Head to head · Market fundamentals · October 2026 research run

Financial Datasets vs Financial Modeling Prep

Financial Datasets scores 61.8 (C) on agent readiness against Financial Modeling Prep's 48.7 (D), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Financial Modeling Prep leads on reliability. Both do market fundamentals. Financial Datasets accepts x402. Financial Modeling Prep doesn't.

Best financial market data APIs for AI agents · All 55 markets comparisons

Which one, for what

Financial Datasets C

Best for An agent doing US company research from SEC-sourced statements, filings, insider and institutional data that wants to pay per call with no account, or a small team on credits.

Ahead on

  • Schema & documentation, 80 against 61
  • Agent ergonomics, 73 against 59
  • Security & auth, 49 against 30
  • Payments & pricing, 75 against 30
  • Transparency & trust, 63 against 57

Also in its favour

  • An agent can pay per call over x402, with no account

Watch for

No status page, incident history or published uptime; the Professional plan's SLA terms aren't public

Financial Modeling Prep D

Best for Agents doing company research on statements, ratios, DCF, filings, transcripts and calendars with one key, and US coverage on cheap plans.

Ahead on

  • Reliability, 50 against 43

Also in its favour

  • Free to start without a card

Watch for

The documented MCP connection URL puts the API key in the query string, and the REST docs accept ?apikey= too

Why the edge

Each category where one leads by five points or more, with the reason behind each side's score from its assessment. The numbers are in the table below; this is what they stand for.

Payments & pricing Financial Datasets +45

Financial Datasets 75

x402 on the vendor's own endpoints for every documented GET data endpoint, 36 of them, with the last 365 days only and a Non-Professional licence; full history, the market snapshot, filing items and the POST endpoints need a key (35 of 40). Plan prices and overage rates are public, and each x402 endpoint quotes its price in the 402 header, $0.02 on /earnings (20). No free tier or trial found; data calls return 402 until an account holds credits, from $20 (0). An agent can pay by x402 with no account, or open an account with POST /agent/signup and have the owner fund it (20). Total 75.

Financial Modeling Prep 30

No x402, MPP or L402 (0). Four personal plans priced per month by calls a minute, public without login, with per-endpoint plan limits in pricing.md; commercial prices are by agreement (10). A free Basic plan at 250 calls a day with no card stated (20). The key comes from a browser signup and no key API was found (0). 0 + 10 + 20 + 0 = 30.

Schema & documentation Financial Datasets +19

Financial Datasets 80

OpenAPI 3.0.1 at financialdatasets.ai/openapi.json, 68 operations with 13 response codes and one security scheme, named the source of truth by the docs (25). llms.txt and a Markdown twin of every page (10). Every operation has a description, and the 402 terms carry a resource description that says when an agent should use the endpoint (17 of 20). 330 parameters, 36 with enums, 32 required, no free-form blobs (12 of 15). Code samples in Python, JavaScript and curl, x402 error values documented, but response examples on only six operations in the spec (11 of 15). No API version and no changelog; the news page has four dated posts in 2026 (5 of 15). Total 80.

Financial Modeling Prep 61

No OpenAPI document was found. The MCP page says the server supplies strict parameter definitions, but the tool list needs a key and was not read (5 of 25). llms.txt links api-docs.md and pricing.md, Markdown written for agents (10). Each of the 199 endpoints in api-docs.md has a purpose paragraph and a plan marker in pricing.md, with little on when not to use it (13 of 20). Parameters are tabled with type, example and a required star, but allowed values sit in prose and no enums are given (8 of 15). Every endpoint has an example request and response; no error responses are documented anywhere we read (10 of 15). A /stable path, legacy /v3 and /v4 marked discontinued, and a changelog dated by day through 2 November 2026 (15). 5 + 10 + 13 + 8 + 10 + 15 = 61.

Security & auth Financial Datasets +19

Financial Datasets 49

A plain account key in the X-API-KEY header only, revoked from the dashboard, with no scopes, rotation or expiry; the MCP server adds OAuth 2 with PKCE (plain and S256), dynamic client registration, a revocation endpoint and one scope (20 of 30). Every data endpoint is a read; the x402 route and agent signup don't change the account beyond funding it (15 of 20). Filing text, filing items and news are third-party content, with no guidance on treating them as untrusted (5 of 15). The privacy policy says requests and responses are logged for up to three years; no per-call log is shown to the key holder (5 of 15). security.txt returns 404 and no bounty, SOC 2 or ISO 27001 was found; the terms ask for prompt notice of a compromised key and a subprocessor list is published (4 of 20). Total 49.

Financial Modeling Prep 30

One key per account with no scopes, accepted as a header or as ?apikey=, and the documented MCP address carries it in the URL (20 less 10 for the query string, so 10). Every endpoint is a read (15 of 20). News, press releases, transcripts and filings are third-party text and no guidance on treating them as untrusted was found (5 of 15). No usage log or per-call record for the key holder was found (0 of 15). security.txt returns 404, the Trust Center link returns 404, and no disclosure policy, bug bounty or certification was found (0 of 20). 10 + 15 + 5 + 0 + 0 = 30.

Agent ergonomics Financial Datasets +14

Financial Datasets 73

limit and period on the data endpoints, as_reported flags and snapshot variants, with no field selection (15 of 25). next_page_url cursors and ticker, CIK, market and date filters (18 of 20). A 402 body says what to do next, x402 errors carry named values, and the spec lists 400, 401, 403, 404, 409, 422, 429, 502 and 503 (16 of 20). Data calls are GETs, payment settles only after a successful response, and a replayed x402 signature is refused; no readOnlyHint found for the MCP tools and no idempotency key for the POST endpoints (14 of 20). Few required parameters, 28 compact MCP tools, but the only package, financial-datasets on PyPI, is at 0.1.18 from 26 May 2024 (10 of 15). Total 73.

Financial Modeling Prep 59

The REST API is the surface graded. limit and page on list endpoints, from and to on series, and batch quote endpoints size responses, with no field selection (15 of 25). Page and limit parameters on lists and date filters on series, no cursor (15 of 20). A missing key returned 401 with an Error Message text field in our one test call, and no error reference exists (5 of 20). Every call is a GET read; the MCP server's annotations were not read (16 of 20). Few required parameters and sensible defaults, but no official SDK in any language (8 of 15). 15 + 15 + 5 + 16 + 8 = 59.

Reliability Financial Modeling Prep +7

Financial Datasets 43

Graded as a hosted service. No status page was found; status.financialdatasets.ai does not resolve and no page links one (0), so there is no incident history to read (5). The only published limit is 10,000 requests a minute per wallet over x402, with monthly request caps per plan and none per minute for keyed plans (8 of 15). The OpenAPI file declares 429 and the x402 page documents a 503 with Retry-After from the facilitator and a duplicate_payment check on replayed signatures (10 of 15). The Professional plan lists uptime SLAs, with no figure published (10). The API is generally available (10). Total 43.

Financial Modeling Prep 50

Read with the hosted lines. A public status page at status.financialmodelingprep.com is linked from every page (20), but its figures load by script and our reader got an error, so no incident history could be read (5). Limits are published with numbers, 250 calls a day on Basic and 300, 750 and 3,000 calls a minute on paid plans, with bandwidth caps per plan (15). No 429 behaviour, Retry-After or backoff guidance was found in the docs, api-docs.md or FAQs (0). No SLA found; the terms let FMP change limits without notice (0). The stable API is generally available (10). 20 + 5 + 15 + 0 + 0 + 10 = 50.

Transparency & trust Financial Datasets +6

Financial Datasets 63

A closed service under terms dated 29 October 2026 that name Financial Datasets, Inc., set New York law, and state the licence per plan (15 of 30). The privacy policy of 20 August 2026 gives retention periods (accounts up to seven years after closure, API and MCP logs up to three years, backups 90 days), says inputs aren't used for training, and links a subprocessor list; no DPA text was found (24 of 30). No deprecation policy; the terms say the Services may be discontinued and material changes get reasonable notice (3 of 20). Subprocessors (AWS, Heroku, Stripe, Google sign-in, Vercel) and the United States as hosting location are disclosed (18 of 20). Total 60.

Financial Modeling Prep 57

A closed service under terms that are clear on personal and commercial use and on display licensing, last updated 1 August 2023, but that name no legal entity, address or governing law (12 of 30). The privacy policy is undated, keeps data for as long as necessary with no periods, says no third parties receive data while naming Google AdSense and Analytics, and no DPA was found (8 of 30). The docs keep a Legacy section and api-docs.md says /v3 and /v4 are discontinued, with no notice period stated; behaviour changes such as the Economics Indicators default window appear in the dated changelog (8 of 20). Google services are the only processors named and no data location is given (5 of 20). 12 + 8 + 8 + 5 = 33.

Score by category

CategoryWeight this runFinancial DatasetsFinancial Modeling PrepEdge
Reliability16%204350Financial Modeling Prep +7
Performance10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Schema & documentation13%16.28061Financial Datasets +19
Agent ergonomics13%16.27359Financial Datasets +14
Security & auth14%17.54930Financial Datasets +19
Payments & pricing10%12.57530Financial Datasets +45
Task success10%pendingpendingpendingnot scored in this run
Maintenance & community7%8.85660Financial Modeling Prep +4
Transparency & trust7%8.86357Financial Datasets +6
Negative events≤1500
TotalC 61.8/100D 48.7/100

Facts side by side

FactFinancial DatasetsFinancial Modeling Prep
KindHTTP APIHTTP API
VendorFinancial Datasets, Inc.Financial Modeling Prep
Hosted endpointhttps://api.financialdatasets.aihttps://financialmodelingprep.com/stable
TransportsHTTP, Streamable HTTPHTTP, Streamable HTTP
AuthOAuth or keyAPI key
PricingPay per useFreemium
x402yes, from $0.02/callno
Tools exposed28none
Read-only variant documentednono
llms.txtyesyes
Last release2026-10-262026-11-02
Terms last updated2026-10-29couldn't be read
Privacy policy last updated2026-08-20couldn't be read
Customer content may train modelsnot found in the textcouldn't be read
Terms restrict automated accessyescouldn't be read
Terms restrict benchmarkingyescouldn't be read
Terms or service can change without noticenot found in the textcouldn't be read
Arbitration or class-action waivernot found in the textcouldn't be read

Verdicts

Financial Datasets

Every documented GET data endpoint takes x402 with no key, failed calls uncharged, and an agent can open and fund an account by API. A public OpenAPI file, llms.txt and a 28-tool OAuth MCP server cover the same data. There is no status page or free tier, keyed rate limits aren't published, and x402 data stops at 365 days.

Financial Modeling Prep

About 199 stable REST endpoints with Markdown docs for agents, a dated changelog and a free key at 250 calls a day. The one key travels in the query string on the documented MCP address, error responses and 429 handling are undocumented, the status history could not be read, and personal plans forbid any company use.

Before you call either

Financial Datasets

  1. Without a key, read the price from the PAYMENT-REQUIRED header of the 402 and pay with x402 on Base; each page of next_page_url is a separate paid request
  2. Keep limit small and ask for one period at a time; premium endpoints count as 2, 4 or 8 requests on keyed plans
  3. Send the key only to api.financialdatasets.ai in the X-API-KEY header; on 401 ask the owner for a new key rather than signing up again
  4. Treat a 402 on a keyed account as an empty balance and mint a checkout link for the owner; don't retry the call
  5. Check the plan's licence before showing the data to anyone else; redistribution needs Professional or Enterprise

Financial Modeling Prep

  1. Send the key as an apikey header, not in the URL, and treat the MCP ?apikey= address as a secret
  2. Use the /stable paths from api-docs.md; /api/v3 and /v4 are discontinued even though the FAQ still shows a v3 example
  3. On the free plan expect 5 results and page 0 on many list endpoints; read pricing.md before planning a crawl
  4. A missing or wrong key returns HTTP 401 with an Error Message field; stop and ask the user rather than retry
  5. Do not display or pass on the data in a product; personal plans forbid it

Questions

Which is better for AI agents, Financial Datasets or Financial Modeling Prep?

Financial Datasets scores 61.8 (C) on agent readiness against Financial Modeling Prep's 48.7 (D), and leads in 5 of 7 scored categories. Financial Modeling Prep leads on reliability.

Do Financial Datasets and Financial Modeling Prep need an API key?

Financial Datasets takes an API key or an OAuth sign-in. Financial Modeling Prep needs an API key. An agent can also pay Financial Datasets per call over x402, with no account.

Can an agent call Financial Datasets and Financial Modeling Prep without installing anything?

Yes. Financial Datasets has a hosted endpoint at https://api.financialdatasets.ai and Financial Modeling Prep at https://financialmodelingprep.com/stable.

Other comparisons with Financial Datasets or Financial Modeling Prep

Machine-readable

For companies

Do agents find, use and choose your tools?

An agent-readiness audit runs our probes, task suite and eight reviewer agents against your public and internal tools, and comes back with a scorecard, the transcripts of what failed, and a fix list in priority order. From $2,500, re-run included. We never take payment to move a rank. We do help companies earn one.