VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

ECB Data Portal vs Frost & Sullivan comparison

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

Quick takeaways

ECB Data Portal adds Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Unemployment Rates, Yield Curves, Real Yields, and Data Visualizations coverage that Frost & Sullivan skips.

Frost & Sullivan includes Scores, PMI / ISM, Retail Sales, Housing & Construction, Consumer Sentiment, and Newsletters 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)..

Frost & Sullivan is known for: Frost Radar™: a signature benchmarking framework that scores companies on Growth and Innovation. Reports include the PDF download plus an analyst-led Growth Dialog™ session., Online research store with single-purchase studies across industries and themes. Deliverables include Frost Radar reports, market and technology studies, and economic trackers, all offered as PDF downloads with list pricing., and iFrost Industry Research Database: a digital platform for interactive analysis with instant data updates, customizable charts, and what Frost calls “API-driven solutions.”.

ECB Data Portal has a free tier, while Frost & Sullivan requires a paid plan.

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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Frost & Sullivan logo

Frost & Sullivan

frost.com

Global analyst research and benchmarking delivered as one-off PDF reports through their online store, or as part of enterprise subscriptions like Growth Opportunity Analytics and iFrost. Pricing is premium — for example, a Frost Radar report costs around $4,950, while an Economic Tracker study is about $1,500. iFrost is positioned as an interactive, API-driven data platform, though no open developer API is publicly offered.

Platforms

Web

Pricing

One-time
Subscription

Quick highlights

  • Frost Radar™: a signature benchmarking framework that scores companies on Growth and Innovation. Reports include the PDF download plus an analyst-led Growth Dialog™ session.
  • Online research store with single-purchase studies across industries and themes. Deliverables include Frost Radar reports, market and technology studies, and economic trackers, all offered as PDF downloads with list pricing.
  • iFrost Industry Research Database: a digital platform for interactive analysis with instant data updates, customizable charts, and what Frost calls “API-driven solutions.”
  • Global Economic Tracker (GET-IT): macroeconomic database covering GDP, inflation, PMIs, retail sales, consumer and business confidence, industrial production, and housing indicators. Data is updated monthly, quarterly, or annually with forecasts included.
  • Growth Opportunity Analytics and Growth Analytics programs: subscription offerings that bundle ongoing research, datasets, and analyst access for enterprise clients.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

2 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Inflation Rates, and GDP.

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).

Frost & Sullivan

Distinct strengths include:

  • Frost Radar™: a signature benchmarking framework that scores companies on Growth and Innovation. Reports include the PDF download plus an analyst-led Growth Dialog™ session.
  • Online research store with single-purchase studies across industries and themes. Deliverables include Frost Radar reports, market and technology studies, and economic trackers, all offered as PDF downloads with list pricing.
  • iFrost Industry Research Database: a digital platform for interactive analysis with instant data updates, customizable charts, and what Frost calls “API-driven solutions.”
  • Global Economic Tracker (GET-IT): macroeconomic database covering GDP, inflation, PMIs, retail sales, consumer and business confidence, industrial production, and housing indicators. Data is updated monthly, quarterly, or annually with forecasts included.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

AttributeECB Data PortalFrost & Sullivan
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Inflation Rates, GDP

Unique: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Central Bank Watcher, Interest Rates, Unemployment Rates, Yield Curves, Real Yields, Data Visualizations

Shared: Inflation Rates, GDP

Unique: Scores, PMI / ISM, Retail Sales, Housing & Construction, Consumer Sentiment, Newsletters

Asset types

Supported asset classes and universes

Bonds, Currencies, 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

Pricing

High-level pricing models

Free

One-time, Subscription

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

  • Frost Radar™: a signature benchmarking framework that scores companies on Growth and Innovation. Reports include the PDF download plus an analyst-led Growth Dialog™ session.
  • Online research store with single-purchase studies across industries and themes. Deliverables include Frost Radar reports, market and technology studies, and economic trackers, all offered as PDF downloads with list pricing.
  • iFrost Industry Research Database: a digital platform for interactive analysis with instant data updates, customizable charts, and what Frost calls “API-driven solutions.”
  • Global Economic Tracker (GET-IT): macroeconomic database covering GDP, inflation, PMIs, retail sales, consumer and business confidence, industrial production, and housing indicators. Data is updated monthly, quarterly, or annually with forecasts included.
  • Growth Opportunity Analytics and Growth Analytics programs: subscription offerings that bundle ongoing research, datasets, and analyst access for enterprise clients.
  • Best Practices Awards program: structured recognition for companies across industries, supported by published methodologies and ongoing press releases.
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Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do ECB Data Portal and Frost & Sullivan both support?

Both platforms cover Inflation Rates, and GDP workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

ECB Data Portal offers a free entry point, while Frost & Sullivan requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access ECB Data Portal and Frost & Sullivan?

Both ECB Data Portal and Frost & Sullivan 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 Frost & Sullivan stands out for Frost Radar™: a signature benchmarking framework that scores companies on Growth and Innovation. Reports include the PDF download plus an analyst-led Growth Dialog™ session., Online research store with single-purchase studies across industries and themes. Deliverables include Frost Radar reports, market and technology studies, and economic trackers, all offered as PDF downloads with list pricing., and iFrost Industry Research Database: a digital platform for interactive analysis with instant data updates, customizable charts, and what Frost calls “API-driven solutions.”.

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.