Quick answer
Currencyapi.com - Currencyapi.com wins for most builders because its free tier is more usable for real development and its first paid step unlocks commercial use, historical data, and hourly updates with a larger request cap.
How the free tiers compare
These two products look similar on the surface because both are currency exchange rate APIs with free tiers, but the free plans are aimed at different stages of use. Currency Api gives you a slightly larger free quota at 500 requests per month, but it is more restrictive: personal use only, no historical rates, fixed base currency, and no technical support. Currencyapi.com offers fewer free requests at 300 per month, but it includes both latest and historical rates, which makes the free tier more useful for testing and lightweight prototypes. On the paid side, both start at $9.99 per month, but Currencyapi.com’s Small plan is better aligned with builders who need commercial use and historical data. Currency Api becomes more attractive if you care mainly about a higher free request ceiling, while Currencyapi.com is better when you want the API itself to remain useful before paying.
Currency Api vs Currencyapi.com free tier, side by side
| Currency ApiFTV 48 | Currencyapi.comFTV 49 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free monthly requestsCurrency Api offers the larger free request cap. | 500 | 300 |
| API keysBoth free tiers allow one API key. | 1 | 1 |
| Rate limitThe free-tier throttle is the same. | 10 requests per minute | 10 requests per minute |
| Data freshness on free tierCurrencyapi.com is less fresh on the free tier, but it also includes historical rates. | Updated every 60 minutes | Daily updates |
| Historical rates on free tierThis is the main functional difference in favor of Currencyapi.com. | No | Yes |
| Commercial use on free tierNeither free tier allows commercial use. | No, personal use only | No, private use only |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products start with flat monthly pricing at $9.99, so the early paid comparison is straightforward. Currency Api’s Essential plan is aimed at 20,000 requests with hourly updates, historical rates, and some extras like Slack notifications and technical email support. Currencyapi.com’s Small plan is 15,000 requests and unlocks commercial use, historical rates, and no rate limit. As usage grows, Currency Api has a mid-tier jump to 125,000 requests at $34.99, while Currencyapi.com jumps to 600,000 requests at $39.99 and then 1.7M at $79.99. For small teams, Currency Api is cheaper at the first paid step; for higher-volume and commercial builders, Currencyapi.com scales more naturally.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Currency Api | Currencyapi.com |
|---|---|---|
| 20,000 requests/moCurrency Api’s Essential plan includes 20,000 monthly requests; Currencyapi.com’s Small plan tops out at 15,000, so you would need Medium for this usage. | $9.99/mo | $39.99/mo |
| 125,000 requests/moCurrency Api’s StartUp plan covers 125,000 requests. Currencyapi.com would need Medium, since Small is too small. | $34.99/mo | $39.99/mo |
| 600,000 requests/moCurrency Api’s Professional plan is the first listed option that exceeds this volume, while Currencyapi.com’s Medium plan is designed for 600,000 requests. | $74.99/mo | $39.99/mo |
| 1,700,000 requests/moCurrency Api’s listed Professional plan is 10,000,000 requests, so it still covers this usage. Currencyapi.com’s Large plan is priced for 1,700,000 requests. | $74.99/mo | $79.99/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Currency Api when…
- You want the higher free request cap at 500 requests per month.
- You only need live rates and basic conversion, not historical data.
- You are building a personal project and do not need commercial use.
- You can live with a fixed base currency and no team management.
Pick Currencyapi.com when…
- You want historical rates on the free tier for testing or demos.
- You need a free plan that is more representative of the paid API shape.
- You expect to move into commercial use soon and want the paid starter plan to cover that.
- You want a clearer upgrade path for teams, sandbox keys, and higher-volume usage.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, Currencyapi.com is the better pick because its free tier includes both latest and historical rates, which makes it more useful for real evaluation instead of just a quota test. Currency Api only wins if the extra 200 free requests per month matters more than functionality. Once you pay, both start at $9.99, but Currencyapi.com gives a more practical path for commercial use and historical data, while Currency Api is the simpler low-volume option.
Read the full listings: Currency Api and Currencyapi.com. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.