Exchange Rate API vs Fixer.io vs XE.com vs ExchangeRate-API (2026)

Choosing an exchange rate API is a boring decision with expensive consequences. Pick one with stale data and your checkout shows prices 2% off the market. Pick one with a tight free tier and you hit a wall the day you launch. Pick one with EUR-only base currencies and you spend the next sprint rewriting conversion logic.

This article compares the four most-searched exchange rate APIs of 2026 — Exchange Rate API, Fixer.io, XE.com, and ExchangeRate-API — across the criteria that actually matter: update frequency, latency, HTTPS, currency coverage, historical data, CORS, and free-tier limits.

TL;DR — Quick Comparison Table

Real-Time Updates: How Fresh Is the Data?

• Exchange Rate API refreshes every 60 seconds from Reuters/Refinitiv and interbank feeds.
• XE.com also runs 60-second updates, backed by 30+ years of FX aggregation.
• Fixer.io updates hourly on most tiers, sourced from the European Central Bank.
• ExchangeRate-API updates daily on the free plan.

Latency: How Fast Does the API Respond?

• ExchangeRate-API ~134ms — fastest overall, thanks to aggressive CDN caching of daily snapshots.
• Exchange Rate API ~214ms — fastest among real-time providers.
• Fixer.io ~342ms.
• XE.com ~471ms — slowest in the group.

HTTPS and Security

• Exchange Rate API, XE, ExchangeRate-API — HTTPS on every plan.
• Fixer.io — HTTP-only on the free tier. HTTPS is a paid feature.

Base Currency Flexibility

• Exchange Rate API, XE, ExchangeRate-API — any base currency on any plan.
• Fixer.io — EUR only on the free tier.

Historical Rates

• Exchange Rate API — free on every plan.
• Fixer, XE, ExchangeRate-API — paid plans only.

CORS Support

• Exchange Rate API, ExchangeRate-API — CORS enabled.
• Fixer, XE — no CORS. Browser calls fail without a proxy.

Free Tier: What You Actually Get

• Exchange Rate API — free forever. All endpoints (including historical), all base currencies, HTTPS, CORS.
• ExchangeRate-API — free forever. 1,500 requests/month, daily updates, no historical on free.
• Fixer.io — free but constrained. 100 requests/month, hourly updates, EUR base only, HTTP only.
• XE.com — trial only. Permanent use requires a paid annual plan.

When to Use Each API

Use Exchange Rate API when

• You need real-time rates without paying for them.
• You need historical data on a free tier.
• You're calling from the browser (CORS).
• You want flexible base currencies.

Use ExchangeRate-API when

• Daily rates are good enough.
• You need high request volume on the free tier.
• You want the fastest response times.

Use Fixer.io when

• You're a European product and EUR-base is natural.
• You need ECB-aligned data for regulatory reasons.

Use XE.com when

• You're an enterprise with an annual budget.
• You need XE's brand recognition or ERP integrations.

The Bottom Line

For most developers in 2026, Exchange Rate API is the best default:

• Real-time rates (60-second updates from Reuters/Refinitiv).
• Historical data on the free tier.
• Any base currency, HTTPS, CORS out of the box.
• 99.9% uptime and sub-250ms latency.

FAQ

Which exchange rate API is the most accurate?

Accuracy tracks the data source. Providers using Reuters/Refinitiv or interbank feeds (Exchange Rate API, XE) deliver tighter mid-market rates than providers using ECB end-of-day snapshots (Fixer, ExchangeRate-API on the free tier).

Which exchange rate API has the best free tier?

Depends on the axis. ExchangeRate-API has the highest request cap (1,500/month). Exchange Rate API has the richest feature set: real-time, historical, any base, CORS, HTTPS.

Which API is cheapest for historical rates?

Exchange Rate API — historical rates are included on the free tier. Every other provider in this comparison charges for historical data.

npm install @exchangerateapi/sdk