VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON
Source check: FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) checked August 23, 2026
Tool Comparison
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs QuickFS
Start here
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Free · Web · Mobile · API
- You'd rather start free and only pay if you outgrow it
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You want an API so you can script or automate things
Pick QuickFS instead if
QuickFS
Contact for pricing · Web
- You want financials.
Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.
See alternativesOutbound links may include affiliate or sponsor codes.
Our take
The bottom line
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS cover a lot of the same ground (3 shared categories, data visualizations, APIs & data feeds, and sheets / excel add-ins), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) simply does more: 7 categories to QuickFS's 4, including macro data, calendar, and alerts, plus a mobile app. QuickFS counters by keeping things simpler.
What readers say
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
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QuickFS
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Key differences at a glance
- Free plan
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
- Broader coverage
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)7 vs 4 categories
- Mobile app
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
- API access
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
See for yourself
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.ShowHide
How they stack up
The side-by-side table: pricing, platforms, data, and coverage at a glance.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Contact for pricing |
Free tier | Yes | No |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | Free: api key required: Yes and Free: api rate limited: Yes | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | No |
Integrations | Microsoft Excel (FRED Add-in) | FastFS.org successor referral and Microsoft AppSource legacy Excel listing |
| Audience & fit | ||
Experience level | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced |
Best for | Students/Researchers, Analysts +1 more | — |
Categories covered | 7 | 4 |
Regions | — | North America, Europe, APAC |
| Data & capabilities | ||
Data quality | — | Latency: End of Day and Granularity: EOD |
| Try it | Visit FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | Visit QuickFS |
Where each one shines
What FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS each do best.ShowHide
Where each one shines
What FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS each do best.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.
What QuickFS does best
- Official homepage says QuickFS will not relaunch and that the founder introduced FastFS.org to a data vendor that could support a successor with major QuickFS-like features.
- Legacy product offered 20-year history for 200+ standardized metrics and statements across 40,000+ international stocks.
- Legacy Excel add-in used =QFS("ticker","metric","period") to pull data directly into models; Microsoft AppSource listings may still exist but require a QuickFS account and should not be treated as an active standalone service.
- Legacy API and exports covered fundamentals, market data, company metadata, CSV/Excel exports, and bulk downloads; current official homepage does not advertise active API access.
- Ticker format with country suffix (e.g., AAPL:US) and global coverage across U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and more were legacy capabilities.
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS, side by side.ShowHide
Every detail we compared
Every tracked attribute for FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS, side by side.| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Coverage & fit | ||
Asset types | Other | Stocks |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Target audience | Students/ResearchersAnalystsQuants/Developers | Not specified |
Regions | Not specified | North AmericaEuropeAPAC |
Coverage details | Not specified | 4 countriesIdentifiers: Ticker |
| Data | ||
Data freshness | Not specified | End of Day |
Data granularity | Not specified | EOD |
| Access & integrations | ||
API protocols | REST | Not specified |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeyDocs | Not specified |
Integrations | Microsoft Excel (FRED Add-in) | FastFS.org successor referralMicrosoft AppSource legacy Excel listing |
Export formats | ExcelImageJSONXML | Not specified |
| Plans & trust | ||
Vendor & support | Federal Reserve Bank of St. LouisCountry: United StatesSupport: Email | QuickFS.net, LLCSupport: Email |
Curation ratings | Not specified | Methodology 3/5Reliability 4/5UX 4/5 |
Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.ShowHide
What you'll actually pay
Plans, billing, trials, and per-month pricing for both tools.| Tier | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Freeapi key required: Yes · api rate limited: Yes | — |
| Custom / enterprise | — | Contact sales“Closed / not relaunched” |
Questions we keep getting
What's the difference between FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) leans toward macro data, data visualizations, and calendar, while QuickFS puts more weight on financials, data visualizations, and APIs & data feeds. They overlap in 3 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.
Is FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) or QuickFS free to use?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) has a free tier, so you can get started without paying anything. QuickFS is paid-only. If budget matters, start with FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and see how far it takes you before opening your wallet.
Can I use FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) or QuickFS on my phone?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) lists a dedicated mobile app, so it travels better. QuickFS doesn't list a dedicated mobile app; its documented access is web.
Does FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) or QuickFS have an API?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. QuickFS doesn't, so you're working through its interface.
Should I choose FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) or QuickFS?
It depends on what you're after. Pick FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) if macro data and calendar matter to you; go with QuickFS if you'd rather have financials. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.
What asset classes do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS cover?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) covers other. QuickFS covers stocks.
Can I export data from FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) exports to Excel. QuickFS is stingier about getting data out.
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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.