Bloomberg Terminal
by Bloomberg L.P. (FIGI Registration Authority) · Platform · also known as Bloomberg Professional, BLPAPI, Bloomberg Desktop API
Bloomberg's subscription workstation for market data, news, analytics, messaging and execution, with Excel integration and the BLPAPI library for C++, Java, .NET and Python
Overview
The Bloomberg Terminal is Bloomberg L.P.'s flagship subscription service for financial professionals, combining real-time and historical market data across asset classes with news, Bloomberg Intelligence research, charting and analytics, the Instant Bloomberg messaging network, customizable Launchpad workspaces, multi-asset execution and order management, and mobile access through the Bloomberg Professional app. Subscriptions are sold to individual named subscribers through sales rather than online, typically on multi-year contracts.
For programmatic use, the Desktop API exposes terminal data to applications on the subscriber's machine through BLPAPI, a library with C++, Java, C# (.NET) and Python bindings (the Python package installs from Bloomberg's index); the same library serves the Server API and B-PIPE feed products licensed separately for server-side and enterprise use. The Excel add-in with its BDP/BDH functions remains the most common way researchers extract series. Usage is governed by the subscription agreement, which restricts data to the licensed user and limits redistribution and storage, so Terminal data generally cannot be shared in replication packages.
Editorial note on uncertainty. bloomberg.com returns 403 to command-line and standard fetchers; pages were read through an extraction service. Pricing is not published, so pricing_url is omitted and licensing statements are summarized from general knowledge of the subscription agreement rather than a cited terms page.
Capabilities
- Real-time and historical multi-asset market data
- News and Bloomberg Intelligence research
- Charting, analytics and Launchpad monitors
- Instant Bloomberg messaging
- Execution and order management
- Excel add-in (BDP/BDH functions)
- BLPAPI Desktop API for C++, Java, .NET and Python
Typical workflows
- Pulling bond and derivative pricing history into Excel for a study
- Monitoring markets and news on a trading desk
Strengths
- Breadth and depth of cross-asset coverage
- Industry-standard communication network
- Mature API bindings
Limitations
- Subscription sold through sales; no online pricing
- Data licensed to the individual user; redistribution restricted
- Desktop API requires a running terminal session
- Website blocks automated clients
Prerequisites
- Terminal subscription and login
- Windows or macOS workstation; Excel for the add-in
Who it is for
- Traders, analysts and portfolio managers
- Finance faculty with institutional terminals
Alternatives & comparison
WRDS serves historical research panels under institutional subscriptions; Databento and Massive are API-first data vendors without news or messaging; Interactive Brokers' API provides broker data tied to an account. The Terminal bundles data, analytics and communication in one seat licence.
- Databento
Usage-priced market data platform with normalized order-book (MBO/MBP), trades, OHLCV and reference schemas for futures, options and equities, delivered via historical, live and batch APIs in the DBN format
MixedUsage-based - Interactive Brokers API
Programmatic trading and market-data access to Interactive Brokers accounts through the TWS API, the REST-based Web API and FIX
ProprietaryUsage-based - Massive (formerly Polygon.io)
Market data platform (renamed from Polygon.io in October 2025) with REST and WebSocket APIs, flat files and SQL access for US stocks, options, indices, forex, crypto and futures
ProprietaryPaid - OpenFIGI
Free API and web tool from Bloomberg for mapping tickers, ISINs, CUSIPs and other identifiers to public-domain FIGI instrument identifiers, with search and filter endpoints
ProprietaryFree - Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)
Institution-subscribed research data platform from Wharton hosting CRSP, Compustat, TAQ, OptionMetrics and dozens of other vendors' databases with web queries, SQL, SAS, Python and R access
ProprietaryEnterprise
Sources & verification
Primary sources consulted for this record. Claims are tied to the fields each source supports; the automated link checker re-verifies every URL on a schedule.
- Official documentationAPI Library | Bloomberg Professional Serviceschecked Nov 1, 2026
https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/support/api-library
Supports: capabilities, languages, limitations
BLPAPI bindings; Linux/macOS libraries are for Server API and B-PIPE, not Desktop API
- Official siteBloomberg Terminal | Bloomberg Professional Serviceschecked Nov 1, 2026
https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/products/bloomberg-terminal
Supports: name, summary, capabilities
- Confidence
- Medium
- Reviewed
- Nov 1, 2026
- Links
- Verified · Nov 2, 2026
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