Tamarly Research
Guides to research tools and private-market data
What the main research platforms cost, who should keep them, and how to research private companies and funds from public records. Every figure carries its source and date.
Pricing guides
- How much does AlphaSense cost in 2026?AlphaSense does not publish prices. Contract data puts small and mid-sized buyers at $44,754 a year on average. What users say after signing and terms to check.
- How much does PitchBook cost in 2026, and what do small funds use instead?PitchBook does not publish prices. 2026 buyer guides report $12,000 to $70,000 a year. What small funds pay, what they get and which alternatives they use.
- How much does the Crunchbase API cost in 2026?Crunchbase sells API access through an enterprise quote. Reported spend, what the Basic tier covers, rate limits and the new Crunchbase MCP in 2026.
- How much does the PitchBook API cost in 2026?PitchBook prices Direct Data by volume and refresh, and its AI connector comes with a subscription. What is known about API cost and access in 2026.
- How much does a Bloomberg Terminal cost in 2026?A Bloomberg Terminal is reported at $24,000 to $32,000 a seat a year on a 2-year contract. Who needs it and cheaper tools for private-market research.
- How much does CB Insights cost in 2026?CB Insights does not publish prices. 2026 estimates run from about $29,800 to $100,000 a year. What each tier reportedly includes and who it suits.
- How much does FactSet cost in 2026?FactSet does not publish an entry price. 2026 buyer guides report about $12,000 a year. What small teams get, what they say and when to keep it.
- How much does Preqin cost now that BlackRock owns it?BlackRock closed its $3.2 billion Preqin deal in March 2025. Preqin pricing stays quote-based. What changed for standalone users and what to ask at renewal.
- How much does S&P Capital IQ cost in 2026?S&P Global does not publish Capital IQ Pro prices. 2026 estimates run from $12,000 to $30,000 a user a year. What drives the price and what to use instead.
- Is AlphaSense worth it for a small team in 2026?AlphaSense lists Basic access at $20,000 a user a year. How to judge if a seat pays back, which teams get the value and what a smaller team can use instead.
- Is Crunchbase Pro worth it in 2026, and what does it cost?Crunchbase Pro is reported at $49 a month billed yearly in the first year or $99 billed monthly. What the plan includes, its limits and when it pays off.
- Is PitchBook worth it in 2026?PitchBook is reported at $12,000 to $70,000 a year. How to test whether a seat pays back, which teams get the value and when a smaller tool is enough.
- What do AlphaSense users say in 2026?We read 35 AlphaSense reviews from July to October 2026. Users praise time saved and cited answers, and criticise the learning curve, noise and wait times.
- What do PitchBook users say in 2026?PitchBook holds 4.5 on G2 from 262 reviews. What users praise, what they complain about most and what that means before you buy a seat.
- Which market intelligence platforms offer monthly pricing?Most research platforms sell annual contracts. Which ones publish monthly prices in 2026, what they cost and what you give up next to PitchBook or FactSet.
Alternatives
- What are the best Dealroom alternatives in 2026?Dealroom Premium lists at 12,600 euros a year with a 3-seat minimum. 6 alternatives investors use in 2026, what each covers and when to keep Dealroom.
- What are the best financial and company data APIs for developers?SEC EDGAR's free APIs, sec-api.io, Financial Modeling Prep, Crunchbase, PitchBook and Tamarly compared, with reported 2026 prices and the gap each leaves.
- What are the best Harmonic alternatives in 2026?Harmonic is quote only, with a reported median near $36,000 a year. 7 alternatives for venture sourcing in 2026, what each covers and when to keep Harmonic.
- Is there a Bloomberg Terminal alternative for private-market research?Bloomberg is built for public markets. 6 alternatives for private company, fund and deal research, with reported 2026 prices and what each leaves out.
- PitchBook for small teams: what are the options in 2026?PitchBook is sold by quote, and one customer reports a 5-seat minimum. Options for 1 or 2 person teams, with prices, monthly billing and what each tool covers.
- What are the best AI tools for investment research in 2026?General AI assistants, AlphaSense, PitchBook Navigator, Bloomberg and Tamarly compared on sources, citations and reported cost, with where each one stops.
- What are the best AlphaSense alternatives in 2026?6 AlphaSense alternatives ranked by job, with reported 2026 prices, what each covers and what each leaves out, including what happened to Tegus.
- What are the best Crunchbase alternatives for investors in 2026?Crunchbase Pro is cheap but has gaps in fund data and verified figures. 7 alternatives investors use in 2026, with reported prices and the gap each one leaves.
- What are the best FactSet alternatives for small teams in 2026?6 FactSet alternatives for teams of 1 to 5, with reported 2026 prices, what each does well and where each falls short of a FactSet seat.
- What are the best free tools to research private companies in 2026?9 free tools for private company research, from SEC EDGAR and Companies House to CourtListener and GLEIF: what each shows, what it costs and its limits.
- What are the best free tools to search SEC filings?EDGAR full-text search, company search, the free EDGAR APIs and 5 other free tools for SEC filings, with what each does well and where each stops.
- What are the best PitchBook alternatives in 2026?7 PitchBook alternatives ranked for small funds and analysts, with reported 2026 prices, what each does best and what each leaves out.
- What are the best Preqin alternatives in 2026?6 Preqin alternatives for fund performance, allocator and manager research, with reported 2026 prices and what each one leaves out.
- What are the best Tracxn alternatives in 2026?Tracxn is reported at about $1,500 a year. 6 alternatives investors use in 2026, with reported prices, what each covers and when to keep Tracxn.
Comparisons
- AlphaSense vs PitchBook, which does a 5-person fund need?AlphaSense searches documents; PitchBook tracks private companies and deals. Reported 2026 costs, user complaints and which one a small fund needs.
- Bloomberg vs FactSet, which should your team buy?Bloomberg leads on live markets, news and chat; FactSet on screening and Excel models. Reported 2026 prices, user ratings and which fits buy-side work.
- Capital IQ vs PitchBook, which is better for private companies?Capital IQ counts more private companies; PitchBook tracks more private deals. Reported 2026 prices, coverage and user complaints for private company work.
- Crunchbase vs PitchBook, which should a small fund buy?Crunchbase Pro costs $49 a month; PitchBook is reported at $12,000 or more a year. What each covers, how accurate users find them and which a small fund needs.
- PitchBook vs CB Insights, which one should you buy in 2026?PitchBook leads on fund and deal data; CB Insights on technology trends and market maps. Reported 2026 prices, user reviews and which teams each one suits.
- PitchBook vs Preqin, which fits a small fund?PitchBook leads on deals and companies, Preqin on LP and fund data. Reported 2026 prices, coverage and the gaps small funds hit with each, compared.
How-to
- How do you research a private company without a PitchBook subscription?A step-by-step method for researching a private company with public records, filings and hiring data, and how to record what you could not find.
- How do you build an M&A target list with free sources?Build an acquisition target list from SIC codes, Form D raises, SEC merger filings and Companies House. A step by step method using free public records.
- How do you connect Claude or ChatGPT to company and filing data?Add an MCP server as a custom connector so Claude or ChatGPT can read company records and filings. What to check first: read-only tools, sources, sign-in.
- How do you find a company's revenue in SEC filings?Find revenue in a 10-K or 10-Q, or pull it as XBRL data from the SEC's free company facts API. Which tags to check and why a blank result can mislead.
- How do you read a Form S-1 quickly?An S-1 is the registration statement a company files before an IPO. Which sections to read first, how to spot amendments and the final prospectus on EDGAR.
- How do you read a Schedule 13D filing?A Schedule 13D flags a holder above 5% who may seek influence. Deadlines as the SEC set them in 2023, 13D vs 13G, and which items to read first.
- How do you research a fund manager?Check a fund manager in 6 steps: IAPD, Form ADV Part 1 and Part 2, private funds in Schedule D, Form D and 13F. What each record shows and what it leaves out.
- How do you track insider trading with Form 4?Form 4 reports trades by officers, directors and 10% holders within 2 business days. How to read the codes, search filings free on EDGAR and skip false signals.
- How to research private companies with ClaudeConnect Claude to sourced data on private companies, Form D raises, deals and funds, then get answers that link each figure to its filing.
- How can you tell if private market data is out of date?PitchBook and Crunchbase users report outdated private company data. 6 signs a record is stale and how to check it against the filing that came last.
- How do you assess country risk for an investment?Score political, security, economic, sovereign and climate risk from free data: World Bank governance indicators, IMF reports, UCDP and ACLED conflict data.
- How do you check if a company is sanctioned?Search the OFAC, UK, EU and UN sanctions lists, then check owners under the 50 percent rules. A step by step guide using official free tools, updated for 2026.
- How do you estimate a private company's revenue?Private companies rarely publish revenue. How to build a sourced range from filings, headcount, pricing and UK accounts, and how to show your working.
- How do you fact-check an AI answer about a company?Split the AI answer into claims, then check each one against the SEC filing or official register it should come from. A 6-step method with free sources.
- How do you find a company's LEI?An LEI is a 20-character code for a legal entity and, where reported, its parents. How to find one free on GLEIF, check its status and read who owns whom.
- How do you find a company's subsidiaries?Exhibit 21 of the 10-K lists a US public company's subsidiaries. GLEIF parent records and Companies House fill the gaps. A step by step method.
- How do you find comparable companies with free sources?Build a comps set from SIC and NAICS codes, SEC filings and the peers companies name themselves. A step by step method using free public sources.
- How do you find startups that are raising money?Find companies that just raised funding using SEC Form D on EDGAR: search new filings, filter out funds, read the amount sold and know what Form D misses.
- How do you find who owns a company?Find owners from public records: proxy tables, Schedule 13D and 13G, 13F, the UK PSC register and GLEIF parent data, plus what private US companies keep hidden.
- How do you read a 10-K quickly?Read a 10-K in 20 minutes: the auditor's report, MD&A, the financial statements, risk factors and exhibits, in that order. What to look for in each.
- How do you read a 13F filing?A 13F lists the long US equity positions of managers with $100 million or more. How to find one, read the table, compare quarters and adjust for what it omits.
- How do you read a Form D filing?A Form D shows who raised private money, how much was sold and under which exemption. How to read each item, what it leaves out and how to find filings.
- How do you read a merger proxy?A merger proxy shows how a deal was negotiated, what the bankers concluded and the projections behind the price. How to read DEFM14A and S-4 filings.
- How do you read an 8-K filing?An 8-K reports a major company event, usually within 4 business days. Which items matter most, what to read first and how to search 8-Ks free on EDGAR.
- How do you read Form ADV?Form ADV shows an adviser's assets, owners, private funds, fees and disciplinary history. How to find it on IAPD and read Part 1 and the Part 2 brochure.
- How do you read Form N-PORT fund holdings?Form N-PORT lists every holding of a US mutual fund or ETF. What it discloses, how late the public copy appears, and how to read it step by step.
- How do you research a UK company on Companies House?Use the free Companies House register to check a UK company: status, accounts, officers, people with significant control, charges and filing deadlines.
- How do you track a portfolio of private companies?Track private companies with free filing alerts: registry numbers, Companies House Follow, Form D amendments, court dockets and patents, kept in one change log.
- How do you track a private equity firm's portfolio companies?Rebuild a buyout firm's portfolio from Form ADV, Form D related persons, 13F, press releases and company registers. A step by step method with free sources.
- How do you use ChatGPT for due diligence?General AI assistants read and summarise filings well and recall facts badly. How to give ChatGPT or Claude the right sources and check what comes back.
- How to check that private company data is currentDatabase records go stale: owners change, companies close, teams move. 5 checks against public filings and registers that confirm a record before you use it.
- What is the difference between Rule 506(b) and Rule 506(c)?506(b) bans advertising but allows 35 non-accredited buyers; 506(c) allows advertising to verified accredited buyers. What each looks like on a Form D.
- What should a private company due diligence checklist include?A grouped due diligence checklist for private companies: ownership, filings, finances, litigation, sanctions, patents and team, with the free record to check.
Tamarly Research is part of Tamarly Media, which holds no investment positions. Research and analysis, not investment advice.