PitchBook vs Capital IQ vs FactSet: The 2026 Private Equity Data Duel

In the world of Private Equity (PE) and Investment Banking (IB), data is oxygen. But choosing the right oxygen supply—PitchBook, S&P Capital IQ (CapIQ), or FactSet—can be a contentious debate. Each has its die-hard fans and specific strengths.

But in 2026, the battleground is shifting. It’s no longer just about who has the data, but how fast you can do something with it.

Here is our deep dive comparison of the “Big Three,” and how o11 fits into the picture as the ultimate accelerator.

1. PitchBook: The Private Market King

PitchBook built its reputation on hard-to-find private market data. If you are in Venture Capital or early-stage Private Equity, PitchBook is often the default choice.

• Strengths: Unmatched data on private companies, VC rounds, valuations, and deal history. The UI is modern and intuitive.
• Weaknesses: Public market data and deep financial scrubbing can be less robust than CapIQ. Excel plugin can be heavy.
• Best for: Sourcing deals, market mapping, and due diligence on private targets.

2. S&P Capital IQ Pro: The Banker’s Bible

“CapIQ it.” It’s a verb in investment banking for a reason. S&P Capital IQ is the gold standard for deep, scrubbed financial data on public companies and larger private firms.

• Strengths: Incredible depth of financial data, “auditability” (click-through to source documents), and a powerful Excel plugin for screening and modeling.
• Weaknesses: The web interface can feel dated. Learning curve is steeper than PitchBook.
• Best for: Deep financial modeling, spreading comps, and “scrubbing” numbers for fairness opinions.

3. FactSet: The Portfolio Powerhouse

FactSet has historically been the favorite of Asset Managers and buyside researchers, but it competes heavily in banking too. It is known for speed, reliability, and excellent support.

• Strengths: superb integration of varied data feeds, fast Excel plugin, and great tools for portfolio analysis and charting.
• Weaknesses: Can be more expensive. Private market coverage has historically trailed PitchBook (though they are catching up).
• Best for: Public market research, portfolio monitoring, and cross-asset analysis.

The Missing Link: Execution

You pay thousands of dollars a year for these subscriptions. You have the data. So why are your analysts still working until 2 AM?

Because Data $\neq$ Deliverable.

Having the data in PitchBook or CapIQ is only step one. The real work is moving that data into your specific formats:

• The Customer Profile slide in your pitch deck.
• The Comps Table in your Excel model.
• The Market Overview section in your Word memo.

This manual transfer involves endless searching, copying, pasting, formatting, and checking.

o11: The “Universal Adapter” for Finance

o11 is the integrated AI workflow layer that sits between your data providers and your deliverables.

We don’t try to replace PitchBook’s data or CapIQ’s financials. We replace the manual labor of using them.

How o11 Supercharges Your Data Stack:

1. Instant Comps Spreading: Instead of manually typing numbers from CapIQ into your custom Excel model (because the plugin broke or doesn’t match your format), simply highlight your table. Tell o11: “Populate this LBO model with the last 5 years of financials for [Company List].” o11 understands your template and fills it intelligently.

2. Automated Slide Creation: Need a “Competitor Landscape” slide? You usually grab logos and bullets from PitchBook. With o11, you stay in PowerPoint. Ask: “Create a 4-quadrant competitor slide for Stripe, referencing major fintech players and their latest valuations.” o11 builds the slide, formatted perfectly.

3. Smart Summarization: Instead of reading 10 FactSet reports, ask o11 in Word: “Draft a one-page investment thesis based on the consensus view for NVDA, highlighting risks.”

The Verdict

• Choose PitchBook if you live in the private markets.
• Choose Capital IQ if you need audit-level public financials.
• Choose FactSet if you need speed and portfolio tools.

…But always choose o11 to actually get the work done.

Data is a commodity. Speed of execution is the differentiator. Get a demo of o11 and stop copy-pasting your life away.