VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Head-to-head

European Central Bank (ECB) vs MarketXLS comparison

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

Quick takeaways

European Central Bank (ECB) adds Data APIs, Calendar, News, Central Bank Watcher, and Yield Curves 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 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..

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..

European Central Bank (ECB) has a free tier, while MarketXLS requires a paid plan.

European Central Bank (ECB) logo

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.

Platforms

Web
API

Pricing

Free

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.

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MarketXLS logo

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 Interest Rates, Inflation Rates, and GDP plus 1 more area.

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.

MarketXLS

Distinct strengths include:

  • 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

AttributeEuropean Central Bank (ECB)MarketXLS
Categories

Which research workflows each platform targets

Shared: Interest Rates, Inflation Rates, GDP, Unemployment Rates

Unique: Data APIs, Calendar, News, Central Bank Watcher, Yield Curves

Shared: Interest Rates, Inflation 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

  • 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.
  • Euro foreign exchange reference rates updated around 16:00 CET on working days, provided for information purposes.

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

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Editor pick

Featured inside curated shortlists

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which workflows do European Central Bank (ECB) and MarketXLS both support?

Both platforms cover Interest Rates, Inflation 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?

European Central Bank (ECB) 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 European Central Bank (ECB) and MarketXLS?

Both European Central Bank (ECB) 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?

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 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..

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.