VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

View ECB Data Portal View MarketXLS Back to Home

Head-to-head

ECB Data Portal vs MarketXLS 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, Yield Curves, Real Yields, and Data Visualizations coverage that MarketXLS skips.

MarketXLS includes Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Broker Connectors, Screeners, Options & Derivatives, Options, Options P&L, Monte Carlo, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, Which ETF includes this Stock?, and Blogs 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)..

MarketXLS is known for: Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users., Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year., and Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter..

ECB Data Portal has a free tier, while MarketXLS requires a paid plan.

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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MarketXLS

marketxls.com

Excel‑first market data & analytics add‑in with 1,000+ functions. Default data is 15‑min delayed (QuoteMedia); real‑time streams and intraday history available with data add‑ons. Web screener, ETF database/overlap tools, options chains & Greeks, and portfolio templates (incl. Efficient Frontier). Direct order‑ticket functions for Thinkorswim, Tradier, Orion, plus IBKR integration via TWS API. No public data API for redistribution; personal use license.

Platforms

Desktop

Web

Pricing

Subscription

Quick highlights

Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users.
Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year.
Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter.
Portfolio & research templates: Efficient Frontier, correlation/volatility/drawdowns, fundamentals and historical statements via hf_* functions.
Web screener with hundreds of metrics; stock ranks (Value/Quality/Technical); spreadsheet builder to generate ready‑made workbooks.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

4 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, and GDP 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).

MarketXLS

Distinct strengths include:

Sheets / Excel Add-ins

Broker Connectors

Screeners

Options & Derivatives

Options

Options P&L

Monte Carlo

Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown)

Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users.
Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year.
Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter.
Portfolio & research templates: Efficient Frontier, correlation/volatility/drawdowns, fundamentals and historical statements via hf_* functions.

Feature-by-feature breakdown

Attribute	ECB Data Portal	MarketXLS
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets	Shared: Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates Unique: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, Central Bank Watcher, Yield Curves, Real Yields, Data Visualizations	Shared: Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates Unique: Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Broker Connectors, Screeners, Options & Derivatives, Options, Options P&L, Monte Carlo, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Financials, ETF Overview, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, Which ETF includes this Stock?, Blogs
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes	Bonds, Currencies, Other	Stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual Funds, Currencies, Futures, Cryptos
Experience levels Who each product is built for	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Platforms Where you can access the product	Web, API	Desktop, Web
Pricing High-level pricing models	Free	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 Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users. Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year. Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter. Portfolio & research templates: Efficient Frontier, correlation/volatility/drawdowns, fundamentals and historical statements via hf_* functions. Web screener with hundreds of metrics; stock ranks (Value/Quality/Technical); spreadsheet builder to generate ready‑made workbooks. Broker/trading connections: Thinkorswim, Tradier (single & multi‑leg), Orion (single‑leg), Interactive Brokers (via TWS API).
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 ECB Data Portal and MarketXLS both support?

Both platforms cover Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, GDP, and Unemployment Rates 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 MarketXLS requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

How can you access ECB Data Portal and MarketXLS?

Both ECB Data Portal and MarketXLS 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 MarketXLS stands out for Excel add‑in works on Windows, Mac, and Excel Online; updates delivered automatically for Mac/Excel Online/Office 365 users., Built‑in real‑time streaming quotes (with exchange agreements) and default 15‑minute delayed market data; EOD history ~15+ years; intraday historical up to 1‑minute for ~1 year., and Options analytics: live option chains & Greeks, IV tools, order‑flow functions, strategy P&L templates; options symbology converter..

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