Currency Converter
Convert between 18+ currencies using indicative exchange rates. Quick, free, and runs in your browser.
Converting $100 at a 0.92 USD/EUR reference rate yields 92 EUR, but a typical 2% provider spread reduces that to about 90.16 EUR — the spread, not the headline rate, is the real cost.
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How This Converter Works
This converter uses indicative reference rates. For live rates, check your bank or a financial data provider.
Disclaimer: Exchange rates fluctuate constantly. Use this tool for estimation only, not for transaction decisions.
Worked example
Convert 100 USD to EUR using the converter's indicative rates (USD 1.00, EUR 0.92 in this example):
Convert to a common base. Every rate in the table is expressed against USD, so the first step normalises: $100 ÷ 1.00 = 100 USD.
Convert out to the target. 100 × 0.92 = 92 EUR at the reference rate.
Apply the spread. Banks and card networks do not give you the reference rate. A typical spread is 0.5% to 3%. At 2%, you receive 92 × 0.98 = 90.16 EUR. The $1.84 difference is the real cost of the conversion.
Add any fixed fee. Many providers charge a flat fee on top of the spread. A $5 fixed fee on a $100 conversion is an additional 5% cost — which is why small conversions are the most expensive ones in percentage terms.
The calculator above uses indicative reference rates, which are mid-market. Your bank's rate will be worse by the spread, and that spread is where the cost of exchanging money actually lives.
What a $1,000 conversion really costs
The headline rate is only part of the price. This compares the same $1,000 to EUR conversion across typical provider types.
| Provider type | Typical cost | EUR received | Cost vs reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-market reference rate | 0% | 920.00 EUR | — |
| Multi-currency fintech card | 0.5–1% | 911–915 EUR | $4.60–$9.20 |
| Online bank / broker | 1–2% | 902–911 EUR | $9.20–$18.40 |
| Traditional bank transfer | 2–4% | 883–902 EUR | $18.40–$36.80 |
| Airport kiosk | 8–12% | 810–846 EUR | $73.60–$110.40 |
Percentage costs are illustrative ranges observed across common provider types. Fixed fees are excluded because they vary by amount; on small conversions a fixed fee often exceeds the spread itself.
Common mistakes with this calculation
- Comparing the headline rate instead of the delivered amount. Two providers can quote the same "no commission" rate and deliver different amounts, because the spread is built into the rate. The only comparison that matters is how many units of the target currency actually arrive in your account.
- Ignoring the fixed fee on small amounts. A $5 fee on a $100 transfer is 5%. The same fee on a $5,000 transfer is 0.1%. If you convert frequently in small amounts, the fixed fee dominates everything else.
- Assuming the reference rate is available to consumers. Mid-market rates are interbank rates. No retail provider offers them on every transaction, and any service advertising "zero fees at the mid-market rate" is either subsidising it elsewhere or restricting it to a limited amount.
- Converting at the point of sale abroad. When a card terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, it is applying its own exchange rate. Always choose to be charged in the local currency and let your own provider do the conversion.
When this calculator does not apply
- The rates in this converter are indicative reference values, not live market rates. They are updated periodically and will drift from the market between updates.
- It does not model the spread, fixed fees, or transfer costs that a real provider applies.
- Weekend and holiday conversions often use a wider spread because the interbank market is closed.
- It converts between currencies directly. A conversion that routes through two illiquid currencies can carry a materially worse effective rate than the pair shown.
- It is not suitable for transaction decisions. Verify the rate with your provider before committing to a transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these rates live?
No, these are indicative reference rates. Actual rates from your bank or exchange service may differ due to spreads and fees.
Why do exchange rates change?
Exchange rates are determined by supply and demand in currency markets, influenced by interest rates, inflation, economic data, and geopolitical events.
Sources & Methodology
This calculator uses standard financial formulas. See our methodology page for the full formula derivation.
- Foreign Exchange Rates Federal Reserve
- Exchange Rate Data US Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Sending Money to Another Country Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Remittance Prices Worldwide World Bank
- Treasury Reporting Rates of Exchange US Department of the Treasury
Last reviewed .
Key takeaways
- The reference rate is not a rate you can transact at. The spread is the real cost.
- Compare providers by the amount delivered, never by the advertised fee.
- Fixed fees punish small transfers disproportionately; batch them where you can.
- Always decline "pay in your home currency" at foreign terminals and ATMs.
- Use this tool to estimate, then confirm the actual rate with your provider before transferring.