Currency / Currency Converter
💱 Currency 🆓 Free 170+ Currencies

💱 Currency Converter

Convert between 170+ world currencies using live exchange rates updated continuously. The Forex Charges tab shows the true cost of any bank or service - comparing the mid-market rate to what you actually receive after markup and GST. See your conversion in 14 currencies at once, or calculate the real cost of international transfers and travel money.

💱 Currency Converter Live Rates

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🌍 Multi-Currency Conversion

Enter an amount and see its value in major world currencies.

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💳 Forex Charges Calculator

Calculate the true cost of currency conversion including bank markups, transaction fees and forex markup.

Amount to Convert
From Currency
To Currency
Bank/Service Markup
%
Transaction Fee (flat)
GST on Forex (18%)

📐 Currency Conversion Guide

Basic Conversion

Converted Amount = Amount × Exchange Rate Exchange Rate (USD/INR = 84) means: 1 USD = 84 INR To convert USD to INR: 100 USD × 84 = 8,400 INR To convert INR to USD: 8,400 INR / 84 = 100 USD OR: 8,400 × (1/84) = 100 USD Cross rate (EUR to JPY via USD): EUR/USD = 1.08, USD/JPY = 149 EUR/JPY = 1.08 × 149 = 160.92

Forex Charges Calculation

Mid-market Rate: The "true" exchange rate (average of buy and sell rates) Bank/Service Rate = Mid-rate × (1 + Markup%) Total Cost = (Amount × Markup%) + Flat Fee + GST on markup (18% in India) Example: Convert USD 1,000 to INR Mid-rate: 84.00 Bank rate: 84 × 1.025 = 86.10 (2.5% markup) You get: 1,000 × 84 = 84,000 INR (mid-rate) You actually get: 1,000 × 86.10 = 86,100? NO Wait - bank buys USD at their rate: You get: 1,000 × (84 / 1.025) = 81,951 INR Loss to markup: 2,049 INR

Cheapest Ways to Exchange Currency

Ranking by effective rate (best to worst): 1. Wise / Revolut / Niyo / FXKART - near mid-rate 2. Airport forex counters (pre-order online) 3. Major bank forex cards (2-3% markup) 4. Credit cards (3-5% forex + cross currency charge) 5. Airport counters (walk-in) - 4-8% markup 6. Hotel exchanges - 8-15% markup (avoid!) For India: RBI Reference Rate: Published by RBI daily FBIL Rate: Used for TT (telegraphic transfer) Card rates: Bank rate + Forex markup 1.5-3.5%

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

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💱 Major Pairs vs INR

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💳 Typical Forex Charges

Wise / Revolut0.4–1.5%
Forex cards1.5–3.5%
Credit cards3–5%
Airport counters4–8%
Hotel exchange8–15%

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Currency Converter - Live Rates, Forex Charges & the Real Cost of Currency Exchange

Most people check an exchange rate on Google, hand over their money at a bank or airport counter, and never calculate how much they actually lost to the markup. A 3% forex charge on ₹5 lakh works out to ₹15,000 quietly transferred from your pocket to the bank's. This converter shows the mid-market rate - the real rate - alongside what you'd actually receive after a bank's markup, so you can see the hidden cost before you exchange.

Quick example - Converting $1,000 USD to INR: Mid-market rate at ₹84/USD = ₹84,000. With a bank's 2.5% markup: effective rate = ₹81.9/USD, you receive ₹81,951. Add 18% GST on the service fee: you receive approximately ₹81,480. That's ₹2,520 lost to charges - over 3% - on what looks like a straightforward transaction.

The Mid-Market Rate - What It Is and Why It Matters

The mid-market rate is the exact midpoint between the buy price and the sell price for a currency pair. It's the rate interbanks trade at, the rate that appears on Google, Reuters, and Bloomberg, and the rate used in this converter. No retail customer gets the mid-market rate from a bank - banks and exchange services always add a spread on top.

Understanding the mid-market rate gives you a baseline to evaluate any exchange service. If a service offers 1 USD = ₹82 when the mid-market rate is ₹84, the markup is approximately 2.4%. Services like Wise typically charge 0.4–1.5% markup. Bank branches charge 2–3.5%. Airport walk-in counters charge 4–8%. The service with a "no commission" sign just means the entire charge is hidden in the rate.

Forex Charges in India - How the Costs Add Up

When you exchange currency in India, several charges may apply simultaneously. Understanding all of them prevents bill shock:

Bank & Exchange Service Charges

  • Exchange rate markup - 1.5–8% added to mid-market rate, depending on service
  • Transaction fee - Fixed flat fee per transaction (₹100–₹500 at some banks)
  • SWIFT wire fee - ₹500–₹2,000 for international transfers
  • Card forex fee - 1.5–3.5% on every foreign currency purchase
  • Cross-currency fee - Visa/Mastercard charge ~1% if currency isn't USD

GST on Forex (India)

  • 18% GST applied to the forex service fee (not total amount)
  • Up to ₹1 lakh: taxable value = 1% of amount (min ₹250)
  • ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh: ₹1,000 + 0.5% of amount above ₹1 lakh
  • Above ₹10 lakh: ₹5,500 + 0.1% (max taxable value ₹60,000)
  • Total GST on ₹1 lakh exchange at 1% = ₹180
  • Often not itemised clearly - ask your bank

Cheapest Ways to Exchange Currency - Ranked

Not all exchange services are equal. For any significant amount of currency exchange - especially for travel or international transfers - choosing the right service can save thousands of rupees:

  1. Wise (formerly TransferWise) - Uses the real mid-market rate with a transparent small fee (0.4–1.5%). Best option for most international transfers. Not available for all corridors.
  2. Revolut / Niyo Global - Near mid-market rates, good for travel spending. Niyo Global specifically designed for Indian travellers with zero forex markup.
  3. FXKART / BookMyForex - Online forex aggregators in India. Pre-order at near-mid-market rates, home delivery or pickup. Much better than bank walk-in.
  4. Bank forex cards (pre-ordered online) - Load before travel at bank's online rate (2–3% markup). Better than airport rates and provides exchange rate lock-in.
  5. Credit cards with no forex markup - Several Indian cards (Niyo, HDFC Regalia, SBI Elite) waive the 2–3.5% forex charge. Use a card with zero markup abroad.
  6. Bank branch walk-in - 2–3.5% markup. Fine for small amounts but significantly worse than online alternatives.
  7. Airport walk-in counters - 4–8% markup. Use only in genuine emergencies. Pre-ordering through airport forex operators online gives much better rates.
  8. Hotel exchanges - 8–15% markup. Never exchange at a hotel unless there are absolutely no alternatives.

Understanding the Key Forex Rates in India

India has several different "official" exchange rates used in different contexts, which can cause confusion:

  • RBI Reference Rate - Published by the Reserve Bank of India each business day at around 12:30 PM, based on the noon market rates. Used as a benchmark. Not available to retail customers directly.
  • FBIL Rate (Financial Benchmarks India Ltd) - The daily reference rate published by FBIL for various currency pairs. Used for benchmarking telegraphic transfers and certain financial contracts.
  • TT Rate (Telegraphic Transfer Rate) - The rate at which your bank processes incoming or outgoing wire transfers. Typically close to the FBIL rate with a small bank margin added.
  • Card Rate - The rate applied when you use a debit or credit card in a foreign currency abroad. Bank's TT rate + their forex markup (1.5–3.5%) + Visa/Mastercard cross-currency charge.
  • TC Rate (Traveller's Cheque Rate) - Slightly worse than TT rate, mainly relevant for US dollar traveller's cheques still used by some older travellers.