Quick answer
Currency Api - Currency Api wins for most builders who want a no-card free tier with more monthly requests and faster updates, while ExchangeRate-API is better if daily free usage and built-in historical data matter more than volume.
How the free tiers compare
The main difference is not just quota size, but how much you can do before paying. Currency Api’s free tier is narrower on features, but it gives you 500 requests a month, hourly updates, and a very simple upgrade path if you just need live conversion data. ExchangeRate-API gives you more breathing room on the free plan at 1.5K requests a month, plus historical data, email support, relaxed quota enforcement, and a broader starter package, but the data refreshes only once per day. If you are prototyping a small app or internal tool, ExchangeRate-API is easier to live with at zero cost. If you need fresher rates, fewer feature gaps, and a plan that scales more clearly into higher request counts, Currency Api is the cleaner pick.
Currency Api vs ExchangeRate-API free tier, side by side
| Currency ApiFTV 48 | ExchangeRate-APIFTV 52 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free monthly requestsExchangeRate-API gives 3x the free request volume. | 500 | 1.5K |
| Free update frequencyCurrency Api is fresher on the free plan. | Every 60 minutes | Once per day |
| Historical data on free tierA free-tier advantage for ExchangeRate-API. | No | Yes |
| Free API keysCurrency Api explicitly limits the free plan to one key. | 1 | Not stated |
| Free credit card requirementBoth inputs explicitly say ftv_no_cc_required is true. | No card required | No card required |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing after free, so the comparison is mostly about entry price and request caps. Currency Api starts at $9.99/month for 20,000 requests, then $34.99/month for 125,000, then $74.99/month for 10,000,000. ExchangeRate-API starts at $10/month for 30,000 requests, then $30/month for 125,000. For small teams, ExchangeRate-API is slightly cheaper at the first step and gives more requests; Currency Api becomes more attractive if you need its feature set or eventually want the larger top-end tier.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Currency Api | ExchangeRate-API |
|---|---|---|
| 20k requests/moExchangeRate-API's Pro plan includes 30k requests, so 20k fits within it at $10/mo. | $9.99/mo | est. over Pro tier or unavailable at this cap |
| 30k requests/moCurrency Api's Essential plan stops at 20k requests. | needs StartUp at $34.99/mo | $10/mo |
| 125k requests/moBoth products have a 125k tier, but ExchangeRate-API is cheaper at that level. | $34.99/mo | $30/mo |
| 10M requests/moCurrency Api lists a 10,000,000-request Professional plan; no equivalent 10M plan was provided for ExchangeRate-API. | $74.99/mo | not stated |
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 need hourly rate refreshes on the free tier instead of daily updates.
- You want a simple live conversion API and do not need historical data yet.
- You expect to upgrade into a plan with 20,000 requests/month for a modest fee.
- You only need one API key and are fine with personal-use limits on the free plan.
Pick ExchangeRate-API when…
- You want the most usable free tier for a small prototype or side project.
- You need historical data on the free plan.
- You value email support and relaxed quota enforcement even before paying.
- You want to stretch to 1.5K requests/month before thinking about an upgrade.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, ExchangeRate-API is the better free-tier choice because it gives more room to experiment and includes historical data with no card required. Currency Api wins if you care more about fresher hourly updates and a cleaner path to paid tiers with clearly published request caps. If you are just testing an app, pick ExchangeRate-API. If you are building something that will quickly need more current rates, Currency Api is the more practical long-term fit.
Read the full listings: Currency Api and ExchangeRate-API. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.