Free FX Rate API with Multiple Response Formats

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If you're looking for a reliable and free FX rate API, you've come to the right place. This API offers multiple response formats to suit your needs.

One of the standout features of this API is its ability to provide exchange rates in JSON, XML, and CSV formats.

With this API, you can easily integrate FX rate data into your application or website.

What is a Free FX Rate API?

A Free FX Rate API is a vital tool for any developer looking to get up-to-date exchange rates for their program. It provides a way to access current exchange rates for various currencies, such as EUR, USD, and GBP.

The good news is that there are several free FX rate APIs available that meet the requirements of developers. One such API is the European Central Bank resource, which provides daily settlements for exchange rates.

To get started with a free FX rate API, you'll need to find one that fits your needs. Some APIs, like 1Forge, offer what you're looking for, providing exchange rates for specific currency pairs. Try using their API to get rates for GBP to EUR.

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Free FX rate APIs can be accessed via REST or XML, making it easy to integrate them into your program code. For example, the European Central Bank resource can be accessed via XML or JSON, providing a simple way to get exchange rates.

When choosing a free FX rate API, consider factors like update frequency, data accuracy, and scalability. Some APIs, like 1Forge, offer free options that allow 1000 API requests per month, making them suitable for commercial use.

One thing to keep in mind is that not all APIs meet the requirements of daily settlements. Real-time currency data may not be necessary, and daily settlements can be sufficient. In fact, the original poster preferred daily settlements over real-time currency data.

Here are some popular free FX rate APIs that meet the requirements of developers:

  • European Central Bank resource
  • 1Forge
  • OpenExchangeRates.org

These APIs offer a range of features, including daily settlements, XML or JSON responses, and scalability. By choosing the right free FX rate API, you can get the exchange rates you need to power your program.

API Response

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The API response from FreeCurrencyAPI includes an error code, which is a value greater than zero if there's an error, and an error message that provides a short description of the issue.

The response also includes the amount converted, which is the exchange rate or the amount converted based on the request.

Here's a breakdown of the API response elements:

Response Formats

API responses are delivered over HTTPS as plain-text JSON format, making it easy to integrate into various apps and software.

JSON is a fast, simple, and lightweight delivery mechanism supported in every major language and framework.

You can programmatically convert JSON data to CSV/spreadsheet format, or any other format, if needed.

The response format is the same for both latest/historical rates and historical data requests.

The response format includes a UNIX timestamp, base currency, and a rates object with symbol:value pairs.

For example, a basic API request for all the latest rates relative to USD (default) will return a JSON object with these details.

Other API routes, such as currencies list and time-series requests, have a different request and response format, which is detailed on their relevant pages.

You can see an example of the response format for the latest.json request below.

Currency Response

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The currency response from our API is a crucial part of the exchange rate process. It contains three main elements: error, error_message, and amount.

The error element is a code that indicates whether an error occurred. A value greater than zero indicates an error, and you can refer to the list below for more information.

The error_message element provides a short description of the error. If an error occurred, this element will contain a brief explanation.

The amount element contains the exchange rate or the amount converted. This is the result of the currency conversion process.

Here's a breakdown of the currency response elements in a table format:

Making API Requests

You can find the base URL for the currency API in the documentation, which is required to make a request.

The API requires four parameters: api_key, from, to, and amount. The api_key is your assigned key, from and to are the currencies you want to convert from and to, and amount is the value to convert, which defaults to 1 if not provided.

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The API supports over 150 currencies, which you can find listed in the documentation or by using the currency list API.

To make a request, you'll need to include the required parameters in the URL. For example, to get the latest exchange rate in EUR for 1 USD, you would use the following parameters: api_key, from=USD, to=EUR, and amount=1.

Here's a summary of the required parameters:

Some APIs, like FreeCurrencyAPI, offer real-time data updates on their free tier, while others, like ExchangeRate-API, update data every 24 hours.

Example Use Cases

The free FX rate API is incredibly versatile and has been successfully integrated into a wide range of applications. It's been used in shopping carts from WooCommerce to Shopify, and thousands of individual web stores.

Data from the API has also been used in overseas campaigns, from small startups to Fortune 500 heavyweights. This demonstrates its ability to handle large-scale projects with ease.

Here are some specific examples of the types of applications that have successfully used the free FX rate API:

  • Shopping carts from WooCommerce to Shopify
  • Overseas campaigns from small startups to Fortune 500 heavyweights
  • Accounting departments for multinational brands and shipping/logistics firms
  • Hundreds of smartphone, tablet and desktop apps

Common Use Cases

Brunette Man Showing a Currency Exchange Rate Diagram
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Our API has been successfully integrated into a wide range of applications, including shopping carts from WooCommerce to Shopify, and thousands of individual web stores.

The Open Exchange Rates API is versatile and can be used in every framework, language, and application.

From overseas campaigns to enterprise-level analytics software, our API has been used by companies of all sizes, from the smallest startups to Fortune 500 heavyweights.

We've also worked with accounting departments for multinational brands and shipping/logistics firms, helping them manage their financial data with ease.

Our API has been used in hundreds of smartphone, tablet, and desktop apps, making it a popular choice for mobile developers.

Here are some examples of the types of applications that have successfully integrated our API:

  • Shopping carts from WooCommerce to Shopify, and thousands of individual web stores
  • Overseas campaigns from the smallest startups to Fortune 500 heavyweights
  • Accounting departments for multinational brands and shipping/logistics firms
  • Enterprise-level analytics software
  • Hundreds of smartphone, tablet and desktop apps

Exchange Rate with Python Example

You can use the 1Forge API to get exchange rates with Python. This API is free for commercial use and can handle several hundred requests per day.

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To get started, you can use the following code snippet to query the exchange rate for a specific currency pair. For example, to get the exchange rate for 1 GBP in EUR, you can use the following code:

`response = requests.get('http://apilayer.net/api/exchange?access_key=YOUR_ACCESS_KEY&q=GBP_EUR')`

This will return the exchange rate with immense precision, such as 1.254187176646604.

Alternatively, you can use the OpenExchangeRates.org API, which has a free option that allows 1000 API requests per month. You can use the following code to get the exchange rate for a specific currency pair:

`response = requests.get('https://openexchangerates.org/api/latest.json?app_id=YOUR_APP_ID&base=GBP')`

This will return the exchange rate in JSON format.

Note that both of these APIs require an access key or app ID, which you can obtain for free from their respective websites.

Currency Freaks

Currency Freaks is a reliable option for exchanging currency data. It supports over 130+ currencies, making it a great choice for applications that require a wide range of exchange rates.

One of the standout features of Currency Freaks is its real-time data updates on the free tier, ensuring that your application stays up-to-date with the latest exchange rates.

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The free plan also includes 1,000 API Calls/Month, which is a generous limit for most applications. This means you can make a significant number of requests without incurring additional costs.

If you need to work with different data formats, you'll be happy to know that Currency Freaks supports JSON, XML, and CSV data formats.

Here's a quick summary of Currency Freaks' key features:

API Providers

API Providers offer a range of free FX rate APIs, including Xignite, ExchangeRate-API, and Open Exchange Rates.

Xignite is a popular choice among developers, providing access to real-time and historical FX rates with a free plan.

ExchangeRate-API offers a simple and easy-to-use API with a free plan, suitable for small projects and startups.

Open Exchange Rates provides a free plan with access to 10,000 API requests per month, suitable for small projects and testing.

Open Exchange Rates

Open Exchange Rates offers a reliable solution for accessing exchange rate data. It supports over 200 currencies and provides hourly updates on its free tier.

Credit: youtube.com, video16 1 Signing up to OpenExchangeRates

You can access historical data, which is a valuable feature for tracking currency fluctuations over time. Open Exchange Rates also offers user-friendly documentation to help you get started.

The free tier has some limitations, including 1,000 requests per month. However, this should be sufficient for many use cases. The API returns data in JSON format, making it easy to integrate into your application.

Here's a summary of the key features of Open Exchange Rates:

  • Supports 200+ currencies
  • JSON API format
  • Hourly updates on the free tier
  • Access to historical data
  • User-friendly documentation
  • 1,000 requests/month on the free plan

Rate Limiting

Rate limiting is a crucial aspect of API providers, and it's essential to understand how it works to avoid any issues. 1Forge, a provider of currency conversion APIs, has implemented rate limiting to prevent abuse of their free service.

If you only request once every 24 hours, you won't need to worry about rate limiting. This is because the data only refreshes once every 24 hours, and the response includes the specific time of the next data update.

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To avoid rate limiting, you could request once every hour and never get rate limited. This is a reasonable approach, as the data only refreshes once every 24 hours.

Rate limited IP's will receive HTTP code 429 responses, which can be a bit of a problem. However, don't panic if you send too many requests due to a bug and get rate limited - the rate limit will finish after 20 minutes, and new requests will be allowed through.

Here are some rate limiting guidelines to keep in mind:

It's worth noting that 1Forge's Terms permit caching of the data, which can help you avoid rate limiting. By caching the data, you can reduce the number of requests you need to make to their API.

Wilbur Huels

Senior Writer

Here is a 100-word author bio for Wilbur Huels: Wilbur Huels is a seasoned writer with a keen interest in finance and investing. With a strong background in research and analysis, he brings a unique perspective to his writing, making complex topics accessible to a wide range of readers. His articles have been featured in various publications, covering topics such as investment funds and their role in shaping the global financial landscape.

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