Currencylayer API Pricing & Best Alternative (2026)

Last updated: 24 August 2026

Currencylayer’s API pricing includes a free plan, but it caps you at 100 API calls a month and restricts the base currency to USD. If your application requires EUR, GBP, or another base currency, you must upgrade to a paid plan starting at $13.99/month. CurrencyFreaks gives you 1,000 free API calls a month, ten times the free allowance, across 1029 currencies, and paid plans start at $9.99. Both providers restrict the free tier to a USD base currency, so the practical difference on the free plan is call volume, currency coverage, and update access rather than base currency.

Whether you're a developer or a business, this comparison will help you decide. So, let's find out which API is the most reliable Exchange Rates REST API!

CurrencyFreaks Vs. Currencylayer

What is CurrencyFreaks?

CurrencyFreaks is a high-performance currency conversion and forex exchange rate API providing real-time and historical data for 1029 world currencies, including 166 fiat currencies, 4 metals, and 859 cryptocurrencies.

With SSL-encrypted requests, geolocation-based routing for 20–40 ms global latency, and reliable updates every minute, CurrencyFreaks ensures fast, secure, and accurate currency data for developers, businesses, and financial platforms.

Its REST API supports both JSON and XML formats and includes endpoints for live rates, historical data, currency conversion, fluctuations, time series, and IP-to-currency mapping.

Designed for ease of use, CurrencyFreaks offers free and paid plans to suit all needs, from 1,000 free API calls per month to high-volume enterprise solutions.

Developers benefit from detailed documentation with working examples in multiple programming languages, priority customer support, and flexible base currency options on paid plans.

Trusted by global companies such as Equiti, HP, and Gartner, CurrencyFreaks delivers reliable, developer-focused currency solutions for both simple integrations and complex financial applications.

What is Currencylayer by APILayer?

Currencylayer by APILayer is a reliable real-time JSON API providing accurate exchange rates for 168 world currencies and precious metals, sourced from banks and commercial data providers.

With updates ranging from every 60 minutes down to 60 seconds depending on the plan, the API ensures developers, startups, and businesses receive fast, precise, and secure currency data.

Its RESTful endpoints support live rates, historical data, currency conversion, source currency switching, and currency change parameters, all delivered over 256-bit HTTPS for secure integration in web, mobile, or back-office applications.

Designed for simplicity and scalability, Currencylayer offers free and paid plans starting at $0 for limited access up to enterprise-grade subscriptions for high-volume needs.

Developers benefit from interactive documentation with examples in multiple programming languages, intuitive API endpoints, and responsive technical support.

Trusted by over 250,000 companies worldwide including Disney, Pixar, Lyft, and TeamViewer, Currencylayer empowers businesses to integrate reliable forex data into their applications, enabling informed financial decisions and smooth currency conversions at any scale.

Conclusion

Consider your specific requirements when choosing between CurrencyFreaks and Currencylayer for your Exchange Rates REST API needs. CurrencyFreaks is reliable and affordable, focusing on simplicity and a wide range of supported currencies. It also focuses on cryptocurrencies. Currencylayer provides real-time and historical exchange rates with global coverage and easy integration.

CurrencyFreaks encrypts all plans if security is crucial, while Currencylayer offers it only for paid plans. CurrencyFreaks also offers location-based currency conversion, which Currencylayer lacks.

In practice, the free tiers suit different jobs. With 100 calls a month, Currencylayer's free plan covers a proof of concept or a handful of manual tests, but an hourly cron job would exhaust it in under five days. CurrencyFreaks' 1,000 calls a month is enough to refresh rates once an hour for a full month with room to spare, which is the usual pattern for a pricing page or a dashboard that caches rates server-side and serves every visitor from that cache.

Your choice depends on your project's needs, budget, and support requirements. Both are popular options with unique features, so evaluate them based on your criteria before deciding. Start with the free currency converter API, no credit card required.

FAQs

How Often Does the CurrencyLayer API Update Exchange Rates?

Currencylayer updates exchange rate data depending on the plan. The free plan provides daily updates, while paid plans offer faster updates ranging from every 60 minutes to 10 minutes and up to 60 seconds on higher tiers.

What are CurrencyLayer API Pricing Plans?

Currencylayer offers a free plan with 100 API calls per month and daily updates. Paid plans start at $13.99 per month and include features such as higher request limits, faster update frequency, currency conversion, and the ability to change the base currency.

Does the Currencylayer Free Plan Allow Base Currency Changes?

No. The Currencylayer free plan restricts the base currency to USD only. To use other base currencies like EUR or GBP, you must upgrade to a paid plan.

What Is the Best Free Alternative to Currencylayer?

CurrencyFreaks is a popular alternative to Currencylayer. It offers 1,000 free API calls per month, SSL encryption on all plans, and support for multiple base currencies on paid tiers.

How Do You Integrate the CurrencyFreaks Exchange Rates REST API?

You can integrate the CurrencyFreaks API by creating an account, obtaining your API key, and sending requests to its endpoints to fetch exchange rate data. The API returns data in JSON or XML format, which can be used in web or mobile applications.

Sign Up for free at CurrencyFreaks and get real-time and accurate rates for your applications.