Ria Review: How Does It Compare in 2026?
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- Minimum Transfer Amount
- $1
- Pay By
- Bank transfer
- Fees (Pay by Bank Transfer)
- Varies
Our verdict
Send fast transfers to 190+ countries and territories, but consider other options if you need to send more than $3,000.
After testing Ria alongside 18 other international money transfer services, we found that it offers strong global coverage, flexible payout options and a simple user experience, with support for bank deposits, cash pickup, mobile wallets, home delivery, Visa Direct deposit and ATM withdrawals depending on the destination.
In our testing, Ria was competitive (though not the cheapest) on popular corridors like India and the Philippines. However, we found that its pricing isn't consistent across all destinations, with exchange-rate markups varying significantly by country.
Overall, Ria is a reliable and widely accessible option, but it may not always offer the lowest total cost depending on where and how you send money, especially since Ria doesn't waive or reduce fees for larger transfer amounts.
Pros
-
Send money to 190+ countries and territories
-
500,000+ cash pickup locations around the world
-
Easy-to-use app and website
-
Transparent fees
-
Same-day transfers
Cons
-
Low maximum transfer amount
-
No fee waivers or discounts for large transfers
What is Ria?
Ria is a money transfer service that lets you send money to 190+ countries and territories. Founded in New York City in 1987, Ria is best known for offering cash pickup transfers to a global network of 500,000+ agent locations. Another feature that sets Ria apart is its ATM cash withdrawal option in select countries, including Mexico. This allows recipients to access their funds directly from participating ATMs without needing a bank account or visiting a cash pickup location.
Ria also supports other transfer types, including bank account deposits, mobile wallet transfers, home delivery and Visa Direct deposits straight to the recipient’s card, depending on the destination country.
Is Ria legitimate in Canada?
Yes, Ria is a legitimate money transfer provider that has been operating for almost 40 years. In Canada, Ria is registered with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) as a money services business (MSB), which means it must comply with Canadian anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regulations.
Ria is also part of Euronet Worldwide, a publicly traded financial technology company listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange.
Is Ria safe?
Yes, Ria uses a range of security measures designed to keep customer accounts and transactions safe. These include multi-factor authentication, data encryption, identity verification procedures, 24/7 transaction monitoring and fraud protection systems that help detect suspicious activity.
Ria’s website is also EV SSL certified, which is the highest class of digital certificate a website can achieve. It means the website has undergone an extensive validation process and uses strong encryption to secure data and confirm the site’s authenticity.
A closer look at the pros and cons
Pros
- Send money to 190+ countries and territories. Ria lets you send money from Canada to recipients all around the world.
- Large global network. Ria has more than 500,000 cash pickup locations globally.
- Flexible transfer options. You can send a transfer in store, online or via the Ria mobile app.
- Supports multiple receiving methods. Receiving methods include cash pickup, bank deposit, mobile wallet and Visa Direct. Cash home delivery and ATM withdrawals are also available in a small number of countries.
- Easy to use. It's quick and easy to send a transfer online or using the Ria app. There's also a "Send Again" feature so you can send repeat transfers quickly.
- Fast transfers. If you send a cash pickup transfer and pay with a credit or debit card, the money could be ready for your recipient to collect within minutes.
- 24/7 security monitoring. Ria's security team monitors transfers 24/7 for any signs of suspicious activity.
- Promotional offers for new users. Some first-time customers may receive introductory offers, such as reduced fees or promotional exchange rates, though availability can vary and you may need to use a code like HELLORIA. We were offered an exchange rate of 1 CAD = 44.68 PHP, when the normal rate was 1 CAD = 43.69, as well as a first transfer fee waiver for a transfer to the Philippines.
- Transparent rates and fees. You don't need an account to see Ria's current exchange rates and fees.
Cons
- Low transfer limit. The maximum amount you can send from Canada with Ria is limited to $3,000 per day and $7,999.99 per month. If you need to send a larger transfer, you'll have to consider other providers. It's worth noting that some Ria agent and partner locations also impose their own receiving limits.
- Exchange rate markup. Ria adds a margin to the mid-market exchange rate when converting your Canadian dollars to foreign currency. When we checked, this markup ranged anywhere from approximately 0.2% to 3.7% depending on the currency being sent.
- Transfer fee. You'll also pay a transfer fee to send money with Ria. The size of the fee varies depending on your payment and delivery method and where you're sending money. Unlike other money transfer services we tried, Ria doesn't offer a discount or waive its fee for larger transfers.
- No Interac e-Transfer payment. You can only pay for your transfer using bank transfer, credit card, debit card or cash.
- Promotional rates are not universal. Introductory exchange rates and fee discounts are only available on select corridors and may not apply to all destinations or transfer types. For example, we weren't offered a fee waiver or better exchange rate when sending money to Nigeria or the United Kingdom.
- Limited home delivery service. Home delivery is only available to recipients in the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Armenia, Vietnam, Morocco and the Philippines.
8.5 Great
Fees (Pay by Bank Transfer)
From 0.48%
Fastest Transfer Speed
24 hours
Min. Transfer Amount
$1
8 Great
Fees (Pay by Bank Transfer)
$0
Fastest Transfer Speed
Within minutes
Min. Transfer Amount
$1
8.6 Great
Fees (Pay by Bank Transfer)
From $0
Fastest Transfer Speed
Within minutes
Min. Transfer Amount
$1
Testing the Ria app to see how much it really charges
To see how Ria compares to the 18 other money transfer services we tried, we ran test transfers from Canada to India and Ukraine. We compared Ria’s quoted exchange rates against the mid-market rate at the time and factored in any transfer fees to calculate the total cost.
For a $200 transfer to India, Ria’s total cost of 1.75% was cheaper than traditional banks like Simplii and CIBC at 3.00%, but not as cheap as other competitors, such as Pesa at 0.53% and Instarem at 0.70%.
For larger transfers, Ria’s transfer fee and exchange rate remain the same, so its total cost drops to 1.01%, which brings it closer to Instarem at 0.63% and Pesa at 0.53%, but still almost double the cost.
However, our testing found that Ria’s exchange rate markups can vary significantly depending on the destination country. While transfers to popular remittance destinations like India and the Philippines were competitively priced, Ria charges a higher exchange rate markup for less popular corridors such as Ukraine and the United Kingdom. For example, a $200 transfer to Ukraine carried a markup of 3.98%, despite having no transfer fee.
What are Ria’s transfer fees?
Like most of the other money transfer platforms we tried, Ria doesn’t offer a single, fixed transfer fee. Its fees vary depending on the destination, payment method, payout method and transfer amount.
You can use Ria’s online calculator to see its exchange rates and fees without even creating an account. But to illustrate how Ria’s fees can vary by destination and payout method, we compared the cost of sending $500 internationally using both debit and credit cards.
Sending $500 to India:
- Cash pickup: $4 (debit) or $13 (credit)
- Bank deposit: $1.90 (debit) or $8 (credit)
- UPI: $1.90 (debit) or $8 (credit)
Sending $500 to the Philippines:
- Cash pickup: $3.50 (debit) or $8 (credit)
- Home delivery: $15 (debit or credit)
- Bank deposit: $0.99 (debit) or $9 (credit)
- Mobile wallet: $1.50 (debit) or $6.90 (credit)
We calculated Ria’s cost markup for money transfers
Ria’s pricing varies by destination, with costs made up of both transfer fees and exchange rate markups. To evaluate its overall cost, we calculated Ria’s markup on a transfer funded by debit card and received via bank deposit across 10 different countries.
| Country | Mid-market rate | Exchange rate offered | Fee charged | Exchange rate markup | Fee markup | Total cost markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 68.35 | 67.95 | $1.90 | 0.59% | 0.95% | 1.54% |
| Philippines | 44.04 | 43.47 | $0.99 | 1.29% | 0.50% | 1.79% |
| Mexico | 12.51 | 12.30 | $1.90 | 1.68% | 0.95% | 2.63% |
| Pakistan | 199.48 | 198.02 | $0.99 | 0.73% | 0.50% | 1.23% |
| Colombia | 2,587 | 2,529 | $1.49 | 2.24% | 0.75% | 2.99% |
| Morocco | 6.64 | 6.49 | $2.50 | 2.26% | 1.25% | 3.51% |
| Nigeria | 975.11 | 974.95 | $1.90 | 0.02% | 0.96% | 0.97% |
| Thailand | 23.59 | 22.81 | $3 | 3.31% | 1.50% | 4.81% |
| United Kingdom | 0.54 | 0.52 | $7 | 3.70% | 3.50% | 7.20% |
| United Arab Emirates | 2.63 | 2.61 | $7 | 0.76% | 3.50% | 4.26% |
As of June 9, 2026
How long does an international Ria money transfer take?
Transfer times with Ria depend on how you fund the transfer, the destination country and the payout method. According to Ria, here’s how long different payment methods typically take to process:
- Debit or credit card: 15 minutes to 3 hours
- Bank transfer: Up to 4 business days
- Cash: 1 business day from when Ria receives the payment
That being said, Ria states that some currencies can only be transferred during business hours, so be sure to account for weekends and public holidays when planning a transfer.
What’s it like to use the Ria app?
Ria’s app is easy to use, but relatively simple compared to some of the other money transfer apps we tested.
If you don’t have an account, all you can see on the app is the calculator that shows Ria’s exchange rate and transfer fees. But we like that you don’t need to provide any personal details to check pricing, making it easy to compare costs with other providers or between different payment and payout methods.
Once you log in and complete your profile by adding personal details such as your full name and address, you can initiate a transfer, see your list of recipients, track transfers and view available cash pickup locations.
The only thing we didn’t love is that you can’t initiate a chat with Ria’s support team on the app. Instead, it redirects you to its website. Other than that, Ria’s app has everything you need to send money and monitor your transfers.
Ria app ratings
| Platform | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Google Play Store | 4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 240,000+ reviews4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 240,000+ reviews |
| Apple App Store | 4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 23,000+ reviews |
| Trustpilot | 4.3 out of 5 stars, based on 36,000+ reviews |
Accurate as of June 9, 2026
What do Ria reviews say?
Ria’s reviews are generally positive, with many customers saying their transfers were delivered quickly, they received good customer service, and pricing was competitive.
However, some negative reviews state that their account was closed with no explanation and that the exchange rate they were quoted wasn’t the one they actually received. Others say they’ve been using Ria for a long time, and transfers now take longer than they used to.
Preview of the Ria app
How to send money with Ria
You can send a transfer with Ria at one of its partner locations or using its website or mobile app. Follow these steps to send money via Ria’s app or website:
- Set up your account. Go to Ria’s website or mobile app and register with your email address and a strong password. Enter your mobile number, full name and address, then input the security code that’s sent to your phone.
- Initiate the transfer. Once your account is set up, log in and select Send Money or Start your transfer.
- Enter the amount. Choose the destination country, then either enter the amount you want to send in CAD or the amount you want your recipient to receive in their currency.
- Choose a delivery and payment method. Fund your transfer with a debit card, credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Then choose a delivery method from bank deposit, cash pickup, mobile wallet, home delivery, Visa Direct deposit or ATM withdrawal, though options vary by destination.
- Choose a recipient. Add your recipient’s information, including their first and last name, city and country. Depending on the delivery method you chose, you may have to enter their account number, mobile number, card number or home address.
- Enter your payment details. Input your debit or credit card number or continue with Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Review the transfer. Review the transaction details, then send your funds.
Bottom line
Ria is a reliable and widely available international money transfer service that has been around since 1987, but its pricing and exchange rates vary widely depending on the destination. It’s best suited for fast transfers to popular destinations like India and the Philippines, but for less common corridors or transfers over $3,000, you may want to consider another platform.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Your reviews
Rebecca Finder
Writer
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