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Smaller transfers
Send money to France
Compare transfer services and beat the bank rates when transferring to France from the UK.
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Bigger transfers
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Cash pick-up
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Business transfers
Compare quotes for sending money to France
Use this table to compare quotes from transfer specialists that send money from the UK to France. Check out what your recipient would receive in Euros with each, then click “Go to site” when you’ve found the best one.
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Please note: You should always refer to quotes you receive from transfer services themselves directly for exact amounts as they may vary from our estimates.
Looking for the best way to send money from the United Kingdom to family, friends or businesses in France (or even to your own bank account)? Don’t head straight to your British bank – turn to online money transfer services instead. They nearly always offer better exchange rates and lower fees – which means for the same amount of pounds you send, the recipient will receive more euros
How to send money to France from the United Kingdom
Here’s our simple process for sending a money transfer to France as a cash pickup or bank transfer – the two options are similar:
- Compare your options. Use our table above to find a cheap money transfer provider that sends GBP to France.
- Register for an account. You’ll need to give some basic details and your identity will be verified.
- Provide recipient details. Enter your recipient’s name and contact information, and if you’re sending straight to their French bank account, the account details.
- Enter the transfer amount. Check you’re happy with the fees, exchange rates and transfer speed.
- Complete your transfer. Keep any reference number safe so you can track your transfer – your recipient may need it too.
If you send to a French bank account, your recipient will need to wait for the funds to arrive. For a cash pick up, your French recipient will need to show some form of photo ID in order to pick up the funds. It’s also important that you give them the transaction reference number to streamline the process.
Case Study: Xavier sends money to France
Xavier is spending two years working in the UK for a Michelin-starred chef's restaurant, but he stays in regular contact with his elderly parents back home in Lyon. His parents need some funds to help pay off a debt to a previous landlord, so Xavier plans to send them £2,000 from the UK.
Rather than approach his bank, he compares two money transfer companies to see which one can save him the most money on his transaction.
| Money transfer firm 1 | Money transfer firm 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | 1 GBP = 1.11 EUR | 1 GBP = 1.12 EUR |
| Transfer fee | £1.99 | £2.50 |
| Transfer method | Bank account deposit | Bank account deposit |
| Processing time | Same day | Next day |
| Amount received | 2,217.00 EUR | 2,238.93 EUR |
As you can see, while the transfer fee is slightly higher for the second company, it allows Xavier to send an extra 21.94 EUR, which is transferred straight to his parents' BNP Paribas account.
Ways to send and receive money
Sending money to France
- Bank deposit. Most major banks in the UK let you wire money to banks in France. However, you might get weaker exchange rates and pay higher fees all for the privilege of a slower transfer.
- Online money transfer services. Online companies like make international money transfers to France easy with bank transfers or cell phone top ups often offered as easy delivery options.
- Transfer agents across the UK. Many transfer providers have locations dotted all across the UK, making it easy for you to send money that can be easily picked up in similar agent locations in France.
- Cheques and money orders. If speed is not an issue, you can always pick up an international cheque from your bank or the Royal Mail to send to France.
Receiving money in France
- Bank deposit. If you have a French bank account, you can have money transferred directly into this without having to make any trips to a money transfer agent location.
- Cash pick-up. you to collect cash, even if you don’t have a bank account in France.
- Cheques and money orders. Both personal cheques and money orders can be sent directly to you where you live but these tend to be the slower options.
What documents do I need to transfer money to France?
To send money from the United Kingdom to France, you’ll need the following:
- Photo identification. Most providers require a driver’s licence, passport or other British government-issued ID. You can send transfers without the above but may need to give alternate ID instead.
- Payment method. Your options depend on the provider’s services. Popular methods include cash, debit or credit card payments, bank account transfers and personal cheques.
- Recipient information. You’ll need their name (matching their ID) plus contact details. If sending to a French bank account, you’ll need the account number, SWIFT|IBAN and branch details.
What documents do I need to receive money in France?
To collect money in person in France, the recipient will need:
- Transfer number. The reference number – sometimes called a PIN, MTCN or tracking number.
- Government-issued ID. A official ID, such as a French passport or driving licence.
- The transfer amount. To know how much has been sent, usually to within 10% of the total.
- Sender information. The sender’s name and address and the country from where the money was sent.
How much does it cost to send money to France from the UK?
While transfers between pounds and euros are of course at the mercy of interbank exchange rates, there are other key factors at play, including: –
- Platform exchange rates. The “mid-market” or “interbank” rate is the rate banks and transfer services use to trade between one another. It’s the best rate going, but many banks and money transfer providers use a slightly less preferential rate (and the difference plus any fees cover their costs).
- Transfer fees. Are you being charged a flat fee or a percentage of your transfer amount? For example, a provider offering to transfer your money to France for a flat or low fee might work out better if you plan to send a large amount.
- Transfer speed. If you need your transfer to arrive quickly, you can often pay for a faster delivery. Companies offering instant cash pickups may charge more. If you’re not in a rush, online money transfer services can offer the best value, usually getting your money to France faster and cheaper than banks. Many also let you set rate targets at which a transfer can be actioned.
- Discounts. Some providers may offer you a free transfer simply for signing up while others may offer you a discount if you transfer more than a certain amount.
Is this a good time to send money to France?
Compared to a month ago, the pound is weaker against the Euro. Currently £5,000 is equivalent to €5,632.50, whereas a month ago, £5,000 was equivalent to €5,882.50. That's a decrease of 4.25% over the past month .
Similarly, compared to a year ago, the pound is again weaker against the Euro. A year ago, £5,000 was equivalent to €5,791.00. That's a decrease of 2.74% over 12 months.
What's more important, however, is where the strength of the pound against the Euro goes from here – which is harder to call. Based on those two quick glances back, your pounds might not go as far as they would have, so shopping around for the best deal on your transfer is key.
Ready to compare rates?
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.
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