UK Currency converter

About these rates

The exchange rates here are mid-market reference rates published once daily by the European Central Bank, accessed via the free Frankfurter API. They are the same rates news outlets quote in headlines — the theoretical midpoint between buy and sell prices on currency markets.

What you'll actually be charged

Banks, brokers, and money-transfer services add a spread on top of the mid-market rate:

• High-street banks: 2–4% on retail currency exchange
• Online services (Wise, Revolut, OFX): 0.3–1%
• Travel-money cards: 0–2% depending on provider and weekend usage
• Cash exchange at the airport: 5–10% (worst rates anywhere)

Always check the mid-market rate before accepting a quoted rate. A 2% spread on a $10,000 wire is $200 — not trivial.

Update cadence

The ECB publishes reference rates once per business day at around 16:00 CET. These rates remain fixed until the next publication, including over weekends. Real-time tick-by-tick rates require a paid market data feed; for personal use, daily ECB rates are accurate enough.

Common mistakes

• Comparing the price you got to "the rate." What you got and the mid-market rate differ; the spread is the provider's fee.
• Using credit cards abroad without checking fees. Some cards add 1–3% foreign transaction fees; travel-focused cards often charge none.
• Converting twice unnecessarily. Traveling EU → US? Use a EUR-denominated card if you have one rather than convert EUR → USD → local currency.
• Confusing "sell rate" with "buy rate." When you're buying USD with EUR, you're at the bank's sell rate for USD — not the rate quoted as "EUR/USD."

What this calculator doesn't cover

• Real-time bid/ask spreads
• Provider-specific fees (compare independently)
• Historical exchange rates (single-date conversion only)
• Forward contracts or hedging instruments