Remitly Review: Is It One of the Best in 2026?

What is Remitly?

Remitly is a digital money transfer service that lets users send money internationally through its website or mobile app. It allows users in 32 countries, including Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, to send money to 175+ countries and territories.

Users can pay with bank transfers, debit cards, credit cards, mobile wallets or Interac e-Transfers, while recipients can receive funds through bank or debit card deposits, cash pickup locations, mobile wallets or even home delivery in some countries.

Is Remitly legitimate in Canada?

Yes, Remitly is registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) as a Money Services Business (MSB). This means it’s legally allowed to offer money transfer services in Canada.

A closer look at the pros and cons

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Testing the Remitly app to see how much it really charges

To understand how Remitly performs on price, we ran a series of test scenarios using transfers to India from Canada with different funding methods. We also tested out transfers to Ukraine.

For each scenario, we recorded the offered exchange rate, the mid-market rate and any fees applied. Then we calculated the total cost markup and compared the data with the 18 other international money transfer services we tested.

The results show that pricing varies meaningfully depending on transfer size and payment method. For smaller transfers (e.g., $200), Remitly remained competitive but not always the cheapest option in the market. For example, its lowest total cost markup came in at 1.37%, compared with TapTap Send at 0.70% and Instarem at 0.70% as well.

Remitly performed better on larger transfers of around $1,000, offering one of the lowest total cost markups at 0.56%. Only Pesa (0.53%) was cheaper.

What are Remitly’s transfer fees?

Like other international money transfer services we tested, Remitly’s transfer fees depend on:

• The destination country
• Transfer amount
• Payment method
• Delivery method
• Delivery speed

For example, here’s what you can expect to pay if you want to transfer money to the Philippines, no matter the amount:

• Bank deposit: free
• Mobile wallet: $0.99
• Cash pickup: $4.99
• Debit card deposit: $4.99
• Home delivery $4.99

Versus transfers to Pakistan under $300 (free above $300):

• Bank deposit: $0.99
• Mobile wallet: $0.99
• Cash pickup: $2.99

Does Remitly offer free money transfers?

Remitly waives transfer fees on certain destinations and payment methods, although these offers typically come with conditions such as minimum or maximum transfer amounts and can vary depending on the destination and current promotions. For example, at the time of testing, bank deposits to recipients in the Philippines were free, and so were transfers over $500 to India.

New customers may also be eligible for a promotional first-transfer offer, which usually includes no fees and improved exchange rates on an initial portion of the transfer. These promotions are usually automatically applied, but you can check the Rewards tab on your app as well.

Calculating Remitly’s cost markup for money transfers

Remitly’s overall cost varies by destination country and payment and payout methods. We calculated its cost markup based on sending $200 CAD to multiple countries using Interac e-Transfer, with delivery to the recipient’s bank account or debit card.

Country	Mid-market rate (1 CAD)	Exchange rate offered (1 CAD)	Fee charged (CAD)	Exchange rate markup	Fee markup	Total cost markup
India	70.26 INR	69.79 INR	$1.99	0.67%	1.00%	1.67%
Philippines	44.84 PHP	44.52 PHP	$0	0.71%	0.00%	0.71%
Mexico	12.61 MXN	12.38 MXN	$1.99	1.82%	1.00%	2.82%
Pakistan	202.36 PKR	199.66 PKR	$0.99	1.33%	0.50%	1.83%
Colombia	2,768.94 COP	2,736.55 COP	$1.49	1.17%	0.75%	1.92%
Morocco	6.70 MAD	6.59 MAD	$1.99	1.64%	1.00%	2.64%
Kenya	94.01 KES	92.07 KES	$0	2.06%	0.00%	2.06%
Japan	115.63 JPY	112.98 JPY	$6.99	2.29%	3.50%	5.79%
Germany	0.62 EUR	0.62 EUR	$0	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
United Arab Emirates	2.66 AED	2.65 AED	$3.99	0.38%	2.00%	2.38%

As at May 19, 2026

Related: Best money transfer apps in Canada

How long does an international Remitly money transfer take?

Remitly transfer times vary based on the destination country, payout method and how the transfer is funded. In most cases, you can choose between 2 delivery options: Express and Economy. Express transfers are faster but typically cost more, while Economy transfers are slower and usually cheaper.

During our testing, Express transfers funded by debit or credit card said they would arrive instantly or within minutes, while Economy transfers funded through bank accounts or Interac e-Transfers said they would take 9 hours to 6 business days.

As an example, here’s what delivery times to the Philippines look like based on payment method:

• Debit card: Instantly
• Mobile wallet: Instantly
• Interac e-Transfer: Within 9 hours
• Credit Card: Instantly
• Bank account: 3 to 6 days

Estimated delivery times are displayed before you complete your transfer, which we found helpful during testing.

What’s it like to use the Remitly app?

After testing 19 international money transfer apps, we found Remitly to be the standout choice for ease of use. The entire process feels clearer and more intuitive than rival platforms.

It has all the same features as Remitly’s website but in one convenient place. We were able to quickly set up transfers, view exchange rates and fees before committing, and compare delivery speeds and payment options in real time. The app also makes it easy to track both active and completed transactions, refer friends and see any offers you may have.

There’s a help centre as well, where you can find answers to common questions or start a live chat 24/7 for additional assistance.

Remitly app ratings

Platform	Ratings
Google Play Store	4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 1.51m+ reviews
Apple App Store	4.9 out of 5 stars, based on 2.5m+ reviews
Trustpilot	4.6 out of 5 stars, based on 110,800+ reviews

As of May 19, 2026

What do Remitly reviews say?

Remitly reviews are generally positive, with many users highlighting the platform’s speed, ease of use and straightforward transfer process. Customers often mention that sending money is quick and simple, and that the app makes it easy to view exchange rates and fees before completing a transfer. App store feedback also emphasizes the user-friendly design and clear tracking updates, which help users monitor their transactions in real time.

However, there are also some recurring negative themes in reviews. Some users report delays beyond the estimated delivery times, particularly when additional verification is required. Others mention issues with referral bonuses not being credited, temporary account suspensions without clear explanations and inconsistent customer service experiences when problems arise.

Preview of the Remitly app

How to send money with Remitly

You can quickly send money internationally from your computer or through the Remitly app by completing the following steps.

1. Create a free account. Register for an account with your email address, Google account or Apple ID.
2. Log in. Once your account is set up, you can log in and select Send.
3. Select the destination country. Choose where you want to send the money and enter the amount in Canadian dollars. Remitly will automatically display the amount your recipient will receive based on the exchange rate and fees.
4. Choose a delivery method. Payout options depend on the destination. They typically include bank deposit, mobile wallet, cash pickup or debit card deposit. Home delivery is available in the Dominican Republic, the Philippines and Vietnam.
5. Choose a payment method. Pay with your bank account, credit card, debit card, mobile wallet or Interac e-Transfer.
6. Enter the recipient’s information. Provide your recipient’s name and contact information, including their mobile phone number. If you’re sending a bank deposit, you’ll also need to enter their account number and bank name.
7. Enter your personal information. Input your first and last name, date of birth, address and phone number.
8. Review payment details. Confirm your funding method and add your payment details.
9. Confirm and send. Review all the details of your transfer, then select Send Money to complete it.
10. Track your transfer. Remitly will send text updates on your transaction to you and your recipient’s mobile number. You can also track the transfer status on the app’s home page.

Is Remitly safe?

Yes, Remitly is safe. Not only is it a registered Money Services Business in Canada, but it has a dedicated in-house security and compliance team and uses multiple industry-standard protection measures to keep your data safe, including:

• Securing data transmissions with 256-bit SSL encryption.
• Monitoring accounts for suspicious activity manually and automatically.
• Verifying new accounts to protect users from fraud.
• Protecting account access with two-factor authentication.
• Locking accounts after failed login/payment attempts.

Bottom line

After testing 19 international money transfer services, we found Remitly to be one of the best options for Canadians, offering a strong balance of speed, ease of use and global reach. It performs well for medium to large transfers but isn’t always the cheapest option for smaller amounts.

We liked that you can try out different payment methods, payout options and delivery speeds to see how the fees and exchange rates change, making it easier to compare costs between methods and even different transfer services before committing.