★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
BIS Data Portal vs OpenBB
Pick BIS Data Portal instead if
BIS Data Portal
Free · Web · API
- You care about calendar and official sources, things OpenBB doesn't offer
Start here
OpenBB
Free • Contact for pricing · Web · Desktop · Mobile
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about sheets / excel add-ins, custom dashboards, and AI research, things BIS Data Portal doesn't offer
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Our take
The bottom line
BIS Data Portal and OpenBB cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, APIs & data feeds, data visualizations, and macro data), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. OpenBB simply does more: 12 categories to BIS Data Portal's 5, including sheets / excel add-ins, custom dashboards, and AI research, plus a mobile app. BIS Data Portal counters by being completely free.
What readers say
BIS Data Portal
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
OpenBB
Vote once to reveal the community verdict.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- OpenBB
- Broader coverage
- OpenBB12 vs 5 categories
- Desktop app
- OpenBB
- Free plan
- Both
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Free • Contact for pricing |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | Free: max time series per export: 4,500 | 7 limits: Workspace Community: copilot queries per day: 20, Workspace Community: excel add in: No (per plan comparison) +5 more |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Integrations | — | OpenBB Skills, Workspace MCP server +2 more |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Intermediate, Advanced | Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Analysts, Quants/Developers +1 more | Institutional Investors, Analysts +2 more |
Categories covered | 5 | 12 |
Regions | — | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Capabilities | — | IV surface and Yield curves |
Security | — | 6 signals: SOC2, SSO: SAML and OIDC +4 more |
| Try it | Visit BIS Data Portal | Visit OpenBB |
Where each one shines
What BIS Data Portal and OpenBB each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What BIS Data Portal and OpenBB each do best.What BIS Data Portal does best
- Tools for exploring official BIS statistics across international banking, debt securities, credit, global liquidity, derivatives, property prices, consumer prices, exchange rates, central banks, and payments.
- Search tools for time series across topics, refine with filters, and browse datasets by country, topic, and key characteristics.
- Table, list, and chart views to inspect series, including visible time-series breaks where available.
- Export support for selected series to Excel or CSV, with a 4,500-series export limit.
- Bulk downloads to retrieve complete topics as zipped CSV or SDMX files.
What OpenBB does best
- The open-source Open Data Platform locally under AGPL for unified financial and economic data access through provider connectors.
- Work across Python, REST API, notebooks, Workspace, and Excel-oriented workflows depending on whether you are coding, analyzing, or building dashboards.
- Connections for third-party data providers and your own API keys; OpenBB does not host or redistribute production market data for you.
- Tools for building Workspace dashboards with customizable UI components, apps, widgets, and firm-specific data integrations.
- Support for adding proprietary or internal data by exposing an API plus a widgets.json definition for custom Workspace widgets.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for BIS Data Portal and OpenBB, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for BIS Data Portal and OpenBB, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | CurrenciesBondsReal EstateOptionsFuturesOther | StocksETFsCryptosCurrenciesCommoditiesBondsOptionsFutures |
Experience | IntermediateAdvanced | IntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | AnalystsQuants/DevelopersStudents/Researchers | Institutional InvestorsAnalystsQuants/DevelopersStudents/Researchers |
Coverage details | Not specified | Identifiers: Ticker |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | Not specified | REST |
API auth & delivery | Not specified | Auth: NoneSDKs: PythonDocs |
Integrations | Not specified | OpenBB SkillsWorkspace MCP serverMCP serversExcel Add-in |
Export formats | CSVExcelPDFJSONXML | CSVExcel |
| Plans & trust | ||
Security & compliance | Not specified | SOC2SSO: SAML and OIDCStatus pageEncryption at restEncryption in transitRole-based access |
Capability signals | Not specified | IV surfaceYield curves |
Vendor & support | Bank for International Settlements (BIS)Country: SwitzerlandFounded 1930Support: Email | OpenBB Inc.Founded 2021Support: Email and Forum |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Freemax time series per export: 4,500 | Free“Workspace Community”copilot queries per day: 20 · excel add in: No (per plan comparison) · +1 more |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“Workspace Pro”pricing model: One-time license for the entire team (contact sales) · support: 8 hours/day, 5 days/week (EST) |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between BIS Data Portal and OpenBB?
BIS Data Portal leans toward APIs & data feeds, data visualizations, and calendar, while OpenBB puts more weight on APIs & data feeds, sheets / excel add-ins, and data visualizations. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do BIS Data Portal and OpenBB cost?
Good news: both BIS Data Portal and OpenBB have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use BIS Data Portal or OpenBB on my phone?
OpenBB lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. BIS Data Portal doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web and API.
Do BIS Data Portal and OpenBB have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
Should I choose BIS Data Portal or OpenBB?
It depends on what you're after. Pick BIS Data Portal if calendar and official sources matter to you; go with OpenBB if you'd rather have sheets / excel add-ins and custom dashboards. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do BIS Data Portal and OpenBB cover?
Both cover currencies, bonds, options, and futures. BIS Data Portal also handles real estate and other. OpenBB adds stocks, ETFs, and cryptos on top.
Can I export data from BIS Data Portal and OpenBB?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV and Excel), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Which has a better stock screener: BIS Data Portal or OpenBB?
OpenBB has a stock screener for surfacing ideas; BIS Data Portal doesn't, and focuses its energy elsewhere.
Keep researching
More comparisons to check
Other tools you might like
Keep Exploring
Feedback
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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.