Quick answer
FXRatesAPI - FXRatesAPI wins for most builders because its free tier is less constrained on endpoints and its paid ladder is simpler and cheaper to scale past the starter cap.
How the free tiers compare
Both products are small, perpetual free tiers for currency data APIs, but they optimize for different pain points. CurrencyFreaks gives you 1,000 calls per month with real-time rates updated every minute on the free plan, which is useful if freshness matters and your usage is tiny. FXRatesAPI also gives 1,000 requests per month, but it adds a 60 requests/hour cap and appears to preserve a broader set of endpoint access on the free plan, so it is easier to keep a small app running without hitting a narrow feature wall. On the paid side, CurrencyFreaks is more expensive at each comparable step, especially once you need meaningful volume: its Starter plan is $9.99 for 15K calls, while FXRatesAPI’s Standard is $10 for 10K requests but has no rate limits. If you need higher volume, FXRatesAPI’s $30 Unlimited tier is a much cleaner ceiling than CurrencyFreaks’ jump to $49.99 and $99.99 tiers.
CurrencyFreaks vs FXRatesAPI free tier, side by side
| CurrencyFreaksFTV 45 | FXRatesAPIFTV 52 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free monthly requests / calls | 1,000 API calls/month | 1,000 requests/month |
| Free rate limitsFXRatesAPI publishes an hourly cap on the free plan. | Not stated | 60 requests/hour |
| Free update cadenceCurrencyFreaks’ free plan is slower on refresh. | 24-hour exchange rate updates | Hourly updates for latest data |
| Free base currenciesFXRatesAPI is broader on the free plan. | USD as the base currency | All base currencies for latest data |
| Free card requirementBased on the provided ftv_no_cc_required field. | No credit card required | No credit card required |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat monthly pricing after the free tier, but FXRatesAPI stays cheaper as you scale. CurrencyFreaks starts at $9.99 for 15K calls, then jumps to $49.99 for 150K and $99.99 for 550K, before moving to contact sales. FXRatesAPI starts at $10 for 10K requests, then $30 for 500K, then $80 for unlimited requests. For small-team usage, FXRatesAPI is usually the cheaper path once you outgrow the free cap, especially because its $30 tier is far below CurrencyFreaks’ $49.99 and $99.99 steps.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | CurrencyFreaks | FXRatesAPI |
|---|---|---|
| 10k requests/moFXRatesAPI’s Standard plan lists 10k requests/month. | Free does not cover this; next step is $9.99/mo Starter | $10/mo Standard |
| 15k requests/moCurrencyFreaks Starter includes 15K API calls/month. | $9.99/mo Starter | $10/mo Standard |
| 150k requests/moFXRatesAPI’s Professional plan lists 500k requests/month, so 150k fits inside it. | $49.99/mo Growth | $30/mo Professional or Unlimited, depending on whether 500k or unlimited capacity is enough |
| 500k requests/moFXRatesAPI Professional includes 500k requests/month; CurrencyFreaks Professional lists 550K API calls/month. | $99.99/mo Professional is the first plan that reaches beyond 150K but still under 500K? | $30/mo Professional |
| 550k requests/moAt this level FXRatesAPI’s Unlimited tier is still cheaper than CurrencyFreaks’ Professional plan. | $99.99/mo Professional | $80/mo Unlimited |
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 need currency rates with minute-level freshness on the free tier and can live with 1,000 calls per month.
- You want a very simple starter path for a prototype that only needs USD as the base currency.
- You expect to use endpoints like IP-to-currency detection once you move into CurrencyFreaks’ paid tiers.
- You prefer CurrencyFreaks’ pricing if 15K calls/month at $9.99 is the exact next step you need.
Pick FXRatesAPI when…
- You want a free tier that is easier to stretch across a small production app without an expensive jump.
- You need access to more endpoint variety earlier, especially if your workflow includes latest, historical, conversion, or timeseries data.
- You care about paying less for medium usage, where FXRatesAPI’s $30 Unlimited tier undercuts CurrencyFreaks’ $49.99 Growth and $99.99 Professional plans.
- You want the simplest ceiling for growth because Unlimited requests are available at a fixed monthly price.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, FXRatesAPI is the better default choice. Its free tier is still capped, but the paid ladder is easier to reason about and materially cheaper once usage grows. CurrencyFreaks only becomes the better pick if you specifically care about its faster free update cadence, or if its exact paid feature mix, like IP-to-currency detection, matches your app better. For most builders evaluating free tiers with an eye toward eventual growth, FXRatesAPI offers the cleaner path.
Read the full listings: CurrencyFreaks and FXRatesAPI. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.