Quick answer
CurrencyFreaks - CurrencyFreaks wins for most builders because its free tier is much more usable, with 1,000 calls a month, no card required, and a better path before you hit paid plans.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers serve the same basic use case, but they are not close in shape. CurrencyFreaks gives you 1,000 monthly API calls, SSL, and real-time rates updated every minute on the free plan, so it can support small prototypes and low-traffic apps without immediate friction. Currencylayer is more restrictive on the free tier at 100 calls and daily updates, and the card requirement is not waived in the data provided. On the paid side, CurrencyFreaks stays simple with flat plans that jump from 15K to 150K to 550K calls. Currencylayer starts cheaper at $14.99, but it adds overage charges, so the bill can rise with usage. If you want to stay free longer, CurrencyFreaks is the easier starting point. If you expect to pay and want metered growth, Currencylayer gives more granular scaling.
CurrencyFreaks vs Currencylayer free tier, side by side
| CurrencyFreaksFTV 45 | CurrencylayerFTV 39 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free API callsCurrencyFreaks gives 10x more calls on the free tier. | 1,000/month | 100 included |
| Update frequency on free tierCurrencylayer is slower on the free tier. | Real-time rates updated every minute | Daily updates |
| Historical rates on free tierCurrencylayer exposes a stronger free-data mix here. | Not listed in free tier items | Included |
| Base currency on free tierCurrencyFreaks explicitly limits the free base currency. | USD as the base currency | Not specified |
| Support on free tierBoth free tiers are light on support. | Limited support | No support |
| Credit card required for free tierCurrencylayer's no-CC status is not stated in the input. | No | Unknown |
After you outgrow the free tier
CurrencyFreaks uses flat monthly plans, so costs jump at set tiers: $9.99 for 15K calls, $49.99 for 150K, and $99.99 for 550K, with enterprise by quote. Currencylayer is also flat at the plan level, but it adds per-request overage charges on paid tiers, so usage can push the bill above the base price. For small-team usage, CurrencyFreaks is easier to predict. Currencylayer can be cheaper at the first paid step if you stay near the included request limit, but it gets less predictable once you exceed it.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | CurrencyFreaks | Currencylayer |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 requests/moCurrencylayer's Basic includes 10,000 requests, but the input also lists +0.005996 each overage. | Free (within 15K Starter tier once paid) | $14.99/mo base; overage may apply if requests exceed included quota |
| 15,000 requests/moCurrencyFreaks Starter includes 15K calls. Currencylayer's Basic quota is 10K requests. | $9.99/mo | ~$44.97/mo est. if 5,000 requests over Basic are charged at +0.005996 each |
| 100,000 requests/moCurrencyFreaks would need Growth for 150K calls. Currencylayer's Enterprise includes 100K requests. | $49.99/mo or more likely $99.99/mo depending on need for 150K-plus volume | $59.99/mo base; overage may apply if requests exceed 100K |
| 500,000 requests/moCurrencyFreaks Professional includes 550K calls. Currencylayer Enterprise+ includes 500K requests. | $99.99/mo or contact sales if volume needs exceed 550K plan boundaries | $99.99/mo base; overage may apply if requests exceed 500K |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick CurrencyFreaks when…
- You are building a small app or demo that can stay under 1,000 calls per month.
- You want a free tier with no credit card requirement.
- You need real-time rates on the free plan instead of daily updates.
- You want a simple flat-price upgrade path once you outgrow the free tier.
- You only need basic currency lookup and conversion for light traffic.
Pick Currencylayer when…
- You are okay with a very small free quota and just want to test the API shape.
- You want historical rates included even on the free plan.
- You expect to move into a paid plan with request overages rather than hard jumps.
- You care about annual billing options on the paid tiers.
- You need source currency switching or time-frame queries in paid tiers.
Bottom line
For the most common builder scenario, CurrencyFreaks is the better free-tier choice: it gives you far more room to experiment, it does not require a card, and its first paid step is straightforward. Currencylayer only makes more sense if you are fine with a tight free cap and want a plan structure that includes request overages and annual billing options. If you are starting from free and trying to postpone payment, CurrencyFreaks is the safer pick.
Read the full listings: CurrencyFreaks and Currencylayer. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.