# FRED Series Batch Downloader (`junipr/fred-series-batch-downloader`) Actor

Download batches of economic time-series observations and metadata for configured FRED-style series IDs into clean long-format and optional wide-format datasets.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/junipr/fred-series-batch-downloader.md
- **Developed by:** [junipr](https://apify.com/junipr) (community)
- **Categories:** SEO tools, Developer tools, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $6.50 / 1,000 record fetcheds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

## FRED Series Batch Downloader

### Store Positioning

**Store title:** FRED Series Batch Downloader

**Short description:** Download batches of economic time-series observations and metadata for configured FRED-style series IDs into clean long-format and optional wide-format datasets.

**SEO title:** FRED Series Batch Downloader — official public data extraction and monitoring

**SEO description:** Download batches of economic time-series observations and metadata for configured FRED-style series IDs into clean long-format and optional wide-format datasets. Use it to normalize official public data into clean Apify datasets with source-specific fields and report artifacts.

**Categories:** SEO\_TOOLS, DEVELOPER\_TOOLS, AUTOMATION

**Keywords:** fred, series, batch, downloader, data qa, dataset qa, official/public-data actor

### Pay-Per-Event Pricing

This actor uses pay-per-event pricing. Event prices include Apify platform usage; users are not expected to pay a separate platform-usage pass-through charge for the configured pricing model.

- Tier: D1 — Official/public-data actor
- Primary event: `record-fetched` at $0.00908 base
- Default max charge: $15.00
- Store discounts: FREE/BRONZE base, SILVER discounted, GOLD deepest approved discount

Event set:

- `actor-start`: base $0.02000, GOLD $0.01760. Fred Series Batch Downloader: charged when actor start is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.
- `record-fetched`: base $0.00908, GOLD $0.00799. Fred Series Batch Downloader: charged when record fetched is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.
- `event-detected`: base $0.01300, GOLD $0.01140. Fred Series Batch Downloader: charged when event detected is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.
- `report-generated`: base $0.05000, GOLD $0.04400. Fred Series Batch Downloader: charged when report generated is completed. The price includes Apify platform usage; no separate usage pass-through is intended.

The actor accepts `actor-start` before work, accepts the primary event before each dataset row, and accepts the configured report event before writing report files. If `maxChargeUsd` or the live PPE limit blocks a charge, the corresponding row or report is not written.

### Public Task Concepts

- Download quarterly GDP observations
- Export monthly unemployment observations
- Track consumer price index changes
- Build a two-series economic table
- Download ten-year Treasury observations

### Inputs

- `seriesIds`
- `apiKey`
- `observationStart`
- `observationEnd`
- `frequency`
- `units`
- `aggregationMethod`
- `includeMetadata`
- `includeRevisions`
- `outputWideFormat`
- `maxSeries`
- `timeoutMs`

The exact default downloads bounded GDP and unemployment observations through FRED's public Graph CSV route, verified at 2026-07-12T06:15:00Z; no API key is used.

### Outputs

- `seriesId`
- `date`
- `value`
- `realtimeStart`
- `realtimeEnd`
- `title`
- `units`
- `frequency`
- `seasonalAdjustment`
- `source`
- `metadataFetched`
- `warning`

Run locally with `npm test` and `npm run build`.

# Actor input Schema

## `seriesIds` (type: `array`):

Series IDs controls FRED Series Batch Downloader processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `apiKey` (type: `string`):

Optional API key for sources that require authenticated access. Do not include secrets in public task examples.

## `observationStart` (type: `string`):

Observation Start controls FRED Series Batch Downloader processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `observationEnd` (type: `string`):

Observation End controls FRED Series Batch Downloader processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `frequency` (type: `string`):

Frequency controls FRED Series Batch Downloader processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `units` (type: `string`):

Units controls FRED Series Batch Downloader processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `aggregationMethod` (type: `string`):

Aggregation Method controls FRED Series Batch Downloader processing for the supplied inputs; keep values conservative for first runs.

## `includeMetadata` (type: `boolean`):

Include metadata in output rows or reports when available.

## `includeRevisions` (type: `boolean`):

Include revisions in output rows or reports when available.

## `outputWideFormat` (type: `boolean`):

Output option controlling how FRED Series Batch Downloader writes results or reports.

## `maxSeries` (type: `integer`):

Maximum series to process in one run; keep defaults low for safe first runs.

## `timeoutMs` (type: `integer`):

Maximum time in milliseconds allowed for the FRED Series Batch Downloader operation before it is treated as timed out.

## `maxChargeUsd` (type: `number`):

Maximum pay-per-event charge allowed before the actor stops without emitting unpaid output.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "seriesIds": [
    "GDP",
    "UNRATE"
  ],
  "apiKey": "",
  "observationStart": "2024-01-01",
  "observationEnd": "2024-04-01",
  "frequency": "q",
  "units": "lin",
  "aggregationMethod": "avg",
  "includeMetadata": true,
  "includeRevisions": false,
  "outputWideFormat": true,
  "maxSeries": 2,
  "timeoutMs": 10000,
  "maxChargeUsd": 1
}
```

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("junipr/fred-series-batch-downloader").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("junipr/fred-series-batch-downloader").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call junipr/fred-series-batch-downloader --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,junipr/fred-series-batch-downloader"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/3EEe7ITqvK9GVMqJA/builds/NGqqQqmv7o3AXJFLw/openapi.json