VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and OpenBB will find that Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and OpenBB concentrate on Data APIs, Data Visualizations, and Inflation Rates workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) leans into Calendar, PMI / ISM, and Housing & Construction, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. OpenBB stands out with Custom Dashboards, News, and IPO 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 OpenBB
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) adds Calendar, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, and Real Yields coverage that OpenBB skips.
- OpenBB includes Custom Dashboards, News, IPO, Dividends, Splits, Commitment of Traders (COT), Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Options & Derivatives, Quant, Financials, Transcripts, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Price Targets, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, AI, and AI Chat 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..
- OpenBB is known for: REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported., Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings., and Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows..
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a mobile app. OpenBB 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.
OpenBB
openbb.co
Open-source data and analytics platform with a REST API, Python SDK, and an enterprise workspace for custom dashboards and apps. The free Community plan includes unlimited dashboards and 20 AI Copilot queries per day. Pro adds collaboration features, Excel integration, secure deployment (VPC/on-prem), and export options. Infrastructure is SOC 2 Type II certified, with SSO support and a public status page.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
- Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
- Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
- Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.
- OpenBB Copilot AI chat that integrates dashboard widgets as context and supports attachments (PDF, CSV, XLSX).
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.
OpenBB
Distinct strengths include:
- REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported.
- Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings.
- Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows.
- Workspace dashboards and apps with customizable widgets; unlimited dashboards on the Community tier.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | OpenBB |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins Unique: Calendar, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins Unique: Custom Dashboards, News, IPO, Dividends, Splits, Commitment of Traders (COT), Dark Pool & Off-Exchange, Options & Derivatives, Quant, Financials, Transcripts, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, Analyst Forecasts, Analyst Price Targets, Regulatory Filings Monitoring, AI, AI Chat |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Stocks, Other | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Futures, Bonds, 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, 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 OpenBB both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Data Visualizations, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins 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 OpenBB require subscriptions?
Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and OpenBB 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 OpenBB 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 OpenBB stands out for REST API and Python client with JSON-serializable endpoints; local API deployment supported., Wide coverage across equities, ETFs, options, fixed income, macroeconomics, news, transcripts, and regulatory filings., and Command-line interface (successor to the legacy OpenBB Terminal) plus Python workflows..
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.