exchangerate.devCurrencylayer vs Open Exchange Rates
Compare Currencylayer and Open Exchange Rates for currency and forex data, free-tier limits, update frequency, and pricing.
Checked 24 July 2026
At a glance
| Feature | Currencylayer | Open Exchange Rates | exchangerate.dev |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 100 API calls/month, daily updates. | Up to 1,000 requests/month, hourly updates, base currency restricted to USD. | 5,000 calls/mo |
| Cheapest paid plan | Basic plan, $14.99/month, for 10,000 calls/month with hourly updates. | Developer plan, $12/month, for 10,000 requests/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/Developer; every 30 minutes on Enterprise ($47/mo); every 5 minutes on Unlimited ($97/mo). | 144 currencies ~60s; Free 15m late |
| Data source | Financial data partners and central bank reference rates, per currencylayer's own documentation. | Aggregated published sources (banks, financial data providers, and others), per Open Exchange Rates' own documentation. | |
| Per-value source + market_session | |||
| MCP server for AI agents |
Currencylayer and Open Exchange Rates facts are from their own product and pricing pages.
Frequently asked questions
Is Currencylayer or Open Exchange Rates free to start?
Currencylayer: 100 API calls/month, daily updates. Open Exchange Rates: Up to 1,000 requests/month, hourly updates, base currency restricted to USD.
Which updates more often, Currencylayer or Open Exchange Rates?
Currencylayer updates daily on Free; hourly on Basic; every 10 minutes on Enterprise ($59.99/mo); every 60 seconds on Enterprise+ ($99.99/mo). Open Exchange Rates updates hourly on Free/Developer; every 30 minutes on Enterprise ($47/mo); every 5 minutes on Unlimited ($97/mo). 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 Open Exchange Rates 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 Open Exchange Rates' pricing or signup 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. Open Exchange Rates's cheapest paid plan is developer plan, $12/month, for 10,000 requests/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.