Comparison
401kHunter vs BrightScope
Plan-rating service with a public-facing search index, owned by ISS Market Intelligence.
BrightScope was the original consumer-facing 401(k) plan rating site, with their proprietary BrightScope Rating used by participants comparing plans. The B2B side — the BrightScope Beacon API + advisor tools — sells to wealth managers and asset managers.
What BrightScope is known for
- •Strong consumer brand recognition for plan ratings
- •Public-facing plan search at brightscope.com (free for participants)
- •Beacon API + flat-file data licensing for advisors and asset managers
- •Now bundled inside ISS Market Intelligence for institutional buyers
Side-by-side differences
| Topic | BrightScope | 401kHunter |
|---|---|---|
| Rating philosophy | BrightScope Rating — proprietary 1–100 score blending fees, generosity, participation, etc. Aimed at participant-facing comparison. | Fee Grade A–D based on actual Schedule H admin expenses, plus a basis-point fee badge from Schedule C. Aimed at advisor-facing prospecting. |
| Public access | Participants and journalists can search plans free at brightscope.com. | Search is free behind a sign-up — credits only when you unlock decision-maker info. |
| API access | Beacon API + custom data licensing — enterprise pricing, sales-led. | No public API yet (planned). CSV export of any plan you've unlocked. |
| Schedule C fee data | Aggregated into the BrightScope Rating; provider-level detail not exposed in the consumer UI. | Provider-by-provider table on every plan: name, EIN, relationship, services, direct comp $$, indirect comp $$ + formula text. |
Pricing comparison
BrightScope's consumer search is free; B2B Beacon API and ISS Market Intelligence packages are sold via enterprise contracts (not published). 401kHunter starts at $25.
Who’s better off with BrightScope?
Asset managers and large wealth firms that want BrightScope Ratings for marketing materials or institutional research will benefit from BrightScope's licensed data feeds. Advisors prospecting individual takeover opportunities one plan at a time will find 401kHunter faster and cheaper.
Frequently asked
Does 401kHunter have a BrightScope-style 1–100 plan rating?
Yes — every plan has a 1–100 plan score blending fee grade, asset/participant trends, and peer benchmark percentiles. Higher = healthier plan = lower takeover opportunity. The methodology is documented on each plan page.
Can I use 401kHunter ratings in marketing materials?
Our ratings are computed from public DOL Form 5500 data; there's no licensing on the underlying numbers. Quote them where helpful and link back as a citation.
Try 401kHunter—no demo required.
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