VOL. XCIV, NO. 247
★ BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON ★
NO ADVICE
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Tool Comparison
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) vs U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) comparison
Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
fred.stlouisfed.org
At a glance
| FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ||
| Free trial | ||
| Starting price | — | — |
| Enterprise option | ||
| Available plans | Free | Public Data API v1 (Unregistered), Public Data API v2 (Registered) |
Vote sentiment comparison
Cumulative positive vote share. Loading fresh totals...
Platform details
| Attribute | FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) |
|---|---|---|
Asset types | Other | Other |
Experience | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced | BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced |
Regions | Not specified | North America |
Data freshness | Not specified | Not specified |
API access | REST | REST |
Export formats | ExcelImageJSONXML | JSONExcel |
Coverage overlap
Categories where both tools offer overlapping coverage.
Categories covered by FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) only.
Categories covered by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) focuses on Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates, and GDP while U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) specializes in Data APIs, Inflation Rates, and Unemployment Rates. They overlap in 4 categories, so choose based on your preferred workflow and pricing.
How much do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) cost?
Good news—both FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offer free plans. You can try each platform without commitment and only pay when you need premium features.
Can I use FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) or U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on my phone?
FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) has a mobile app so you can check your research on the go. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is web-only, so you'll need a browser to access it from mobile devices.
Do FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) have APIs?
Yes, both platforms offer API access for developers and quants who want to build custom integrations or automate their workflows.
Should I choose FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) or U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
Choose FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) if you need 800,000+ economic data series from 100+ sources, covering topics such as GDP, prices/inflation, employment, exchange rates, and interest rates., and Browse and track data via categories, releases, sources, and tags; series pages show metadata like units/frequency and “last updated / next release” fields.. Go with U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) if Public Data API to retrieve published historical time series data in JSON or as an Excel spreadsheet (XLSX)., and Two API versions: v2 requires registration for expanded access; v1 is available without registration. better fits how you invest.
Can I export data from FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)?
Both platforms let you export data to spreadsheets (Excel, and JSON). This is useful for custom analysis or record-keeping.
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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.