Fixer alternative: vs exchangerate.dev

Keep Fixer if you already run a Fixer integration and daily snapshots are enough.

Reviewed September 2026

Currency and forex API comparison

Featureexchangerate.devFixer
Free-tier limit5,000 calls/moLimited · base-restricted
Intraday refresh (all 144 currencies)144 currencies ~60s; Free 15m late✗ daily snapshot
Per-value source + market_session
MCP server (every plan, incl. free)
Historical daily seriesFree 30 days; Plus/Pro to 1999✓
No credit card to start
Endpoint adaptation

exchangerate.dev

All 144 currencies update about every 60 seconds on trading days, 15 minutes late on Free. Every response includes source and market_session fields. MCP is included on every plan.

From $0 · free tier, 5,000 calls/mo, no card

Fixer

Mature REST FX API (APILayer). ECB + partner data served as daily snapshots; the free tier restricts base currencies.

Free → paid tiers

Where exchangerate.dev wins

exchangerate.dev includes 5,000 free calls per month, 30 days of daily history, and MCP on every plan. All 144 currencies update about every 60 seconds on trading days, 15 minutes late on Free. Every response includes source and market_session fields. No credit card is required.

Where Fixer leads

Fixer is long-established with a large integration ecosystem and broad documentation. If you are slotting into an existing Fixer integration or need its specific endpoints, it is proven and well-trodden. exchangerate.dev leads on intraday ~60s freshness, per-value source + market_session, an MCP bridge, and an unrestricted free tier.

Verdict

Choose exchangerate.dev when intraday freshness, per-value provenance, MCP-native access, and free-tier headroom matter. Keep Fixer if you already run a Fixer integration and daily snapshots are enough.

Related comparisons

Questions

Does Fixer have a free tier?

Fixer offers a free plan with 100 monthly requests. The Free plan cannot change the base currency; Basic includes all base currencies. exchangerate.dev's free tier includes 5,000 calls per month, no base-currency restriction, and no credit card required.

How fresh are Fixer rates during the trading day?

Fixer's data draws from financial data partners and ECB reference rates. For ECB-sourced pairs, each fix is a single daily snapshot; the rate does not change again until the next publication, making it potentially 16–24 hours stale within the same trading day. All 144 currencies update about every 60 seconds on trading days, 15 minutes late on Free, and every response carries a market_session field so you know the current trading state.

Does exchangerate.dev have an MCP integration?

Yes. exchangerate.dev ships an MCP stdio bridge on every plan, including free. This lets AI agents and Claude-based tools call FX rate endpoints natively without custom glue code. Fixer does not currently offer an MCP integration.

Start with a free API key

5,000 requests a month on the free plan. No credit card.

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