Diffchecker adds Diff View coverage that FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
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Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
Diffchecker 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 Data APIs, Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins categories that Diffchecker omits.
Diffchecker highlights: Supports multi-format comparisons: text, images, PDFs, Excel files, and folders., Desktop apps allow fully offline diffs, ensuring comparisons never leave the user’s computer., and Real-time text diffing, diff merging, dark mode, and export to PDF..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) is known for: Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online., Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources., and Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) offers mobile access, which Diffchecker skips.
Diffchecker
diffchecker.com
Diffchecker is a comparison tool for text, images, PDFs, Excel files, and folders. The free Basic plan is web-only, while Pro + Desktop adds offline diffs, ad-free usage, real-time text comparison, and desktop apps. Legal and Enterprise tiers include integrations (e.g. iManage) and advanced admin features. Enterprise also offers SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, and priority support. An API is available with free and paid plans, and a 14-day trial is offered for Pro/Desktop plans.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Supports multi-format comparisons: text, images, PDFs, Excel files, and folders.
- Desktop apps allow fully offline diffs, ensuring comparisons never leave the user’s computer.
- Real-time text diffing, diff merging, dark mode, and export to PDF.
- Syntax highlighting for 20+ programming languages with character-by-character precision.
- Public HTTP API supports text, image, PDF, and Excel diffs with tiered monthly quotas and input size limits.
Community votes (overall)
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
fred.stlouisfed.org
One of the most trusted sources of macroeconomic and market data worldwide. FRED offers free access to charts, releases, Excel add-ins, and a public API. An API key (free) is required, with standard rate limits. ALFRED, the companion service, provides vintage datasets so you can see what was known at any point in time.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online.
- Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources.
- Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration.
- ALFRED (the archival database) provides point-in-time vintages, letting you track historical revisions exactly as they were published.
- Maps API delivers regional datasets with GeoJSON shapefiles for states, counties, MSAs, and more.
Community votes (overall)
Shared focus areas
1 overlapBoth tools cover this research theme.
Where they differ
Diffchecker
Distinct strengths include:
- Supports multi-format comparisons: text, images, PDFs, Excel files, and folders.
- Desktop apps allow fully offline diffs, ensuring comparisons never leave the user’s computer.
- Real-time text diffing, diff merging, dark mode, and export to PDF.
- Syntax highlighting for 20+ programming languages with character-by-character precision.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Distinct strengths include:
- Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online.
- Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources.
- Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration.
- ALFRED (the archival database) provides point-in-time vintages, letting you track historical revisions exactly as they were published.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
Attribute | Diffchecker | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) |
---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: APIs & SDKs Unique: Diff View | Shared: APIs & SDKs Unique: Data APIs, Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields, Sheets / Excel Add-ins |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Other | Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Stocks, Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, Desktop, API | Web, Mobile, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free, Subscription | 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 Diffchecker and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) both support?
Both platforms cover APIs & SDKs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do Diffchecker and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) require subscriptions?
Both Diffchecker 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 Diffchecker focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
Diffchecker differentiates itself with Supports multi-format comparisons: text, images, PDFs, Excel files, and folders., Desktop apps allow fully offline diffs, ensuring comparisons never leave the user’s computer., and Real-time text diffing, diff merging, dark mode, and export to PDF., whereas FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) stands out for Access to over 840,000 time series from more than 100 official and third-party sources, all browsable and downloadable online., Official REST API covering both FRED and ALFRED, with endpoints for categories, releases, series, and sources., and Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration..
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Overlap: Data APIs, Calendar, and GDP.
Data APIsCalendarGDP
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.