Alternative data, defined.
Alternative data is information used in investment analysis that comes from outside the traditional channels of company reports, broker research, and market prices. These are the 20 categories the atlas tracks, each defined in one sentence. Free to read and cite.
I · Card & Transactions
Card and transaction data is anonymised consumer payment activity — card swipes, bank transfers, and account records — aggregated into panels that estimate a company's revenue before it is reported. The atlas tracks 15 providers in this chapter — read the Card & Transactions chapter.
II · Web & Pricing Data
Web and pricing data is information collected from public websites at scale: product prices, assortment, stock status, and site traffic, captured daily and structured for analysis. The atlas tracks 34 providers in this chapter — read the Web & Pricing Data chapter.
III · News & Sentiment
News and sentiment data is text — news articles, regulatory filings, earnings-call transcripts, and social media — scored by algorithms into structured measures of tone, relevance, and novelty for companies and markets. The atlas tracks 40 providers in this chapter — read the News & Sentiment chapter.
IV · Foot Traffic & Mobility
Foot traffic and mobility data is anonymised location information from mobile devices, aggregated to measure visits to stores, venues, and regions over time. The atlas tracks 27 providers in this chapter — read the Foot Traffic & Mobility chapter.
V · ESG & Climate
ESG and climate data is independent measurement of a company's environmental, social, and governance exposure — emissions, controversies, and physical climate risk — compiled from sources beyond the company's own disclosure. The atlas tracks nine providers in this chapter — read the ESG & Climate chapter.
VI · Satellite & Geospatial
Satellite and geospatial data is imagery of the Earth's surface and the measurements derived from it — ships in ports, cars in parking lots, crop health, construction activity — converted into countable investment signals. The atlas tracks 28 providers in this chapter — read the Satellite & Geospatial chapter.
VII · Supply Chain & Shipping
Supply chain and shipping data is the record of goods in motion: vessel positions, port calls, bills of lading, and freight rates, assembled to show what is being shipped, where, and by whom. The atlas tracks 20 providers in this chapter — read the Supply Chain & Shipping chapter.
VIII · Jobs & Workforce
Jobs and workforce data is information on hiring and employment — job postings, employee profiles, headcount, and attrition — collected from public sources and read as a signal of a company's plans. The atlas tracks 13 providers in this chapter — read the Jobs & Workforce chapter.
IX · Weather & Agriculture
Weather and agriculture data is measurement and forecasting of physical conditions — temperature, rainfall, soil moisture, crop health — organised to predict commodity supply and weather-sensitive demand. The atlas tracks 13 providers in this chapter — read the Weather & Agriculture chapter.
X · App Usage & Downloads
App usage data is estimated measurement of mobile application adoption — downloads, active users, engagement, and in-app revenue — derived from device panels and app-store statistics. The atlas tracks 14 providers in this chapter — read the App Usage & Downloads chapter.
XI · Email Receipts
Email receipt data is purchase information extracted from order confirmations in anonymised consumer email inboxes, aggregated into panels that track spending merchant by merchant. The atlas tracks five providers in this chapter — read the Email Receipts chapter.
XII · Credit & Lending
Credit and lending data is information on borrowing: loan originations, delinquencies, consumer credit health, and private credit flows, aggregated from lenders, servicers, and credit files. The atlas tracks 14 providers in this chapter — read the Credit & Lending chapter.
XIII · Public Records & Filings
Public records and filings data is government-held information — regulatory filings, court dockets, lobbying disclosures, and contract awards — parsed into structured, searchable form. The atlas tracks 33 providers in this chapter — read the Public Records & Filings chapter.
XIV · Expert Networks & Surveys
Expert network and survey data is primary research: paid consultations with industry practitioners, and the quantified surveys and transcript libraries built on that access. The atlas tracks 24 providers in this chapter — read the Expert Networks & Surveys chapter.
XV · Sensors & IoT
Sensor and IoT data is telemetry from connected devices and industrial equipment — energy meters, machinery, vehicles — aggregated into measures of physical economic activity. The atlas tracks 13 providers in this chapter — read the Sensors & IoT chapter.
XVI · Crypto & On-Chain
Crypto and on-chain data is the public record of blockchain activity — transactions, wallet flows, and exchange balances — combined with market data from digital-asset venues. The atlas tracks 14 providers in this chapter — read the Crypto & On-Chain chapter.
XVII · Healthcare & Clinical
Healthcare and clinical data is anonymised medical activity — insurance claims, prescription flows, and clinical-trial progress — aggregated to track drug uptake and healthcare demand. The atlas tracks 18 providers in this chapter — read the Healthcare & Clinical chapter.
XVIII · Private Markets Signals
Private markets data is information on companies that do not report publicly — funding rounds, valuations, revenue estimates, and operating metrics — assembled from filings, investors, and proprietary research. The atlas tracks 15 providers in this chapter — read the Private Markets Signals chapter.
XIX · Auto & Vehicle Data
Auto and vehicle data is measurement of the car market: new- and used-vehicle prices, inventory, registrations, and valuations, tracked across dealers and registries. The atlas tracks three providers in this chapter — read the Auto & Vehicle Data chapter.
XX · Estimates, Events & Fund Flows
Estimates, events, and fund-flow data is market metadata: analyst consensus, corporate-event and dividend calendars, and records of money moving in and out of funds. The atlas tracks nine providers in this chapter — read the Estimates, Events & Fund Flows chapter.
How to cite
Definitions and counts are from the AltData Atlas register (https://altdataatlas.com), an open editorial directory of alternative data providers, as of 2026-07-02. The register is coverage, not a census; counts change as chapters grow. The market-level figures are in the Atlas Briefing. Not investment advice.