BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) adds Central Bank Watcher, and Housing & Construction coverage that FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
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Saturday, December 27, 2025
Tool Comparison
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) 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 Unemployment Rates, GDP, Alerts, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins categories that BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) omits.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) offers mobile access, which BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) skips.
In depth comparison
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements)
data.bis.org
Official BIS portal for global monetary/financial statistics with an SDMX REST API and bulk downloads. Covers international banking (locational/consolidated), debt securities, credit to the non‑financial sector, global liquidity, exchange‑traded & OTC derivatives, Triennial FX/IR derivatives turnover, property prices, consumer prices, effective/bilateral exchange rates, and central bank statistics (policy rates, total assets). Features include a release calendar (with RSS), shareable query links, bookmarks, custom charts/tables, and export to Excel/CSV/PDF. API adheres to the SDMX REST v2.1 spec; formats include JSON, XML, and CSV.
Categories
Platforms
WebAPI
Pricing
Free
Quick highlights
- SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided.
- Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps.
- Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available.
- Portal exports: Excel/CSV for selected time series (up to 4,500 series per export); Tables & Dashboards can be exported as PDF.
- Code snippets generator (Python/R/Matlab) to fetch selected series via the SDMX API; shareable URLs preserve filters/settings.
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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
WebMobileAPI
Pricing
Free
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.
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Where they differ
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements)
Distinct strengths include:
- SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided.
- Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps.
- Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available.
- Portal exports: Excel/CSV for selected time series (up to 4,500 series per export); Tables & Dashboards can be exported as PDF.
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 | BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates Unique: Central Bank Watcher, Housing & Construction | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates Unique: Unemployment Rates, GDP, Alerts, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Currencies, Options, Futures, Commodities, Real Estate, Other | 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 BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, and Interest Rates workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) require subscriptions?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) 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 BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) differentiates itself with SDMX RESTful API for programmatic access to data & metadata; supports JSON, XML, CSV output; interactive API docs provided., Bulk downloads: each topic downloadable as a zipped CSV or SDMX file; topical packages show last‑updated stamps., and Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available., 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.