1. Data Galactica API: best for permanent IDs and source-graded records

Data Galactica gives every organisation and person a permanent Galactica ID (DGC- for organisations, DGP- for people). A CIN, LEI, UK company number or Wikidata ID all resolve to the same ID, so you stop de-duplicating records yourself.

• Why it wins: each record says where the data came from and how sure the registry is, graded from bronze to verified. That's useful when compliance needs to know why you trusted a record.
• Also offers: a hosted MCP server, so AI agents can verify companies directly.
• Pricing: freemium.

2. OpenCorporates API: broad global registry coverage

OpenCorporates covers a very large number of jurisdictions and is the default reference for raw registry data. It doesn't assign a cross-registry permanent ID or a confidence grade, so you'll do more matching work yourself. Commercial use needs a paid plan.

3. GLEIF LEI API: free and authoritative, but only for LEI holders

GLEIF's API is free and authoritative for entities that hold a Legal Entity Identifier. Most small Indian private companies don't have an LEI, so coverage there is thin.

4. MCA-data resellers (Tofler, Zauba-style APIs): India-only depth

These are good for Indian director and filing detail. They're India-only, and the IDs are tied to the CIN, so cross-border records don't link up.

Quick comparison

Which should you pick?

If you need one ID that survives across registries, plus a clear trust signal for each record, start with the Data Galactica API. Add GLEIF for LEI-specific checks, and an MCA reseller if you need deep Indian filing history.