Barclays international money transfers review
Barclays offers a convenient service to send money abroad, but is it the best option out there?
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Barclays offers fast and simple international payments to over 200 countries. Its online service is available 24/7, and allows you to send up to £50,000 via an online transfer in a matter of minutes.
When it comes to transfer options, Barclays offers the convenience of setting up recurring payments, payments to be completed at a future date and one-off payments. Live rates are offered to registered customers and transfers tend to take 1-2 working days to arrive.
We’ve tested the amounts a bank will give you against an average money transfer company, and the results could net you big savings. A £10,000 transfer to South Africa with a money transfer company would save R$3,602 ZAR compared to a bank.
Why is this? Some banks charge up to £25 extra, which may be shown to you as a sum of small charges made of percentages and absolute fees. On top of this, there’s a hidden charge – the margin on the exchange rate. Money transfer companies tend to have much lower rates than banks and are generally a better option for sending money abroad. Don’t believe us? See our table below.
Amount received for £10,000 | |||
---|---|---|---|
EUR | USD | ZAR | |
![]() | €10,818 EUR (save €238) | $12,812 USD (save $249) | $167,239 ZAR (save R$3,602) |
![]() | €10,580 EUR | $12,563 USD | $163,637 ZAR |
Information correct as of 31/08/2017.
Barclays offers live exchange rates that are updated from one minute to the next during trading hours, and can be viewed once logged in to online banking. This ensures that customers can receive the most up to date rate available for their transaction.
To view Barclays’ exchange rate for your transfer destination, login to your internet banking account and enter the details of your transfer. You’ll be able to review the details of your transaction, including the exchange rate that will apply, before you commit to the transfer.
The fee that will apply to your Barclays international money transfer is calculated on the transfer method you select and where you are sending the funds.
SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) work in Euros and incur a £5 cost if done online or a £15 cost if done in a branch. Payments to European countries in currencies other than Euros can also be made, and will cost £15 online or £25-£40 in a branch. For a full list of Barclays’ fees, see its A-Z list of fees.
While no minimum transfer limit is listed, the following maximum limits apply:
As an international bank, Barclays offers transfers to bank accounts all around the world, including transfers to around 200 countries. For a full list of where you can send funds, see its A-Z list of fees.
Barclays offers the following transfer options when you want to send money to an overseas bank account:
If you ever need help regarding Barclays international money transfers, a selection of frequently asked questions and answers can be accessed through the bank’s website. Phone support and online chat support is available 24/7.
You’ll need to be a Barclays account holder in order to send money overseas, so examine the banking solutions available from Barclays to determine if they meet your needs.
To send an online transfer, login to your Barclays Online Banking account. You can then navigate to the ‘Pay’ section and select ‘Send a payment abroad’.
Next, enter the details of your payment, including:
The final step is to review and confirm the details of your transfer.
As a global financial institution, Barclays offers an extensive range of banking products and services to its customers. In terms of international banking it offers the following:
If you’re impressed with the features offered by Barclays’ international money transfer service, make sure to compare it with the options available from other money transfer providers. Taking the time to weigh up your options will ensure that you can find the right solution to your transfer problems.
Learn about how Small World alternatives can help you send more money for less.
Revolut has made a name for itself as a favourite for frequent travellers by offering great currency services. Stick within the “fair usage” limit for your plan and the pricing can be hard to beat.
Halifax offers different ways to send money overseas to friends and family. Check the exchange rates, fees and features in our review, and compare your options.
Learn about taxes on large-money transfers to the UK from abroad, including penalties and exceptions.
Xe is a leading company of currency solutions that offers competitive exchange rates, no fees and fast money transfers.
Lloyds Bank provides a range of options for sending money overseas to friends and family. See exchange rates, fees and services here and compare your options.
If you’re looking for a secure way to send money overseas, an international bank draft could be for you – but if speed is important, consider using a money transfer service instead.
Check out our review of TorFX’s fee-free money transfers.
If you’re thinking of sending a money transfer with Western Union, read our review of its transfer speed, exchange rates and fees first.
Send an international money transfer to someone without a bank account. Get it there instantly and they can pick it up in person, in cash. Get quotes now.
can i set up an account so that someone can send my inheritance?
Hi Jnell,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
Yes, you can create a Barclays Money Transfer account. The first thing you need to do is become a Barclays account holder. You can do this by getting in touch with Barclay. Once you have this account, you can now receive money. The sender should also have a Barclays account for them to send the money.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
What fees do I expect when transferring funds through your bank? This is an amount of 172,000 euros.
If I wanted to transfer £10000 to family in Australia, how much would it amount to in dollars after ALL charges. I realise this will change from day to day.
Hi Narelle,
Thanks for your inquiry. Please note that we are not affiliated with Barclays or any company we feature on our site and so we can only offer you general advice.
Barclays offers live exchange rates that are updated from one minute to the next during trading hours, and can be viewed once logged in to online banking. This ensures that customers can receive the most up to date rate available for their transaction.
To view Barclays’ exchange rate for your transfer destination, login to your internet banking account and enter the details of your transfer. You’ll be able to review the details of your transaction, including the exchange rate that will apply, before you commit to the transfer.
The fee that will apply to your Barclays international money transfer is calculated on the transfer method you select and where you are sending the funds. The maximum limit for online transfers is £50,000.
Hope this information helped.
Cheers,
Rench
my parents are selling property in Spain how do they transfer the money from their Spanish bank account to their UK Barclays account?
Hi Melanie,
Thank you for contacting finder.
For your parents to receive/ transfer the money from overseas specifically Spain, they would need the following information:
*Your International Bank Account Number (IBAN) – it’s on your statement
*Barclays SWIFTBIC (Bank Identifier Code). For Barclays UK, this code is BARCGB22
*Your sort code
*Account number
*Your full name
*Your address
*The amount and the currency you’d like to receive the payment in
There will be certain charges involved in making the transfer in which it will depend on the transfer method that you select and place wherein you will be sending the funds to.
I hope this helps.
Let us know if there will be anything that we can assist you with.
Cheers,
Ash