Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates adds Correlation, and Valuation Models coverage that FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates vs FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) includes Data APIs, Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins categories that Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates omits.
Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates highlights: Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them., Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios., and Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) is known for: Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online., Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources., and Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) offers mobile access, which Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates skips.
Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates
interactive.researchaffiliates.com
Editor’s pick Hands-on review
A free interactive platform that publishes Research Affiliates’ capital market expectations each month. You can explore expected returns, correlations, and efficient frontiers across a wide set of asset classes and geographies. Excel downloads are available (though without full time-series) and charts can be exported. All results are model-based, hypothetical, and provided for informational purposes only.
Platforms
Web
Pricing
Free
Quick highlights
- Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them.
- Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios.
- Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access.
- Country dashboards provide data for 41 equity markets (22 developed, 19 emerging), including GDP trends, CAPE ratios, and inflation views.
- Correlation view displays a full heat-map matrix of expected cross-asset relationships.
Community votes (overall)
0% upvotes 0% downvotes
You haven't voted yet
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
fred.stlouisfed.org
One of the most trusted sources of macroeconomic and market data worldwide. FRED offers free access to charts, releases, Excel add-ins, and a public API. An API key (free) is required, with standard rate limits. ALFRED, the companion service, provides vintage datasets so you can see what was known at any point in time.
Categories
Platforms
Web
Mobile
API
Pricing
Free
Quick highlights
- Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online.
- Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources.
- Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration.
- ALFRED (the archival database) provides point-in-time vintages, letting you track historical revisions exactly as they were published.
- Maps API delivers regional datasets with GeoJSON shapefiles for states, counties, MSAs, and more.
Community votes (overall)
0% upvotes 0% downvotes
You haven't voted yet
Overlap
Shared focus areas
1 overlapBoth tools cover this research theme.
Where they differ
Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates
Distinct strengths include:
- Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them.
- Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios.
- Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access.
- Country dashboards provide data for 41 equity markets (22 developed, 19 emerging), including GDP trends, CAPE ratios, and inflation views.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Distinct strengths include:
- Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online.
- Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources.
- Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration.
- ALFRED (the archival database) provides point-in-time vintages, letting you track historical revisions exactly as they were published.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data Visualizations Unique: Correlation, Valuation Models | Shared: Data Visualizations Unique: Data APIs, Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Stocks, Bonds, Commodities, Real Estate | Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Stocks, Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web | Web, Mobile, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Yes | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Highlighted | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) both support?
Both platforms cover Data Visualizations workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) require subscriptions?
Both Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a dedicated mobile experience, while Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Asset Allocation Interactive (AAI) — Research Affiliates differentiates itself with Two expected-return models: one valuation-driven and one based on yield and growth, with the option to blend them., Interactive Portfolio Builder lets you create, save, and analyze custom portfolios., and Coverage spans more than 140 assets and model portfolios, available in six base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD). Expectations are refreshed monthly and remain free to access., whereas FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) stands out for Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online., Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources., and Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration..
Keep exploring
Stay on top of related tools
Browse the categories and profiles that overlap most with this comparison to round out your shortlist.
Related categories
Follow the same themes these tools compete in.
Recommended tools
These profiles share overlapping coverage with both sides of this matchup.
- YChartsHands-on review
Overlap: Data Visualizations, Correlation, and Data APIs.
Data VisualizationsCorrelationData APIs - GuruFocusEditor's pickHands-on review
Overlap: Calendar, GDP, and Interest Rates.
CalendarGDPInterest Rates - ECB Data Portal
Overlap: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Inflation Rates.
Data APIsAPIs & SDKsInflation Rates - MacroMicro
Overlap: Data Visualizations, Calendar, and GDP.
Data VisualizationsCalendarGDP - Macrotrends
Overlap: Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, and Unemployment Rates.
Data VisualizationsInflation RatesUnemployment Rates - OpenBB
Overlap: APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and Data APIs.
APIs & SDKsSheets / Excel Add-insData APIs
Curation & Accuracy
This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).
Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.