Case study · Financial Services

BetterFXRates

An independent FX comparison and introduction service for people moving large sums across borders.

My role, through Performous
Concept, brand and platform build
Stage
Recently launched
BetterFXRates homepage with a comparison widget showing an AED to GBP transfer against a typical bank rate

Overview

BetterFXRates helps people sending meaningful amounts abroad, such as property deposits, investment transfers and repatriated savings, compare specialist currency providers against a typical bank rate. It serves an international audience with a UAE and expatriate focus. BetterFXRates is an introduction service: it does not hold client funds, execute transfers or give financial advice, and its comparison figures are representative estimates rather than live quotes. The business earns commission from partner providers when a customer chooses to proceed, at no extra cost to the customer.

The opportunity

Banks often build a wide margin into the exchange rate on international transfers, and few customers check. On a property deposit or an investment transfer, a fraction of a percent can cost thousands. Specialist FX providers are usually better value, but comparing them takes effort most people never make.

For the business, the opportunity is a referral model: introduce well qualified customers to trusted providers and earn a share of the value created. That only works if every enquiry, introduction and commission is tracked carefully, which is exactly where most introducer businesses fall back on spreadsheets.

The product

What was built

Comparison and quote funnel

Visitors choose a currency pair and amount and see providers ranked against a typical bank rate. Rates are derived from the European Central Bank's daily reference rate and a margin set for each provider, and are clearly labelled as estimates.

Routing by transfer size

Every enquiry is scored by its value. Smaller transfers go straight to a partner through a tracked link. Larger ones, and those referred by partners, are held for a personal concierge service.

Lead pipeline

A private CRM follows each lead through 14 stages from first enquiry to completed transfer, with a full timeline, reminders during UAE working hours and drafted messages that staff review before anything is sent.

Referral and commission tracking

Introducers get personal referral links that credit them for 12 months. Each lead carries its expected commission and moves through invoiced, received and paid, so nothing is lost between provider and introducer.

Provider management

Partner providers, their tracked links, margins, logos and payout terms are managed in one place, so the comparison and the commission figures always come from the same source.

Guides and news

Guides written for property buyers and other larger transfers, plus a news desk where AI scores and drafts relevant stories for an editor to review and publish.

Commercial impact

What each part is for

Value based routing

Staff time goes to the enquiries worth the most, while smaller transfers are handled automatically through partner links.

Pipeline and reminders

Each lead has a next step and a timeline, which reduces the chance of a valuable introduction going cold.

Referral attribution

Introducers are credited accurately, which makes it practical to recruit estate agents, advisers and other partners who send customers.

Commission tracking

Expected and received commission sit beside each lead, replacing manual reconciliation with providers.

Clear disclosures

Every comparison is labelled as an estimate and the site states plainly that it never holds funds, which supports trust with customers and partners.

Technology

How it was built

Built with AI coding tools

The public site, comparison engine and back office live in a single codebase, designed and written with AI coding tools working from written specifications and plans. That let one person build what would normally need a product team, and ship improvements to production several times a day.

AI inside the product

  • AI scores incoming news stories for relevance and drafts articles, which an editor reviews and publishes by hand. Visitors do not interact with AI.

Integrations

  • ECB reference rates
  • Neon Postgres
  • Brevo email
  • Plausible analytics
  • Anthropic Claude
  • Vercel

Gallery

Midmarket rate cards for popular currency routes and examples of what a small rate difference costs on larger transfers
Midmarket rates for popular routes, with worked examples of what a small difference in rate costs on a large transfer.
The UAE property buyer's guide to currency on BetterFXRates
A guide for UAE residents buying property abroad, one of several written for larger transfers.