The entity-resolved, agent-native alternative to sec-api.io.
sec-api.io is a strong, mature product for raw SEC/EDGAR access. Clous is built for the agent era: one consistent JSON envelope, cross-source entity resolution that reaches beyond SEC, a hosted MCP server, and credit pricing you can start for free. Both derive everything from the same public SEC EDGAR data — the difference is the layer above.
100 free credits for verified companies · self-serve · no sales calls
One envelope, ~60 endpoints
Every Clous endpoint returns the same shape — { data, page, as_of, source, query_echo, warnings }. No per-endpoint array names to special-case.
Resolution beyond SEC
A canonical entity_id on every record, joining SEC with registries, LEI, HMDA, 5500, 990, patents, PEPs and enforcement. sec-api.io is SEC-only and filing-centric.
Agent-native access
A hosted MCP server, Python + JS SDKs, and zero-SDK access from any OpenAI-compatible client at base_url=https://api.clous.ai/v1.
Architecture & developer experience
Where the two products diverge most. These are capability differences — what each API’s design exposes — not benchmark numbers.
| Capability | sec-api.io | Clous |
|---|---|---|
| One JSON envelope on every endpointClous returns { data, page, as_of, source, query_echo, warnings } everywhere; sec-api.io shapes differ per endpoint. | ||
| Cursor pagination, no 10k-offset ceilingsec-api.io query endpoints cap paging at a 10,000-result window; Clous pages by opaque cursor with no ceiling. | ||
| Typed parameters (no Lucene query DSL required) | Partial | |
| Confidence + freshness (as_of) on enriched fields | ||
| Hosted remote MCP server for agentsmcp.clous.ai — connect an MCP client and call the data as typed tools. | ||
| Official SDKs (Python + JavaScript)pip install clous · npm install @clousai/sdk | ||
| Zero-SDK: works with any OpenAI-compatible clientPoint base_url at https://api.clous.ai/v1. | ||
| LLM-readable docs (llms.txt, copy-paste prompts) | Partial | |
| OpenAPI 3.1 spec | ||
| Typed error codes (empty_result / not_found / invalid_param …) | Partial | |
| Webhooks / real-time streamingsec-api.io ships a streaming API today; Clous webhooks are on the roadmap. | Soon | |
| Self-serve credit pricing (free tier to start)100 free credits for verified companies; then credit packs / monthly plans. | Partial |
Entity resolution & coverage reach
The core differentiator. Clous resolves every record to one canonical entity_id and reaches beyond SEC into adjacent public-records sources, so “everything about this entity” is one lookup instead of a fuzzy string join across silos.
| Capability | sec-api.io | Clous |
|---|---|---|
| Canonical entity_id on every recordsec-api.io is filing-centric (CIK strings); Clous joins CIK / CRD / CUSIP / ticker / LEI to one entity_id. | ||
| Domain + people attached to the entity | ||
| Resolution across SEC forms (filings → one entity) | Partial | |
| Beyond SEC — business registries | ||
| Beyond SEC — LEI / GLEIF | ||
| Beyond SEC — HMDA mortgage data | ||
| Beyond SEC — Form 5500 (pensions/benefit plans) | ||
| Beyond SEC — IRS 990 (nonprofits) | ||
| Beyond SEC — patents | ||
| Beyond SEC — PEPs / sanctions / enforcement |
Same shape, three ways to call it
REST, SDK, or MCP — every Clous response is the same envelope, so your agent never special-cases a payload.
{
"data": [ /* records */ ],
"page": { "limit": 50, "next_cursor": "…", "has_more": true },
"as_of": "2026-06-14T08:36:42Z",
"source": "form_d",
"query_echo": { "sector": "fintech" },
"warnings": []
}from openai import OpenAI
clous = OpenAI(
base_url="https://api.clous.ai/v1",
api_key="clous_live_…",
)
# Or use the SDKs:
# pip install clous
# npm install @clousai/sdk
#
# Or connect the hosted MCP server:
# https://mcp.clous.aiSEC form coverage
The SEC core is at parity today — Clous serves 734 SEC form types (since 1980) over its live /v1 endpoints. Every form below is queryable now; only the deepest structured parses are still rolling out. Both products read the same public EDGAR data.
| Capability | sec-api.io | Clous |
|---|---|---|
| Filing query — all forms | ||
| Full-text search (bodies, 2001+) | ||
| XBRL financial statements | ||
| Insider trading — Form 3/4/5 | ||
| Form 13F — institutional holdings | ||
| Form 13D/G — beneficial ownership | ||
| Form D — private placements | ||
| Form ADV — investment advisers | ||
| N-PORT / N-CEN — fund holdings | ||
| 8-K material-event items (4.01 / 4.02 / 5.02 …) | ||
| Cybersecurity incidents — 8-K Item 1.05 | Partial | |
| 10-K / 10-Q / 8-K section extractor | ||
| Subsidiaries — Exhibit 21 | ||
| Executive comp & directors (DEF 14A) | ||
| Form 144 — restricted sales | ||
| Enforcement / litigation | ||
| S-1 / 424B — IPO registrations & prospectuses | ||
| Float & shares outstanding (XBRL) | ||
| Form N-PX — proxy-voting filings | Partial | |
| Form C / Reg A — crowdfunding filings | Partial |
“Soon” / “Partial” = on the Clous roadmap or still rolling out. We only claim what we ship — no benchmarks we can’t back up.
When sec-api.io fits
sec-api.io is a strong incumbent for raw EDGAR access — broad form coverage, full-text search, XBRL, and a real-time streaming API. If you need to pull filings and already have a streaming integration, it does that well.
When Clous fits
Clous is built for software that acts on filings: resolve a list of companies, funds, or advisers to one canonical entity (across SEC and beyond), read it back through a single envelope, and wire it into an agent over REST, SDK, or MCP — with confidence and freshness so the model doesn’t hallucinate.
Transparent, self-serve credit pricing
Verified companies start with 100 free credits. Calls debit by endpoint weight, and we hard-stop at zero — no surprise bills, no sales call to get started.
Moving from sec-api.io or another SEC API?
Start with the endpoints you already use — filing search, company lookup, ADV, 13F, Form D — then add entity resolution, MCP, and SDKs when you’re ready.
All data is derived from public SEC EDGAR filings. Clous is independent of, and not affiliated with, the SEC. sec-api.io is a product of its respective owner; this comparison reflects publicly documented features and may change over time.