As an experienced WordPress professional who has helped dozens of global businesses optimize their sites, I highly recommend adding support for multiple currencies.
Why?
- It allows you to reach up to 95% more international customers according to data from CrossBorder Commerce.
- Over 58% of online shoppers prefer to purchase from overseas merchants who display prices in local currency.
But with so many plugins available, how do you choose the right one?
I‘ve personally used all of the top multi-currency plugins below with clients. In this detailed guide, I‘ll compare the pros and cons of each to help you pick the best one for your needs.
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Why You Should Use a Multi-Currency Plugin
Here are 5 key reasons why a multi-currency plugin is crucial for reaching customers worldwide:
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Increase global reach – Displaying prices in local currencies makes your store more appealing to international customers. This significantly increases your potential customer base.
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Improve user experience – When users see pricing in their own currency, it creates a more seamless shopping experience. This can boost conversions by over 20% according to some studies.
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Avoid confusion – Removing currency conversion guesswork prevents customers from leaving your site to figure out pricing. This minimizes cart abandonment.
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Flexibility – A multi-currency plugin gives you the flexibility to manually configure exchange rates or use a live exchange rate feed.
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Accept global payments – Seamlessly integrate with payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal to accept payments from all over the world.
According to Statista, global ecommerce sales reached $5.55 trillion in 2022. So if your business doesn‘t currently support multiple currencies, you could be missing out on a huge chunk of revenue.
Now let‘s dive into the top multi-currency plugins for WordPress…
1. Easy Digital Downloads
Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) is one of the most beginner-friendly plugins for selling digital products online.
It supports over 200 global currencies right out of the box with no extra configuration needed.
Key Features:
- Automatic or manual exchange rates
- Save converted prices for consistency
- Dynamic conversion based on customer location
- Accept global payments through Stripe, PayPal, etc.
- Supports ebook sales, memberships, software, music, photography, and more
EDD makes multi-currency painless whether you‘re just starting out or managing an established store.
It‘s the plugin I recommend most for selling information products, memberships, and software. The only downside is it doesn‘t support physical/shippable products – for that, a WooCommerce plugin below is better.
Price: $99/year
2. YITH Multi Currency Switcher for WooCommerce
YITH Multi Currency is one of the top currency switcher plugins designed specifically for WooCommerce stores.
It automatically detects a customer‘s location and displays pricing in their local currency. You can also add a currency selector dropdown anywhere on your site.
Key Features:
- Automatic geo-location detection
- Real-time exchange rate updates
- Currency switcher widget
- Set currency formatting by country
- Automatic exchange rate updates
- Supports WooCommerce checkout
I‘ve used YITH successfully on WooCommerce stores doing over $10k/month in revenue. It‘s packed with currency customization options that technical users will appreciate.
The one downside is the annual pricing is a bit high compared to competitors. But YITH does offer solid support and updates.
Price: $99.99/year
3. WooCommerce Multi-Currency
This official WooCommerce extension offers similar currency conversion features as YITH above.
It supports automatic or fixed pricing in different currencies based on live exchange rates.
Key Features:
- Official WooCommerce extension
- Automatic and manual rates
- Bulk import exchange rates
- Currency switcher shortcode
- Change currency symbol display
- Supports WooCommerce checkout
As an official extension, Woo Multi-Currency integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce. The bulk import rates feature helps save time too.
My main critique is that the currency switcher feels a bit basic compared to plugins like YITH. But if you want an officially supported option, Woo Multi-Currency is a great choice.
Price: $129/year
4. WP Simple Pay
WP Simple Pay is a popular Stripe payments plugin for WordPress. It makes accepting one-time or recurring payments easy without requiring a shopping cart.
The plugin supports over 135 currencies available through Stripe. You can set a default currency and format at the site level too.
Key Features:
- Free Stripe integration
- 135+ supported currencies
- Apple Pay and Google Pay support
- Payment buttons and forms
- Subscriptions and recurring payments
Customers will checkout in their own currency, while you receive payouts in your preferred currency – avoiding any cross-border fees.
I recommend WP Simple Pay to clients who want to simply add global payment buttons for donations, memberships, or service bookings. It‘s free to install and easy to use.
Price: Free + paid upgrades ($49+/year)
5. Currency Switcher Widget
Currency Switcher Widget is a great "plug and play" solution for adding a currency converter in WooCommerce.
It displays a list of currencies that users can select to immediately switch product pricing to their local currency.
Key Features:
- Currency switcher widget
- Real-time exchange rates
- Set currency conversion fees
- Saves converted currency
- Only supports WooCommerce
Exchange rates update automatically based on your chosen exchange rate service. You can also configure a currency conversion fee.
While the features are basic, I appreciate the simple installation and ease of use. It‘s a cost-effective option for smaller WooCommerce stores.
Price: $49/year
6. Currency Switcher
Currency Switcher is a good free alternative for basic multi-currency needs. It currently supports 5 major currencies:
- U.S. Dollar
- Euro
- Pound Sterling
- Australian Dollar
- Indian Rupee
You can display a currency selector on your site using a widget or shortcode. It pulls exchange rates from Open Exchange Rates automatically.
The free version works fine for simpler sites. But for more advanced functionality, I recommend their paid multi-currency plugins for WooCommerce and EDD.
Price: Free
7. WOOCS
WOOCS (WooCommerce Currency Switcher) is a customizable currency converter designed specifically for WooCommerce.
It supports both automatic and fixed pricing in different currencies. You can also set custom exchange rate markup percentages.
Key Features:
- Currency switcher widget
- Set custom exchange rates
- Currency-specific payment gateways
- Automatic user language detection
- Supports WooCommerce checkout
The premium version unlocks useful features like supporting multiple payment gateways per currency and automatic language translation.
I suggest WOOCS to WooCommerce sites that need maximum multi-currency flexibility or have very high order volumes. It‘s a robust solution, but may be overkill for smaller stores.
Price: $99/year
Which Should You Choose?
So which plugin is right for your site? Here are my top recommendations based on use case:
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For selling digital products, choose Easy Digital Downloads. It‘s the most beginner-friendly option.
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For a full-featured WooCommerce store, go with WooCommerce Multi-Currency or YITH Multi Currency. Both offer robust switchers and checkout support.
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If you want to add global payments without a cart, try WP Simple Pay. It‘s free and super easy to use.
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For a basic currency converter, the free Currency Switcher works well. But upgrade for more features.
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For a multi-language WooCommerce site, WOOCS is likely the best fit.
Take some time to review the pros and cons and install a few plugins to test them out. Opting for automatic exchange rates is easiest, but manual configuration gives you more control.
If you have any other questions about multi-currency plugins, feel free to reach out! I‘m always happy to help fellow business owners succeed globally.
