Mobile money transfer apps make sending money internationally convenient, but which app is the best? Depending on where you’re sending money and how fast you need it to arrive, you may find what you need in these highly rated apps.
We looked not only at customer reviews on both the Apple App and Google Play stores, but also took into consideration the features of each of the services when picking the best money transfer apps.
At a glance: The best international money transfer apps of 2020:
- Remitly — Money-back guarantee
- OFX — No maximum limit
- Wise — Mid-market rate
- WorldRemit — Diverse delivery options
- XE Money Transfer — Tracking currency pairs
- MoneyGram — Massive global network
1. Remitly
With the Remitly app, you’ll be given an exact date and time for when your money will be available for your recipient. If your transfer is late, Remitly has a money-back guarantee. Learn more about this and other features before downloading the app to make sure it’s the right fit for you.
Features in the app
Live exchange rates | Set rate alerts | Track your transfer |
| Available on iPhone | Available on Android | Available in other languages |
Pros
- Cash pickup available
- No minimum transfer
- Large range of destinations
- Funds can be received through mobile money
Cons
- Limit on how much you can send
- Fees change depending on the speed of your transfer
- Requires government-issued ID
| Data from Dec 4, 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.7 | Average rating: 96% |
| # of reviews | 338,912 | 64,217 | Total reviews: 403,129 |
Calculate your transfer with Remitly
2. OFX
With OFX’s mobile app, send money transfers of $1,000 or more to 195 countries worldwide. You can also use the app to register for an OFX account, monitor current and historical exchange rates, track your transfers and set rate alerts. Transactions are free, but OFX takes a slight margin on currency exchange rates.
Features in the app
Live exchange rates | Set rate alerts | Track your transfer |
| Available on iPhone | Available on Android | Available in other languages |
Pros
- Can monitor current and historical exchange rates
- Track your transfers
- Set rate alerts
- Free transactions
- Better exchange rates than banks
Cons
- Transfers must be above $250
- Doesn’t accept credit card or cash as payment
- App only available in English
| Data from Dec 4, 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.4 | Average rating: 90% |
| # of reviews | 1,024 | 2,521 | Total reviews: 3,545 |
Calculate your transfer with OFX
3. Wise
Send payments to friends, family and businesses in 30 countries with the Wise app. It includes a calculator you can use to get exchange rates and fees for specific transfers and offers an easy way to upload a photo of any personal ID needed to get started with Wise.
Features in the app
Live exchange rates | Set rate alerts | Track your transfer |
| Available on iPhone | Available on Android | Available in other languages |
Pros
- No minimum transfer amount
- Uses the mid-market rate
- Transparent with fees
- Can pay with Apple Pay (although paying by card incurs higher fees)
Cons
- No cash pickup
- Not as many currencies as other providers
| Data from Dec 4, 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.3 | Average rating: 87% |
| # of reviews | 20,477 | 94,541 | Total reviews: 115,018 |
Calculate your transfer with Wise
4. WorldRemit
With the WorldRemit app, you can send money to more than 150 countries for bank deposit, mobile airtime top-up and even cash pickup. WorldRemit has no minimum transfer amount, but its maximums vary depending on the destination country. Learn more about WorldRemit before downloading the app to make sure it’s the right fit for you.
Features in the app
Live exchange rates | Set rate alerts | Track your transfer |
| Available on iPhone | Available on Android | Available in other languages |
Pros
- Cash pickup available
- No minimum transfer
- Large range of destinations
- Competitive exchange rates
- Funds can be received through mobile money
Cons
- Limit on how much you can send
- Fees change depending on the amount you transfer
- Not as many extra features as other money transfer apps
| Data from Dec 4, 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.1 | Average rating: 89%% |
| # of reviews | 82,194 | 79,495 | Total reviews: 161,689 |
Calculate your transfer with WorldRemit
5. XE Money Transfer
The XE Money Transfer app lets you exchange money at a more competitive exchange rate than you’d find at the bank and makes tracking multiple exchange rates a breeze. It also offers low fees and low minimum transfer amounts.
Features in the app
Live exchange rates | Set rate alerts | Track your transfer |
| Available on iPhone | Available on Android | Available in other languages |
Pros
- No fees
- No maximum transfer limit
- Set custom currency pair alerts
- Send money to more than 130 countries.
Cons
- Doesn’t use mid-market rate
- Only bank-to-bank transfers
- No cash pickup
| Data from Dec 4, 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.5 | Average rating: 84% |
| # of reviews | 4,611 | 94,656 | Total reviews: 99,267 |
Calculate your transfer with XE
6. MoneyGram
Use MoneyGram’s app to send money to more than 200 countries and territories around the world. You’ll also get access to a map of worldwide agent locations and their directions and hours for cash pickups.
Features in the app
Live exchange rates | Set rate alerts | Track your transfer |
| Available on iPhone | Available on Android | Available in other languages |
Pros
- Almost-instant transfers to cash pickup
- Can pay with bank transfer, cash or card
- Transfers to many currencies
Cons
- Less competitive exchange rates
- Transfer fees to some countries can be significant
| Data from Dec 4, 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 | Average rating: 95% |
| # of reviews | 142,985 | 38,254 | Total reviews: 181,239 |
Calculate your transfer with MoneyGram
Sending money domestically?
The best apps for sending money domestically within the US are all free. The only reason you’d need to pay to send money within the US is if you’re sending to someone who doesn’t have access to a bank account and a smart device, or who wants to pick up cash in person.
- Visit our guide on sending money within the US to find fee-free options for your domestic transfer.
How can I compare money transfer services?
A key factor in choosing an app is the service behind it. Compare these features before making your decision.
Exchange rates
Different providers will offer you different exchange rates. It’s generally not the one you’ll see on Google or XE — otherwise known as the mid-market rate. To make a profit, transfer services add on a margin to the exchange rate to cover their own fees. Always compare providers with the knowledge that a provider may have no fees, but a bad exchange rate.
Fees
Providers charge fees in either flat rates, percentages or not at all. These fees can also change depending on what you’re sending and how you’re sending it. For example, larger transfers are generally cheaper, while money transfers using your credit card can incur higher fees.
Speed
Sometimes you need to get money to someone fast. Some providers specialize in cash pickup, which means your recipient can pick up the money you send almost instantly. This does come at a higher price, however. If you’re not worried about timing, most providers take anywhere between one and four days to deliver the money at a much lower fee.
Bottom line
If you want to send cash on the go, a money transfer app may be for you. Always compare the exchange rates, transfer fees and other details of money transfer specialists to ensure you get the best deal for your needs.
Frequently asked questions
More guides on Finder
-
Bitstamp vs Coinbase
We compare two of the largest crypto exchanges in the world to see how they stack up.
-
Earning on KuCoin
Explore all of the ways to earn interest on a variety of cryptocurrency assets by using KuCoin exchange, including staking and lending.
-
Earning on Coinbase review
Learn how to earn interest on your cryptocurrency using Coinbase exchange. Finder’s guide to earning on Coinbase has information on Coinbase Learn, staking and DeFi.
-
Otis Wealth review
An investment platform that lets you buy and sell fractional shares of culturally significant items.
-
Marcus Invest review
Features, costs and ratings to consider before you open an account.
-
Payactiv pay advance app review
Payactiv offers advances of up to 50% of your earned wages, sometimes for free. But it’s limited if your employer isn’t a partner.
-
Albert review
A digital account that prioritizes your access to your money and is light on fees.
-
Nifty Gateway Review and Guide
Your complete guide to buying and selling NFTs (non-fungible tokens) on popular marketplace Nifty Gateway
-
Monifi review
An app-focused bank that offers competitive savings rates, minimal fees and a goal-oriented approach to managing money.
-
Wings Financial Credit Union CDs review
CD terms from 3 months to 5 years and no monthly fees but a minimum balance is required.
Ask an Expert
Hello,
How do I link my CIBC canada online banking to the app to help me send money from Canada to my family and friends abroad and Ghana. My credit card can no longer be added to anything as I have blocked it so I want to link my bank account directly.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for getting in touch with Finder.
Kindly visit your chosen platform that you’re considering to link your Canadian bank account with. If you’re having issues on adding your bank account with a certain app, please reach out to their support team.
I hope this helps.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Jeni
Can all these apps money transfer be used to transfer money from South Africa to Nigeria?
Hi Swazzy,
Thank you for leaving a question. For apps that you can use to transfer money from South Africa to Nigeria – you may want to check on TransferWire and WorldRemit as possible options.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Val
Hey am in Finland and I would like to use my card to send money to uganda, it looks like the company manage those apps are in United States and am in Finland we use Euros here. There is any app I can use here in Finland with low sending fees? Thanks
Hi Liv,
Thanks for your message and visiting finder.
As of the moment, we don’t have a list of brands that offer money transfer from Finland to Uganda. The companies listed above are available to people in the US only. You might want to check the money service providers available in Finland.
Sorry, I couldn’t be of help to you at this time. I can have our publishers review this topic and hopefully have this added to our pages in the future.
Hope this helps! Feel free to message us should you have further questions.
Cheers,
Nikki