Currency converter

The conversion uses a mid-market reference rate updated regularly, and is deliberately not a live trading ticker. For relocation planning that is the right precision: a rate 1% off changes your monthly view by a few dollars either way, while the difference between a 0.5% and a 3% transfer fee changes it by real money.

Worked example: if you move $2,000/month from a US salary to a euro-zone city, convert at mid-market and then compare with the rate your bank quotes you. The gap between the two — often 1–3% — is the actual cost of your transfers, and it is larger than most people's entire banking fee line. The /services/ page explains why we open a Wise account first for exactly this reason.

Why is the rate not live?

Because planning precision does not need it. Reference rates are stable enough for budgeting a month ahead; on the day you actually move money you compare the specific offer in front of you, and the converter is a sanity check against that.

What is the real cost of a transfer?

Two parts: the percentage markup on the rate (the silent one) and any flat fee part. A bank quoting 'free transfers' at a 2.5% markup is more expensive than a specialist charging 0.5% plus a small fee. Our rule: convert at mid-market, compare the all-in cost, and that number decides which service wins.

Should I move money in one lump or in monthly chunks?

Fewer, larger transfers minimise fee drag, but they load all your FX risk onto one day. A spread of monthly transfers evens out the exchange rate. Which one wins depends on how comfortable you are living with a single day's rate — the converter helps you size both options.