FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) adds Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins coverage that IBISWorld skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
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Monday, October 6, 2025
Head-to-head
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs IBISWorld comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
IBISWorld includes Scores, AI Chat, Blogs, and Custom Dashboards categories that FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) omits.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) 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., and Flexible output formats including JSON, XML, Excel, and CSV for easy integration..
IBISWorld is known for: Industry Research Reports (30–40 pages) across multiple countries, with PDF downloads and Key Statistics exportable to Excel., Business Environment Profiles with proprietary forecasts across hundreds of economic indicators., and Industry Risk Ratings and an Early Warning System to assess forward-looking industry risk..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) has a free tier, while IBISWorld requires a paid plan.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a mobile app. IBISWorld is web/desktop only.
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
Web
Mobile
API
Pricing
Free
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.
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IBISWorld
ibisworld.com
Subscription-based industry research platform with options to purchase single reports. Full industry reports (30–40 pages) are downloadable as PDF, while Key Statistics tables can be exported to Excel. API access requires an API-enabled account and uses OAuth2 with documented rate limits. Add-ons include custom dashboards, a Salesforce app, and specialized Excel-based tools. AI features are delivered through Phil, a chat assistant trained on IBISWorld data.
Platforms
Web
API
Pricing
Subscription
One-time
Quick highlights
- Industry Research Reports (30–40 pages) across multiple countries, with PDF downloads and Key Statistics exportable to Excel.
- Business Environment Profiles with proprietary forecasts across hundreds of economic indicators.
- Industry Risk Ratings and an Early Warning System to assess forward-looking industry risk.
- REST API (OAuth2) for retrieving full reports or sections, with rate limits (10 requests/sec, 100/min, 5,000/hr).
- Phil AI — an assistant trained on IBISWorld content, linking directly to report sections for context.
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Overlap
Shared focus areas
1 overlapBoth tools cover this research theme.
Where they differ
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Distinct strengths include:
Calendar
Data Visualizations
Inflation Rates
Unemployment Rates
GDP
Interest Rates
PMI / ISM
Housing & Construction
- 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.
IBISWorld
Distinct strengths include:
- Industry Research Reports (30–40 pages) across multiple countries, with PDF downloads and Key Statistics exportable to Excel.
- Business Environment Profiles with proprietary forecasts across hundreds of economic indicators.
- Industry Risk Ratings and an Early Warning System to assess forward-looking industry risk.
- REST API (OAuth2) for retrieving full reports or sections, with rate limits (10 requests/sec, 100/min, 5,000/hr).
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | IBISWorld |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs Unique: Calendar, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins | Shared: Data APIs Unique: Scores, AI Chat, Blogs, Custom Dashboards |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Stocks, Other | Other |
Experience levels Who each product is built for | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Platforms Where you can access the product | Web, Mobile, API | Web, API |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Subscription, One-time |
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 FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and IBISWorld both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Which tool offers a free plan?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) offers a free entry point, while IBISWorld requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.
Which tool has mobile access?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a dedicated mobile experience, while IBISWorld focuses on web or desktop access.
What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) differentiates itself with 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., whereas IBISWorld stands out for Industry Research Reports (30–40 pages) across multiple countries, with PDF downloads and Key Statistics exportable to Excel., Business Environment Profiles with proprietary forecasts across hundreds of economic indicators., and Industry Risk Ratings and an Early Warning System to assess forward-looking industry risk..
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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.