VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★
PRICE: 5 CENTS
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Investors comparing FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Trading Economics will find that Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Trading Economics concentrate on Data APIs, Calendar, and Inflation Rates workflows, making them natural alternatives for similar investment research jobs. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) leans into Data Visualizations, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins, which can be decisive for teams that need depth over breadth. Trading Economics stands out with News, Alerts, and Central Bank Watcher 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 Trading Economics
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
Quick takeaways
- FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) adds Data Visualizations, APIs & SDKs, and Sheets / Excel Add-ins coverage that Trading Economics skips.
- Trading Economics includes News, Alerts, Central Bank Watcher, and Credit Ratings & Outlooks 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..
- Trading Economics is known for: REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats., Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News., and Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time..
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.
Trading Economics
tradingeconomics.com
Trading Economics provides economic indicators, financial market data, forecasts, and news for over 150 countries. Its web and mobile Analytics plans bundle site features, alerts, and research dashboards, while API access is offered separately with usage-based pricing. Streaming feeds for calendars, markets, and earnings require API credentials. Plans range from free website access to professional subscriptions for institutional workflows.
Categories
Platforms
Pricing
Quick highlights
- REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats.
- Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News.
- Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time.
- Streaming support for calendar releases and earnings data via persistent WebSocket channels.
- Market data includes real-time/delayed quotes for FX, commodities, stock indexes, and bonds, plus downloadable historical series.
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.
Trading Economics
Distinct strengths include:
- REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats.
- Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News.
- Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time.
- Streaming support for calendar releases and earnings data via persistent WebSocket channels.
Feature-by-feature breakdown
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | Trading Economics |
|---|---|---|
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields Unique: Data Visualizations, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins | Shared: Data APIs, Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, Real Yields Unique: News, Alerts, Central Bank Watcher, Credit Ratings & Outlooks |
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes | Bonds, Commodities, Currencies, Stocks, Other | Commodities, Currencies, Bonds, Stocks, 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, Mobile, 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 | Yes |
Editor pick Featured inside curated shortlists | Standard listing | Standard listing |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which workflows do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Trading Economics both support?
Both platforms cover Data APIs, Calendar, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, GDP, Interest Rates, PMI / ISM, Housing & Construction, Retail Sales, Consumer Sentiment, Yield Curves, and Real Yields 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 Trading Economics require subscriptions?
Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Trading Economics keep freemium access with optional paid upgrades, so you can trial each platform before committing.
How can you access FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Trading Economics?
Both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and Trading Economics support web and mobile access, making it easy to keep tabs on research away from the desk.
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 Trading Economics stands out for REST and WebSocket API delivering data in JSON, CSV, or XML formats., Coverage spans six API domains: Indicators, Calendar, Forecasts, Markets, Earnings, and News., and Economic calendar with ~1,600 monthly events across 150+ countries, refreshed in near real time..
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.