Comtrade public preview endpoint

It is the free, unauthenticated read path into UN Comtrade Plus, documented in the cataloged record as GET

Queries are built from typeCode=C, freqCode=A or M and clsCode=HS, plus reporter, partner, period, cmdCode and flowCode filters. Responses come back as JSON records nested under a 'data' array with 'count' and 'elapsedTime' alongside.

The preview covers annual and monthly flows - in the cataloged record, HS 85 electrical machinery and HS 90 optical/measuring instruments with value, weight and quantity fields. Two boundaries matter: final non-preview records require the paid path, and bulk download of full-year datasets is gated to logged-in premium users.

The preview defines what a Comtrade-based product can offer for free, so it is the baseline every vendor should be measured against.

• Preview is not final data. The endpoint serves preview records; certified final records require the paid path, and revisions can move numbers between the two.

• Bulk is a separate gate. Downloading full-year datasets needs a logged-in premium account, so an API-only pipeline cannot substitute for the bulk files.

• Parameter discipline is the skill. typeCode, freqCode, clsCode plus reporter, partner, period, cmdCode and flowCode filters are the whole query surface - a source that cannot state them is reselling blindly.

• Attribution still applies. The data is free with UN Comtrade cited as the reference, supplied without modification by UNSD.

1. Call the endpoint yourself. It is unauthenticated - if a vendor cannot reproduce a preview response, their pipeline is opaque.

1. Check which records they serve. Preview versus final is a real distinction; ask whether their numbers are certified final values.

1. Verify the parameter mapping. typeCode=C, freqCode=A/M, clsCode=HS with reporter, partner, period, cmdCode and flowCode filters should map cleanly to their UI or API.

1. Test the response envelope. Records nested under 'data' with 'count' and 'elapsedTime' is the documented shape.

1. Plan the paid boundary. Bulk full-year downloads require premium login, so decide early whether your workflow needs them.

Where to see it in context: electronic equipment instruments data and homefurnishing retail data.

These entries cover the key that unlocks final data and the interface the preview belongs to: - apim subscription key — Final (non-preview) Comtrade data is served through an Azure API Management gateway, so calls to comtradeapi.un.org/data/v1/get must pass a subscription key obtained through the UN Comtrade Developer Portal (comtradedeveloper.un.org) as... - un comtrade plus tradeflow — TradeFlow is UN Comtrade Plus' query interface for the UN's official bilateral merchandise trade statistics, built from reports submitted by national statistical offices.