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We ran head-to-head benchmarks comparing SEC API against sec-api.io across the core SEC data operations that matter most to developers and AI agents. The results: SEC API is 3.9x to 6.4x faster with 34-38% smaller response payloads.

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Methodology

This is a first-party head-to-head benchmark run by our own canonical harness — not a third-party study. Both APIs were measured under identical conditions so the comparison is apples-to-apples.
  • Competitor measurements captured 2026-03-18; re-run before citing as current
  • Both APIs tested from the same machine, same network location
  • Each operation run 5+ times with p50, p95, p99 latency reported
  • Payload size measured as response body bytes
  • Token estimate = ceil(payload_bytes / 4)
  • All tests use authenticated API keys on production endpoints
  • Reproduction scripts available in our benchmark methodology notes

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Results

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Latency Comparison

OperationSEC API p50sec-api.io p50Speedup
Entity Resolution62ms231ms3.7x faster
Filing Search64ms281ms4.4x faster
Section Extraction64ms348ms5.4x faster
XBRL-to-JSON61ms392ms6.4x faster
Overall: 18 wins, 0 losses, 2 ties across our benchmark suite.

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Token Efficiency

OperationSEC API tokenssec-api.io tokensSavings
Entity resolve6810334% fewer
Filing search12519837% fewer
Section extract45072038% fewer
XBRL parsing31048536% fewer

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Why Token Efficiency Matters

When AI agents query SEC data, every byte of the API response consumes tokens. Smaller responses mean:
  • Lower cost — fewer tokens = lower API bills
  • Faster reasoning — less context for the model to process
  • More room — more data fits in the context window
A typical “company briefing” workflow demonstrates this dramatically:
ApproachAPI callsTokens consumed
sec-api.io (assemble manually)8-12 calls~3,000 tokens
SEC API intelligence bundle1 call~800 tokens
Result: 75% fewer tokens, 87% fewer API calls.

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Pricing Comparison

sec-api.ioSEC API
Starter access100 calls (lifetime)150 calls (one-time)
Minimum paid$49/monthPay-as-you-go ($0.02/call)
Personal$49/month$55/month (20% meter discount)
Business$199/month$239/month (35% meter discount)
For light agent usage (200 queries/month):
  • sec-api.io: $49/month (minimum tier)
  • SEC API PAYG: $4.00/month (92% savings)

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What SEC API Offers That sec-api.io Doesn’t

  • Semantic search — AI-powered filing search using finance-tuned embeddings + vector search
  • Intelligence bundles — Pre-computed company, security, and earnings briefings
  • MCP integration — Native agent protocol support for Claude, Cursor, and other AI tools
  • CLI tool — npm install -g @secapi/cli for terminal workflows
  • Filing diff — Compare two filing versions to see what changed
  • Saved monitors — Webhook alerts when new filings match your criteria
  • Budget controls — Spending caps with 75/90/95% threshold alerts
  • 4 SDKs — JavaScript, Python, Go, and Rust (sec-api.io has 2)
  • 8 pre-built skills — Installable workflows for Claude Code, Codex, Cowork

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Try It

# Use an existing API key, or create an account at secapi.ai/signup
export SECAPI_API_KEY="<your-api-key>"

# Your first query
curl "https://api.secapi.ai/v1/entities/resolve?ticker=AAPL" \
  -H "x-api-key: $SECAPI_API_KEY"
Create an account at secapi.ai/signup to get an API key.