Building Matchstick Radar: A Trading Data Platform for Indie Funds

Bloomberg and enterprise data tools are out of reach for most indie traders. I wanted a platform that aggregates the data traders actually need, starts with historical coverage for backtesting, and supports an accessible pricing model.

The Problem

Traders and small funds face:

  • Expensive terminals and vendor lock-in
  • Data spread across many sources
  • Limited historical coverage for testing strategies
  • No entry point for part-time or event-driven research

The Solution

Matchstick Radar is a trading data SaaS platform focused on SEC insider trading data (Form 4), with a freemium tier and day-pass pricing for event-driven use.

Key Features

  • 5 years of historical Form 4 data
  • Bulk scraper with normalized data records
  • Freemium + multi-tier pricing model
  • Day pass option for 72-hour access
  • Stripe payments and permissions-based access

Technical Highlights

Scrapers (Python CLI)
  -> PostgreSQL
  -> listings VIEW
  -> Next.js frontend
  -> Stripe payments
  • Backend CLI with SQLAlchemy
  • PostgreSQL for data storage
  • SQL VIEW bridge for frontend compatibility
  • Next.js 14 frontend with access controls

Impact

  • Affordable access to high-value financial data
  • Historical coverage for backtesting
  • Clear pricing tiers for different trader profiles

What Makes It Different

The platform is built for indie traders first, with pricing and data access designed around real use patterns instead of enterprise sales.

Tech Stack

  • Python 3.8+, SQLAlchemy
  • Next.js 14, TypeScript
  • PostgreSQL (Supabase or Neon)
  • Stripe payments

Current Status

Phase 1 Complete:

  • SEC insider trading data ingestion
  • Freemium and day-pass billing
  • Next.js frontend and permissions

Next:

  • Additional data sources (earnings, congress trading)
  • Production deployment

What I Learned

Historical data unlocks better strategy testing, but only if it is accessible and affordable. The right pricing model is as important as the data itself.

Links

  • Repository: Private
  • Documentation: Deployment guide and API docs

Financial data should be accessible to the traders who actually need it.