Best Employee Data APIs Compared (2026)
By Kooperativa Engineering
The best employee data API depends on three choices: whether you need public companies only or private ones too, whether you need a current figure or a history, and whether you need a headcount or the people behind it. This comparison sorts providers on those three, using what each one states on its own public page or listing, read on 12 November 2026. It is not a ranking, and we are one of the providers in it.
How we compared
Each row comes from the provider's public documentation, product page or search listing. We did not test accuracy, and we do not publish accuracy figures for anyone. Pricing is left out on purpose because it changes often, so check current terms before you decide. Where a page did not say, the table says so.
| Provider | Employee data it describes | Series over time | Companies, as stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roic AI | Fiscal-year employee counts by company | Yes, by fiscal year | Not stated on the docs page; its search listing says public companies, from SEC filings |
| CompanyEnrich | Observed employee count, a count range and department breakdowns | Yes, monthly snapshots, 12 months per page | Not stated on the page we read |
| Coresignal | Company headcount in a historical headcount API, plus a separate employee profile API | Yes, monthly historical headcount by company | Not stated on the page we read |
| CUFinder | Current employee count and range, with a breakdown by country | Not stated | Not stated |
| Bright Data | Employee profile records to filter, search and retrieve, not a headcount figure | Not stated, profiles are refreshed monthly | Not stated |
| Kooperativa | Headcount by seniority band, current employees, past employees, hiring signals | No native series, snapshots are yours to store | Companies in the index, counts describe indexed profiles |
Filing-based counts and profile-based counts answer different questions
Providers that draw on annual filings give an official figure, but for public companies and only once a year. Providers built on professional profiles can include private companies and update more often, but their count is a floor, because it counts the people who keep a profile. Neither is wrong. They measure different things, which is why the same company can show two very different numbers.
If you need a history
CompanyEnrich and Coresignal state on their public pages that they offer a historical series. Ours returns current figures, and a history is built by storing dated snapshots on a schedule. That starts the day you start it, so it does not give you years of past data. The post on tracking company headcount over time shows how to build it.
If you need the people, not the count
If the task is a list of the people at an account, look at the providers that return employee records rather than a count: Coresignal and Bright Data describe employee data APIs, and ours lists current and past employees for a company, with the role each person held. Ours returns profile and firmographic data and no contact data such as emails or phone numbers, by design.
What we do not do
We do not return a native historical headcount series. We do not sell contact data. Access is by request, not self-signup. And our headcount describes indexed profiles, not payroll. If one of those is a blocker for you, one of the providers above may fit better.
How to choose
Answer four questions in order and the shortlist makes itself.
- Do you need private companies? If yes, filing-based sources alone will not cover you.
- Do you need history on day one? If yes, pick a provider that states a series on its page.
- Do you need the count or the people? Counts are cheap to fetch, people lists are a different product.
- Can you accept a floor instead of an official number? If not, use filings for public companies and say so.
Frequently asked questions
Which employee data API covers private companies?
Filing-based providers cover public companies only. Providers built on professional profiles can include private companies, with counts that describe the people who keep a profile.
Did you test the accuracy of these providers?
No. The table uses only what each provider states on its own public page or listing, read on 12 November 2026.
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