BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) adds Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Housing & Construction, Inflation Rates, and Interest Rates coverage that Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) vs Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) includes Shipping & Trade, Education, and Blogs categories that BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) omits.
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) 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., and Release calendar with upcoming/past releases; exportable (CSV/Excel) and accessible via API; RSS feed available..
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) is known for: Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification., Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans., and Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs..
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
Web
API
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.
Community votes (overall)
0% upvotes 0% downvotes
You haven't voted yet
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC)
oec.world
A global trade and economic complexity platform with rich visualizations, country and product rankings, and an API. Pro plans unlock the latest monthly and subnational datasets, while Premium adds company-level Bill of Lading data and bulk downloads. Academic discounts and enterprise options with SSO support are also available.
Platforms
Web
API
Pricing
Free
Subscription
Quick highlights
- Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification.
- Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans.
- Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs.
- REST API with a free tier for historical data and Pro/Premium tokens for the latest datasets, subnational access, and higher query volumes.
- Data downloads in CSV, Excel, or JSON, with bulk access and larger query limits available for subscribers.
Community votes (overall)
0% upvotes 0% downvotes
You haven't voted yet
Overlap
Shared focus areas
2 overlapsMutual strengths include Data APIs, and Data Visualizations.
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.
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC)
Distinct strengths include:
- Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification.
- Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans.
- Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs.
- REST API with a free tier for historical data and Pro/Premium tokens for the latest datasets, subnational access, and higher query volumes.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) | Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations Unique: Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Housing & Construction, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations Unique: Shipping & Trade, Education, Blogs |
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, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free, Subscription |
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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, and Data Visualizations 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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) require subscriptions?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC)?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) prioritize web or desktop access. Investors wanting a mobile-first workflow may need to rely on responsive web views.
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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) stands out for Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification., Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans., and Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs..
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.
- Trading EconomicsHands-on review
Overlap: Data APIs, Calendar, and Central Bank Watcher.
Data APIsCalendarCentral Bank Watcher - Federal Reserve Bank of New York — Data & Statistics
Overlap: Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, and Interest Rates.
Data APIsCentral Bank WatcherInterest Rates - FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Overlap: Data APIs, Calendar, and Data Visualizations.
Data APIsCalendarData Visualizations - CME FedWatch Tool
Overlap: Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, and Data APIs.
Central Bank WatcherInterest RatesData APIs - ECB Data Portal
Overlap: Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, and Inflation Rates.
Data APIsCentral Bank WatcherInflation Rates - European Central Bank (ECB)
Overlap: Data APIs, Calendar, and Central Bank Watcher.
Data APIsCalendarCentral Bank Watcher
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.