Best international money transfer services

Beat the banks, find the best exchange rates and avoid fees when you send money abroad from the UK.

reviews.io logo
★★★★★
800+ customer reviews

EXPERT ADVICE

UPFX – Transfer money overseas at the best possible rates

Universal Partners FX
Read review

Transfer speed

Min. transfer

£5,000

Countries covered

120

Transfer fee

Universal Partners FX (UPFX) has been operating for over 10 years and is one of the leading currency exchange companies in the world, employing a team of dedicated foreign exchange experts and consistently offering exchange rates better than any high street bank. Set free alerts to tell you when your target exchange rate is available and benefit from Swift Payments to ensure funds arrive the same working day.
Available currencies include AED, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BWP, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, CRC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MUR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SRD, SZL, THB, TND, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, XAF, XCD, XOF, XPF, ZAR, ZMW, STD, MRO, SSP
Transfer amounts From £5,000
FCA reference number 900199

BUSINESS TRANSFERS

CentralFX – Managing your currency risk and international payments

Central FX
Go to site Read review

Transfer speed

Min. transfer

£2,500

Currencies available

50+

Transfer fee

Business specialist CentralFX works with you to get your international payments right the first time and every time. Load up and pay multiple beneficiaries at once. You'll save time and energy when making multiple payments while still ensuring accuracy. All transactions go through segregated client accounts held within Tier 1 financial institutions.
Available currencies include AUD, BBD, BGN, BHD, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CNY, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, GHS, GMD, HKD, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, JOD, JPY, KES, KWD, KYD, LSL, MAD, MUR, MXN, NOK, NZD, OMR, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, SZL, THB, TND, TRY, UGX, USD, ZAR, ZMW
Transfer amounts From £2,500
FCA reference number 565847

SMALLER TRANSFERS

XE – International transfers direct from your bank account

XE Money Transfer
Go to site Read review

Transfer speed

Min. transfer

£1

Currencies available

60+

Transfer fee

XE offers fast and easy online money transfers from the United Kingdom to over 130 countries. It's part of the Euronet Worldwide group of companies – the third largest money transfer business in the world. You can create your account online or over the phone, get a live bank-beating money transfer rate for your chosen currency then confirm currencies, amounts and recipient and let XE take care of the rest.
Available currencies include AED, AMD, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BND, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KRW, KWD, KZT, LKR, LSL, MAD, MKD, MUR, MWK, MXN, MYR, NAD, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SZL, THB, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UGX, USD, VUV, WST, XCD, XPF, ZAR
Transfer amounts £1$500,000
FCA reference number 462444

BANK & CASH TRANSFERS

AZIMO – First two international transfers fee-free

Azimo
Go to site Read review

Transfer speed

0.1

Min. transfer

£1

Countries covered

200

Transfer fee

With bank account transfers, cash pick-ups, airtime top-ups and mobile wallet payments, Azimo lets you choose the transfer method that's most convenient for you. Bank transfers typically take less than 24 hours, cash pick-ups can be arranged in less than 30 minutes and mobile top-ups are usually instant. Plus, although there's usually a small fee, your first two transfers are fee-free.
Available currencies include AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AZN, BAM, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, BYN, CAD, CDF, CNY, COP, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, EGP, ERN, ETB, EUR, FJD, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, KES, KGS, KMF, KWD, KZT, LKR, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRU, MXN, MYR, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SEK, SGD, SLL, THB, TJS, TRY, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, XAF, XOF, ZAR
Transfer amounts £1 - £250,000
FCA reference number 900220

BANK & CASH TRANSFERS

World Remit – Low-cost transfers to 150 countries

WorldRemit
Go to site Read review

Transfer speed

0.1

Min. transfer

£1

Currencies available

90

Transfer fee

One of the most versatile money transfer services around, World Remit offers traditional bank transfers, cash pick-ups and mobile account top-ups. Whichever method you choose, you'll benefit from a fast, simple and safe experience with low fees and competitive rates. You can even earn rewards with the refer a friend scheme.
Available currencies include AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, AZN, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BOB, BRL, BWP, BYN, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, LAK, LBP, LKR, MAD, MDL, MGA, MNT, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SZL, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XOF, XPF, ZAR, ZMW, ZWD
Transfer amounts £1 - £50,000
FCA reference number 900891

What is an international money transfer?

An international money transfer is what happens when you send money to someone overseas. You provide funds and your recipient’s details to a bank or an independent transfer provider, which then exchanges the money into your desired currency and sends it to your recipient. You can send money over the phone, in person, through a mobile app or online.

You also have options when it comes to paying, depending on what the service you choose offers:
  • Cash
  • Credit or debit card
  • Bank transfer
And you can choose how your recipient receives the transfer:
  • Bank account
  • Mobile wallet
  • Cash pick-up
  • Door delivery

Looking for business transfers?

How to transfer money internationally

There are two main ways to send money out of the UK: via 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 calling an agent.

We’ll go through the steps each method takes if you were to send online.

A: Through a money transfer specialist

The following steps give a good example of a typical transfer using a money transfer company.

  1. Register online with the transfer service of your choice.
  2. Input transaction details, including the amount you want to transfer.
  3. Get approved by the transfer company. You may need to scan or email a copy of your ID for the first transaction.
  4. Transfer funds through your bank using the account details from your transfer company.
  5. Get your money. Your transfer service will deposit your funds in your destination account.
  • For you if you want a more competitive exchange rate and lower fees than a bank transfer.
  • Not for you if you want the familiarity and convenience of a known bank and don’t have time to be verified.

B: Through your bank

If you choose to use a bank to carry out your transfer, the process is a little different.

  1. Navigate to the international money transfers section of your account.
  2. You’ll usually need to know the address of the receiving bank, the account details of the receiving account, the account name and often the receiving bank’s SWIFT code (an international bank identification system).
  3. It’s a good idea to check with your bank about exchange rates.
  4. You can use this method to send an international money order online to your home bank account or to a third party.
  • For you if you want the convenience of sending money directly from your existing bank account immediately.
  • Not for you if you want fewer fees and a better exchange rate.

Tips for saving on your international transfer

While there’s no best way to transfer funds overseas, there are a few things you can do to make it cheaper.

  • Know your transfer currency’s mid-market rate. This rate is the midpoint between worldwide supply and demand for that currency. It is the rate banks and transfer services use when they trade among themselves. Use it as a baseline to compare against the rates you’re being offered. The company that’s closest is offering you the best rate.
  • Send more money per transfer. Many services discount the fees or waive them altogether when you send larger amounts.
  • Use forward contracts and limit orders if sending money regularly. A forward contract allows you to lock in a favourable exchange rate for future transfers. This means you’ll avoid unpredictable movements in exchange rates. A limit order allows you to wait until a favourable exchange rate is found and then lock it in for your transfer.

Need to send cash?

What should you watch out for?

Keep an eye out for the following when you send money overseas:

  • Hidden fees. No transfer is truly free. If a service is advertising “fee-free transfers”, there’s probably a larger margin added to the exchange rate. Compare the rate you get quoted against the mid-market rate (which you can find on Google) to see if you’re getting a good deal.
  • Fake rates. If you see a great exchange rate advertised on a provider’s website, make sure the rate you see is the rate you will actually receive. Some companies advertise the mid-market exchange rate, which is the rate at which banks purchase foreign exchange, rather than the rate they actually offer their customers.
  • Failing to do your research. If you want to save some money, compare several transfer providers before choosing one. Shop around for a company that offers reliable and affordable transfers, instead of just diving in head-first.
  • Scams. Scams cost the UK many billions of pounds each year and money-transfer scams are the biggest culprit. With this number increasing each year, it’s important to keep an eye out for the most common scams. In general, it’s best to only send money to someone you know personally.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to compare rates?

Get started

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.

More guides on Finder

  • Compare self invested personal pensions (SIPPs)

    Saving enough money to guarantee yourself a comfortable retirement can be complicated. If you’re thinking of investing, a SIPP can be a viable option.
  • Top ethical credit cards

    Learn more about how ethical credit cards work and whether they are right for you.
  • Junior SIPPs

    The guide discuses the pros and cons of junior SIPPs, and why kick-starting your child’s pension early can reap substantial rewards.

  • What is day trading?

    We examine the pros and cons, and who day trading is (and often isn’t) right for.

  • How does retiring or moving abroad affect my pension?

    In this guide we explain everything you need to know about how retiring abroad affects your state pension and private pensions.
  • Workplace pensions

    Tax relief and employer contributions mean that saving into a workplace pension is an invaluable way to bolster your retirement income.

  • Crypto.com review

    Learn more about the Crypto.com platform in our complete review.
  • Best bank account switching deals in the UK 2022

    We look at switching bonuses, what they are, how they work and which banks offer the best ones. If you’re fed up with your current bank, you could switch accounts and get a nice little cash bonus as an extra perk.

  • Defined contribution pension schemes

    Defined contribution, or money purchase, pensions are the most common way to save for retirement. Here’s what you need to know.
  • Who owns your credit card?

    Knowing who owns your credit card will help ensure you find the best credit card deals.

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder.com provides guides and information on a range of products and services. Because our content is not financial advice, we suggest talking with a professional before you make any decision.

By submitting your comment or question, you agree to our Privacy and Cookies Policy and Terms of Use.

Questions and responses on finder.com are not provided, paid for or otherwise endorsed by any bank or brand. These banks and brands are not responsible for ensuring that comments are answered or accurate.
Go to site