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Use FRED’s website for a one-time spreadsheet download, chart export, or map export. Choose the FRED API when you need repeatable retrieval in code, an application, or a scheduled workflow. The API requires a registered key and has version-specific request limits; neither method changes the reuse restrictions that may apply to third-party-owned series.
Which method fits your task?
| Your task | Better starting point | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Download one series once for a report or spreadsheet | FRED website | The graph’s Download menu offers Excel and CSV for the data values. |
| Save a chart for a presentation | FRED website | The graph menu can export the visual display as an image or PowerPoint slide. |
| Get cross-sectional data shown on a map | FRED website | The map’s Download menu offers CSV data. |
| Repeat the same retrieval on a schedule | FRED API | A program can make repeatable HTTPS requests and parse structured responses. |
| Use observations in code or an application | FRED API | The API is designed for programmatic retrieval and supports structured and file-based outputs. |
| Retrieve histories for a release in bulk | FRED API v2 | FRED describes v2 as suited to bulk observations across a release and full histories. |
These are workflow-based choices, not claims that one method is universally faster or more reliable.
What you can download from the FRED website
Graphs: data or presentation output
On a FRED graph, select Download and choose Excel or CSV to export the time-series values. Choose Image or PowerPoint to export the chart’s appearance instead; those options are not a substitute for a data table. See FRED’s download instructions.
Maps: cross-sectional data or map image
On a FRED map, select Download and choose CSV for the cross-sectional values or Image for the map display. The same download instructions cover graph and map exports.
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Spreadsheet add-in option
If your work already happens in Excel, FRED also documents an add-in workflow: enter a FRED series ID in a workbook and retrieve data using the add-in control. Consult the FRED Add-in User Guide. For a one-off export, the graph’s built-in Download menu is the more direct route.
What the FRED API provides
The FRED API is an HTTPS REST web service that returns structured data rather than a rendered web page. It can query both FRED and ALFRED. The API overview explains the service, while the series observations reference documents retrieval of values for an economic series.
An API response is not limited to JSON. The series-observations endpoint’s file_type parameter supports XML, JSON, an Excel spreadsheet, or zipped CSV. The useful choice depends on what your code or downstream workflow can consume.
Choose the API version for the retrieval pattern
FRED’s API version guide distinguishes the versions by scope:
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- v1 supports incremental, series-level retrieval with configurable filters, including source, release, category, and series.
- v2 is intended for bulk observations across a release and for retrieving full histories.
If you only need a single series now and then, an API workflow may add setup without improving the task. If you need to reproduce a retrieval or incorporate it into a program, the API’s request-based structure is the relevant advantage.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.API setup, request limits, and reuse terms
Register and protect an API key
API web-service requests require a key. FRED’s API-key instructions say users log in to request or view keys and send the key in an Authorization bearer header. Treat the key as a credential: do not expose a live key in shared code or public examples.
Keep the documented rate limits separate
FRED’s error documentation lists different throttles for each API version. The current figures documented on those pages are:
| API version | Documented request limit | What may happen if exceeded |
|---|---|---|
| v1 | Up to 120 requests per minute | A 429 response; exceeding the throttle can result in a temporary block. v1 errors |
| v2 | Up to 2 requests per second | A 429 response; exceeding the throttle can result in a temporary block. v2 errors |
These are provider-documented limits, not a guarantee of a particular throughput; check the current version-specific error page when building a workflow because API details can change.
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Check series-level restrictions before reuse
Availability through FRED or its API does not automatically grant permission to reuse every series. Some series may be owned by third parties, and users are responsible for complying with the data owners’ copyright and use restrictions. Review the FRED API terms for the applicable terms before redistributing data or embedding it in a public-facing product.
The API terms require a prominent notice for an application built with the API: “This product uses the FRED® API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.” The terms also prohibit building an application that replicates or attempts to replace the essential FRED experience.
Quick Recap
A practical rule of thumb
- Choose the website when the output is a file or a chart you need once.
- Choose the API when retrieval must be repeatable, automated, or integrated into software.
- Use v2 when the job is bulk observations across a release or full histories; use v1 for incremental, configurable series-level retrieval.
- Before distributing or publishing data, check the relevant series’ ownership and reuse terms.
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