Tool Comparison
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) vs FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web
Best if
- You want news and yield curves.
- Paid from
- —
- Free plan
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Mobile, API
Best if
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You want data visualizations, alerts, and APIs & data feeds.
Pick Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) if
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)
Free · Web
- You want news and yield curves.
Pick FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) if
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Free · Web · Mobile · API
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
- You want data visualizations, alerts, and APIs & data feeds.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOther tools you might like
Outbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Not set on either one? See the top 50 tools, ranked by user votes, or the deals page for big discounts on popular tools.
Our take
The bottom line
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, calendar, macro data, and official sources), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) includes news and yield curves, and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) includes data visualizations and alerts.
What readers say
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
No votes yet. Cast the first one.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
- API access
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
- Asset coverage
- Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov)Adds bonds and currencies
- Free plan
- Both
What Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) does best
- Download support for Federal Reserve statistical releases through the Data Download Program in Excel, CSV, or XML formats.
- H.15 Selected Interest Rates for daily Treasury constant-maturity yields and other rate series.
- Tracking the Fed balance sheet through H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances, updated weekly.
- H.8 commercial bank asset and liability data for weekly banking-system research.
- Download support for foreign exchange reference rates through H.10 weekly and G.5 monthly releases.
What FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) does best
- Search across and chart hundreds of thousands of economic and financial data series from many official and third-party sources.
- Research coverage for macro topics such as GDP, inflation, prices, employment, exchange rates, interest rates, credit, monetary data, and market indicators.
- Browsing access to by categories, releases, sources, and tags, with series metadata for units, frequency, last update, and next release where available.
- FRED charts for visualization, sharing, embedded graphs, graph images, and saved graph workflows with a free account.
- Monitor the economic release calendar for scheduled release dates and times, while accounting for provider timing and availability caveats.
Side by side
Pricing comparison
See for yourself
Side by side
Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.ShowHide
Side by side
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Free |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | — | Free: api key required: Yes and Free: api rate limited: Yes |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | No | Yes |
API access | No | Yes |
Broker sync | No | — |
Integrations | FRED (St. Louis Fed) | Microsoft Excel (FRED Add-in) |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | — | Students/Researchers, Analysts +1 more |
Categories covered | 5 | 7 |
Regions | North America, Europe, APAC, LatAm, Middle East, Africa | — |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | 3 signals: Latency: End of Day, Granularity: EOD +1 more | — |
Capabilities | Yield curves | — |
| Try it | Visit Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) | Visit FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) |
Standout features
The best features of Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data).ShowHide
Standout features
What Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) does best
- Download support for Federal Reserve statistical releases through the Data Download Program in Excel, CSV, or XML formats.
- H.15 Selected Interest Rates for daily Treasury constant-maturity yields and other rate series.
- Tracking the Fed balance sheet through H.4.1 Factors Affecting Reserve Balances, updated weekly.
- H.8 commercial bank asset and liability data for weekly banking-system research.
- Download support for foreign exchange reference rates through H.10 weekly and G.5 monthly releases.
What FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) does best
- Search across and chart hundreds of thousands of economic and financial data series from many official and third-party sources.
- Research coverage for macro topics such as GDP, inflation, prices, employment, exchange rates, interest rates, credit, monetary data, and market indicators.
- Browsing access to by categories, releases, sources, and tags, with series metadata for units, frequency, last update, and next release where available.
- FRED charts for visualization, sharing, embedded graphs, graph images, and saved graph workflows with a free account.
- Monitor the economic release calendar for scheduled release dates and times, while accounting for provider timing and availability caveats.
All details
Every attribute we track for Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data).ShowHide
All details
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | BondsCurrenciesOther | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Not specified | Students/ResearchersAnalystsQuants/Developers |
Regions | North AmericaEuropeAPACLatAmMiddle EastAfrica | Not specified |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | End of Day | Not specified |
Data granularity | EOD | Not specified |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | Not specified | REST |
API auth & delivery | Not specified | Auth: APIKeyDocs |
Integrations | FRED (St. Louis Fed) | Microsoft Excel (FRED Add-in) |
Export formats | CSVExcelXML | ExcelImageJSONXML |
| Plans & trust | ||
Capability signals | Yield curves | Not specified |
Vendor & support | Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve SystemCountry: United StatesFounded 1913 | Federal Reserve Bank of St. LouisCountry: United StatesSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Methodology 5/5Reliability 5/5UX 4/5 | Not specified |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
Pricing
Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.ShowHide
Pricing
| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Free | Freeapi key required: Yes · api rate limited: Yes |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)?
Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) leans toward calendar, news, and macro data, while FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) puts more weight on macro data, data visualizations, and calendar. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
How much do Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) cost?
Good news: both Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
Can I use Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) or FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) on my phone?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Does Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) or FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) have an API?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) or FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)?
It depends on what you're after. Pick Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) if news and yield curves matter to you; go with FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) if you'd rather have data visualizations and alerts. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) cover?
Both cover other. Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) also handles bonds and currencies.
Can I export data from Federal Reserve Board (FRB.gov) and FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (Excel), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
Keep researching
Other tools you might like
Keep Exploring
Feedback
Spot stale pricing, missing features, or a comparison that feels off? Send feedback on the verdict, table, alternatives, or recommendation.
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.