# USAspending API vs SAM.gov API: which is better for federal contract award data? For award history and analysis, the USAspending API is usually better: it is free, needs no key, has no published daily cap and covers contracts back to FY2001 with grants and loans. SAM.gov's Contract Awards API, the FPDS replacement, is closer to the source and has award fields USAspending drops, but it keeps SAM.gov's key and daily limits.Checked on 2026-11-15.Official source: [USAspending API](https://api.usaspending.gov/docs/endpoints) | USAspending contract history | From FY2001 | | --- | --- | | USAspending key | None needed | | DoD delay | About 90 days | | Awards loaded here | 114,954 | ## The answer in detail Both draw on the same contract reporting. USAspending adds financial (File C) obligations, links contracts to their parent IDVs and to subawards, and offers bulk downloads. Its recipient profiles key on a hash rather than the UEI, and DoD contract actions appear about 90 days after signing.SAM.gov's Contract Awards API exposes the contract action report fields agencies enter (competition, number of offers, pricing type) with less delay, which matters for market research on how a contract was competed.samgovapi.io loads USAspending prime awards nightly and joins them to SAM.gov registrations by UEI, so an award row comes with the recipient's registration status. Its history is short today: 114,954 prime awards with action dates from 1 Oct 2026 to 10 Nov 2026 (fiscal year 2027 so far). ## How the options compare | Option | Price | Access and limits | Coverage and history | Best for | Checked | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [USAspending API (official)](https://api.usaspending.gov/docs/endpoints) | Free, no key | No key and no published daily cap | Prime awards and subawards back to FY2001; no SAM.gov registration status or expiry | Award and spending history | 2026-11-12 | | [SAM.gov APIs (official)](https://open.gsa.gov/api/entity-api/) | Free | 10 requests a day with no SAM.gov role, 1,000 with a role or a non-federal system account; keys expire every 90 days | The live, authoritative record: entities, opportunities, exclusions, contract awards, hierarchy, subawards | Anyone who needs the official record itself, at low volume | 2026-11-12 | | [GovCon API (govconapi.com)](https://govconapi.com/pricing) | Developer $19/mo, Pro $39/mo; 14-day trial | 1,000 requests an hour (50 a minute burst); trial 50 a day | 12,265,150 contracts and 758,552 opportunities from FY2025; 904,090 entities, monthly | Developers who want the lowest entry price and FY2025+ history | 2026-11-15 | | [samgovapi.io](https://samgovapi.io/pricing) | Free (100 credits a month, no card); Developer $49/mo, Pro $149/mo, Scale $499/mo | 20 to 180 requests a minute by plan, no daily cap; REST, MCP and keyless MCP search | 881,370 entities (1 Nov 2026 extract), 74,420 notices, 169,191 exclusions, 114,954 awards since 1 Oct 2026 | Developers and AI agents who want entities, bids and exclusions joined in one API | 2026-11-15 | ## Where samgovapi.io is the weaker choice - Award history is short: 114,954 prime awards with action dates from 1 Oct 2026 to 10 Nov 2026 (fiscal year 2027 so far). USAspending goes back to FY2001 and GovCon API serves 12.27 million contracts from FY2025. - No grants, loans or financial assistance data: contracts only. ## Try it Awards for one recipient UEI, joined to its registration. ``` curl "https://samgovapi.io/api/v1/awards?recipient_uei=UAVDK5WWYDZ5&limit=25" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $SAMGOVAPI_API_KEY" ``` ## Questions Is FPDS still available?FPDS ezSearch was decommissioned on 24 Feb 2026; contract data is in SAM.gov's Contract Awards API and USAspending.Which has subawards?Both: USAspending has subawards linked to prime awards; SAM.gov has the Acquisition Subaward Reporting API. ## Related - [USAspending API](https://samgovapi.io/usaspending-api) - [SAM.gov vs USAspending](https://samgovapi.io/compare/sam-gov-vs-usaspending) - [FPDS vs USAspending](https://samgovapi.io/compare/fpds-vs-usaspending) - [API docs](https://samgovapi.io/docs) - [Pricing](https://samgovapi.io/pricing) - [Answers](https://samgovapi.io/answers)Updated 2026-11-15. Sources checked 2026-11-15.Independent. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by GSA, SAM.gov or any U.S. government agency. Registering in SAM.gov is free at sam.gov.

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