The currency converter uses live mid-market exchange rates fetched from open.er-api.com and cached in your browser for up to one hour. Rates are for reference only — they are the wholesale interbank rate, not the rate you will receive at a bank, exchange bureau, or credit card transaction. Always check the rate your provider offers before exchanging money.
How the conversion works
All conversions use USD as an intermediate base:
amount_in_USD = input_amount / rate_from_to_USD
result = amount_in_USD × rate_to_to_USD
Rates are expressed as "units of currency per 1 USD". For example, if EUR/USD = 0.92, then €1 = 1/0.92 USD ≈ $1.087.
Practical examples
Example 1 — US to Europe
$500 USD to EUR at a rate of 0.92:
$500 ÷ 1 × 0.92 = €460
Example 2 — Cross-currency (EUR to JPY)
€200 EUR to JPY. EUR/USD = 0.92, JPY/USD = 149.5.
€200 → $200/0.92 = $217.39 → $217.39 × 149.5 = ¥32,499
Example 3 — Budget check
You have ₹50,000 INR for a trip to the UK. INR/USD = 83.5, GBP/USD = 0.785.
₹50,000 → $599 → $599 × 0.785 = £470
Common mistakes
Assuming mid-market rates are what you get. Banks and exchange services add a spread (typically 1–5%) and may charge fixed fees on top. The mid-market rate is a benchmark, not a guaranteed transaction rate.
Not checking whether your card charges foreign transaction fees. Many credit cards add 1–3% on top of the exchange rate. Travel cards (e.g. Wise, Revolut, Charles Schwab) often offer rates closer to mid-market with no foreign transaction fees.
Using outdated cached rates for large transactions. Click "Refresh" to force a new rate fetch before making important comparisons. Rates in volatile markets can move significantly within an hour.
International and regional variations
| Exchange method | Typical spread over mid-market | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airport exchange bureau | 5–10% | Most expensive; use only for small amounts |
| Bank counter | 2–5% | Varies widely by institution |
| ATM abroad (local currency) | 1–3% | Use "charge in local currency" to avoid DCC |
| Travel credit card | 0–2% | Best option for most travelers |
| Money transfer service (Wise) | 0.35–1% | Best for large transfers |
Quick reference — popular currency pairs
| Pair | Full name | Commonly used for |
|---|---|---|
| USD/EUR | US Dollar / Euro | US ↔ Europe |
| USD/GBP | US Dollar / British Pound | US ↔ UK |
| USD/JPY | US Dollar / Japanese Yen | US ↔ Japan |
| EUR/GBP | Euro / British Pound | Europe ↔ UK |
| GBP/INR | British Pound / Indian Rupee | UK ↔ India |
| USD/CAD | US Dollar / Canadian Dollar | US ↔ Canada |