Two kinds of minimal converter
The nearest apps to ours are the ones we respect most, so this comparison is close.
There is a small category of currency converters built on the same conviction as RoamRate: that this is a utility, that it should be quiet, that it should not carry ads, and that it should be bought once rather than rented. Apps like Currency: Minimal Converter and several similarly-named alternatives sit here.
We think this category is the right one, which makes the comparison narrow.
Where they are strong
- Genuinely minimal. Often a single screen, no settings to speak of, nothing to learn.
- Frequently cheaper, or free. Some are a smaller one-off than $4.99, and a few are free with no catch.
- Multi-currency at a glance. Several show a list of currencies updating together, which is better than our single-pair view if you are comparing three or four at once.
- Often on iPad and Mac too. We are iPhone-only.
Where we differ
| A minimal converter | RoamRate | |
|---|---|---|
| Design goal | The smallest possible converter | The fastest converter to use while standing up |
| Keypad | Usually the system keyboard or a compact pad | Custom thumb-reachable pad with haptics |
| Local currency detection | Usually manual | Automatic on arrival, optional |
| Price context | No | Local Price Index |
| Tipping | Rarely | Built in |
| Price | Free to a few dollars, one-off | Free tier; $4.99 once |
Which to pick
If what you want is the smallest possible tool that turns one number into another, a minimal converter is a better fit than RoamRate and you should buy one of those instead. They are good apps built by people with the right instincts.
RoamRate is for the traveller who wants the conversion plus a sense of whether the number is reasonable, and who is usually holding something with the other hand. That is a narrower person, deliberately.
If the wider version is what you want
Free with five major currencies, no time limit. $4.99 once for the rest — the same one-time deal these apps offer.
Download on the App Store