Flagship guide
What is PitchBook?
The flagship explainer: what the platform is, who it is built for, how the product family fits together and the questions buyers usually ask.
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Independent informational guide
PitchBook, explained from the research desk
An independent research-desk guide to PitchBook for analysts, founders and dealmakers. We describe what the platform does, where it fits in day-to-day deal work and what to ask before you commit budget.
This is an independent informational guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by PitchBook Data, Inc. Information may change — always check current information with the vendor.
Our angle
Written for the people who actually run the searches
Most writing about financial data platforms is either vendor marketing or a one-line entry in a "top tools" list. Neither helps an associate who has been told to "pull the comps by Friday", a founder preparing an investor list, or an operations lead deciding whether a subscription is worth it. pcithbook.com looks at PitchBook from the research desk: the tasks, the workflows and the judgement calls around the data.
01
Workflow first
We start from a job to be done — sourcing, diligence, benchmarking, fundraising — and only then describe the features that support it.
02
Verified, not inflated
We describe what PitchBook publicly says about its products and avoid repeating coverage counts or claims we cannot confirm independently.
03
Neutral on purpose
We do not crown winners, publish scores or invent prices. Where details depend on your contract, we say so and point you back to the vendor.
Start here
Guides by task
Each guide stands on its own. Read the overview first if you are new to private market data, or jump straight to the workflow that matches your role.
Coverage
Data & research
Company, deal, fund, investor and credit data, plus the recurring research reports and newsletters — and how to read them critically.
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Workflow
Venture capital workflows
From thesis to sourcing list to first meeting: a step-by-step way to use a private-market database inside a VC week.
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PE & M&A research
Building target lists, mapping add-ons, checking comparable deals and preparing for fundraising with private capital data.
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PitchBook vs alternatives
A neutral side-by-side with other well-known data platforms. No winners declared, no scores — just fit-for-purpose questions.
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Pricing & plans
Why there is no public price list, what drives a quote and how to prepare for a sales conversation without overbuying.
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At a glance
What PitchBook is, in one paragraph
PitchBook presents itself as a private capital financial research platform. It combines a searchable database of companies, investors, deals, funds, limited partners, lenders, service providers and people with analyst research, news and tools for exporting data into everyday software. Its own website describes the company as part of Morningstar, and press coverage dates its founding to 2007 in Seattle.
- Desktop platform with search, saved screens, alerts and profiles
- Add-ins for Excel and PowerPoint plus a Chrome extension
- Direct Data and CRM integration offered as premium options
- Quarterly reports such as the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor
Who reads this guide
Four readers we keep in mind
Analysts & associates
Need repeatable screens, clean exports and a sense of where the data can be thin.
Founders & CFOs
Want to understand how investors research them and how to build a targeted fundraising list.
Corporate development
Track acquirers, competitors and emerging categories before a strategic review.
Buyers of data tools
Compare platforms, prepare for trials and ask the right questions about seats and add-ons.
Before you evaluate
Three questions worth answering first
A research platform is only as useful as the questions you bring to it. Before booking a demo or trial, write down answers to these three.
Q1
Which asset classes matter?
Venture, buyout, private credit, real assets or public comparables each lean on different datasets. See data & research.
Q2
Where will the data end up?
A browser screen, an Excel model, a CRM or a data warehouse? Delivery shapes cost. See pricing & plans.
Q3
What else is on the shortlist?
Most teams compare at least two vendors. Our neutral comparison lists the questions to ask each one.
New to the vocabulary? Our getting started guide and glossary explains terms such as TVPI, dry powder and add-on acquisition in plain English.
Thinking about a subscription?
Plans, trials and seat pricing are set by PitchBook and depend on your firm. Read our independence note before you contact the vendor.