FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) adds Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, and Real Yields coverage that Similarweb skips.
VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Head-to-head
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs Similarweb comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
Similarweb includes App & Website Traffic 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..
Similarweb is known for: Website traffic and engagement analytics, including keyword research, referral sources, and a free traffic checker tool., APIs available in REST and Batch modes: REST delivers JSON responses, while Batch handles large CSV reports., and Webhook support for subscribing to daily or monthly data releases, with options to manage subscriptions directly..
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) ships a mobile app. Similarweb 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.
Community votes (overall)
0% upvotes 0% downvotes
You haven't voted yet
Similarweb
similarweb.com
Digital intelligence platform providing website and app traffic data, engagement benchmarks, and competitive insights. API access is sold separately or bundled with Enterprise plans, and is required for most native integrations (Excel, Sheets, Tableau, Power BI, Salesforce, HubSpot, Snowflake, Databricks). Webhooks support daily and monthly data release notifications. A free DigitalRank API offers basic website ranking data.
Platforms
Web
API
Pricing
Free
Subscription
Quick highlights
- Website traffic and engagement analytics, including keyword research, referral sources, and a free traffic checker tool.
- APIs available in REST and Batch modes: REST delivers JSON responses, while Batch handles large CSV reports.
- Webhook support for subscribing to daily or monthly data releases, with options to manage subscriptions directly.
- Data Exporter for no-code bulk exports, including scheduled email delivery and CSV downloads.
- Bulk input support for uploading CSV lists (up to ~1M entries per report) to create large exports.
Community votes (overall)
0% upvotes 0% downvotes
You haven't voted yet
Overlap
Shared focus areas
4 overlapsMutual strengths include Data APIs, Data Visualizations, and APIs & SDKs plus 1 more area.
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.
Similarweb
Distinct strengths include:
- Website traffic and engagement analytics, including keyword research, referral sources, and a free traffic checker tool.
- APIs available in REST and Batch modes: REST delivers JSON responses, while Batch handles large CSV reports.
- Webhook support for subscribing to daily or monthly data releases, with options to manage subscriptions directly.
- Data Exporter for no-code bulk exports, including scheduled email delivery and CSV downloads.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | Similarweb |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins Unique: Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields | Shared: Data APIs, Data Visualizations, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins Unique: App & Website Traffic |
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 Similarweb both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Data Visualizations, 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 Similarweb require subscriptions?
Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Similarweb 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 Similarweb 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 Similarweb stands out for Website traffic and engagement analytics, including keyword research, referral sources, and a free traffic checker tool., APIs available in REST and Batch modes: REST delivers JSON responses, while Batch handles large CSV reports., and Webhook support for subscribing to daily or monthly data releases, with options to manage subscriptions directly..
Keep exploring
Stay on top of related tools
Browse the categories and profiles that overlap most with this comparison to round out your shortlist.
Related categories
Follow the same themes these tools compete in.
Recommended tools
These profiles share overlapping coverage with both sides of this matchup.
- Trading EconomicsHands-on review
Overlap: Data APIs, Calendar, and PMI / ISM.
Data APIsCalendarPMI / ISM - YChartsHands-on review
Overlap: Data Visualizations, Data APIs, and Inflation Rates.
Data VisualizationsData APIsInflation Rates - ECB Data Portal
Overlap: Data APIs, APIs & SDKs, and Inflation Rates.
Data APIsAPIs & SDKsInflation Rates - GuruFocusEditor's pickHands-on review
Overlap: Calendar, GDP, and Interest Rates.
CalendarGDPInterest Rates - Alpha VantageHands-on review
Overlap: Data APIs, Calendar, and Inflation Rates.
Data APIsCalendarInflation Rates - MacroMicro
Overlap: Data Visualizations, Calendar, and GDP.
Data VisualizationsCalendarGDP
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.