What are the best free tools to search SEC filings?
The best free tool is the SEC's own EDGAR full-text search, which searches the text of every electronic filing since 2001 (SEC). Add EDGAR company search for one issuer's history, the free EDGAR APIs for automation, and a tracker such as OpenInsider or Earnings Feed when you need Form 4 screens or alerts.
Which free SEC filing tools are worth using?
| Tool | Cost | Best for | Main limit | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDGAR full-text search | Free | Finding words or names across all filings since 2001 | No alerts; raw results | SEC |
| EDGAR company search and Latest Filings | Free | One company's full filing history; new filings as accepted | No email alerts | SEC |
| EDGAR APIs (data.sec.gov) | Free, no key | Filing histories and XBRL financial data in JSON | 10 requests a second; coding needed | SEC, SEC |
| SEC structured data sets | Free | Bulk Form D and financial statement data | Quarterly updates | SEC |
| BamSEC free tier | Free to browse; Pro $69 a month billed annually | Reading filings in a cleaner viewer | Search and table downloads are paid | BamSEC, Fitgap |
| OpenInsider | Free, no account | Screening Form 4 insider buys and sells | Form 4 only; no documented API | FindMyMoat |
| Earnings Feed | Free tier; Pro $10 a month | Watchlists and email alerts on new filings | Small free watchlist | AlternativeTo |
| sec-api.io | First 100 API calls free | Testing a structured filings API | Paid after the trial calls | sec-api.io |
Prices above are reported by third parties, several of which sell competing tools. Check current terms with each vendor.
How does EDGAR full-text search work?
It searches the full text of all electronic EDGAR filings since 2001, with date filters from the last 30 days to the whole archive (SEC). Terms are joined by an implied AND, and NEAR finds two words within 10 words of each other. Use it to find every filing that mentions a private company, a person or a contract, including exhibits, which company search alone will not surface.
How do you see one company's filings?
Use EDGAR company search. Enter the name, ticker or CIK, then filter by form type, for example D for private raises or 13F-HR for institutional holdings. You can subscribe to a company's results as an RSS feed, and the Latest Filings page lists filings as the SEC accepts them (SEC). The SEC does not send email alerts for EDGAR filings (SEC). Our guide on how to read a Form D shows what to look for once you open one.
Is there a free SEC EDGAR API?
Yes. The SEC's APIs on data.sec.gov return JSON filing histories by company and XBRL financial data from 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K and other forms, with no API key, and they update in real time as filings are disseminated (SEC). The SEC caps automated access at 10 requests a second and asks you to declare a user agent with your company name and contact (SEC).
For bulk work, the SEC publishes quarterly Form D data sets and financial statement data sets covering January 2009 onward (SEC).
What is the best free alternative to BamSEC?
For reading, BamSEC's own free tier: it lets you browse EDGAR filings in their original form, with search and table downloads kept for paid Pro users (Fitgap). Pro is listed at $69 a month billed annually (BamSEC). For searching, EDGAR full-text search does the core job free, without the cleaner interface.
How do you get free alerts on new SEC filings?
Use EDGAR RSS feeds or a free tracker. Earnings Feed offers watchlists and email alerts on its free tier, with a $10 a month Pro plan for faster alerts; reviews list the free watchlist at 5 companies (AlternativeTo; FreeTier). For insider trades, OpenInsider screens Form 4 filings free without an account (FindMyMoat).
When should you keep a paid filings tool?
Keep one if your team reads filings on listed companies every day and needs to search them alongside transcripts and broker research, or to pull tables into Excel. AlphaSense and BamSEC Pro save real time on that work; see what AlphaSense costs. The free tools above cover the raw filings, and the time spent cleaning results is the cost you trade for the saving.
Where does Tamarly Intelligence fit?
Tamarly Intelligence is Tamarly's research platform on companies, funds, countries and markets, built from official filings and open data. It reads SEC EDGAR, including Form D, 13F and Form ADV, alongside European ESEF filings, GLEIF and UK Companies House, and links every figure to the filing it came from.
Its Venture workflow reads every new Form D from operating companies, leaves out funds and real estate, and opens on raises of $15 million or less. Company pages show 13F institutional holders, and a deals database is built from SEC merger filings. It is not a free filing search engine and has no Excel data feed; the Free plan includes 10 fully verified pages and 10 Brain questions a month. See how to research a private company for the method.
See every new Form D raise of $15 million or less, free for 7 days
Frequently asked questions
How far back does EDGAR full-text search go?
To 2001. The SEC says full-text search covers all filings submitted electronically since 2001 (SEC). Some older SEC pages still describe a 4-year window; the FAQ is the current reference.
Does the SEC charge for EDGAR data?
No. EDGAR search, the data.sec.gov APIs and the structured data sets are free, and the APIs need no key (SEC). Automated users must stay under 10 requests a second.
Can you get email alerts from EDGAR?
Not from the SEC directly, which offers RSS feeds instead (SEC). Free trackers such as Earnings Feed add email alerts on top of EDGAR.
About the author. Melvine Manchau is the founder of Tamarly and author of the Tamarly Newsletter. He previously worked at PwC, Salesforce, BlackRock/eFront and Lazard.
About Tamarly Research. Tamarly Research is part of Tamarly Media, which holds no investment positions. Tamarly is a New York research house that studies how AI is changing regulated institutions.