ExchangeRate-API Alternative: AllRatesToday
Comparing ExchangeRate-API with AllRatesToday — real-time vs. daily updates, EUR vs. USD pricing, SDK coverage, and historical data on every paid plan.
ExchangeRate-API is a popular pick for developers who want a simple, no-frills currency endpoint. Its free tier is generous on volume but updates only daily. If you need fresher data or smaller paid plans in EUR, AllRatesToday is a strong alternative.
At a glance
| AllRatesToday | ExchangeRate-API | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier requests | 300/mo | ~1,500/mo |
| Free tier updates | Real-time | Once per 24 hours |
| Entry paid plan | €4.99/mo (5,000 req) | $10/mo (Pro) |
| Currencies | 160+ | 160+ |
| Historical data | All paid plans | Higher tiers only |
| SDKs | JS, Python, PHP, React | Community-maintained |
| Self-serve cancel | Yes | Yes |
Based on each provider's public pricing pages at time of writing.
Why pick AllRatesToday
1. Real-time updates, not daily
ExchangeRate-API's open tier refreshes once every 24 hours. That's fine for static dashboards but not acceptable for ecommerce checkouts or anything user-facing. AllRatesToday quotes per request.
2. Smaller paid steps
Our €4.99 entry plan covers 5,000 requests/month and includes historical data. If you outgrow that, the €9.99 medium plan offers no rate-limit and 10,000 requests.
3. First-party SDKs
AllRatesToday ships and maintains official SDKs for JavaScript, Python, PHP, and React. You don't have to depend on community packages with uncertain maintenance.
Drop-in code example
// AllRatesToday — fetch rate and multiply for conversion
fetch('https://allratestoday.com/api/rate?source=USD&target=GBP')
.then(r => r.json())
.then(({ rate }) => console.log(250 * rate));Honest pros and cons
Where AllRatesToday wins
- Per-request real-time rates
- Historical data included on cheapest paid plan
- First-party SDKs for popular languages
- Status page + 99.99% target uptime
Where ExchangeRate-API may still suit you
- You only need a daily snapshot and a higher free quota
- You want a USD-billed vendor for procurement reasons
FAQ
Can I migrate without rewriting my code?
Mostly. Both APIs return JSON with a rates object. You'll swap the URL and auth parameter, and your existing parsing code keeps working.
Do you support GET-only requests for browser use?
Yes, all endpoints work over GET with HTTPS, including from browsers and serverless functions.