sec-api.io vs SecFeed API: SEC EDGAR APIs Compared
Both turn EDGAR filings into JSON. sec-api.io is the established option with deeper governance data and higher throughput; SecFeed is cheaper and puts every dataset on every plan.
sec-api.io and SecFeed solve the same problem: EDGAR filings as clean JSON, without writing parsers. sec-api.io has been doing it longer. Here is an honest look at where each one wins.
The short answer
- Choose sec-api.io if you need its governance datasets (director pay, severance, board and ESG oversight), push delivery over WebSocket, or high request rates, and the budget is there.
- Choose SecFeed if you want every dataset on the cheapest plan, need to show the data inside your own product without an enterprise contract, or price matters.
At a glance
| sec-api.io | SecFeed API | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid plans | $49 and $199 a month, Enterprise custom | $19 and $79 a month |
| Free tier | 100 calls, no card, non commercial use | 125 calls once, card at signup, never charged |
| Show data in your product | Enterprise plan | $79 Startup plan |
| Full text search (since 2001) | From $199 plan | Every plan |
| 13D / 13G ownership | From $199 plan | Every plan |
| Form ADV, pay versus performance | Enterprise | Every plan |
| 8-K items such as 1.01, 1.05, 5.07 | Enterprise | Every plan |
| Insider trades, 13F, Form D, XBRL, section extractor | Every plan | Every plan |
| Director pay, severance, ESG and board oversight | Yes | Not yet |
| Real time delivery | WebSocket push | Server-Sent Events stream and webhooks |
| Limits | Requests per second plus GB per month | Calls per month (20,000 or 250,000) |
| Result cap | 10,000 per query (stated) | Paged with from and size |
| MCP server | Yes, every plan | Yes, every plan |
| SDKs | Python, TypeScript | Python, Node |
| History | 1993 onward | 1993 onward |
Where sec-api.io is better
- Depth of governance data. sec-api.io parses proxy details that SecFeed does not have yet: director compensation, severance and change in control terms, board and ESG oversight, shareholder rights. If those are your core use case, sec-api.io is the better tool today.
- Throughput. Paid plans allow 20 to 40 requests per second on the query API and limit by data volume, not by call count. Heavy batch jobs fit that model well.
- Maturity. It has a longer track record, a WebSocket stream, and sub second delivery claims on new filings.
Where SecFeed is better
- Price. The $19 Developer plan includes full text search and 13D/13G, which sec-api.io starts at $199.
- No dataset tiers. Form ADV, pay versus performance and every 8-K item are on every SecFeed plan, including free. On sec-api.io they are Enterprise.
- Showing data to your users. SecFeed's $79 plan allows display in your app. sec-api.io reserves that for custom Enterprise pricing.
- Sources attached. Every SecFeed record carries the accession number of the filing it came from.
Where both are about equal
Both cover filings since 1993, parse Forms 3, 4 and 5, 13F holdings, Form D, XBRL financial statements and 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K sections, and both run an MCP server so AI agents can query filings directly.
When SecFeed is the wrong choice
If you need governance datasets SecFeed has not built yet, a long vendor track record for procurement, or more than 250,000 calls a month at high request rates, sec-api.io is the safer pick. If you need prices, options or fundamentals beyond filings, neither is the right tool.
Try the same query
import os, requests
r = requests.get("https://secfeedapi.com/v1/full-text-search",
params={"query": '"material weakness"', "startDate": "2026-01-01", "endDate": "2026-09-30"},
headers={"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SECFEED_KEY']}"}, timeout=60)
print(r.json())More: full text search guide and the EDGAR API overview.
Facts about sec-api.io were taken from its public website and docs on 2026-10-22. Plans and prices change, so check their site before you decide. sec-api.io 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.