Quick answer
CurrencyBeacon - CurrencyBeacon wins for most builders because its free tier is much larger, allows commercial use, and includes historical data, while Currency Api is better only if you need a no-card personal sandbox with a smaller quota.
How the free tiers compare
The two free tiers are aimed at different stages of use. Currency Api is the more restrictive starter plan: 500 requests a month, hourly updates, personal use only, one API key, and no historical rates. It is useful if you want to test a simple rate lookup without entering card details. CurrencyBeacon is the more builder-friendly free tier: 5,000 requests, hourly updates, latest and historical rates, conversion, HTTPS, commercial use, and community support. That means you can actually ship a small production integration on the free plan, not just prototype. After the free tier, both products stay simple and flat-priced at first, but Currency Api’s first paid step is cheaper while CurrencyBeacon’s paid ladder gives you more room and much broader usage rights.
Currency Api vs CurrencyBeacon free tier, side by side
| Currency ApiFTV 48 | CurrencyBeaconFTV 45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly requestsCurrency Api is much tighter at the free level. | 500 | 5,000 |
| Update frequencyBoth are hourly on the free tier. | Every 60 minutes | Hourly |
| Historical ratesA withholds history entirely on free; B includes it. | No | Yes |
| Commercial useThis is the biggest practical difference for builders. | Personal use only | Allowed |
| API keysOnly Currency Api states a free-tier key limit. | 1 | Not specified |
| Credit card requiredCurrency Api explicitly says no card is required; CurrencyBeacon does not state this. | No | Unknown |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing on their first paid tier, so the main difference is how quickly the free tier runs out and what you get when you pay. Currency Api starts at $9.99/month for 20,000 requests, then $34.99 and $74.99 as volume and features rise. CurrencyBeacon starts at $10/month for 50,000 requests, then jumps to $99 and $599 for higher limits and faster updates. For small-team usage, CurrencyBeacon is the cheaper option once you need a usable production allowance, while Currency Api is cheaper only if your needs stay modest.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Currency Api | CurrencyBeacon |
|---|---|---|
| 1,000 requests/moA would require moving to a paid plan sooner. | Free (within tier, but over the 500-request cap) | Free (within tier) |
| 5,000 requests/moCurrencyBeacon covers this workload on free; Currency Api does not. | Requires paid plan: $9.99/mo | Free (within tier) |
| 20,000 requests/moBoth first paid tiers cover this volume. | $9.99/mo | $10.00/mo |
| 125,000 requests/moBoth have a flat-tier option at this level, but CurrencyBeacon is much more expensive. | $34.99/mo | $99.00/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 to test a currency lookup integration without providing a credit card.
- Your use case is personal or internal only and stays under 500 requests per month.
- You do not need historical exchange rates or base-currency changes.
- You want the simplest low-volume sandbox for a prototype or demo.
Pick CurrencyBeacon when…
- You need commercial use on the free tier.
- You expect more than 500 requests a month but less than 5,000.
- You need historical rates from day one.
- You want to ship a small production app before paying.
- You care about broader currency coverage, including cryptocurrencies, on a free plan.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, CurrencyBeacon is the better free-tier choice because it gives you more requests, commercial use, and historical data without paying first. Currency Api only wins if you specifically want a no-card personal sandbox and can live with 500 monthly requests and no history. Once you outgrow free, Currency Api is cheaper at the first paid step, but CurrencyBeacon is the one more likely to carry a small production app before you have to budget for it.
Read the full listings: Currency Api and CurrencyBeacon. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.