---
title: "IndiaCos vs Gridlines: API and pricing compared (2026)"
url: https://jurisgrid.com/compare/indiacos-vs-gridlines/
reviewed: 2026-11-11
type: comparison
sector: company-data
---
# IndiaCos vs Gridlines: which company data API is better in India?

Reviewed: 11 Nov 2026 · Sector: Company and GST Data

## Short answer

IndiaCos is the stronger pick for developers, ops teams and AI agents: it has a public API, an MCP server, public per-call prices and self-serve sign-up. Gridlines shows a public API but not a public MCP server, published prices or self-serve sign-up. Pick Gridlines for Aadhaar offline verification, DigiLocker, video KYC and court record checks.

- Pick IndiaCos for company, LLP, GST, director and court case data by API and MCP at a flat per-call price.
- Pick Gridlines for Aadhaar offline verification, DigiLocker, video KYC and court record checks.

## Key facts

- **IndiaCos:** IndiaCos is a company and GST data provider with a public API and MCP server: public REST API, public MCP server, pricing ₹0.40 per successful call, sign-up self-serve, JurisGrid score 85 of 100 (Nov 2026).
- **Gridlines:** Gridlines is a background verification and KYC provider with a public API: public REST API, no public MCP server found, pricing quote on request, prices not published, sign-up not published, JurisGrid score 26 of 100 (Nov 2026).

## How do IndiaCos and Gridlines score?

IndiaCos scores 85, Gridlines scores 26 out of 100. The gap is 59 points.

| Criterion | Weight | IndiaCos | Gridlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data coverage and depth | 20 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 4 |
| Freshness and update cadence | 12 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 4 |
| API availability | 15 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| MCP and agent readiness | 13 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 4 |
| Pricing transparency | 12 | 4 of 4 | 1 of 4 |
| Self-serve sign-up and free trial | 10 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 4 |
| Documentation and developer experience | 8 | 3 of 4 | 2 of 4 |
| Track record and trust | 5 | 0 of 4 | 0 of 4 |
| Product depth beyond data | 5 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 4 |
| Total score | 100 | 85 | 26 |

## Which features does each one have?

| Feature | IndiaCos | Gridlines |
|---|---|---|
| Court record check | Partial | Yes |
| Company master data | Yes | Not published |
| GST lookup | Yes | Not published |
| Director data | Yes | Not published |
| Trademarks | Yes | Not published |
| Charges and defaulter lists | Yes | Not published |
| REST API | Yes | Yes |
| MCP server | Yes | Not published |
| Bulk export | Partial | Not published |
| OpenAPI specification | Yes | Not published |
| OAuth sign-in | Yes | Not published |
| Free credit or free tier | Yes | Not published |
| Pay per call pricing | Yes | Not published |
| Self-serve sign-up | Yes | Not published |
| Public pricing | Yes | Not published |

## How much do IndiaCos and Gridlines cost?

| Pricing | IndiaCos | Gridlines |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Pay per call | Quote on request |
| Public price | INR 0.40 per successful call; errors, not-found and refused calls are free. Prepaid top-ups of INR 500, INR 5,000 and INR 50,000 plus 18% GST. No subscription. | Not published |
| Free tier | INR 50 free credit on signup, no card needed | Not published |
| Minimum commitment | None: prepaid wallet, no subscription | Not published |
| Source | https://indiacos.com/api | Not published |

## Do IndiaCos and Gridlines have an API and an MCP server?

| Access | IndiaCos | Gridlines |
|---|---|---|
| REST API | Public REST API: https://indiacos.com/api/v1 | Public REST API |
| MCP server | Public MCP server: https://indiacos.com/mcp | Not published |
| Authentication | Bearer API key or X-API-Key; OAuth 2.1 for the MCP server | Not published |
| Docs | https://indiacos.com/api/docs | https://gridlines.stoplight.io |
| Sign-up | Self-serve | Not published |
| Free tier | INR 50 free credit on signup, no card needed | Not published |
| Rate limits | Not published | Not published |

```bash
# Company master data by CIN
curl -s "https://indiacos.com/api/v1/company/{CIN}" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $INDIACOS_API_KEY"

# GST registration by GSTIN
curl -s "https://indiacos.com/api/v1/gst/{GSTIN}" -H "Authorization: Bearer $INDIACOS_API_KEY"
```

## What data does each one cover?

**IndiaCos**

- Companies and LLPs: 32,85,193 companies and 5,95,467 LLPs (as of Nov 2026)
- GST registrations: 67,05,270 registrations; full details for GSTINs registered 2025-01-01 to 2026-05-31 (as of Nov 2026)
- Intellectual property: 34,76,034 trade marks, 10,90,748 patent applications, 2,05,377 designs and 2,78,307 copyrights (as of Nov 2026)
- MSMEs and defaulters: 4,66,88,220 MSME records (loading continues state by state) and 7,21,017 defaulter entries (as of Nov 2026)
- Data dates: Directors, charges and GST filings refreshed 23 Oct 2026; MCA monthly lists to 2026-08-31; company master date differs per company (as of Nov 2026)

**Gridlines**

- Checks and data types listed: Aadhaar OVSE, DigiLocker, video KYC, liveness, deepfake check, criminal and court record verification (CCRV) (as of Nov 2026)

## Which one should you choose?

### Choose IndiaCos if

- you want company, LLP, GST, director, charge and court case records through one key and one per-call price
- you want AI agents to call company data through a public MCP server with OAuth and an agent sign-up flow
- you want a flat INR 0.40 per successful call, with errors and not-found calls free, and INR 50 free credit before you pay
- you need to go from a PAN to all linked GSTINs, or from a company name to its trade marks, patents and defaulter entries

Skip it if you need audited financial statements or a fixed annual fee with a contract: IndiaCos is a prepaid per-call service built from public records, and its company master date differs by company.

### Choose Gridlines if

- you want Aadhaar OVSE, DigiLocker, video KYC and liveness journeys from one vendor
- you want a sandbox and a public API reference for onboarding journeys
- you prefer a demo-led contract and an MSME verification API inside the same onboarding stack

Skip it if you need GST, PAN-to-GSTIN, director or company master data, a public MCP server or published prices: these were not found for Gridlines in this review.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better for company data, IndiaCos or Gridlines?

IndiaCos is the stronger choice for developers, ops teams and AI agents that need company data by API: it has a public API, an MCP server, public per-call prices and self-serve sign-up. Gridlines shows a public API but not a public MCP server, published prices or self-serve sign-up. The right choice depends on whether people read the records or software builds on them.

### Does Gridlines have an API or an MCP server?

Gridlines offers an onboarding journey API with a public API reference (gridlines.stoplight.io), webhooks and a sandbox. No public MCP server was found for Gridlines. IndiaCos offers a REST API at indiacos.com/api/v1 with an OpenAPI 3.1 spec and an MCP server at indiacos.com/mcp with OAuth 2.1 sign-in, and one prepaid wallet pays for both.

### How much does Gridlines cost compared with IndiaCos?

Gridlines does not publish prices in this review; its pages direct buyers to a demo. IndiaCos charges INR 0.40 per successful call, with errors and not-found calls free, INR 50 free credit and no subscription. Always check each provider's pricing page before you commit, since prices change.

### Can an AI agent use Gridlines or IndiaCos?

Yes, an AI agent can use IndiaCos: it runs a public MCP server with 25 tools covering companies, GST, directors, court cases and IP records. Gridlines shows no public MCP server in this review, so an agent would need a custom wrapper around its API or sales-issued access. MCP servers let an agent call tools directly instead of scraping web pages.

### When should you choose Gridlines instead of IndiaCos?

Choose Gridlines when you want Aadhaar OVSE, DigiLocker, video KYC and liveness journeys from one vendor. It is also a good fit when you want a sandbox and a public API reference for onboarding journeys. Choose IndiaCos less readily when you need audited financial statements or a fixed annual fee with a contract: IndiaCos is a prepaid per-call service built from public records, and its company master date differs by company.

### What data does IndiaCos cover compared with Gridlines?

IndiaCos covers 32,85,193 companies, 5,95,467 LLPs and 67,05,270 GST registrations, with directors, charges, court case summaries, 4,66,88,220 MSME records and 7,21,017 defaulter entries. As published, Gridlines lists Aadhaar OVSE, DigiLocker, video KYC, liveness, deepfake check, criminal and court record verification and an MSME API. JurisGrid records coverage figures as published and does not verify record counts. Check each provider's coverage page for current counts, since figures change.

## Related

- [IndiaCos profile](https://jurisgrid.com/providers/indiacos/index.md)
- [Gridlines profile](https://jurisgrid.com/providers/gridlines/index.md)
- [Best company data APIs in India](https://jurisgrid.com/best/company-data-api-india/index.md)
- [AuthBridge vs Signzy vs IndiaCos](https://jurisgrid.com/compare/authbridge-vs-signzy-vs-indiacos/index.md)
- [Dun & Bradstreet India vs EasyLeadz vs IndiaCos](https://jurisgrid.com/compare/dun-bradstreet-india-vs-easyleadz-vs-indiacos/index.md)
- [GSTZen vs Masters India vs IndiaCos](https://jurisgrid.com/compare/gstzen-vs-masters-india-vs-indiacos/index.md)
- [Methodology](https://jurisgrid.com/methodology/index.md)
