Currencylayer vs Fixer
Compare Currencylayer and Fixer for currency and forex data, free-tier limits, update frequency, and pricing.
Checked 24 July 2026
At a glance
| Feature | Currencylayer | Fixer | exchangerate.dev |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 100 API calls/month, daily updates. | 100 API calls/month and hourly updates. Free cannot change the base currency; Basic includes all base currencies. | 5,000 calls/mo |
| Cheapest paid plan | Basic plan, $14.99/month, for 10,000 calls/month with hourly updates. | Basic plan, $14.99/month, for 10,000 calls/month with hourly updates and all base currencies. | Basic, $19/month |
| Update frequency | Daily on Free; hourly on Basic; every 10 minutes on Enterprise ($59.99/mo); every 60 seconds on Enterprise+ ($99.99/mo). | Hourly on Free/Basic; every 10 minutes on Professional ($59.99/mo); every 60 seconds on Professional Plus ($99.99/mo) and Enterprise. | 144 currencies ~60s; Free 15m late |
| Data source | Financial data partners and central bank reference rates, per currencylayer's own documentation. | Financial data partners and ECB reference rates, per Fixer's own documentation. | |
| Per-value source + market_session | |||
| MCP server for AI agents |
Currencylayer and Fixer facts are from their own product and pricing pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Currencylayer or Fixer free to start?
Currencylayer: 100 API calls/month, daily updates. Fixer: 100 API calls/month and hourly updates. Free cannot change the base currency; Basic includes all base currencies.
Which updates more often, Currencylayer or Fixer?
Currencylayer updates daily on Free; hourly on Basic; every 10 minutes on Enterprise ($59.99/mo); every 60 seconds on Enterprise+ ($99.99/mo). Fixer updates hourly on Free/Basic; every 10 minutes on Professional ($59.99/mo); every 60 seconds on Professional Plus ($99.99/mo) and Enterprise. Compare the specific plan you'd actually pay for, not just the headline tier, both vendors gate faster updates behind higher plans.
Does Currencylayer or Fixer support MCP for AI agents?
Neither currently does. No MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration is listed on currencylayer's product pages. No MCP integration is listed on Fixer's product pages.
Which is cheaper once you outgrow the free tier?
Currencylayer's cheapest paid plan is basic plan, $14.99/month, for 10,000 calls/month with hourly updates. Fixer's cheapest paid plan is basic plan, $14.99/month, for 10,000 calls/month with hourly updates and all base currencies. Compare against your actual monthly call volume, not just the sticker price, overage and rate-limit behavior varies by plan.
Start with a free API key
5,000 requests a month on the free plan. No credit card.