Currency Converter
Convert between world currencies with live mid-market rates — plus the honest truth about fees.
Convert currencies
100 * 5.How to Use the Converter
Enter the amount, pick the currency you're converting from and the one you're converting to. The result appears instantly, with the exchange rate shown both ways.
The converter loads live mid-market rates when you're online (look for the note under the result). If you're offline, it falls back to a recent snapshot so you still get a useful estimate.
How Exchange Rates Work
An exchange rate is simply the price of one currency in terms of another — set every second by global supply and demand. When more people want euros than dollars, the euro strengthens and the rate moves. Central bank decisions, inflation differences, trade flows, and plain market mood all push it around.
What you see here is the mid-market rate: the midpoint between the buy and sell prices on wholesale markets. It's the fairest reference number — but it's not the rate you'll actually get. Every bank, card, and exchange bureau adds a margin on top, which is where your real cost hides (more on that below).
Rates are quoted per 1 unit: "1 USD = 0.92 EUR" means one dollar buys 0.92 euros. Flip it — "1 EUR = 1.087 USD" — and that's the inverse rate, shown above for convenience.
Worked Example: $500 to EUR
Step 1 — Find the rate
Snapshot rate: 1 USD = 0.8985 EUR.
Step 2 — Convert
$500 × 0.8985 = €449.25.
Step 3 — Sanity check with the inverse
1 EUR = 1.1130 USD, so €449.25 × 1.1130 = $500.02 (rounding). The math goes both ways.
Now the real-world catch: your bank won't give you 0.8985. With a typical 2% margin you'd get ~0.88, or €440 — the missing €9 is the bank's cut, not a math error.
Why Rates Move Every Day
Exchange rates never sit still because they're set by millions of simultaneous trades. The big movers:
- Interest rate decisions. When a central bank raises rates, its currency usually strengthens — higher yields attract global money. Fed and ECB meetings routinely swing EUR/USD by a cent or more in minutes.
- Inflation gaps. A currency losing purchasing power fast tends to weaken against steadier ones. Persistent high inflation is a slow-motion devaluation.
- Trade and capital flows. Countries exporting more than they import see steady demand for their currency; big investment inflows do the same.
- Risk mood. In a crisis, money floods into "safe havens" (USD, CHF, JPY) and out of riskier currencies — regardless of economic fundamentals.
For everyday conversions none of this matters much — a 0.5% daily wiggle is noise next to the 3% your bank skims. It only matters for large, well-timed transfers, where watching the trend for a week or two can save real money.
Sending Money Home: What Actually Matters
If you work abroad and send money to family, the fee tables flip in importance. A $200 monthly remittance through a bank at 5% costs $10 every month — $120 a year evaporated. The same transfer through a specialist at 0.7% costs $1.40. Over a decade of monthly transfers, that's roughly $1,000 saved — a month's wages in many countries — for choosing a different app.
Three things to check before you commit to a provider: the total cost (fee + margin, always), the delivery speed (minutes vs days matters in emergencies), and reliability (regulated providers with real support). The cheapest quote from an unknown service isn't cheap if the money doesn't arrive.
Fees to Watch: Banks vs Wise vs Cards
The rate is only half the story. Here's what the main options really cost on a $1,000 transfer:
| Method | Typical margin | Cost on $1,000 | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist transfer (Wise, etc.) | 0.4–1% | $4–$10 | Hours–1 day |
| Credit card (no foreign fee) | ~1% | ~$10 | Instant |
| Credit card (with foreign fee) | ~3–4% | $30–$40 | Instant |
| Your bank (wire/branch) | 3–5% | $30–$50 | 1–3 days |
| Airport / hotel exchange | 7–12% | $70–$120 | Instant |
Two rules of thumb: never exchange at the airport unless it's a tiny emergency amount, and get a no-foreign-transaction-fee card before any trip abroad — it's the cheapest instant option and often free to hold.
Travel Money Tips
- Pay in the local currency. When a card terminal or ATM offers "pay in USD instead," always decline — that "convenience" uses a terrible rate (dynamic currency conversion). Choose euros in Europe, yen in Japan, always.
- Use ATMs, not exchange counters. A local ATM with your debit card usually gives near mid-market rates plus a small flat fee. Withdraw larger amounts fewer times to dilute the fee.
- Carry a little cash, not a lot. Enough for taxis, tips, and markets on day one — cards cover the rest almost everywhere now.
- Watch the trend, not the day. For a big transfer (tuition, a house deposit), a 2% rate swing dwarfs any fee. If your currency has been sliding for weeks, consider moving sooner rather than timing the perfect day.
- Tell your bank you're traveling. A frozen card abroad is worse than any fee. Most banks let you set a travel notice in their app in 30 seconds.
My saved numbers reuse them in any calculator
Save a number once — like your rent or hourly rate — then just type its name instead of the number, in any calculator here. You can also type formulas like 5000 * 1.1 right into any box.
Saved only in this browser — nothing is sent to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are exchange rates set?
By global supply and demand, traded every second. Central bank decisions, inflation differences, trade flows, and market sentiment all move rates. What you see here is the mid-market rate — the midpoint of wholesale buy/sell prices.
Where can I get the best exchange rate?
Specialist transfer services (like Wise) at 0.4–1% margin, or a no-foreign-transaction-fee credit card at ~1%. Your bank typically charges 3–5%, and airport kiosks 7–12% — avoid those except for tiny emergency amounts.
What is a currency conversion fee?
It is the margin between the mid-market rate and the rate you actually get, sometimes plus a flat fee. A "3% fee" on $1,000 means you effectively receive $970 worth of foreign currency.
Are online converters accurate?
For the mid-market rate, yes — usually within a fraction of a percent of live markets. But no converter shows what you will actually receive, because every provider adds its own margin. Treat converter results as the benchmark, then subtract the provider's cut.
Should I exchange money before traveling?
Get a small amount of local cash before you go (enough for day one), then use local ATMs with a no-fee debit card for the rest — that combination beats exchanging a lump sum at home or at the airport.