Everything you need to know about location data in 2026

While Neudata has covered over 400 location datasets on its platform, many are marketed towards retailers or advertisers, rather than hedge funds. In this report, Neudata narrows down on the key providers of footfall data, highlighting how such data can be used to estimate company performance or economic activity. It also discusses three key themes to look out for in 2026: lower latencies, pay-per-consumption and compliance. 

‍Tracking vendors in the location data space 

Neudata breaks down five key players in the location data space by investment client count. The top two vendors, that have a combined client count of 150+, have consistently claimed the most traction among funds. Neudata attributes the success of these companies to their use of multiple sources (often utility apps), large panels (~30m active devices) and international coverage. Both datasets are also ticker-mapped, making them attractive to quant funds, and cover consumer and industrial names. 

Despite the domination of these two vendors, Neudata points out some alternative names to watch this year, some of which provide unique offerings, and some of which are new to monetisation. For instance, one more established vendor tracks vehicle telematics, while another is distinguished by its T+1 lag.

What to expect in 2026

Providing lower-latency data is a theme Neudata has seen emerging across products in the new year. While a lag of T+3 or T+4 is typical among location vendors, the top two claim to have reduced this to T+2 in 2025, with one aiming to decrease it further to T+1 in 2026. This same vendor has recently renegotiated its contract with Bloomberg Alt-D to extend the lag on the terminal from 1 week to 2, meaning that the company’s product could be available nearly 2 weeks ahead of the metrics on Bloomberg’s terminal. 

There has also been a rise in vendors offering data on a pay-per-consumption basis. For lighter users of location data, this could help reduce costs and friction, particularly for those only interested in a handful of tickers, or in certain circumstances. For example, this pricing policy is advantageous for private equity or deep fundamental firms looking for one-off cuts. However, the prevailing incumbents in this space continue to seek annual subscriptions. 

Finally, Neudata draws attention to how location data has historically been vulnerable to negative media and regulatory scrutiny, and how legislative action is tightening across Europe and China. While China and Europe have fewer transactional options to tracking consumers, Neudata highlights four vendors that provide more directional location signals in these areas. 

Data users can request access to the full report here

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