BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) adds Data APIs, Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Housing & Construction, Inflation Rates, and Interest Rates coverage that Total Real Returns skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
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Friday, December 26, 2025
Tool Comparison
BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) vs Total Real Returns comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Total Real Returns includes Risk Metrics categories that BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) omits.
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
Pricing
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)
Total Real Returns
totalrealreturns.com
Web tool for CPI-U inflation-adjusted ("real") and nominal total return charts with dividends reinvested, plus returns tables and drawdowns (EOD; daily updates ~8pm ET).
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view).
- Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages.
- Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers.
- Controls for custom date ranges and normalization modes (Start=1, End=1, IPO=1, Off).
- Per-symbol performance breakdown includes overall return, exponential trendline/annualized rates (with R^2), growth of $10,000, annual returns, and drawdowns.
Community votes (overall)
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.
Total Real Returns
Distinct strengths include:
- CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view).
- Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages.
- Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers.
- Controls for custom date ranges and normalization modes (Start=1, End=1, IPO=1, Off).
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) | Total Real Returns |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data Visualizations Unique: Data APIs, Calendar, Central Bank Watcher, Housing & Construction, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates | Shared: Data Visualizations Unique: Risk Metrics |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Currencies, Options, Futures, Commodities, Real Estate, Other | Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Currencies |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web |
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 Total Real Returns 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 BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and Total Real Returns require subscriptions?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and Total Real Returns 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 Total Real Returns?
Both BIS Data Portal (Bank for International Settlements) and Total Real Returns 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 Total Real Returns stands out for CPI-U inflation-adjusted "Total Real Return" charts with dividends reinvested (purchasing-power view)., Toggle inflation adjustment on/off (real vs. nominal dollars) on chart pages., and Compare multiple symbols on a single chart by entering comma-separated tickers..
Keep exploring
Keep exploring
Stay on top of related tools
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Related categories
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Recommended tools
These profiles share overlapping coverage with both sides of this matchup.
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Overlap: Data Visualizations, Calendar, and Data APIs.
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Overlap: Data Visualizations, Risk Metrics, and Data APIs.
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Overlap: Data Visualizations, Risk Metrics, and Data APIs.
Data VisualizationsRisk MetricsData APIs - 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 - FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Overlap: Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, and Data Visualizations.
Inflation RatesInterest RatesData Visualizations
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.