Wise (TransferWise)
- Fair service fees and mid-market rates – a major market differentiator
- Next-day delivery for most currencies
- Easy-to-use app
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Best international money transfer apps
Send money overseas with these top-rated mobile apps.
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.
At a glance: The best money transfer apps in 2020
- Remitly — Money-back guarantee
- OFX — No maximum limit
- Wise — Mid-market rate
- WorldRemit — Diverse delivery options
- Western Union — 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 3 September 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.7 | Average rating: 95% |
| # of reviews | 72 | 51,247 | Total reviews: 51,319 |
Calculate your transfer with Remitly
Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
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 SGD 2000
- Doesn’t accept credit card or cash as payment
- App only available in English
| Data from 3 September 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.4 | Average rating: 91% |
| # of reviews | 23 | 2,387 | Total reviews: 2,410 |
Calculate your transfer with OFX
Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
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 and Google Pay (although paying by card incurs higher fees)
Cons
- No cash pickup
- Not as many currencies as other providers
| Data from 3 September 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.3 | Average rating: 87% |
| # of reviews | 597 | 86,610 | Total reviews: 87,207 |
Calculate your transfer with Wise
Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
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 3 September 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.1 | Average rating: 87% |
| # of reviews | 1,400 | 73,203 | Total reviews: 74,603 |
Calculate your transfer with WorldRemit
Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
5. Western Union
Use Western Union’s Money Transfer app to transfer funds to more than 200 countries and territories around the world. You’ll also gain 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, card or Apple Pay
- Transfers to many currencies
Cons
- Less competitive exchange rates
- Transfer fees to some countries can be significant
| Data from 3 September 2020 | Apple Store | Google Play | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4 | 3.8 | Average rating: 78% |
| # of reviews | 303 | 857 | Total reviews: 1,160 |
Calculate your transfer with Western Union
Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.
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
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