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Frankfurter vs ExchangeRate-API (2026)

Frankfurter vs ExchangeRate-API compares free daily rates with different access and usage rules. Frankfurter needs no key and supports self-hosting; ExchangeRate-API offers keyed Free access and a separate keyless endpoint with attribution. exchangerate.dev appears as an option and is not one of the two compared services. Narwhal API is also listed for applications needing broader data.

20 Oct 2026 · 6 min read

Compare the options

The table compares pricing, free access, updates, history, coverage, conversion and MCP. It does not establish measured performance, unrestricted request access or equal historical coverage across every currency; legacy codes and partial history need separate attention.

Plans, frequency, historical depth, and currency coverage

ProviderPrice fromFree tierUpdate frequencyHistoryCoverage
exchangerate.dev$19/month Basic; 100,000 requests5,000 requests/month; commercial use with a visible credit linkAbout 60 seconds for all 144 currencies on trading days, 15 minutes late on Free; ECB daily fallbackFree 30 days; Basic 1 year; Plus/Pro to 1999 where available144 currencies
Narwhal API$59/month Basic; 100,000 requests5,000 requests/month; previous day closeFree: end of day (00:00 UTC); paid: live; interval not publishedStored observations by date range; start date not published144 currencies
FrankfurterFree; no paid plans; self-hosting with DockerNo key and no quota; abuse rate limits onlyDailySome series from 1948223 currencies, including legacy codes
ExchangeRate-API$10/month Pro; 30,000 requests1,500 requests/month with a key; keyless open endpoint with attributionDaily on Free; hourly Pro; 5 minutes BusinessPaid plans only; from 1990 for a few currencies, all codes from 2021About 165 currencies

The shortlist

exchangerate.dev

  • Best fit: Commercial rate displays needing conversion and included MCP
  • Price from: $19/month Basic; 100,000 requests
  • Free tier: 5,000 requests/month; commercial use with a visible credit link
  • Update frequency: About 60 seconds for all 144 currencies on trading days, 15 minutes late on Free; ECB daily fallback
  • History: Free 30 days; Basic 1 year; Plus/Pro to 1999 where available
  • Coverage: 144 currencies
  • Conversion: Single-amount and batch conversion endpoints
  • MCP: Yes, nine tools, every plan including Free

exchangerate.dev suits commercial rate displays needing conversion and MCP. Basic costs $19 per month for 100,000 requests. Free provides 5,000 requests with a visible linked credit for commercial display. Free requires no card. Paid rates update about every 60 seconds across 144 currencies on trading days. Single and batch conversion and nine MCP tools are included. The trade-off is that rates are indicative, not executable or settlement prices; Free and keyless calls are 15 minutes late.

Sources: Plans and limits, API reference, Historical data, MCP server.

Narwhal API

  • Best fit: Applications combining FX with commodities and economic data
  • Price from: $59/month Basic; 100,000 requests
  • Free tier: 5,000 requests/month; previous day close
  • Update frequency: Free: end of day (00:00 UTC); paid: live; interval not published
  • History: Stored observations by date range; start date not published
  • Coverage: 144 currencies
  • Conversion: Decimal-safe conversion endpoint
  • MCP: Yes, hosted, same key and quota as REST

Narwhal API suits applications needing FX alongside commodities, economics and calendars. Basic costs $59 per month for 100,000 requests and live FX across 144 currencies. Free includes 5,000 monthly requests using the previous day's close at 00:00 UTC. It offers decimal-safe conversion and stored observations by date range. Hosted MCP uses the same key and quota. The trade-off is that its live update interval and historical start date are not published.

Sources: FX API documentation, Pricing.

Frankfurter

  • Best fit: Keyless daily rates with open source self-hosting
  • Price from: Free; no paid plans; self-hosting with Docker
  • Free tier: No key and no quota; abuse rate limits only
  • Update frequency: Daily
  • History: Some series from 1948
  • Coverage: 223 currencies, including legacy codes
  • Conversion: No conversion endpoint; multiply by the rate
  • MCP: Yes

Frankfurter suits applications wanting daily rates without a key or quota, subject to abuse rate limits. It is MIT-licensed open source and supports self-hosting with Docker. It blends official and central bank daily rates, covers 223 currencies including legacy codes, and has some series from 1948. MCP is available. The trade-off is daily data that Frankfurter says is not suited to live trading; there is no conversion endpoint, so conversion requires multiplying by the rate.

Sources: Documentation, Source code. Full comparison: Frankfurter vs exchangerate.dev →

ExchangeRate-API

  • Best fit: Free pair conversion with optional amount input
  • Price from: $10/month Pro; 30,000 requests
  • Free tier: 1,500 requests/month with a key; keyless open endpoint with attribution
  • Update frequency: Daily on Free; hourly Pro; 5 minutes Business
  • History: Paid plans only; from 1990 for a few currencies, all codes from 2021
  • Coverage: About 165 currencies
  • Conversion: Pair conversion with an optional amount, on Free
  • MCP: No MCP server found on its site

ExchangeRate-API suits applications needing free pair conversion with an optional amount. Keyed Free includes 1,500 monthly requests and daily updates across about 165 currencies. Its keyless endpoint permits personal or commercial use with attribution. Pro costs $10 per month for 30,000 requests and hourly updates. The trade-off is that history requires a paid plan, with all codes starting in 2021; keyless access is rate limited and prohibits redistribution, and no MCP server was found on its site.

Sources: Plans, Documentation, Free and open access. Full comparison: ExchangeRate-API vs exchangerate.dev →

Choose by access rules and conversion needs

Compare key requirements, attribution and redistribution terms before choosing free daily rates. Then check conversion, self-hosting and the historical start date for the currencies you need.

If you needStart with
Access rulesFrankfurter needs no key and has no quotas, with abuse rate limits. ExchangeRate-API Free uses a key for 1,500 monthly requests; its separate keyless endpoint is rate limited.
Usage termsFor ExchangeRate-API's keyless endpoint, allow for attribution and the restriction on redistribution. Frankfurter is MIT-licensed open source and can be self-hosted with Docker when that suits your application.
Conversion needsChoose ExchangeRate-API if you need its Free pair conversion with an optional amount. Frankfurter has no conversion endpoint; its documented approach is to multiply the amount by the rate.
Historical coverageFrankfurter has some series from 1948, including legacy currencies. ExchangeRate-API history is paid-only, reaching 1990 for a few currencies and 2021 for all codes; check the relevant currency.

How we chose

We compared documented access rules, pricing, updates, history, coverage, conversion and MCP. Sources were checked on 18 Oct 2026. This is a documented-feature comparison, not a benchmark. exchangerate.dev publishes this comparison and appears under the same criteria. Partial historical coverage remains qualified. A server not found on a checked site is not assumed to be unavailable everywhere. exchangerate.dev and Narwhal API are owned and operated by Nusantara Ventures, LLC.

Sources checked October 18, 2026. Prices and entitlements can change.

Frequently asked questions

Do both services offer free daily rates?

Yes. Frankfurter offers daily rates without a key or quota, subject to abuse rate limits. ExchangeRate-API Free provides daily updates with 1,500 monthly requests using a key; it also offers a separate rate-limited keyless endpoint.

Can I self-host Frankfurter?

Yes. Frankfurter is open source under the MIT license and supports self-hosting with Docker. It provides daily rates and MCP, but no conversion endpoint. Its stated limitation is that it is not suited to live trading.

Which service converts an amount through an endpoint?

ExchangeRate-API offers pair conversion with an optional amount on Free. Frankfurter does not provide a conversion endpoint; multiply the amount by the rate. Both free services provide daily rates rather than live updates.

What are the keyless ExchangeRate-API conditions?

The open endpoint permits personal or commercial use with attribution. It updates daily, is rate limited and does not allow redistribution. Those conditions describe keyless access separately from the keyed Free plan's 1,500 monthly requests.

Does the earliest history date apply to every currency?

No. Frankfurter has some series from 1948. ExchangeRate-API's paid history starts in 1990 for a few currencies, while all codes have history from 2021. Neither earliest date describes the complete currency set.

Keep reading

Start with a free API key

exchangerate.dev offers keyless evaluation; a free key includes 5,000 calls a month across 144 currencies with no card. All 144 currencies update roughly every 60 seconds on trading days, every response carries source and market_session, and MCP ships on every plan.

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