FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) adds Calendar, 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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) skips.
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Head-to-head
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) includes Shipping & Trade, Education, and Blogs 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..
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) is known for: Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification., Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans., and Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a mobile app. Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) 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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Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC)
oec.world
A global trade and economic complexity platform with rich visualizations, country and product rankings, and an API. Pro plans unlock the latest monthly and subnational datasets, while Premium adds company-level Bill of Lading data and bulk downloads. Academic discounts and enterprise options with SSO support are also available.
Platforms
Web
API
Pricing
Free
Subscription
Quick highlights
- Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification.
- Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans.
- Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs.
- REST API with a free tier for historical data and Pro/Premium tokens for the latest datasets, subnational access, and higher query volumes.
- Data downloads in CSV, Excel, or JSON, with bulk access and larger query limits available for subscribers.
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Overlap
Shared focus areas
2 overlapsMutual strengths include Data APIs, and Data Visualizations.
Where they differ
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Distinct strengths include:
Calendar
Inflation Rates
Unemployment Rates
GDP
Interest Rates
PMI / ISM
Housing & Construction
Retail Sales
- 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.
Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC)
Distinct strengths include:
- Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification.
- Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans.
- Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs.
- REST API with a free tier for historical data and Pro/Premium tokens for the latest datasets, subnational access, and higher query volumes.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations Unique: Calendar, 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, Data Visualizations Unique: Shipping & Trade, Education, Blogs |
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 | Free, Subscription |
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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, and Data Visualizations 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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) require subscriptions?
Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) 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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) 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 Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) stands out for Visualizations and rankings based on Economic Complexity Index (ECI) and Product Complexity Index (PCI), with reports by HS classification., Monthly international trade data and subnational coverage across 30+ countries available on Pro plans., and Premium tier adds company-level U.S. Bill of Lading data through a Company Explorer sourced from U.S. Customs..
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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.