Enterprise API Alternative

UniRateAPI vs XE API: 2026 Comparison

Save 87% with UniRateAPI. Get 593 currencies including forex, crypto & precious metals in one unified API.

Quick verdict
Honest tradeoff before you read the full comparison.
PICK UNIRATEAPI IF

You want monthly billing, a modern JSON REST API, and crypto/metals alongside forex. UniRate's $9/mo beats XE's $799/year commitment and gives you 420+ cryptos vs XE's 12.

PICK XE API IF

You need XE's trademarked mid-market rates for regulated financial disclosures, or your procurement requires a Level 2 vendor brand like XE for approval. In FX compliance contexts, "XE" is still the name auditors recognise.

UniRateAPI

Recommended
$9/mo
750,000 requests/month
  • Time-series endpoint included
  • 593 currencies
  • 420+ cryptocurrencies
  • Precious metals (Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium)
  • 200 requests/day (6,000/month) free

XE API

Enterprise API
$799/year (~$67/mo)
Varies by package requests/month
  • Time-series requires $799/year
  • 220+ currencies
  • Only 12 cryptocurrencies
  • 4 (Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium)
  • Free trial only free

The Real Value Comparison

Don't just compare sticker prices. Look at what you actually get for your money.

75x More API Requests

UniRateAPI
750,000 requests/month
$9/mo
XE API
10,000 requests/month
$67/mo (~$799/year)

XE's Lite plan includes only 10,000 requests/month. We offer 750,000 for a fraction of the price.

420+ Cryptos vs 12

UniRateAPI
420+ cryptocurrencies
$9/mo
XE API
12 cryptocurrencies
$67/mo

XE only supports 12 major cryptocurrencies. We support 420+ including all major and many altcoins.

Monthly vs Annual Billing

UniRateAPI
$9/month, cancel anytime
$9/mo
XE API
$799/year upfront
$799/year

XE requires annual commitment. We offer flexible monthly billing with no long-term contracts.

Calculate Your Savings

See how much you'd save by switching to UniRateAPI

10k 250k 500k 750k 1M
100,000 requests/month
UniRateAPI
$9
per month
750k requests included
XE API
$14.99
per month
Basic plan (10k requests)
You Save
$72
per year
40% less

Plus, you get time-series included (XE API charges $799/year for that)!

Pricing at a glance

Head-to-head on the four fields that matter most.

Field UniRateAPI XE API
Free tier 200 requests/day (6,000/month) Free trial only
Paid entry price $9/mo — 750,000 req/mo $799/year (~$67/mo) — Varies by package req/mo
Rate limits / update frequency Real-time, monthly quota (no daily cap) Varies by plan
Historical depth 1999-2026 25+ years

Pricing verified April 2026 against XE API public pricing page.

XE API Pricing Plans

See what you'd actually pay for comparable features

Plan Price Requests Overage Rate Time-Series
Lite $799/year 10,000/month N/A
Intermediate $1,799/year 50,000/month N/A
Prime $4,499/year 150,000/month N/A
Enterprise Custom Unlimited N/A

To match UniRateAPI's features and request limits, you'd need XE API's Enterprise (Custom) plan.

Feature Comparison

Feature UniRateAPI XE API
Monthly Price $9/mo $799/year (~$67/mo)
API Requests/Month 750,000 Varies by package
Time-Series Endpoint Included Requires $799/year
Currencies 593 220+
Cryptocurrency Support 420+ Only 12 cryptocurrencies
Precious Metals Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium 4 (Gold, Silver, Platinum, Palladium)
Free Tier 200 requests/day Free trial only
Historical Data 1999-2026 25+ years
Need metals too?

Precious metals API — gold, silver, platinum, palladium

XE API doesn’t cover all four LBMA metals in one key. UniRateAPI does — live XAU/XAG/XPT/XPD spot, 36–58 years of history, $9/mo bundled with forex and crypto.

Open metals API page

Why Switch from XE API?

UniRateAPI offers more value, better features, and lower costs compared to XE API.

87% lower cost, 75x more requests

Our $9/mo plan offers 750,000 requests. XE's $799/year Lite plan only includes 10,000/month.

Monthly billing, no annual lock-in

XE requires annual payment upfront. We offer flexible monthly billing you can cancel anytime.

420+ cryptos vs only 12

XE only supports 12 major cryptocurrencies. We support 420+ including DeFi tokens and altcoins.

Generous free tier for testing

Test with 6,000 requests/month free. XE only offers a limited trial period.

XE API Limitations

Here's what you might be missing with XE API:

Only 10,000 requests/month on $799/year Lite plan
Requires annual payment upfront
Only 12 cryptocurrencies supported
No permanent free tier for testing
Enterprise pricing for higher volumes

Easy Migration

Switching from XE API to UniRateAPI is straightforward. Our REST API follows industry standards, making migration simple.

1

Sign Up Free

Create your account in seconds, no credit card required.

2

Get API Key

Your API key is generated instantly upon registration.

3

Update Endpoint

Simply update your API endpoint and start using UniRateAPI.

View Documentation →

Ready to Switch?

Join thousands of developers who chose UniRateAPI for reliable, affordable currency data.