VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing ECB Data Portal and Trading Economics will find that Both ECB Data Portal and Trading Economics concentrate on Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, and Inflation Rates workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. ECB Data Portal leans into APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Trading Economics stands out with News, Calendar, and Alerts that the competition lacks. Use the feature-by-feature table to inspect unique capabilities and confirm which roadmap best maps to your process.
Head-to-head
ECB Data Portal vs Trading Economics
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- ECB Data Portal adds APIs & SDKs, and Data Visualizations coverage that Trading Economics skips.
- Trading Economics includes News, Calendar, Alerts, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, and Credit Ratings & Outlooks 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)..
- Trading Economics is known for: REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats., Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News., and Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time..
- Trading Economics offers mobile access, which ECB Data Portal skips.
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.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
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.
Trading Economics
tradingeconomics.com
Trading Economics provides economic indicators, financial market data, forecasts, and news for over 150 countries. Its web and mobile Analytics plans bundle site features, alerts, and research dashboards, while API access is offered separately with usage-based pricing. Streaming feeds for calendars, markets, and earnings require API credentials. Plans range from free website access to professional subscriptions for institutional workflows.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats.
- Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News.
- Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time.
- Streaming support for calendar releases and earnings data via persistent WebSocket channels.
- Market data includes real-time/delayed quotes for FX, commodities, stock indexes, and bonds, plus downloadable historical series.
Shared focus areas
Both platforms align on these research themes, so you can stay within one workflow when your use case involves them.
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).
Trading Economics
Distinct strengths include:
- REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats.
- Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News.
- Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time.
- Streaming support for calendar releases and earnings data via persistent WebSocket channels.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | ECB Data Portal | Trading Economics |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates, Yield Curves, Real Yields Unique: APIs & SDKs, Data Visualizations | Shared: Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates, Yield Curves, Real Yields Unique: News, Calendar, Alerts, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Credit Ratings & Outlooks |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Currencies, Other | Commodities, Currencies, Bonds, Stocks, Cryptos |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, API | Web, Mobile, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free, Subscription |
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor | Unique
| Unique
|
Tested Verified by hands-on testing inside Find My Moat | Not yet | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do ECB Data Portal and Trading Economics both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Central Bank Watcher, Inflation Rates, Interest Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates, Yield Curves, and Real Yields workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do ECB Data Portal and Trading Economics require subscriptions?
Both ECB Data Portal and Trading Economics keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
Which tool has mobile access?
Trading Economics ships a dedicated mobile experience, while ECB Data Portal focuses on web or desktop access.
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 Trading Economics stands out for REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats., Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News., and Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time..
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.