by Fenz

Created on: January 25, 2009

There are many mechanisms found on the web for currency conversion but which one is the most reliable and accurate for benchmark. I have listed all the available currency converters and its pros & cons for reference.

(1) Search Engines

Most search engines comes with its own currency converters, however, you will need to buffer 10% discrepancy or shortfall should you exchange money from money changer in your country. The reason being whatever it is reported on search engines are real-time figures, and normally there is lapse period between reported figures online and the money changer. The money changer would have gotten the currency at much earlier timing in different rate than reported.

Yahoo! Finance provides currency converter. It is easily accessible as you can see from Yahoo! Finance homepage. It is user friendly as it allows you to invert currency as and when needed and it provides a chart of currency fluctuations over a period of time for reference.

MSN Money has currency converter under Investing. However, you need to click on several pages before you get to currency converter tool. You would need to select Money, followed by Investing and finally Currency rate to access currency converter page. The quotes are delayed for 60 minutes. It is not real-time.

(2) Banks

All banks provide online currency rates for your own conversion. It is a hassle as you will need to do your own calculations based on the amount that you need. However, it is the most accurate, especially if you want to do online fund transfers such as telegraphic transfer or inter-banks debit. The rates reported at all bank websites are the rates that you will be buying or paying, excluding administrative fees. One disadvantage is not all currencies found in the world is available in bank websites. Only major trading currencies such as United States dollars, Euro, British Pounds, your home currency, and some other commonly traded currencies will be available.

(3) XE-Universal Currency Converter

This is the commonly used currency converter to obtain exchange rate or to convert currencies that are unavailable in bank websites by many corporate companies and multi-national companies based on my working experiences. This is the most sought for currency converter for exchange rates and most relied for in reporting your expenses in local currency. The difference is normally 3-5% between reported and actual spent. i.e. when you receive your monthly credit bill for your overseas expenditures.

I hope that you can find the above useful.

Learn more about this author, Fenz.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.