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What is OpenCorporates API?
World's largest open legal-entity database covering 140+ jurisdictions. Provides REST API and bulk SFTP delivery of company and officer records sourced directly from official government registries. Supports entity verification, KYC, compliance, investigations, and business research workflows.
OpenCorporates API news
US company data expansion
OpenCorporates blog post documenting expansion of US company registry coverage
Source: OpenCorporates Blog ↗
Key features
Primary Source Data
Records pulled directly from official government business registries across 140+ jurisdictions with full data provenance
REST API
JSON or XML responses with powerful query capabilities for real-time data access and integration into onboarding/investigation workflows
Bulk Data Delivery
CSV datasets delivered securely via SFTP with jurisdiction selection flexibility
OpenRefine Integration
Reconciliation API for matching business names to legal entity identifiers
Source Attribution
All records include links to original government registry sources for verification and audit trails
Internal & External Use
Commercial plans permit data use in both internal applications and client-facing products
OpenCorporates API pricing
API-only plans sold as annual subscriptions or monthly payments. Enterprise plan combines bulk delivery with bespoke API and enterprise support.
| Plan | Price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Essentials (API) | £2,250/year (£225/month) | API access, Internal & external use, Up to 500 API calls/month, Up to 200 calls/day |
| Starter (API) | £6,600/year (£660/month) | API access, Internal & external use, Up to 2,500 API calls/month, Up to 500 calls/day |
| Basic (API) | £12,000/year (£1,200/month) | API access, Internal & external use, Up to 5,000 API calls/month, Up to 1,000 calls/day |
| Enterprise | Custom (contact sales) | Bulk CSV delivery via SFTP, Bespoke API configuration, Enterprise support plan, Jurisdiction selection flexibility |
| Free (Public-benefit) | £0 | At-scale access for journalists, NGOs, universities, and anti-crime research groups on application |
Pros & cons
Pros
- + Comprehensive global coverage: 140+ jurisdictions including EU, UK, US, Asia, Africa, LATAM regions
- + Official primary source data with full provenance and audit trails
- + Free tier available for public-benefit projects eliminates cost barrier for journalism, NGOs, research
- + API pricing is publicly listed and transparent
- + Supports both real-time API queries and bulk data delivery models
- + Records linked to original government registries for verification
- + Flexible jurisdiction selection for bulk delivery
Cons
- − Smallest paid plan (Essentials) costs £2,250/year; not suitable for low-volume casual users
- − Entry-level call quotas are limited (500 calls/month on Essentials)
- − Does not include email addresses in records
- − Commercial use requires paid license; free tier restricted to public-benefit projects
- − No SOC 2 attestation stated
- − Open Database Licence requires prominent attribution (70% of largest font or minimum 7px) on all displayed data
- − Jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction data freshness varies based on registry update cycles
Who is OpenCorporates API best for?
- • Compliance and data teams implementing KYC/customer onboarding processes
- • Third-party risk and vendor due-diligence programs
- • Investigative journalists and research organizations
- • Regulatory and financial services companies requiring verified entity data
- • Business intelligence and prospect research teams
- • Master-data management and entity resolution use cases
Frequently asked questions
Is OpenCorporates free?
Free at-scale access is available for journalists, NGOs, universities, and anti-crime research groups on application. All commercial use requires a paid API or bulk delivery plan.
Does the API include email addresses?
No. The API returns legal-entity and officer data from official registries but does not include email addresses.
Can I use the data in my product?
Yes, all commercial plans (Essentials and above) include internal and external use rights. Open data uses require attribution under the Open Database Licence (70% of largest font or 7px minimum).
Which jurisdictions are covered?
140+ jurisdictions globally, including all EU countries, UK, US, Canada, Australia, and many Asian, African, and Latin American countries.
Can I get bulk data instead of API calls?
Yes. Enterprise plans include bulk CSV delivery via SFTP with flexible jurisdiction selection. Smaller plans are API-only.
