# Using Multiple Currencies in YNAB

> When using more than once currency, we recommend creating a separate budget. This article will help you manage multiple currencies in YNAB.

Source: https://support.ynab.com/en_us/using-multiple-currencies-in-ynab-a-guide-SyBF6PHno

Last updated: 2026-07-09T19:40:10.096Z

Learn how to manage multiple currencies in YNAB depending on your situation, and review tips for managing them.

#### In This Article

[How to Create and Use a Separate Plan for Each Currency](#separate)

[Traveling to a Country That Has Another Currency](#traveling)

* * *

## How to Create and Use a Separate Plan for Each Currency

When using multiple currencies (like US dollars and Canadian dollars), we recommend **creating a separate plan for each**. You record what you **send**, and you record what you **receive**. This simplifies the process of handling currency fluctuations, exchange rates, charges, and fees.

In the steps below, we'll use US dollars as a primary currency/plan and Canadian dollars as a secondary currency/plan. These steps will work with any currencies.

### How to Create a Separate Plan for Each Currency

### iOS

1.  Tap the _Home_ tab.
    
2.  For your **primary** plan/currency:
    
    1.  Tap the three dots icon located in the upper left of the app.
        
    2.  Tap _Settings & Privacy_ from the pop-up menu.
        
    3.  Tap _New Plan_.
        
    4.  Name your plan.
        
    5.  Choose your primary currency.
        
    6.  Make any additional adjustments to the settings.
        
    7.  Click _Create._
        
    8.  [Create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) called "Currency Transfer".
        
3.  For your **secondary** plan/currency:
    
    1.  Tap the three dots icon located in the upper left of the app.
        
    2.  Tap _Settings & Privacy_ from the pop-up menu.
        
    3.  _Tap New Plan_.
        
    4.  Name your plan.
        
    5.  Choose your secondary currency.
        
    6.  Make any additional adjustments to the settings.
        
    7.  Click _Create._
        
    8.  [Create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) called "Currency Transfer".**\***
        

### Android

1.  Tap the _Home_ tab.
    
2.  For your **primary** plan/currency:
    
    1.  Tap the three dots icon located in the upper right of the app.
        
    2.  Tap _Settings & Privacy_ from the pop-up menu.
        
    3.  Tap _New Plan_.
        
    4.  Name your plan.
        
    5.  Choose your primary currency.
        
    6.  Make any additional adjustments to the settings.
        
    7.  Click _Create._
        
    8.  [Create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) called "Currency Transfer".
        
3.  For your **secondary** plan/currency:
    
    1.  Tap the three dots icon located in the upper right of the app.
        
    2.  Tap _Settings & Privacy_ from the pop-up menu.
        
    3.  Tap _New Plan_.
        
    4.  Name your plan.
        
    5.  Choose your secondary currency.
        
    6.  Make any additional adjustments to the settings.
        
    7.  Click _Create._
        
    8.  [Create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) called "Currency Transfer".**\***
        

### Web

1.  For your **primary** currency/plan:
    
    1.  Click the name of your plan located in the top left corner of the **web app**.
        
    2.  Click _New_  from the drop-down menu.
        
    3.  Name your plan.
        
    4.  Choose your primary currency.
        
    5.  Make any additional adjustments to the settings.
        
    6.  Click _Create Plan_.
        
    7.  [Create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) called "Currency Transfer".
        
2.  For your **secondary** currency/plan:
    
    1.  Click the name of your plan located in the top left corner of the app.
        
    2.  Click _New Plan_ from the drop-down menu.
        
    3.  Name your plan.
        
    4.  Choose your secondary currency.
        
    5.  Make any additional adjustments to the settings.
        
    6.  Click _Create Plan_.
        
    7.  [Create a category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909) called "Currency Transfer".**\***
        

### How to Use a Separate Plan for Each Currency

When you're ready to convert money from your primary currency to your secondary currency, follow these steps:

1.  Open the primary plan (US dollars).
    
2.  Assign the amount of money you're converting to the "Currency Transfer" category.
    
3.  Record an outflow transaction for the amount of money leaving the plan using "Currency Transfer" as the category.
    
4.  Open the secondary plan (Canadian dollars).
    
5.  Record an inflow transaction, **factoring in the exchange rate and any fees**, categorizing the funds to Income: Ready to Assign (called Inflow: Ready to Assign on Web).
    
6.  Assign your money to zero.
    

**\***Adding a "Currency Transfer" category in both plans can be beneficial if you're transferring back-and-forth between the two. If that's the case, and you would like to transfer money from your secondary to your primary plan, you can follow the directions in the above section, swapping the words "primary" and "secondary."

#### Additional Tips:

*   When adding accounts to your plans, make sure all accounts in a plan use the same currency. Every account in your primary plan should be in your primary currency. Every account in your secondary plan should be in your secondary currency. This prevents issues with exchange rates.
    
*   Reconcile often! [Reconciliation](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys) is always a good idea, but it’s especially important when you’re spending in multiple currencies. Your exchange rate depends on **when** the vendor submits the transaction. In some countries, vendors send transactions only weekly (rather than in real-time). Your exchange rate could vary depending on when your bank clears the transaction.
    

[Back to Top](#backtotop)

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## Traveling to a Country That Has Another Currency

When traveling to a country that has another currency, it is easiest to [use a single category](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/adding-removing-and-customizing-categories-a-guide-HJFO5j909), like "Vacation," for all your spending. If you’d like to distinguish between trips, you can use the memo field when [entering the transaction](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-transactions-in-ynab-HyDwA_byi#add) to label your transactions (example: #2025beach). 

#### Tracking Purchases While on Vacation

*   **If you are spending from a cash account:** Enter transactions as they happen. Estimate the exchange rate and conversion fees to determine the amount. [Flag the transactions](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/flags-a-guide-Skh8Xb4kj#add) to review later and update the amount based on what clears your bank.
    

*   **If you are using a credit card:** Follow the cash suggestions above, or you can wait until the converted transaction hits your bank account. [Add it to YNAB](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/how-to-add-transactions-in-ynab-HyDwA_byi#add) with the amount your bank shows, or [let it import](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/linked-accounts-B1991f2Cc#import) if you have your accounts linked. When you get home, we recommend [reconciling your accounts](https://support.ynab.com/en_us/reconciling-accounts-a-guide-BJFE3fHys#process) to ensure your balances in YNAB match the bank.
    

[Back to Top](#backtotop)

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