Quick answer
CurrencyFreaks - CurrencyFreaks wins for most builders because its free tier has 1,000 calls, more currencies, and more complete exchange-rate coverage, while Currency Api is better only if you want the cleaner path to a larger flat-priced paid cap later.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers sit in the same category, but they optimize for different starting points. Currency Api is the smaller free plan: 500 monthly requests, hourly updates, one API key, and no historical rates or commercial use, but it does have a simple upgrade path with clear flat pricing. CurrencyFreaks gives you more room to test: 1,000 API calls per month, SSL, and a broader endpoint set in the product description, plus a paid ladder that adds more update frequency and endpoints at each step. If you are validating an app or prototype, CurrencyFreaks is easier to live with because the free cap is larger. If you already know you will outgrow free quickly and want a straightforward flat-priced next step, Currency Api’s Essential plan is the cleaner jump.
Currency Api vs CurrencyFreaks free tier, side by side
| Currency ApiFTV 48 | CurrencyFreaksFTV 45 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free monthly requestsCurrencyFreaks gives you 2x the free request volume. | 500 | 1,000 |
| Update cadence on free tierCurrency Api updates more often on the free plan. | Hourly | 24-hour exchange rate updates |
| Base currency on free tierBoth restrict base-currency flexibility on free. | Fixed base currency | USD as the base currency |
| API keys on free tierCurrency Api explicitly limits free users to one key. | 1 | Not specified |
| Historical rates on free tierCurrency Api explicitly excludes historical rates from free. | No | Not listed in free tier items |
| Support on free tierCurrencyFreaks at least includes limited support. | No technical support | Limited support |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing for their first paid tiers, so the cost jump is predictable rather than usage-metered. Currency Api starts at $9.99/month for 20,000 requests, then scales to $34.99 and $74.99 as request volume rises. CurrencyFreaks also starts at $9.99/month, but its ladder is broader: 15K, 150K, and 550K calls before Enterprise. For very small teams, the two are similarly priced, but Currency Api gives slightly more requests at the first paid step, while CurrencyFreaks offers more headroom once usage grows.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Currency Api | CurrencyFreaks |
|---|---|---|
| 20K API calls/moCurrency Api’s Essential plan covers 20,000 requests; CurrencyFreaks would need at least Growth at 150K calls because Starter is 15K. | $9.99/mo | ~$49.99/mo est. |
| 125K API calls/moCurrency Api’s StartUp plan covers 125,000 requests; CurrencyFreaks needs Growth for 150K, which is the first tier above 125K. | ~$34.99/mo | ~$49.99/mo est. |
| 150K API calls/moCurrency Api would need Professional at 10M requests; CurrencyFreaks reaches this volume on Growth. | ~$74.99/mo est. | $49.99/mo |
| 550K API calls/moCurrency Api still fits within Professional; CurrencyFreaks needs its Professional plan. | ~$74.99/mo est. | $99.99/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 are building a personal project and 500 requests per month is enough.
- You only need live exchange rates and do not need historical data on the free tier.
- You want a simple first paid step at $9.99/month with 20,000 requests and no rate limits.
- You expect to stay on one API key and do not need team features yet.
Pick CurrencyFreaks when…
- You need more than 500 requests but still want to stay free while prototyping.
- You want broader currency coverage and endpoints beyond the bare minimum exchange-rate lookup.
- You may need historical rates, time series, or IP-to-currency features once you pay.
- You want a paid ladder that scales from 15K to 150K to 550K calls before custom enterprise pricing.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, CurrencyFreaks is the better free-tier starting point because it doubles the free request budget and gives you a broader path if the project grows. Currency Api is the better choice when you care more about a straightforward paid jump and you are already close to a small, fixed monthly workload. If you are unsure, CurrencyFreaks is usually the safer free trial for real integration work.
Read the full listings: Currency Api and CurrencyFreaks. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.