Why Developers Look Beyond Open Exchange Rates
Open Exchange Rates (OXR) is a well-known currency API, but its free tier has significant restrictions. The free plan locks you to USD as the base currency and limits updates to hourly. There are no official SDKs, and HTTPS is only available on paid plans. Exchange Rate API removes these barriers and offers a more developer-friendly experience from day one.
Any Base Currency
Use any of 160+ currencies. OXR free tier = USD only.
60x Faster Updates
Every 60 seconds vs OXR's hourly updates.
Free HTTPS
Secure connections on every plan. OXR charges extra.
Official SDKs
JS, Python, PHP, React. OXR has community wrappers only.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Exchange Rate API | Open Exchange Rates |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | 300 requests/month | 1,000 requests/month |
| HTTPS on Free Plan | Yes, included | No (paid only) |
| Base Currency (Free) | Any of 160+ currencies | USD only |
| Update Frequency | Every 60 seconds | Every 30 minutes (hourly on free) |
| Currencies Supported | 160+ | 170+ |
| Official SDKs | JS, Python, PHP, React | None (community only) |
| CORS Support | Yes, all plans | Paid plans only |
| Historical Data | Yes | Yes |
| Paid Plans Start At | $4.99/month | $12/month |
| Credit Card Required | No | No |
| Data Source | Reuters/Refinitiv interbank | Various financial sources |
| Time-Series Data | Yes | Paid plans only |
Base Currency Flexibility Matters
One of the biggest limitations of Open Exchange Rates' free plan is the USD-only base currency restriction. If your application needs to convert from EUR, GBP, INR, or any non-USD currency, you are forced to upgrade to a paid plan or perform manual cross-rate calculations that reduce accuracy. Exchange Rate API allows any of 160+ currencies as the base on all plans, including the free tier.
The Verdict
Open Exchange Rates is a reliable API with a decent free tier request limit. However, its restrictions on base currencies, HTTPS, and update frequency push many developers toward paid plans sooner than necessary. Exchange Rate API offers more flexibility at every tier, with faster updates, free HTTPS, and first-party SDKs that make integration faster.
Migrating from OXR is straightforward. Update your endpoint URL and switch from an API key query parameter to a Bearer token header. Your data formats are similar, and our documentation provides migration examples.
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