USD to CAD Calculator

Updated Sep 1, 2026 By Jehan Wadia

Introduction

This USD to CAD calculator converts US dollars into Canadian dollars. Type an amount, and you get the answer right away. You can also flip it around and change Canadian dollars back into US dollars with one click.

The tool uses the live mid-market rate, which is the middle point between the buy and sell price. Banks and cards often charge a bit more than this, so you can type in your own rate to see what you will really get.

You also get more than just a number. The calculator shows the math step by step, so you can see how the answer was found. A chart shows how the USD/CAD rate has moved over the last 48 hours, week, month, or even 5 years. Quick tables let you check common amounts like $50, $100, or $1,000 fast.

This is handy if you shop online from Canada, travel across the border, get paid in a different currency, or send money to family. Just enter your amount and see what it is worth today.

How to use our USD to CAD Calculator

Type the amount of money you want to change, check the exchange rate, and the calculator shows your converted amount in Canadian dollars or US dollars, plus the math steps behind it.

Currency I Have: Enter the amount you want to convert. It starts in USD. The result updates as you type.

Swap button: Click the arrows in the middle to flip the direction, so you convert CAD to USD instead of USD to CAD.

Currency I Want: This box shows your converted amount. You can also type here to work backwards and find the starting amount.

Copy button: Click the copy icon to save the result to your clipboard.

Exchange rate: This is filled in with the live mid-market USD/CAD rate. Change it to your bank's or credit card's rate to see what you will really get.

Use live mid-market rate: Click this to put the current market rate back in the rate box.

Calculate: Click to run the conversion and see the step-by-step solution. Reset clears everything and starts over.

Chart time period: Pick 48H, 1W, 1M, 6M, 12M, or 5Y to see how the USD to CAD rate has moved over that time.

Statistics tabs: Choose "Rates" to see high, low, average, and volatility numbers, or "Converted Value" to see what your amount was worth at those past rates.

Quick reference tables: Click any row to load that amount straight into the calculator.

USD to CAD: What It Means

The USD to CAD exchange rate tells you how many Canadian dollars (CAD) you get for one U.S. dollar (USD). If the rate is 1.40, then 1 USD is worth 1.40 CAD. Flip it around and 1 CAD is worth about 0.71 USD. This pair is one of the most traded in the world because the United States and Canada buy and sell so much from each other.

How the Rate Works

In the pair "USD/CAD," the first currency (USD) is the base and the second (CAD) is the quote. The number you see is the price of one U.S. dollar in Canadian dollars. To change USD into CAD, you multiply. To change CAD into USD, you divide by the same rate.

USD → CAD: amount × rate
CAD → USD: amount ÷ rate

When the rate goes up, the U.S. dollar is stronger and the Canadian dollar is weaker. When it goes down, the Canadian dollar is stronger. Traders measure these small moves in pips.

Why the Rate Keeps Moving

Exchange rates change every second that markets are open. A few big reasons:

Interest rates: choices made by the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada.
Oil prices: Canada sells a lot of oil, so the "loonie" often rises when oil rises.
Trade and jobs data: strong economic news usually lifts a currency.
Risk and news: in scary times, traders often buy U.S. dollars for safety. Inflation matters too.

Mid-Market Rate vs. the Rate You Get

The mid-market rate is the middle point between the buy price and the sell price. It is the "real" rate you see on news sites. Banks, airports, and credit cards add a markup called the spread, plus sometimes a flat fee. So if the mid-market rate is 1.40 CAD per USD, your bank might only give you 1.36. That gap is the cost of the trade.

Airport kiosks and hotel desks usually have the worst rates. Banks, credit unions, and low-fee online transfer services are usually cheaper. On card purchases, watch out for "dynamic currency conversion," where a store offers to charge you in your home currency at a poor rate. It is often better to pay in the local currency.

Where This Matters

Travelers, cross-border shoppers, freelancers paid in U.S. dollars, students, and people sending money to family all care about USD/CAD. Even a small change in the rate adds up on big amounts. On a $10,000 transfer, a 2% markup costs about $200.

Reading the History

Looking at past rates helps you see if today's number is high, low, or normal. The high is the most CAD one USD bought in that period, the low is the least, and the average shows the usual level. Volatility shows how much the rate jumped from day to day, so a bigger number means a bumpier ride. Past rates do not predict future rates, but they give you a fair range to expect.

Formulas used

USD to CAD conversion

\text{CAD} = \text{USD} \times r

CAD to USD conversion (inverse rate)

\text{USD} = \frac{\text{CAD}}{r} = \text{CAD} \times \frac{1}{r}

Percentage change vs. previous close

\Delta\% = \frac{r_{\text{now}} - r_{\text{prev}}}{r_{\text{prev}}} \times 100

Period change over the chart range

\Delta\%_{\text{period}} = \frac{r_{\text{last}} - r_{\text{first}}}{r_{\text{first}}} \times 100

Average rate over a period

\bar{r} = \frac{1}{n}\sum_{i=1}^{n} r_i

Daily return and volatility (standard deviation of daily returns)

\sigma\% = 100 \times \sqrt{\frac{1}{n-1}\sum_{i=1}^{n}\left(x_i - \bar{x}\right)^2}, \quad x_i = \frac{r_i - r_{i-1}}{r_{i-1}}

Typical daily swing in converted value

\text{Swing} = \pm\, \left(A \times \bar{r}\right) \times \frac{\sigma\%}{100}

Frequently asked questions

How much is 100 US dollars in Canadian dollars?

Multiply 100 by the current USD to CAD rate. If the rate is 1.40, then 100 USD = 140.00 CAD. The rate changes all day, so check the live number at the top of the calculator or click the 100 row in the quick table to load it.

How do I convert Canadian dollars back to US dollars?

Click the round swap button between the two boxes. The flags flip to CAD on the left and USD on the right. You can also just type in the right-hand box, and the calculator works backwards for you.

What does the note "Custom rate in use" mean?

It means you changed the rate box, so the calculator is no longer using the live market rate. Click Use live mid-market rate to switch back.

What do the small up and down arrows next to USD and CAD mean?

They show which dollar has gotten stronger since the last market close. A green up arrow means that currency gained. A red down arrow means it lost value. One is always up while the other is down, because the pair moves together.

What does "vs previous close" mean?

It compares today's rate to the rate at the end of the last trading day. A reading like +0.13% means one US dollar buys 0.13% more Canadian dollars than it did then.

Do exchange rates change on weekends?

Forex markets close late Friday and open Sunday evening, so the rate mostly sits still over the weekend. Daily history skips weekends and holidays, which is why the chart can show flat gaps.

What is the 52-week high and low for?

They show the best and worst USD to CAD rates in the past year, with the date each one happened. Compare today's rate to them to see if it is high, low, or normal for the year.

What does the volatility percent tell me?

It shows how much the rate typically moved from one day to the next. A small number like 0.20% means a calm market. A bigger number means the rate jumps more, so timing your transfer matters more.

Why does the last step multiply the answer back again?

That is a reverse check. It takes your Canadian dollar answer and applies the inverse rate to see if you land back near your starting amount. Small rounding gaps of a cent or two are normal.

Should I convert my money now or wait?

Nobody can predict rates. Use the average and the 52-week high and low to see if today looks fair. If you convert often, spreading it over several dates smooths out the bumps.

Why does my amount get commas after I click away?

The calculator formats your number so it is easier to read, like 1,000.00. You can type with or without commas. The math uses the full value either way.

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