OpenCorporates

Tool Description : One of the largest open databases of company information in the world, aggregating official corporate registry data from jurisdictions globally.

OpenCorporates

Quick Overview

URL

https://opencorporates.com/

What it does

Aggregates global company registry data into a searchable database of companies, directors, and corporate relationships.

How to use it

Search for a company name, officer, or jurisdiction, then review linked entities, filings, and corporate relationships.

Cost

Partially Free.

Account required

No (basic use), Yes (for API access and advanced features).

Google authentication, website functionality, and Salesforce Pardot visitor analytics and marketing tracking cookies.

Ownership

OpenCorporates Ltd, a UK-based transparency and data company.

Use in Reporting

Widely used for corporate due diligence, ownership tracing, sanctions research, and mapping business relationships across jurisdictions.

What does OpenCorporates do?

OpenCorporates is a global corporate transparency platform that aggregates official company registry data into a unified searchable database.

For OSINT work, it’s one of the most important starting points for understanding who owns what, who is connected to whom, and how companies are structured across different countries.

The lowdown: Instead of searching dozens of national registries, it pulls together corporate data from around the world into one place.

How to Use:

1. Search for a company, director, or officer using a name or identifier.

To search an Officer, you can view this video tutorial.

To search a Company, you can view this video tutorial.

2. Explore linked companies, jurisdictions, filings, and associated people.

3. Cross-check results against official company registries, financial filings, or regulatory disclosures for verification.

Cost

Free
Partially Free
Paid

Core database is free. Advanced/API access is paid.

Data Processing

Account Required:

Basic access doesn’t require an account but for full functionality, an account is needed.

Cookies:

OpenCorporates uses cookies for website security and CAPTCHA validation, user experience and survey functionality, session management, analytics, and visitor tracking through third-party marketing platforms such as Salesforce Pardot.

Use in Reporting

OpenCorporates can be used for:

Corporate ownership tracing
Due diligence investigations
Sanctions and compliance screening
Supply chain and vendor mapping
Director and officer profiling
Cross-jurisdiction corporate analysis

The database has been cited in investigations and reporting by organisations including OCCRP, Global Witness, and Transparency International.

It’s frequently used in corporate due diligence, anti-corruption investigations, beneficial ownership research, sanctions screening, and financial crime investigations to identify company relationships, directors, and cross-border corporate structures.

Capabilities

Limitations

Aggregates official company registry data globally.

Data quality depends on the underlying national registries.

Identifies directors, officers, and corporate relationships.

Some jurisdictions have incomplete/delayed reporting.

Supports cross-border corporate mapping.

Not all ownership structures are fully transparent.

Enables identification of corporate ownership structures.

Some advanced features require paid access.

Provides API access for bulk analysis (paid tier).

Requires verification against primary registry sources for legal/financial use.

Summary

OpenCorporates is one of the most widely used OSINT tools for corporate research, enabling analysts to map ownership structures, identify directors, and trace business relationships across jurisdictions. It’s best used in the discovery, enrichment and link analysis stages of the OSINT workflow, working as a foundational tool for building and verifying corporate networks before deeper investigative analysis.

Ownership

Operated by OpenCorporates Ltd, a UK-based organisation focused on corporate transparency, open data, and anti-corruption initiatives. It was incorporated on 18 December 2010 by Chris Taggart and Rob McKinnon. Founder Chris Taggart retains significant control currently.

Ethical Considerations

Always verify corporate data against official national registries.
Be aware of jurisdictional differences in transparency and reporting requirements.
Avoid assuming ownership certainty where data is incomplete.
Respect data protection and lawful use requirements when handling personal data.
Use as a supporting tool rather than a sole evidential source.
Clearly distinguish between registered data and inferred relationships.