Where do the live exchange rates come from?
Live rates are sourced from Open Exchange Rates API (168 currencies, updates daily) as the primary source. If unavailable, we fall back to European Central Bank data via Frankfurter v2 API (api.frankfurter.dev/v2). Rates are cached in your browser for 30 minutes. For actual financial transactions, always verify with your bank or a service like Wise/XE.
Why is the rate different from what my bank quotes?
Banks add a markup (spread) of 1–5% on the mid-market rate shown here. The mid-market rate is the midpoint between buy and sell prices. Banks profit from this difference. Online transfer services like Wise typically charge 0.3–1.5% above mid-market.
How do rate alerts work?
Set a currency pair (e.g. USD/INR), choose whether you want an alert when the rate goes above or below a target, and enter the target rate. The page checks rates every 5 minutes while open and triggers a browser notification (if you enable them) plus an in-page banner when the rate crosses your target.
Which currencies support historical charts?
Historical charts use European Central Bank data via Frankfurter v2 API (api.frankfurter.dev/v2), which covers 32 currencies: AUD, BGN, BRL, CAD, CHF, CNY, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JPY, KRW, MXN, MYR, NOK, NZD, PHP, PLN, RON, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR. Pegged currencies like AED and SAR show a note since their rate is fixed.
What are pegged currencies?
Several Gulf currencies are fixed to the US Dollar: UAE Dirham (AED) = 3.6725, Saudi Riyal (SAR) = 3.75, Qatari Riyal (QAR) = 3.64, Bahraini Dinar (BHD) = 0.376, Omani Rial (OMR) = 0.385, Jordanian Dinar (JOD) = 0.709. These exchange rates are maintained by their central banks and do not fluctuate against USD.
What is the cheapest way to send money internationally?
Wise (TransferWise) and Remitly typically offer the best rates — 0.3–1.5% above mid-market with transparent fees shown upfront. Western Union and PayPal cost more but have wider networks. Traditional bank wires charge 3–5% plus a flat fee. Always compare total cost (fee + exchange rate markup) before sending.
What does the 24h change on popular pairs mean?
The percentage shown on popular pair cards compares today's live rate against yesterday's ECB closing rate (from the previous business day). Yesterday's rate is fetched from Frankfurter v2 API using the previous date. For pegged pairs (like AED/INR), the change reflects only the movement in the non-pegged currency (INR).