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The best international money transfers have the lowest fees, strongest exchange rates and offer your preferred payment and pickup methods. First, determine the most important features for your transfer and then compare options to find the best international money transfer to fit your needs,
To help, we’ve compared 150+ international money transfer companies to find your best options. Use our comparison table to quickly see top money transfer services.
Answer three quick questions and we'll give you an instant recommendation for a money transfer service based on your needs.
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Finding it hard to cut through the noise? We can help. We find the most useful comparison features to be fees, exchange rates and transfer speed, and you can use our comparison table to compare money transfer providers on those features. Select the country you want to send to, enter the amount you want to transfer and click Calculate to compare international money transfer options. Click Go to site to send money with the transfer provider of your choice.
In short, an international money transfer is the process of sending money from one country to another. International money transfers are typically sent through banks or international money transfer providers. Both people and businesses send and receive international money transfers all around the world.
To send an international money transfer, you typically provide funds and your recipient’s details to a money transfer provider or bank, which then exchanges the money into your desired currency and sends it to your recipient. Depending on what money transfer service you use, you can send money over the phone, in person, through a mobile app or online.
Sending an international money transfer in person can be done by visiting an agent location or your bank. Sending money this way can have excess fees, so use sparingly if possible.
The convenience of sending an international money transfer from the comfort of your couch is hard to beat. Most online money transfer providers also have mobile apps, but not all apps are created equal.
You’ll typically secure the strongest exchange rates and the lowest fees when you send money using an online money transfer provider, so always compare this option when sending.
There are many reasons why you’d need to send an international money transfer, and learning how to do so now may save you on fees later. Some of the most common sending needs include:
There are two main ways to send money out of the USA: a specialist money transfer service or your bank. Both banks and transfer services offer online transfers, with some offering in-branch transfers or the ability to send money over your phone via an app or by calling an agent.
The steps for sending money online are:
The following steps give a good example of a typical transfer using a money transfer company.
If you choose to use a bank to carry out your transfer, the process is a little different.
The cost of an international money transfer varies because each service charges different amounts, and this can vary between currencies as well.
The average cost to send a remittance out of the US in 2019 was 5.55% of the total transaction, according to WorldBank data.
In general, there are two ways you’re charged for international money transfers:
Other fees depend on how you’re paying for your money transfer and how you’d like your recipient to get the funds. Credit or debit card transfers are often your most expensive option, though often the fastest, while cash pickups can also increase your overall payment.
So, look at your transfer’s total cost instead of only the fees or exchange rates. Companies often try and trick you by offering “fee-free” transfers, when in reality you’re paying for that fee with a poor exchange rate. The total cost of the transfer is the easiest way to compare money transfer companies, and using a comparison table that auto calculates the cost is our recommended method.
When directly comparing one international money transfer service against another, fees and exchange rates are your go-to indicators. But when figuring out what international money transfer is best for your specific needs, there are more features you’ll want to take into consideration. Breaking these options down into sending amounts makes it easier to understand when you’ll want to use them:
While there’s no way to send an international money transfer for free, there are several ways to make it cheaper:
International money transfers can seem intimidating at first, but now that you’re armed with the necessary knowledge, the best deals are within your grasp. Remember to always look at the total transfer amount to avoid being fooled by misleading deals, and you’ll be a money transfer pro in no time.
The length of time it takes for your money to arrive depends on the transfer service you choose and how you pay. In general, if you pay with a credit or debit card, your money will arrive fast — often within the day. Paying by bank transfer is a lot slower and will generally take two to five days to clear. You can read more about what to expect and the different factors affecting transfer speed in our guide.
When you transfer money, send as much or as little as you want — but it all depends on the service you choose. Some are aimed at bigger transfers and have minimums that can get as high as $500,000 or more. You’ll also find several that specialize in smaller transfers and have minimums as low as $1.
There are no limits in the US for how much you can send out of the country, but the service you use will need to do extra verification on you to comply with the law. This could mean presenting more proofs of identity or address, like utility bills, car registration or your passport.
Some services offer “first transfer free” deals for new customers and promo codes so you can get discounts on your second and third transfers. There are also services that advertise “fee-free” transfers, but you’d still be paying a hidden fee on the exchange rate markup.
Check out some of the latest promo codes on offer below to see if you qualify for a free first transfer:
Sigue offers speedy money transfers to 50+ countries, but you have to set up a transfer to see the transaction fees.
Join Boss Revolution with an email address and phone number, and send money within minutes.
Usend combines money transfers, bill pay and mobile phone reloading.
Paysend offers transfers to more than 70 countries through its app and online service.
Pairing international calls with money transfers makes Boxypay a unique choice.
Sending a large money transfer to Hong Kong? Learn about laws and required documentation before you transfer.
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I’m trying to get money transfer tracking number that I’d made on August 15 of 2019. I honestly forgot to give my sender the tracking number, and I totally lost the receipt. Can you please help me and get me the tracking number the way my family can receive the money?
Hi Mario,
Thanks for your comment. I’m sorry to hear that you lost the tracking number of the money transfer. I wish I could help you out in finding the tracking number however we are not working with any money transfer providers seen on our site.
It would be best to contact the customer service team of the money transfer provider you used to make the transfer and inform them of the situation, I’m sure they’d be happy to help you out!
Hope this helps and best of luck!
Cheers,
Nikki
Are there locations for Ria in Gastonia, NC
Hi Knorthcott,
Thanks for reaching out. It looks like there are several locations where Ria is available in Gastonia, NC, several of which can be found in Walmart Stores in the area. You can see where the closest Ria service is in your area by using their location finder tool.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Brian