Universal Currency Converter Lite
by Ebibowei Nabena on WordPress.org
A lightweight currency converter with shortcode support, live exchange rates, customizable colors, and a settings page.
Screenshot of the currency converter on a post.
Universal Currency Converter Lite lets you add a simple currency converter to any page or post using a shortcode. It fetches live exchange rates, allows you to set default and target currencies, and style the widget (background, button, text colors) from an admin settings page.
Features
- Live rates from ExchangeRate-API (relative to USD).
- Shortcode to embed anywhere.
- Admin page to choose default & target currencies.
- Color pickers for background, button, and text colors.
- Optional “Buy Me a Coffee” link inside the settings page (Paystack).
Shortcode
Use:
[univcuco_converter]
Override defaults per instance:
[univcuco_converter default=”EUR” to=”GBP” amount=”10″ decimals=”2″]
External Services
This plugin connects to an external service to fetch live currency exchange rates.
- Service Used: ExchangeRate-API (https://open.er-api.com/)
- Purpose: To retrieve up-to-date currency exchange rates for the converter.
- Data Sent: The base currency code (e.g., USD, EUR) in each request. No personal or identifiable user data is sent.
- Data Received: Exchange rates for multiple currencies, displayed in the converter widget/shortcode.
- Privacy & Terms:
- Terms of Service: https://www.exchangerate-api.com/terms
- Privacy Policy: https://www.exchangerate-api.com/privacy
This connection is required for the plugin to function. If the API is unavailable, live exchange rates will not be displayed.
Roadmap
We’re actively improving Currency Converter. Here’s what’s coming:
Current (v1.1)
- Frontend assets now correctly load.
- Added “Settings” link to plugins list page.
- “Convert” button is now the sole trigger.
- Result box is now below the button.
- Header added to converter widget.
- Result box clears on currency changes.
Next Update (v1.2)
- API fallback support for more reliable rates.
- Option to show currency symbols (e.g., $ for USD, ₦ for NGN).
- Friendlier error handling if rates are unavailable.
Planned (v1.3)
- Auto-detect user currency (browser/IP).
- Control over decimal places (0–4).
- New styling options (rounded fields, light/dark mode).
Future (v2.0 and beyond)
- Convert into multiple currencies at once.
- Historical rates (7-day/30-day view).
- Offline caching of last rates.
- WooCommerce integration (optional).
- Gutenberg block support.
Have a feature request? Open a thread in the support forum.
