M
API Matrix

OpenCorporates API

Open Data / API Key Intermediate HTTPS
Varies by plan (check documentation)
67 Score
Grade C
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Overview

OpenCorporates is the world's largest open database of companies, covering corporate entities and directors across more than 130 countries. An API key is required for most endpoints, though some basic lookups allow limited free access. It is useful for due diligence, compliance research, and building tools that track corporate relationships.

💡

Beginner Tip

Start with a simple company search at https://api.opencorporates.com/v0.4/companies/search?q=COMPANY_NAME&api_token=YOUR_API_KEY. The free tier allows a limited number of requests per day, so cache results when possible.

Available Data

country name and code
population
capital city
region and subregion
flag image URL

Example Response

JSON Response 
{
  "name": "Japan",
  "capital": "Tokyo",
  "population": 125800000,
  "region": "Asia",
  "languages": [
    "Japanese"
  ],
  "flag": "https://flagcdn.com/jp.svg",
  "currencies": [
    {
      "code": "JPY",
      "name": "Japanese yen"
    }
  ]
}

Field Reference

results.companies List of matching company objects
company.name Registered legal name of the company
company.company_number Official registration number in the jurisdiction
company.jurisdiction_code Two or three-letter code identifying the country/state of registration (e.g., "us_de")
company.incorporation_date Date the company was officially incorporated
company.current_status Current status of the company, e.g., "Active", "Dissolved"

Implementation Example 

// ⚠️ Note: This URL may be a documentation page. Check official docs for actual API endpoint.
const url = "http://api.opencorporates.com/documentation/API-Reference";
// Replace headers or query params with the values required by this API.
const response = await fetch(url, {
  headers: {
  "X-API-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY"
  }
});
if (!response.ok) throw new Error(`Request failed: ${response.status}`);
const data = await response.json();
console.log(data);

What Can You Build?

Note: These code examples are AI-generated and unverified. Always refer to the official API documentation for accurate usage.

Common Errors & Troubleshooting

401 Unauthorized Missing or invalid api_token parameter
✓ Register at opencorporates.com to get an API token and include it as ?api_token=YOUR_API_KEY in every request
403 Forbidden / account_inactive Your account may not have permission for this endpoint or you exceeded free tier limits
✓ Check your account status at opencorporates.com and review which endpoints your plan allows
Empty results for known company Company name may be registered differently or in a specific jurisdiction
✓ Add a jurisdiction_code filter (e.g. &jurisdiction_code=us_de for Delaware) or try searching by company number

Matrix Score Breakdown

🌐 Reachability 30/30
⚡ Speed 5/20
🔒 Security 10/15
🛠 Developer XP 12/20
✓ Reliability 10/15

Partially tested on Apr 5, 2026

Technical Specifications

Auth API Key
HTTPS REQUIRED
CORS UNKNOWN
Category Open Data
Difficulty Intermediate
Verified: 2026-04-04

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