Fixer.io Alternative: Why Developers Switch to Live-Rates for Real-Time FX
A candid comparison of Fixer.io and Live-Rates on update frequency, bid/ask spreads, quotas, and pricing for FX API integrations.
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150+ instruments · updated every second
Real-time forex rates, one request away
Stream 150+ currency pairs over REST or WebSocket, in JSON or XML. Free for up to 3 requests an hour — no key, no signup.
No credit card
30-day money-back
99.9% uptime
$ curl https://live-rates.com/api/rates [ { "currency": "EUR/USD", "bid": 1.08542, "ask": 1.08551, "high": 1.08891, "low": 1.08201, "timestamp": 1713045600000 }, …149 more]
const res = await fetch('https://live-rates.com/api/rates?key=YOUR_KEY'); const rates = await res.json(); console.log(rates[0]); // { currency: 'EUR/USD', bid: 1.08542, … }
import requests
rates = requests.get(
"https://live-rates.com/api/rates",
params={"key": "YOUR_KEY"},
).json()
print(rates[0]) # {'currency': 'EUR/USD', 'bid': 1.08542, …}
resp, _ := http.Get("https://live-rates.com/api/rates?key=YOUR_KEY") defer resp.Body.Close() var rates []Rate json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&rates) fmt.Println(rates[0].Currency, rates[0].Bid)
const ws = new WebSocket('wss://live-rates.com/stream?key=YOUR_KEY'); ws.onmessage = (msg) => { const rate = JSON.parse(msg.data); // { currency: 'EUR/USD', bid: 1.08542, … } };
1
Get a key
Trial key by email in a minute — or skip it, 3 requests an hour are free.
2
Make one request
GET /api/rates?key=… — JSON or XML.
3
Ship it
99.9% uptime during market hours, plans from €20/mo.
Everything you need for live market data
Simple, reliable, and built for developers who need real-time forex rates without the complexity.
Real-Time Streaming
WebSocket streaming and REST API updated every second. Get bid, ask, high, low, open, and close prices for 150+ instruments.
Developer Friendly
Simple REST API with JSON and XML responses. One API key, one endpoint. Integrate in minutes with any language or framework.
Reliable & Secure
Enterprise-grade infrastructure with 99.9% uptime. API key authentication, rate limiting, and HTTPS encryption on every request.
Integrate in minutes
A simple REST API that returns JSON or XML. No SDKs required — just an HTTP request.
Free to use without a key — up to 3 requests/hour. Request a trial key for unlimited access.
GET
REST API — All Rates
https://www.live-rates.com/api/rates
Keyless: 3 req/hour · With
?key=YOUR_KEY: unlimited[
{
"currency": "USDJPY",
"bid": "162.489",
"ask": "162.502",
"high": "162.592",
"low": "162.199",
"open": "162.513",
"close": "162.489",
"timestamp": "1784576821679"
},
{
"currency": "EURCHF",
"bid": "0.92463",
"ask": "0.92479",
"high": "0.92477",
"low": "0.92266",
"open": "0.9238",
"close": "0.92463",
"timestamp": "1784576831045"
},
{
"currency": "USDCHF",
"bid": "0.80997",
"ask": "0.8101",
"high": "0.81072",
"low": "0.80607",
"open": "0.80842",
"close": "0.80997",
"timestamp": "1784576821552"
}
]
GET
Price API — Specific Pair
https://www.live-rates.com/api/price?key=YOUR_KEY&rate=EURUSD
Returns a single pair with bid, ask, high, low, open and close.
[
{
"currency": "EUR/USD",
"rate": 1.08542,
"bid": 1.08542,
"ask": 1.08551,
"high": 1.08891,
"low": 1.08201,
"open": 1.08395,
"close": "n/a",
"timestamp": 1713045600000
}
]Also available
- WebSocket Streaming — Real-time push updates
-
XML format — Add
rate_format=xml - Historical data — Daily rates and time series
Simple, transparent pricing
Start with a free trial. No credit card required. Upgrade when you're ready.
All plans: unlimited requests · REST + WebSocket · JSON & XML
Monthly
For testing and small projects
€50
/month
- REST & Streaming API
- 150+ instruments
- 1 IP address
- Standard support
Most Popular
Yearly
Best value for growing businesses
€30
/month
SAVE 40%
- Everything in Monthly
- 3 IP addresses
- Historical data access
- Priority support
3-Year
For established businesses
€20
/month
SAVE 60%
- Everything in Yearly
- 5 IP addresses
- Sub-license management
- Dedicated support
Accepted payment methods
Free Currency Converter
Convert any amount between 20+ currencies, precious metals and crypto at live mid-market rates — the same data that powers our API.
Popular conversions
Need these rates in your app? Get a free API key →
Trusted across industries
From e-commerce platforms to financial institutions, teams rely on Live-Rates for accurate market data.
E-Commerce
"We use Live-Rates to display real-time currency conversions on our international checkout. Integration took less than an hour and reduced cart abandonment by showing prices in local currencies."
Brokers & Fintech
"The streaming API delivers tick-by-tick updates that power our trading dashboard. The data quality is excellent and the latency is consistently low across all currency pairs."
Gaming & Apps
"Our mobile game uses Live-Rates for in-app currency features. The JSON API is dead simple to integrate and the reliability means we never have to worry about stale data."
From the blog
Latest news and insights from the forex market.
LiveRates Launches Free Currency Converter: 20+ Currencies, Metals & Crypto at Mid-Market Rates
A new browser-based converter powered by the same real-time feed behind the LiveRates API — no signup, no ads, no spreads.
Read more →
LiveRates Levels Up: Smarter Monitoring and Clearer Customer Communication
A calendar-aware freshness watch, stronger uptime promises during market hours, and a streamlined channel for product news and transparency.
Read more →Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about the Live-Rates forex API.
Do I need an API key to use the Live-Rates API?
No. The API is free to use without a key, up to 3 requests per hour. Request a free 7-day trial key to simulate unlimited access, or subscribe to a paid plan for production use.
What data formats does the API return?
Both JSON and XML. JSON is the default; add rate_format=xml to any endpoint to receive XML instead.
How many currency pairs are available?
Over 150 instruments, including major and minor forex pairs, precious metals such as gold and silver, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and major stock indices.
How often are the exchange rates updated?
Rates are updated in real time, approximately every second, via both the REST API and the WebSocket streaming feed.
Can I use Live-Rates for commercial projects?
Yes. The paid Monthly, Yearly and 3-Year plans allow commercial use with unlimited requests and multiple whitelisted IP addresses.
Is there a real-time streaming (WebSocket) API?
Yes. In addition to the REST API, a WebSocket streaming endpoint pushes live rate updates directly to your application as they happen.
Do you provide historical exchange rate data?
Yes. The Yearly and 3-Year plans include access to historical daily rates and time series in addition to the real-time feed.
What payment methods do you accept?
Credit and debit cards and PayPal via Stripe, as well as Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency payments.
Free 7-day trial
Need more than 3 requests an hour?
The API is free to use without a key (up to 3 requests/hour). Request a trial key below to simulate unlimited access for 7 days and test every endpoint and currency pair before buying — no commitment.
- Full API access — 150+ currency pairs, REST & streaming
- Both formats — JSON and XML responses
- No credit card — no auto-charge when the trial ends
- Engineer support — direct help from our team if you get stuck
Get your API key
We’ll email it as soon as it’s ready.
Your data stays private. We never share or sell it.