Currency Converter

Currency Converter: Real-Time Exchange Rates for Global Finance

Our free currency converter provides real-time exchange rates for over 30 world currencies, powered by the European Central Bank's reference rates. Whether you're planning international travel, managing foreign investments, pricing products for global markets, or sending money abroad, accurate currency conversion is essential. This tool delivers instant conversions with rates updated daily, plus favorites, multi-currency comparison, and offline mode for cached rates when you're without internet access.

For premium users, we offer historical rate charts showing 30, 90, and 365-day trends, helping you identify favorable conversion timing and understand currency movements. All features work entirely in your browser—no account required for basic conversions. For related financial calculations, explore our Percentage Calculator and Tax Calculator.

Understanding Exchange Rates

Exchange rates represent the value of one currency expressed in terms of another. When you see "EUR/USD = 1.10," it means 1 Euro equals 1.10 US Dollars. Rates fluctuate constantly based on economic factors, central bank policies, geopolitical events, and market sentiment. Our converter uses mid-market rates—the midpoint between buy and sell rates—providing the fairest benchmark for calculations.

The European Central Bank (ECB) publishes reference rates daily around 16:00 CET. These rates are widely used as benchmarks for non-commercial purposes, academic research, and fair value estimates. Unlike commercial exchange services, reference rates don't include markups or spreads, though actual exchange transactions will typically have less favorable rates.

Major currency pairs like EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, and USD/CHF have the highest trading volumes and typically the tightest spreads. Exotic pairs involving emerging market currencies often have wider spreads and more volatility. Our converter supports all ECB-tracked currencies including major, minor, and some emerging market currencies. Check VAT with our VAT Calculator.

Using the Multi-Currency Comparison Feature

The comparison feature lets you see how your amount converts to multiple currencies simultaneously. This is invaluable when choosing among destinations for travel, comparing international pricing, or evaluating which currency offers the best value for a purchase. Add up to five currencies to your comparison list with a single click.

Favorites let you mark frequently-used currencies for quick access. Your favorites appear at the top of currency dropdowns and are saved to your browser, persisting across sessions. International business users, frequent travelers, or anyone regularly converting the same currencies will find this particularly useful.

Offline mode automatically activates when internet connection is unavailable, using cached rates from your last online session. While not live, cached rates provide reasonable estimates for planning purposes. The status bar clearly indicates when you're using offline cached data. For discount calculations, use our Discount Calculator.

Historical Rate Analysis (Premium)

Premium users access historical rate charts showing how exchange rates have moved over 30, 90, or 365 days. This feature helps you understand whether current rates are historically favorable, identify trends, and time large currency exchanges strategically. The visual chart makes rate movements immediately apparent.

Rate change indicators show the percentage change between the period's start and end, highlighting currencies that have strengthened or weakened. If you're planning a future expense in foreign currency, trend analysis helps you decide whether to convert now or wait for potentially better rates.

Tips for Currency Exchange

Avoid airport exchanges. Airport currency exchange kiosks typically offer the worst rates—often 10-15% worse than mid-market. If you must use them, exchange only small amounts for immediate needs and find better options later.

Use local ATMs wisely. Bank ATMs in your destination country often offer better rates than exchange bureaus. Choose to be charged in the local currency (not your home currency) to avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion, which adds hidden margins. Plan finances with our Savings Calculator.

Compare multiple services. Online transfer services like Wise, Revolut, or OFX often offer rates closer to mid-market than traditional banks. Compare several options before making large transfers. The difference on a $10,000 transfer can easily be $100-200.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often are exchange rates updated?

Our rates come from the European Central Bank and are updated daily around 16:00 CET (15:00 GMT) on working days. Weekend and holiday rates reflect the last working day's values. For real-time trading needs, specialized forex platforms with live feeds are more appropriate.

Why do actual exchange rates differ from these calculations?

Banks and exchange services add their margin (spread) to the mid-market rate, typically 1-5% for consumer services. Our converter shows the mid-market reference rate—useful for understanding fair value, but actual transactions will have slightly less favorable rates. Calculate markups with our Markup Calculator.

What currencies are supported?

We support all currencies tracked by the European Central Bank: USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF, CAD, AUD, NZD, CNY, INR, and 20+ others. All major global currencies are included. Some very small or pegged currencies may not be available.

Does offline mode affect accuracy?

Offline mode uses your most recently cached rates. For major stable currency pairs, rates typically don't move dramatically day-to-day (usually under 1%). For volatile pairs or extended offline periods, treat calculations as estimates. The status bar shows when you're using cached data.