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A $1,000 money transfer journey

How much money will my recipient receive?

Adrienne Fuller

Updated Dec 18, 2020

Fact checked

When you send an international money transfer, your loved one will never receive the full amount that you send – from fees to the exchange rate, your transfer will incur losses along the way (and your service provider will profit). Depending on the method you choose to transfer, the amount your recipient could receive can vary.

Basically – all transfer methods are not created equal. Let’s compare three options for sending money and see how each differs.

Where will I lose money?

You’re at risk of losing money in two main steps:

The transaction fee to send your money.
The transfer service’s exchange rate.

These are the two areas where the vast majority of money transfer services will take money from you. You may encounter other fees, but they’re not universal.

Calculations

Bank transfer

- Start with $1,000.
- An outgoing international wire transfer costs $50.
  - $1,000 – $50 = $950
- There’s a 4% spread between the mid-market rate and the bank’s exchange rate, so we lose $38.
  - $950 x 0.04 = $38
  - $950 – $38 = $912
- There’s a receiving fee of $50 that your recipient’s bank will charge when they accept your money into their bank account.
  - $912 – $50 = $862

Your recipient gets $862.

Total loss = $138

Foreign money transfer service

- Start with $1,000.
- The transfer fee is $5.
  - $1,000 – $5 = $995
- There’s a 0.5% spread between the mid-market rate and the FMT service rate, so we lose $5.
  - $995 * 0.005 = $4.975 (We’ll round to $5.)
  - $995 – $5 = $990

Your recipient gets $990.

Total loss = $10

Cash transfer

- Start with $1,000.
- The fee for an in-person transfer is $7.
  - $1,000 – $7 = $993
- There’s a 3% spread between the mid-market rate and the cash-transfer service exchange rate, so we lose $30.
  - $993 x 0.03 = $29.79 → Round to $30
  - $993 – $30 = $963

Your recipient gets $963.

Total loss = $37

Bottom line

As you can see, Option 2, or independent money transfer service, takes a mere $10 out of the transaction, compared to $37 with a cash pickup service and a whopping $138 from a bank-to-bank transfer.

Compare your international money transfer options

Use our comparison calculator to weigh the fees, exchange rates and other details of transfer services to find the best value.

I want to send

Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
$1,000	1 day	USD 0.00	19.941	MXN 99,706	OFX has no maximum limit transfers, with competitive exchange rates for 45+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, AZN, BGN, BHD, BND, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, FJD, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KRW, KWD, LKR, MAD, MGA, MXN, MYR, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, RUB, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, THB, TOP, TRY, TWD, TZS, USD, VND, VUV, WST, XOF, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 1,000	1 - 2 days	USD 0.00	19.941	MXN 99,706	Exclusive: Minimum transfer of $1,000 for Finder readers (normally $5,000). CurrencyTransfer lets you shop around for the best exchange rate on its online marketplace.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, RON, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
$1	Same day	USD 0.00	20.052	MXN 100,260	XE has fast transfers with no fees and a range of foreign currency tools.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AWG, AZN, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BTN, BWP, BZD, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CUC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ERN, ETB, EUR, FJD, FKP, GBP, GEL, GGP, GHS, GIP, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, IMP, INR, IQD, IRR, ISK, JEP, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KPW, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, LYD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SDG, SEK, SGD, SHP, SLL, SOS, SPL, SRD, SVC, SYP, SZL, THB, TJS, TMT, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TVD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XCD, XDR, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW, ZWD, BYN Go to site Read the full review
$10	Within an hour	USD 1.99	19.74	MXN 98,659	Special offers like free transfers and better exchange rates available for new customers. Remitly has quick, affordable transfers around the world, with both express and economy options.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 10.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies ALL, AMD, ARS, AZN, BAM, BDT, BGN, BIF, BOB, BRL, BSD, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KZT, LKR, LRD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MWK, MXN, MYR, NIO, NPR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SLL, SRD, SVC, THB, TJS, TND, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VND, XAF, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
$1	1 - 2 days	-	-		TransferWise uses the mid-market rate and transparent fees to help you send money in 45+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, BDT, BGN, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, GBP, GEL, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KES, KRW, LKR, MAD, MXN, MYR, NGN, NOK, NPR, NZD, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, RON, RUB, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, XOF, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
USD 10,000	1 - 2 days	N/A	N/A	N/A	Dunbridge Financial offers diverse transfer options to more than 120 countries. Powered by Currencycloud.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 10,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ARS, AUD, AZN, BAM, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BOB, BRL, BWP, BYR, CAD, CHF, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, IQD, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MUR, MVR, MXN, MYR, MZN, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, THB, TJS, TND, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, VUV, WST, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review

Compare up to 4 providers

Other fees

Will the receiving bank always assess a fee?

This depends on the bank you’re sending money to. US banks typically charge for receiving international transfers — often $15 to $30. In some countries, such as France, many multinational chains don’t charge receiving fees, while smaller banks may.

Ultimately, you’ll want to contact your recipient’s bank and ask about receiving fees.

Will I have to pay any other fees?

Your bank may not have a direct relationship with the bank you’re transferring money to. In that case, you could pay intermediary fees when your money is sent through other banks. Contact your bank to find out if you’ll need to pay intermediary fees.

Are there account opening fees?

You won’t typically see account opening fees with a money transfer service, cash transfer services or bank. However, a bank may require a minimum deposit or charge a monthly fee if your account has less than a certain amount.

For example:

Bank of America requires a $300 minimum daily balance; otherwise, it charges a $5 monthly fee.
Chase requires a $300 minimum daily balance; otherwise, it charges a $5 monthly fee.
Wells Fargo requires both a $25 minimum opening deposit and a $300 minimum daily balance; otherwise, it charges a $5 monthly fee.

As with any service, take the time to compare all of your options before choosing one that is right for your needs.

Thank you for your feedback!

Adrienne Fuller

Adrienne Fuller is the head of publishing at Finder US. With a decade of experience creating guides in finance and education, she aims to deliver the accurate and transparent information she wishes she had when she made some of life's important financial decisions. For the past 3 years she has been the publisher of money transfers, helping readers save when they send money all over the globe. She has a BA from Colorado College and loves to hike with her two Catahoula dogs around her home in San Diego.

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