Which subscriptions can I choose from? #
UN Comtrade offers free access to official trade statistics through a free basic individual subscription. Registration is free, and users can unlock a range of features with a registered UN Comtrade account. These features include data preview, data download of 100K records per call, and data API access for up to 500 calls/day. API access is available through our UN Comtrade Developer portal, where users can request a free subscription key.
We encourage our users to fully explore the features available through our free, basic individual subscription. Most users find that a free account provides enough access to meet their data requirements.
For users with more extensive data requirements and features, a premium subscription to UN Comtrade may be a good option. In addition to the basic features, premium subscribers can access pre-packaged data files called bulk files and wider API access with increased limits.
To help users evaluate the account type for their needs, the table below shows an overview of what’s included in each account type.
Account Types #
Features | Public | Basic Individual | Premium Individual | Premium Institutional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pro 1 – not-for-profit and academic institutions Pro 2 – for-profit and private sector institutions | ||||
| Number of Users | Registration not required | Single | Single | Multiple |
| Yearly Subscription | Free | Free | Visit shop.un.org | Visit shop.un.org |
| Type of Access | Anonymous | Individual | Individual | Institution-wide |
| Authentication | Non-authenticated | Registered email | Registered email | Registered email domain |
| User Interface (UI) | ||||
| Data Preview |  | | | |
| Data Download |  | | | |
| Data Delivery | | | | |
| Aggregation Option | | | | |
| Save Parameters | | | | |
| Save Searches | | | | |
| Download Options | ||||
| UI Download | | max 100K records per call | max of 250k records per call | max of 250k records per call |
| UI Bulk | | | | |
| UI Deliver | | | max of 2.5M records per call | max of 2.5M records per call |
| Data API | | max 100K records per call | max of 250k records per call | max of 250k records per call |
| Bulk API | | | | |
| Async API | | | max of 2.5M records per call | max of 2.5M records per call |
| API | ||||
| Preview data API | Limited to 500 records and 1 single period and product per call | 500 calls/day | 5000 calls/day | Unlimited calls per day |
| Data API | | |||
| Bulk API | | | ||
| Async API | | | ||
| API Key | |  Keys may be periodically regenerated. Visit UN Comtrade Developer Portal. | | |
We offer a premium trial subscription to our registered free users (Basic Individual) interested in purchasing a premium subscription. This trial subscription aims to demonstrate the advanced features of our premium service and help users make an informed decision before committing to a premium subscription. Please note that the trial subscription only gives access to a limited dataset because it is intended to showcase the features rather than access the data.
To qualify for the trial, users must have previously engaged with the fundamental functionalities offered within UN Comtrade through a Basic Individual account. Consequently, users are eligible to request a trial subscription only after 15 days from the creation of their account. This initial duration allows users sufficient time to familiarize themselves with UN Comtrade features, often leading them to discover that the basic individual account (free) adequately meets their requirements.
How can I subscribe to UN Comtrade? #
UN Comtrade offers subscriptions to both individual users and institutions. To check if your institution or library has an existing subscription, please contact them directly. Alternatively, you can create an account using your email. If your organization has a premium subscription, you will see the “My Comtrade Premium” option in the top left menu. Otherwise, you will see the “My Comtrade Free”.
For more information, contact subscriptions@un.org.
