Yes |
| Commercial use | Enterprise, through sales | $79 Startup plan |
| Prices, estimates, alternative data | Yes | No |
| Real time | WebSocket prices | Filing stream and webhooks |
| SDKs | Python, Go, JS, Ruby, Kotlin, PHP | Python, Node |
| MCP server | Yes | Yes |
Where Finnhub is better
- Free insider data. An ongoing free tier with insider transactions at 60 calls a minute is hard to beat for a personal project.
- Breadth. Real time prices, decades of fundamentals, estimates, ETFs, bonds, economic data, transcripts and alternative data.
- Global. Insider transactions outside the US and international filings.
- SDKs. Official clients in six languages.
Where SecFeed is better
- 13F on every plan, queried by fund or by stock across quarters.
- Depth inside the filings. Every 8-K item, 10-K and 10-Q sections as text, executive compensation, Form D, Form 144, 13D/13G, fund filings and enforcement data.
- A public price for commercial use. Finnhub's self serve plans are personal use. SecFeed's $79 plan allows display in your app.
- Sources attached. Every record carries the SEC accession number.
When SecFeed is the wrong choice
For a personal project that only needs recent US insider trades, Finnhub's free tier is enough. For prices or non US data, SecFeed cannot help.
Example
A fund's full 13F portfolio for a quarter:
import os, requests
r = requests.get("https://secfeedapi.com/v1/form-13f/holdings",
params={"cik": 1067983, "period": "06-30-2026"},
headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SECFEED_KEY']}"}, timeout=60)
print(r.json())More: Berkshire Hathaway 13F and 13F search.
Facts about Finnhub were taken from its public website and docs on 2026-10-22. Plans and prices change, so check their site before you decide. Finnhub is a trademark of its owner; SecFeed is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by it. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Email support@secfeedapi.com and we will fix it.