VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

ECB Data Portal vs Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

ECB Data Portal adds APIs & SDKs, Inflation Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates, Real Yields, and Data Visualizations coverage that Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) skips.

Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) includes Calendar, and News categories that ECB Data Portal omits.

ECB Data Portal highlights: Open SDMX 2.1 REST API with discovery & retrieval modes; single entry point at data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/ and rich query parameters (e.g., startPeriod/endPeriod, updatedAfter, includeHistory, detail, firstNObservations/lastNObservations)., Format flexibility via content negotiation and the `format` query param: SDMX‑JSON, CSV, and SDMX‑ML (structure‑specific and generic)., and Interactive portal with export of data (CSV, XLS long/wide, SDMX) and export of visuals (PNG, PDF, PowerPoint)..

Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) is known for: Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML., H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields., and H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m..

ECB Data Portal logo

ECB Data Portal

data.ecb.europa.eu

Official ECB gateway for euro‑area statistics with an open SDMX 2.1 REST API. The new endpoint is https://data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/ (replacing the legacy SDW path). Content negotiation supports SDMX‑JSON, CSV, and SDMX‑ML. Charts and tables can be downloaded as CSV/XLS (long & wide), and charts as PNG/PDF/PPT. Typical update cadence is daily to monthly (e.g., reference FX rates around 16:00 CET on working days). ECB advises migrating from the old SDW URL as automatic redirects are planned to end on 1 Oct 2025.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Open SDMX 2.1 REST API with discovery & retrieval modes; single entry point at data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/ and rich query parameters (e.g., startPeriod/endPeriod, updatedAfter, includeHistory, detail, firstNObservations/lastNObservations).
  • Format flexibility via content negotiation and the `format` query param: SDMX‑JSON, CSV, and SDMX‑ML (structure‑specific and generic).
  • Interactive portal with export of data (CSV, XLS long/wide, SDMX) and export of visuals (PNG, PDF, PowerPoint).
  • Comprehensive euro‑area macro & markets coverage: HICP inflation, key & market interest rates, exchange rates (reference rates), GDP and labor indicators, plus euro‑area yield curves (spot/forward/par).
  • Revisions/deltas supported (`updatedAfter`) and conditional GET via `If‑Modified‑Since` for efficient sync.

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Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) logo

Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)

federalreserve.gov

Hands-on review

The official website of the U.S. central bank. Through its Data Download Program (DDP), the Fed offers public access to many of its most important statistical releases in Excel, CSV, or XML formats. Key datasets include interest rates, the Fed balance sheet, commercial bank assets, foreign exchange rates, industrial production, and financial accounts. The site also hosts FOMC calendars, meeting minutes, press releases, speeches, and other policy materials.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

  • Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML.
  • H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields.
  • H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
  • H.8 Assets & Liabilities of Commercial Banks, with detailed weekly data and customizable downloads.
  • Foreign exchange reference rates (H.10 weekly and G.5 monthly), with scheduled update times and public downloads.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

4 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, and Interest Rates plus 1 more area.

Where they differ

ECB Data Portal

Distinct strengths include:

  • Open SDMX 2.1 REST API with discovery & retrieval modes; single entry point at data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/ and rich query parameters (e.g., startPeriod/endPeriod, updatedAfter, includeHistory, detail, firstNObservations/lastNObservations).
  • Format flexibility via content negotiation and the `format` query param: SDMX‑JSON, CSV, and SDMX‑ML (structure‑specific and generic).
  • Interactive portal with export of data (CSV, XLS long/wide, SDMX) and export of visuals (PNG, PDF, PowerPoint).
  • Comprehensive euro‑area macro & markets coverage: HICP inflation, key & market interest rates, exchange rates (reference rates), GDP and labor indicators, plus euro‑area yield curves (spot/forward/par).

Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)

Distinct strengths include:

  • Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML.
  • H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields.
  • H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
  • H.8 Assets & Liabilities of Commercial Banks, with detailed weekly data and customizable downloads.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeECB Data PortalFederal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Yield Curves

Unique: APIs & SDKs, Inflation Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates, Real Yields, Data Visualizations

Shared: Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Yield Curves

Unique: Calendar, News

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Bonds, Currencies, Other

Bonds, Currencies, 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

Key features

Core capabilities called out by each vendor

Unique

  • Open SDMX 2.1 REST API with discovery & retrieval modes; single entry point at data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/ and rich query parameters (e.g., startPeriod/endPeriod, updatedAfter, includeHistory, detail, firstNObservations/lastNObservations).
  • Format flexibility via content negotiation and the `format` query param: SDMX‑JSON, CSV, and SDMX‑ML (structure‑specific and generic).
  • Interactive portal with export of data (CSV, XLS long/wide, SDMX) and export of visuals (PNG, PDF, PowerPoint).
  • Comprehensive euro‑area macro & markets coverage: HICP inflation, key & market interest rates, exchange rates (reference rates), GDP and labor indicators, plus euro‑area yield curves (spot/forward/par).
  • Revisions/deltas supported (`updatedAfter`) and conditional GET via `If‑Modified‑Since` for efficient sync.
  • Yield curve datasets include AAA euro‑area government curves with daily business‑week frequency; additional capital‑market series include real benchmark bond yields.

Unique

  • Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML.
  • H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields.
  • H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
  • H.8 Assets & Liabilities of Commercial Banks, with detailed weekly data and customizable downloads.
  • Foreign exchange reference rates (H.10 weekly and G.5 monthly), with scheduled update times and public downloads.
  • G.17 Industrial Production & Capacity Utilization, published monthly with full release schedules and data formats.
Tested

Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat

Not yet

Yes

Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

Standard listing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do ECB Data Portal and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) both support?

Both platforms cover Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, and Yield Curves workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Do ECB Data Portal and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) require subscriptions?

Both ECB Data Portal and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.

How can you access ECB Data Portal and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)?

Both ECB Data Portal and Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) 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?

ECB Data Portal differentiates itself with Open SDMX 2.1 REST API with discovery & retrieval modes; single entry point at data-api.ecb.europa.eu/service/ and rich query parameters (e.g., startPeriod/endPeriod, updatedAfter, includeHistory, detail, firstNObservations/lastNObservations)., Format flexibility via content negotiation and the `format` query param: SDMX‑JSON, CSV, and SDMX‑ML (structure‑specific and generic)., and Interactive portal with export of data (CSV, XLS long/wide, SDMX) and export of visuals (PNG, PDF, PowerPoint)., whereas Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) stands out for Data Download Program (DDP) with custom or preformatted packages, available in Excel, CSV, or XML., H.15 Selected Interest Rates, including daily Treasury constant-maturity yields., and H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances (the Fed balance sheet), updated weekly every Thursday at 4:30 p.m..

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.