While it’s certainly not the best-looking app ever made, XE currency is one of the more robust currency converters available. It’s available for download on iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, Windows, and Firefox OS devices. The app allows you to keep track of live rates of every currency, and even works offline. You will have to download the conversion rate of every country you’ll be visiting before you leave, but once that’s done, you’re all set.
There are two versions of this app; paid and free. Both offer exchange rates for 180+ currencies and create alerts to monitor the markets for you, and both versions allow you to personalize your preferences, including the frequency of updates. The free version does have advertisements on the bottom of the screen, but they don’t get in the way of using the app’s features. Simple and user-friendly, the app feels intuitive. With a swipe, drag and drop, you can customize the currencies you want to work with.
XE is a Canadian-based company headquartered in Newmarket, Ontario so well-known for its online currency conversion application and other foreign exchange tools, that they are considered an authority on the subject. Their currency calculator is a top 20 Travel & Local app on Google Play and has been featured by the BBC, the LA Times and CNN.
As “The World’s Trusted Currency Authority”, XE offers more than just conversion rates. Travellers I’ve spoken with have used the app to make international money transfers, with no problems at all. It works with your existing bank account and there are no transaction fees. Instead, it turns a profit on the spread, which is the difference between the price you receive for a transaction and the price it actually costs to complete the trade. Personally, I have never used the app for this purpose, only for exchange rates, which is what I really need while travelling.
One of the features I found most helpful is how well it can be integrated with Google Assistant. You can access live exchange rates and calculate prices simply by asking, which is easy when you’re on the go. It’s handy when haggling in a market and you can’t quite remember the exchange rate!
For more information, visit https://www.xe.com/