VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing European Central Bank (ECB) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) will find that Both European Central Bank (ECB) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) concentrate on Data APIs, Calendar, and Interest Rates workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. European Central Bank (ECB) leans into News, and Central Bank Watcher, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) stands out with Data Visualizations, PMI / ISM, and Housing & Construction 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
European Central Bank (ECB) vs FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- European Central Bank (ECB) adds News, and Central Bank Watcher coverage that FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) skips.
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) includes Data Visualizations, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins categories that European Central Bank (ECB) omits.
- European Central Bank (ECB) highlights: Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax., Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers., and Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type..
- 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 European Central Bank (ECB) skips.
European Central Bank (ECB)
ecb.europa.eu
The official portal of the European Central Bank, including its Data Portal. Provides free access to monetary policy information, publications, and structured datasets. Data is available through a public SDMX 2.1 REST API with CSV and SDMX-JSON formats, bulk downloads, and chart-level exports. Key scheduled releases include €STR at 08:00 CET, FX reference rates around 16:00 CET, and daily euro area yield curves at 12:00 CET.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax.
- Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers.
- Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type.
- Bulk dataset downloads available directly from dataset pages, including CSV and SDMX 2.1 exports.
- €STR (Euro Short-Term Rate) published daily at 08:00 CET, with revisions at 09:00 CET if errors exceed 2 basis points.
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.
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
European Central Bank (ECB)
Distinct strengths include:
- Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax.
- Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers.
- Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type.
- Bulk dataset downloads available directly from dataset pages, including CSV and SDMX 2.1 exports.
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 | European Central Bank (ECB) | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Inflation Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates Unique: News, Central Bank Watcher | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Inflation Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates Unique: Data Visualizations, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Currencies, 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, API | Web, Mobile, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | 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 European Central Bank (ECB) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Calendar, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, Inflation Rates, GDP, and Unemployment Rates workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do European Central Bank (ECB) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) require subscriptions?
Both European Central Bank (ECB) 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 European Central Bank (ECB) focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
European Central Bank (ECB) differentiates itself with Public SDMX 2.1 REST API with access to the ECB Data Portal (data-api.ecb.europa.eu). Existing SDW endpoints continue to work with unchanged syntax., Flexible format support including SDMX-ML, SDMX-JSON, CSV, and pivot-table-optimized CSV. Supports HTTP compression for efficient transfers., and Excel integration via Power Query using CSV endpoints or the application/vnd.ecb.data+csv MIME type., 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..
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.