VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Macrotrends will find that Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Macrotrends concentrate on Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, and Unemployment Rates workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) leans into Data APIs, Calendar, and PMI / ISM, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Macrotrends stands out with Screeners, and Financials 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
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs Macrotrends
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) adds Data APIs, Calendar, PMI / ISM, Yield Curves, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins coverage that Macrotrends skips.
- Macrotrends includes Screeners, and Financials 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..
- Macrotrends is known for: Interactive charts for stocks, commodities, indices, currencies, crypto, and macroeconomic data, often with history spanning back 50–100 years., Free stock screener with 50+ filters covering fundamentals, technicals, and performance; includes U.S. and international equities., and Company profile pages combine daily prices, dividends, and full annual/quarterly financial statements, with fundamentals sourced from Zacks..
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a mobile app. Macrotrends 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
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.
Macrotrends
macrotrends.net
Free web-based portal for long-run charts and datasets across stocks, commodities, indices, FX, and macro indicators. Many series span 50–100+ years. Features include a stock screener and CSV downloads. Some content is gated by registration, and Terms mention fee-based premium products. No public API is advertised.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- Interactive charts for stocks, commodities, indices, currencies, crypto, and macroeconomic data, often with history spanning back 50–100 years.
- Free stock screener with 50+ filters covering fundamentals, technicals, and performance; includes U.S. and international equities.
- Company profile pages combine daily prices, dividends, and full annual/quarterly financial statements, with fundamentals sourced from Zacks.
- Macro indicator pages cite primary data sources such as BEA (GDP), University of Michigan (consumer sentiment), and Optimal Blue (mortgage rates).
- CSV downloads available for many “Global Metrics” datasets via a dedicated download link.
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
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.
Macrotrends
Distinct strengths include:
- Interactive charts for stocks, commodities, indices, currencies, crypto, and macroeconomic data, often with history spanning back 50–100 years.
- Free stock screener with 50+ filters covering fundamentals, technicals, and performance; includes U.S. and international equities.
- Company profile pages combine daily prices, dividends, and full annual/quarterly financial statements, with fundamentals sourced from Zacks.
- Macro indicator pages cite primary data sources such as BEA (GDP), University of Michigan (consumer sentiment), and Optimal Blue (mortgage rates).
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | Macrotrends |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment Unique: Data APIs, Calendar, PMI / ISM, Yield Curves, Real Yields, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins | Shared: Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment Unique: Screeners, Financials |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Stocks, Other | Stocks, ETFs, Commodities, Currencies, Cryptos |
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 |
Pricing High-level pricing models | Free | Free, Other |
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 Macrotrends both support?
Both platforms cover Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, and Consumer Sentiment workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.
Do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Macrotrends require subscriptions?
Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Macrotrends 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 Macrotrends 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 Macrotrends stands out for Interactive charts for stocks, commodities, indices, currencies, crypto, and macroeconomic data, often with history spanning back 50–100 years., Free stock screener with 50+ filters covering fundamentals, technicals, and performance; includes U.S. and international equities., and Company profile pages combine daily prices, dividends, and full annual/quarterly financial statements, with fundamentals sourced from Zacks..
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.