★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
Tool comparison edition
Tool Comparison
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs QuickFS
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
Best for macro data and calendar
Free
QuickFS
Best for financials
Free • From $29/mo
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The verdict
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.
Key differences at a glance
- Mobile app
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
- Broader coverage
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)7 vs 4 categories
- Desktop app
- QuickFS
- Free plan
- Both
Choose
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) if…
- You do a lot of your research from your phone
- You care about macro data, calendar, and alerts, things QuickFS doesn't offer
Choose
QuickFS if…
- You care about financials, something FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) doesn't offer
Comparison snapshot
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & plans | ||
Starting price | Free | Free • From $29/mo |
Free tier | Yes | Yes |
Free trial | — | — |
Plan limits | Free: api key required: Yes and Free: api rate limited: Yes | — |
| Platforms & access | ||
Web app | Yes | Yes |
Desktop app | No | Yes |
Mobile app | Yes | No |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Integrations | Microsoft Excel (FRED Add-in) | Microsoft Excel |
| 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 |
Standout features
What FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) does best
- 800,000+ economic data series from 100+ sources, covering topics such as GDP, prices/inflation, employment, exchange rates, and interest rates.
- Browse and track data via categories, releases, sources, and tags; series pages show metadata like units/frequency and “last updated / next release” fields.
- Graphing and sharing options include embeddable graphs and graph-image links.
- Economic release calendar with scheduled release dates/times (US Central Time) and a data-provider caveat for availability.
- Account tools can provide email notifications for series updates.
What QuickFS does best
- 20‑year history for 200+ standardized metrics and statements across 40,000+ international stocks.
- Excel add‑in with =QFS("ticker","metric","period") to pull data directly into models (Mac/Windows/Excel Online); Microsoft AppSource still lists the add-in and states a QuickFS account is required.
- Public REST API for fundamentals, market data, and company metadata; batch requests supported.
- One‑click Excel/CSV exports and bulk database downloads (full‑universe CSV files).
- Ticker format with country suffix (e.g., AAPL:US) and global coverage across U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, and more.
Data & access details
| 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 | REST |
API auth & delivery | Auth: APIKeyDocs | Auth: APIKey |
Integrations | Microsoft Excel (FRED Add-in) | Microsoft Excel |
Export formats | ExcelImageJSONXML | CSVExcelJSON |
| 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.
Pricing breakdown
Free
Lower starting price
Plans & pricing
- api key required: Yes
- api rate limited: Yes
$29/mo
Starting price
Plans & pricing
Coverage overlap
Shared categories
3Where the two tools cover the same ground.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) strengths
4What you only get with FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data).
QuickFS strengths
1What you only get with QuickFS.
Community category leaders
Vote sentiment comparison
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Frequently Asked Questions
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.
How much do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS cost?
Good news: both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS have free plans, so you can run them side by side and only pay if you hit a wall.
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, API, and desktop.
Do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and QuickFS have APIs?
Yes, both offer API access, so developers and quants can pull data programmatically or wire up their own integrations.
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?
Yes, both export to spreadsheets (Excel), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.
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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.