Currency converter

Convert between 30 currencies at the daily ECB reference rate, with the rate date shown so you know exactly what you are looking at.

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Fetching the latest rates from frankfurter.dev.

Rates come from frankfurter.dev, which republishes the European Central Bank's daily reference rates. This is the only tool on Hopi that talks to any server; the conversion itself, and everything else on the site, runs entirely in your browser.

Where the rates come from

This converter uses the European Central Bank's daily reference rates, delivered by frankfurter.dev, a free open-source rate service. The ECB publishes one set of rates each working day, usually around 16:00 central European time, based on a snapshot of the wholesale foreign exchange market. There are no weekend or bank holiday rates: on those days the most recent working day's rates still apply, which is why the tool always shows the date of the rate it is using.

A word on privacy, because it matters here. Every other tool on Hopi runs entirely in your browser and never contacts a server. This one is the single exception: it asks frankfurter.dev for the day's rates, once, then caches them in your browser for 24 hours. The request contains no amounts, no chosen currencies and nothing about you. Your conversions themselves are calculated locally and never leave your device. If the rate service cannot be reached, the tool falls back to the last rates it saved (clearly labelled with their date), or lets you type in a rate manually.

The rate you see is not the rate you get

ECB reference rates are mid-market rates: the midpoint between what big institutions pay to buy and sell a currency. Nobody hands tourists that rate. Banks, card networks, airport bureaux and holiday money shops all add a margin, either as a visibly worse exchange rate, a fee, or both. The gap between the mid-market rate and the rate you are offered is the real cost of the exchange, and it varies enormously: a good travel card might cost well under 1%, a high street bank 2 to 3%, and an airport bureau 8% or more.

£500 to euros when the reference rate is 1.16

At the mid-market rate: 500 × 1.16 = €580.00. A card charging a 2% margin converts at 1.16 × 0.98 = 1.1368, giving 500 × 1.1368 = €568.40. The exchange quietly cost you €11.60.

That is exactly what this converter is for: a fair, independent yardstick. Convert your amount here first, then compare what your bank or bureau is actually offering. The difference is their margin, and once you can see it, you can shop around.

How the conversion works

Rates are fetched with the pound as the base, so the tool knows how much of each currency one pound buys. Converting between any two currencies then takes one step: divide out of the first currency, multiply into the second.

converted amount = amount × rate(to) ÷ rate(from)

£250 to euros at a rate of 1.16

The pound is the base, so rate(from) = 1 and rate(to) = 1.16. Converted: 250 × 1.16 = €290.00.

€100 to US dollars when 1 GBP = 1.16 EUR and 1 GBP = 1.27 USD

Cross rate: 1.27 ÷ 1.16 = 1.0948 dollars per euro. Converted: 100 × 1.0948 = $109.48. It is the same as going through pounds: €100 = £86.2069, and £86.2069 × 1.27 = $109.48.

This cross-rate method is standard practice. Because every currency is expressed against the same base, any pair converts consistently, and converting there and back returns exactly the amount you started with.

Why one rate per day is enough

Currency markets move constantly, and live streaming rates exist, but for everyday purposes they add noise rather than accuracy. Daily reference rates are what businesses use for invoicing, what HMRC accepts for many conversions, and what news reports quote. Intraday moves are usually a fraction of a percent, far smaller than the margin your bank adds. If you are checking holiday money, an overseas invoice or an online purchase, the daily ECB rate is the honest benchmark. If you are trading currency positions where minutes matter, you need a broker's live feed, not a converter. Either way, treat the figures here as guidance, not financial advice: for the rate on an actual transaction, check with your bank or card provider, and see gov.uk for HMRC's official exchange rates.

Frequently asked questions

Where do the exchange rates come from?

From frankfurter.dev, a free open-source service that republishes the European Central Bank's daily reference rates. This is the only tool on Hopi that requests anything from a server: it asks for the day's rates once, caches them in your browser for 24 hours, and sends nothing about you or your amounts anywhere.

Why is the rate different from what my bank or card gave me?

The ECB reference rate is a mid-market benchmark, roughly the midpoint between buying and selling prices in the wholesale market. Banks, cards and bureaux de change add a spread or fee on top, so the rate you actually get is always a little worse. Use the reference rate as the fair yardstick to compare offers against.

How often do the rates update?

The ECB publishes one set of reference rates each working day, usually around 16:00 central European time. There are no weekend or public holiday rates, so on those days the most recent working day's rates apply. The tool shows the date of the rate it is using so there is no guesswork.

What happens if the rates cannot be fetched?

If you are offline or the rate service is unreachable, the tool falls back to the last rates it saved in your browser and labels them clearly with their date. If no saved rates exist at all, it switches to a manual mode where you can type in a rate yourself.

Which currencies are included?

The 30 currencies the ECB publishes daily reference rates for, including the pound, euro, US dollar, yen, Swiss franc, and the major Asian, Nordic and Commonwealth currencies. Currencies outside the ECB list, and all cryptocurrencies, are not covered.