Bank of England (Statistics & Data) adds Central Bank Watcher, Yield Curves, and Real Yields coverage that FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
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Saturday, December 27, 2025
Tool Comparison
Bank of England (Statistics & Data) 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 Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Data Visualizations, Alerts, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins categories that Bank of England (Statistics & Data) omits.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) offers mobile access, which Bank of England (Statistics & Data) skips.
In depth comparison
Bank of England (Statistics & Data)
bankofengland.co.uk
Free central bank data portal covering UK interest rates, yield curves, macroeconomic indicators, and daily reference series. The Statistical Database supports programmatic downloads in CSV, Excel, and XML via documented query parameters, while yield-curve data are published daily but not accessible by API. GBP daily spot rates are provided on an indicative basis, typically updated by 09:30 within two working days.
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Statistical Database to browse, visualize, and export Bank of England data series.
- Programmatic downloads supported via documented endpoints for CSV, Excel, HTML, and XML, with options for tabular or columnar formatting and inclusion of revisions/footnotes.
- Official Bank Rate history page with on-page export tools (copy, CSV, Excel, print).
- Daily UK yield curves covering gilts (nominal and real), implied inflation, and OIS rates, published by noon the next business day with archives available as ZIP files. Yield-curve data are not exposed through an API.
- SONIA benchmark administered and published by the Bank every London business day.
Community votes (overall)
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
fred.stlouisfed.org
Free macroeconomic and financial time-series database and tooling operated by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Access via web UI, iOS/Android apps, a Microsoft Excel add-in, and a REST API. Some features (dashboards, data lists, saved graphs/maps) and API key management require a free FRED account; all API requests require an API key and are rate-limited. Usage is subject to the FRED Services Terms of Use (including restrictions on scraping and on certain copyrighted series).
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- 800,000+ economic data series from 100+ sources, covering topics such as GDP, prices/inflation, employment, exchange rates, and interest rates.
- Browse and track data via categories, releases, sources, and tags; series pages show metadata like units/frequency and “last updated / next release” fields.
- Graphing and sharing options include embeddable graphs and graph-image links.
- Economic release calendar with scheduled release dates/times (US Central Time) and a data-provider caveat for availability.
- Account tools can provide email notifications for series updates.
Community votes (overall)
Where they differ
Bank of England (Statistics & Data)
Distinct strengths include:
- Statistical Database to browse, visualize, and export Bank of England data series.
- Programmatic downloads supported via documented endpoints for CSV, Excel, HTML, and XML, with options for tabular or columnar formatting and inclusion of revisions/footnotes.
- Official Bank Rate history page with on-page export tools (copy, CSV, Excel, print).
- Daily UK yield curves covering gilts (nominal and real), implied inflation, and OIS rates, published by noon the next business day with archives available as ZIP files. Yield-curve data are not exposed through an API.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Distinct strengths include:
- 800,000+ economic data series from 100+ sources, covering topics such as GDP, prices/inflation, employment, exchange rates, and interest rates.
- Browse and track data via categories, releases, sources, and tags; series pages show metadata like units/frequency and “last updated / next release” fields.
- Graphing and sharing options include embeddable graphs and graph-image links.
- Economic release calendar with scheduled release dates/times (US Central Time) and a data-provider caveat for availability.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | Bank of England (Statistics & Data) | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Interest Rates, GDP, Data APIs, Calendar Unique: Central Bank Watcher, Yield Curves, Real Yields | Shared: Interest Rates, GDP, Data APIs, Calendar Unique: Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, Data Visualizations, Alerts, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Currencies | Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | 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 | Not yet | Not yet |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do Bank of England (Statistics & Data) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) both support?
Both platforms cover Interest Rates, GDP, Data APIs, and Calendar workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Bank of England (Statistics & Data) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) require subscriptions?
Both Bank of England (Statistics & Data) 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 Bank of England (Statistics & Data) focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Bank of England (Statistics & Data) differentiates itself with Statistical Database to browse, visualize, and export Bank of England data series., Programmatic downloads supported via documented endpoints for CSV, Excel, HTML, and XML, with options for tabular or columnar formatting and inclusion of revisions/footnotes., and Official Bank Rate history page with on-page export tools (copy, CSV, Excel, print)., whereas FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) stands out for 800,000+ economic data series from 100+ sources, covering topics such as GDP, prices/inflation, employment, exchange rates, and interest rates., Browse and track data via categories, releases, sources, and tags; series pages show metadata like units/frequency and “last updated / next release” fields., and Graphing and sharing options include embeddable graphs and graph-image links..
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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.