Currency Conversion Fee Calculator

Find the hidden markup in an exchange rate and the true cost of a transfer.

Updated November 9, 2026. Runs in your browser; nothing you type is stored.

Where the real fee hides

When you get paid by a foreign client or send money abroad, the visible fee is often the smaller part of the cost. Most banks and many payment services also convert your money at a rate worse than the mid-market rate, the midpoint between buying and selling prices that you see on financial news sites. The difference is a markup, and it is rarely shown as a fee.

This calculator compares the rate you were offered with the mid-market rate, turns that gap into money, and adds any flat fee, so you can see what a transfer really costs and compare providers fairly.

The formula

Markup % = (mid-market rate − your rate) ÷ mid-market rate × 100
Lost to the rate = amount × (mid-market rate − your rate)
True cost = lost to the rate ÷ mid-market rate + flat fee

Worked example

You convert 1,000 US dollars to euros. The mid-market rate is 0.92, but your bank gives you 0.90 and charges a $5 fee. At the fair rate you would receive €920; you get €900. That €20 gap is about $21.74, a hidden markup of 2.17%. Add the $5 fee and the transfer really costs $26.74, or 2.67% of the amount.

How to pay less on conversions

• Check the mid-market rate at the moment you convert, then compare it with what you are offered.
• Compare total cost, not just fees. A "no fee" transfer with a 3% markup costs more than a $5 fee with a fair rate.
• Invoice in the client's currency only if your provider converts well. Otherwise ask to be paid in yours.
• Batch small payments when a provider charges a flat fee per transfer.

Frequently asked questions