Edgrapi vs edgartools
edgartools is a great free Python library you self-host. Edgrapi is a hosted API you call from any language, with an MCP server for agents.
edgartools is an excellent open-source (MIT) Python library that turns EDGAR filings into typed objects. It's free, runs in your own process, and is a strong choice if you live in Python and are happy owning the dependency, the SEC rate-limit handling, and caching yourself.
Edgrapi is a hosted service: a REST API and an MCP server. You call it from any language (or an AI agent) with no library to install, no parser to maintain, and the rate-limiting and caching handled for you. The trade is a managed service vs full local control.
| Edgrapi | edgartools (Python library) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Hosted REST + MCP API | Self-run Python library |
| Price | Free tier, then metered | Free (open source) |
| Languages | Any (HTTP) + AI agents | Python only |
| Setup / maintenance | None — call the URL | You install & maintain it |
| SEC rate-limit handling | Managed for you | Your responsibility |
| Caching infra | Built in | You build it |
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes | No |
Which should you use?
If you're in Python and want full local control for free, edgartools is genuinely good — try it first. Choose Edgrapi when you don't want to self-host a parser, you're calling from something other than Python, you want SEC rate-limiting and caching handled, or you need an MCP server so AI agents can pull the data directly.
Frequently asked questions
Is edgartools free?
Yes — edgartools is a free, MIT-licensed open-source Python library. Edgrapi is a hosted service with a free tier (100 requests, no card) and metered paid plans; you pay to skip self-hosting, maintenance, rate-limiting and caching.
Can I use edgartools from a non-Python stack?
edgartools is a Python library, so you'd need Python (or to wrap it in your own service). Edgrapi is a plain HTTP API plus an MCP server, so it works from any language and from AI agents directly.