VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ FINANCIAL TOOLS & SERVICES DIRECTORY ★

PRICE: 5 CENTS

Monday, October 13, 2025

View U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)View YCharts Back to Home

Head-to-head

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) vs YCharts comparison

Compare pricing, supported platforms, categories, and standout capabilities to decide which tool fits your workflow.

Quick takeaways

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) adds Calendar, and Education coverage that YCharts skips.

YCharts includes Screeners, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, News, Alerts, Financials, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, and Broker Connectors categories that U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) omits.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) highlights: Public Data API v2: JSON and Excel (.xlsx) output; single or batched series; optional calculations, annual averages, aspects & catalog metadata for registered users., Usage limits (v2): up to 50 series per query, up to 20 years per query, ~50 requests per 10 seconds; daily cap 500 queries (registered) or 25 (unregistered)., and Data Tools: Series Report (direct series ID lookup), Top Picks, One‑screen/Multi‑screen table builders, Data Finder, charts for news releases, CPI Inflation Calculator..

YCharts is known for: Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has a free tier, while YCharts requires a paid plan.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ships a mobile app. YCharts is web/desktop only.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

bls.gov

Primary U.S. source for official labor‑market, inflation and productivity statistics. Offers a free Public Data API (v2) with JSON/XLSX responses, extensive web data tools (Series Report, Top Picks, Data Finder), and an official release calendar with RSS/iCal. Coverage spans CPI/PPI/Import‑Export prices, Employment Situation (payrolls & unemployment rate), JOLTS, ECI, productivity, QCEW and more. Registered API users get higher limits and can request calculations and catalog metadata.

Platforms

Web

API

Mobile

Pricing

Free

Quick highlights

Public Data API v2: JSON and Excel (.xlsx) output; single or batched series; optional calculations, annual averages, aspects & catalog metadata for registered users.
Usage limits (v2): up to 50 series per query, up to 20 years per query, ~50 requests per 10 seconds; daily cap 500 queries (registered) or 25 (unregistered).
Data Tools: Series Report (direct series ID lookup), Top Picks, One‑screen/Multi‑screen table builders, Data Finder, charts for news releases, CPI Inflation Calculator.
Official release schedules & feeds: per‑release pages (e.g., Employment Situation) show dates/times (typically 8:30 a.m. ET); global calendar with RSS and iCal (ICS) subscription.
Mobile: “BLS Local Data” app for iOS/Android surfaces local labor market stats (states, metros, counties) and includes QCEW content.

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YCharts

ycharts.com

Hands-on review

Advisor-focused research, portfolio analytics, and proposal platform. Lower tiers are more view-only, while add-ons unlock the Excel add-in and broader fund/SMA datasets. Intraday quotes are available on a short delay (about 90–120 seconds).

Platforms

Web

API

Pricing

Subscription

Quick highlights

Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).
Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images.

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Overlap

Shared focus areas

3 overlaps

Mutual strengths include Data APIs, Inflation Rates, and Unemployment Rates.

Where they differ

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Distinct strengths include:

Calendar

Education

Public Data API v2: JSON and Excel (.xlsx) output; single or batched series; optional calculations, annual averages, aspects & catalog metadata for registered users.
Usage limits (v2): up to 50 series per query, up to 20 years per query, ~50 requests per 10 seconds; daily cap 500 queries (registered) or 25 (unregistered).
Data Tools: Series Report (direct series ID lookup), Top Picks, One‑screen/Multi‑screen table builders, Data Finder, charts for news releases, CPI Inflation Calculator.
Official release schedules & feeds: per‑release pages (e.g., Employment Situation) show dates/times (typically 8:30 a.m. ET); global calendar with RSS and iCal (ICS) subscription.

YCharts

Distinct strengths include:

Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown)

Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks.
Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns.
Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators.
Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds).

Feature-by-feature breakdown

Attribute	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)	YCharts
Categories Which research workflows each platform targets	Shared: Data APIs, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates Unique: Calendar, Education	Shared: Data APIs, Inflation Rates, Unemployment Rates Unique: Screeners, Stock Comparison, ETF Comparison, Data Visualizations, Portfolio, Watchlist, Correlation, Risk Metrics (VaR/ES/Drawdown), Performance Attribution, Scenario & Stress Tests, News, Alerts, Financials, Scores, ETF Overview, ETF Performance, ETF Holdings, ETF Fundamentals, ETF Overlap, Analyst Forecasts, Short Interest, Insider Data, GDP, Interest Rates, Yield Curves, APIs & SDKs, Sheets / Excel Add-ins, Broker Connectors
Asset types Supported asset classes and universes	Other	Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds
Experience levels Who each product is built for	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced	Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Platforms Where you can access the product	Web, API, Mobile	Web, API
Pricing High-level pricing models	Free	Subscription
Key features Core capabilities called out by each vendor	Unique Public Data API v2: JSON and Excel (.xlsx) output; single or batched series; optional calculations, annual averages, aspects & catalog metadata for registered users. Usage limits (v2): up to 50 series per query, up to 20 years per query, ~50 requests per 10 seconds; daily cap 500 queries (registered) or 25 (unregistered). Data Tools: Series Report (direct series ID lookup), Top Picks, One‑screen/Multi‑screen table builders, Data Finder, charts for news releases, CPI Inflation Calculator. Official release schedules & feeds: per‑release pages (e.g., Employment Situation) show dates/times (typically 8:30 a.m. ET); global calendar with RSS and iCal (ICS) subscription. Mobile: “BLS Local Data” app for iOS/Android surfaces local labor market stats (states, metros, counties) and includes QCEW content. Mission/authority & confidentiality: Principal U.S. fact‑finding agency for labor economics; data collected and protected under CIPSEA and other federal laws.	Unique Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks. Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns. Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators. Monitoring built in: dashboards, watchlists, alerts, and a live news feed (MT Newswires). Intraday quotes update on a short delay (~90–120 seconds). Excel & API: an add-on Excel add-in with dynamic formulas/templates, a REST API with API keys and official Python/R clients, and exports to CSV/Excel/PDF/images. Advisor ecosystem integrations including Addepar, Orion, Redtail, Schwab Advisor Center, iRebal, Pershing, LPL ClientWorks, Black Diamond, and VRGL.
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 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and YCharts both support?

Both platforms cover Data APIs, Inflation Rates, and Unemployment Rates workflows, so you can research those use cases in either tool before digging into the feature differences below.

Which tool offers a free plan?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) offers a free entry point, while YCharts requires a paid subscription. Review the pricing table to see how the paid tiers compare.

Which tool has mobile access?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) ships a dedicated mobile experience, while YCharts focuses on web or desktop access.

What unique strengths set the two platforms apart?

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) differentiates itself with Public Data API v2: JSON and Excel (.xlsx) output; single or batched series; optional calculations, annual averages, aspects & catalog metadata for registered users., Usage limits (v2): up to 50 series per query, up to 20 years per query, ~50 requests per 10 seconds; daily cap 500 queries (registered) or 25 (unregistered)., and Data Tools: Series Report (direct series ID lookup), Top Picks, One‑screen/Multi‑screen table builders, Data Finder, charts for news releases, CPI Inflation Calculator., whereas YCharts stands out for Research workspace with Fundamental Charts, robust screeners, comp tables, scatter plots, scenario tools, and Quickflows to speed common tasks., Portfolio analytics for model and client accounts: optimizer and rebalancing (daily through annual), correlation matrices, attribution and transition analysis, drift/overlap checks, and exposure breakdowns., and Broad data coverage: U.S. and Canadian equities, ETFs and CEFs, plus mutual funds and SMAs as add-ons; 4,000+ fundamental metrics, S&P Global analyst estimates, MSCI ESG datasets, and a large set of macro indicators..

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