How the currency converter works: everything goes through the dollar
Each currency stores one number: what a single unit is worth in US dollars. Converting A
to B is then amount × usdPer[A] ÷ usdPer[B]. A table of every possible pair
would run to thousands of entries and drift out of sync.
Going through one base is also far less data, and it keeps precision steady when the two sides are wildly different in scale, as when you convert Bitcoin to Japanese yen. A pair table would need its own quoted rate for that combination. A common base does not.
The mid-market rate is better than the one you will get
Every rate shown here is the mid-market rate: the midpoint between the buying and selling price on the interbank market. It is the honest reference number, the one news outlets quote, and no individual ever trades at it.
What you get offered is that rate minus a margin, and that margin usually does not show up as a fee. A provider advertising "no commission" makes its money by quoting you 4.85 when the market is at 5.00. The transaction really is commission-free, and it still costs you 3%.
Using the advanced panel to find the real exchange cost
The three inputs match how currency exchange is actually priced out in the world:
- Spread is the margin baked into the rate. Typical ranges run 0.3 to 0.6% at a specialist transfer service, 2 to 4% at a retail bank, 4 to 7% at an airport bureau, and 1 to 3% on a crypto exchange's instant-buy button.
- A percentage fee is a visible charge proportional to the amount, common on card transactions and crypto trading.
- A fixed fee is a flat charge, and it dominates on small amounts. A €5 fixed fee is 0.5% on €1,000 and 10% on €50.
The hidden cost line is the reason the panel exists. It shows the difference between what the mid-market rate would have given you and what you actually receive, in money and as a percentage. Take a competitor's quoted final amount, enter it, and work backward. It is the only reliable way to compare two providers that price in different ways.
How often the exchange rates change
ECB reference rates are published once per working day, around 16:00 Central European Time, and stay put between publications, weekends included. Crypto prices move constantly, so a Bitcoin figure is a snapshot from the moment the page loaded. It may already be stale by the time you read it.
Your browser keeps the last set of rates that loaded successfully, so the converter still works with no connection. When that happens you will see a notice saying the rates are the saved ones and not live.
Your conversions stay private
Rate requests go from your browser straight to the ECB proxy and CoinGecko. They do not pass through our servers, so we never see what you convert or how much. There is no account, no history and no limit.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the rates come from?
Fiat currencies use the European Central Bank's daily reference rates, published each working day around 16:00 CET. Crypto and stablecoins use CoinGecko's aggregated spot prices, which update continuously. Your browser requests both directly, so the rates you see are fetched fresh instead of cached on our side.
Why is the rate different from what my bank offers?
This is the mid-market rate: the midpoint between what buyers and sellers are quoting, with no margin added. No consumer ever gets it. Your bank or exchange adds a spread, and that spread is usually the whole cost of the transfer, even when the transfer is advertised as fee-free. The advanced panel is there to show you that difference.
What exactly is spread?
A margin built into the rate itself instead of charged as a fee. If the mid-market rate is 5.00 and the provider gives you 4.85, that 3% is the spread, and it will not show up on your receipt as a charge. It is the most common way currency exchange is priced, and it is why 'zero commission' can sound like a real benefit while still costing you money.
Which currencies are covered?
About 30 fiat currencies from the ECB's reference list, which covers the major traded ones, plus twenty of the most liquid cryptocurrencies and stablecoins. Currencies outside the ECB list, including pegged and tightly controlled ones, are not available.
Can I use this for tax or accounting?
For a ballpark figure, yes. For a filing, no. Tax authorities usually require a specific source and date: in Brazil, the Banco Central's PTAX; elsewhere, the central bank's published rate for the transaction date. Use the official source your jurisdiction requires.