Western Union: A review of the international money transfer service
Send a quick and secure money transfer to more than 200 countries and territories with Western Union.
GBP 1
Min. Transfer Amount
GBP 5,000
Max. Transfer Amount
Same day
Transfer Speed
Details
| Product Name | Western Union International Money Transfers |
|---|---|
| Min. Transfer Amount | GBP 1 |
| Max. Transfer Amount | GBP 5,000 |
| Transfer Methods | Online, Phone, Agent |
| Transfer Speed Minimum transfer time | Same day |
| Customer Service | Phone, Email, Branch |
| Available Currencies | AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AWG, AZN, 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, GHS, GIP, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, IQD, IRR, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, LTL, LVL, LYD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MRO, 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, SDG, SEK, SGD, SHP, SLL, SOS, SRD, STD, SVC, SYP, SZL, THB, TMT, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW |
| Online Transfer Fee | 9.9% |
|---|---|
| Exchange Rate Updates | Real time |
Get to know Western Union
Western Union exchange rates
As exchange rates for different currency pairs fluctuate, so too do the rates Western Union offers to its customers. A quick comparison reveals that Western Union’s rates regularly compare quite favourably to those offered by the major banks, although it’s important to remember that you’ll also need to take transfer fees into account when calculating the full cost of a transaction.
To determine the exchange rate that will apply to your transaction, you will need to use the ‘Calculate price’ feature on the Western Union website.
How much does it cost to transfer money with Western Union?
The fees you’ll need to pay for your Western Transfer will vary depending on where you are sending the money, how much you are sending, how you pay for the transaction and how your recipient will access the money you transfer. The best way to determine how much your transaction will cost is to use the ‘Price Calculator’ on the Western Union website.
As an example, sending £500 to an Australian bank account from your credit or debit card will incur a fee of £2.90, while sending the same amount to Nigeria for cash pickup and paying with your credit or debit card will incur a fee of £34.90.
To better estimate the fees for your transfer, have a look at our Western Union Fees page.
Back to topMinimum transfer amount and available countries
Transfer limits vary depending on the transfer method you select. If you’re sending funds online, you can send up to £800 within a 12-month period without being required to prove your identity. But if you complete the process to verify your identity you can send up to £4,000 per online transfer. If sending funds from an agent location you can send as much money as you would like, as long as you don’t break any laws or regulations.
As mentioned above, Western Union offers transfers to more than 200 countries and territories. These include but do not limit to:
- Afghanistan (AFN)
- Albania (ALL)
- Algeria (DZD)
- Argentina (ARS)
- Australia (AUD)
- Austria (EUR)
- Azerbaijan (AZN)
- Bahrain (BHD)
- Bangladesh (BDT)
- Belarus (BYR)
- Belgium (EUR)
- Bermuda (BMD)
- Bolivia (BOB)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (BAM)
- Botswana (BWP)
- Brazil (BRL)
- Bulgaria (BGN)
- Burundi (BIF)
- Cambodia (KHR)
- Canada (CAD)
- China (CNY)
- Colombia (COP)
- Costa Rica (CRC)
- Côte d’Ivoire (XOF)
- Croatia (HRK)
- Cyprus (EUR)
- Czech Republic (CZK)
- Denmark (DKK)
- Dominican Republic (DOP)
- Ecuador (USD)
- Egypt (EGP)
- El Salvador (USD)
- Estonia (EUR)
- Ethiopia (ETB)
- Fiji (FJD)
- Finland (EUR)
- France (EUR)
- French Polynesia (XPF)
- Gambia (GMD)
- Georgia (GEL)
- Germany (EUR)
- Ghana (GHS)
- Greece (EUR)
- Guatemala (GTQ)
- Honduras (HNL)
- Hong Kong (HKD)
- Hungary (HUF)
- Iceland (ISK)
- India (INR)
- Indonesia (IDR)
- Iraq (IQD)
- Ireland (EUR)
- Israel (ILS)
- Italy (EUR)
- Jamaica (JMD)
- Japan (JPY)
- Jordan (JOD)
- Kenya (KES)
- Kiribati (KID)
- Korea (KRW)
- Kuwait (KWD)
- Kyrgz Republic (KGS)
- Laos (LAK)
- Latvia (LVL)
- Lebanon (LBP)
- Lesotho (LSL)
- Liberia (LRD)
- Lithuania (EUR)
- Luxemborg (EUR)
- Macedonia FYR (MKD)
- Madagascar (MGA)
- Malaysia (MYR)
- Maldives (MVR)
- Malta (EUR)
- Mauritius (MUR)
- Mexico (MXN)
- Moldova (MDL)
- Mongolia (MNT)
- Montenegro (EUR)
- Morocco (MAD)
- Mozambique (MZN)
- Myanmar (MMK)
- Nepal (NPR)
- Netherlands (EUR)
- New Caledonia (CFP)
- New Zealand (NZD)
- Nicaragua (NIO)
- Nigeria (NGN)
- Norway (NOK)
- Oman (OMR)
- Pakistan (PRK)
- Panama (USD)
- Papua New Guinea (PGK)
- Peru (PEN)
- Philippines (PHP)
- Poland (PLN)
- Portugal (EUR)
- Puerto Rico (USD)
- Qatar (QAR)
- Romania (RON)
- Russia (RUB)
- Rwanda (RWF)
- Samoa (WST)
- Saudi Arabia (SAR)
- Senegal (XOF)
- Serbia (RSD)
- Seychelles (SCR)
- Sierra Leone (SLL)
- Singapore (SGD)
- Slovak Republic (EUR)
- Slovenia (EUR)
- Solomon Islands (SBD)
- South Africa (ZAR)
- Spain (EUR)
- Sri Lanka (LKR)
- Sudan (SDG)
- Sweden (SEK)
- Switzerland (CHF)
- Syrian Arab Republic (SYP)
- Taiwan (TWD)
- Tajikistan (TJS)
- Tanzania (TZS)
- Thailand (THB)
- Timor-Leste (USD)
- Togo (CFA)
- Tonga (TOP)
- Trinidad and Tobago (TTD)
- Tunisia (TND)
- Turkey (TRY)
- Uganda (UGX)
- Ukraine (EUR)
- United Arab Emirates UAE (AED)
- United Kingdom (GBP)
- Uruguay (UYU)
- USA (USD)
- Vanuatu (VUV)
- Venezuela (VEF)
- Vietnam (VND)
- Yemen (YER)
- Zambia (ZMK)
- Zimbabwe (USD)
What types of transfers can you carry out with Western Union?
Western Union offers several options for one-off transfers. You can send money:
- Online through the Western Union website
- Using the Western Union mobile app
- Over the phone
- By visiting a Western Union branch
The funds you transfer can then be accessed in the following ways:
- Picked up in cash from a Western Union branch
- Deposited into the recipient’s bank account
- Deposited into your recipient’s mobile wallet
If you ever need help or have a question about a transfer, you can always visit your nearest Western Union agent for assistance. The company also offers a useful online support centre with several frequently asked questions, while phone and email support are both offered as well.
Western Union locations in London
We have put together a map with all the locations of Western Union Agents in London – find it here.
Back to topThe registration and transfer process
Western Union’s transfer process varies depending on the sending and receiving options you select. To send money online, you’ll need to enter the details of the amount you’d like to transfer and where you’d like the money to be sent. You will then receive a quote that details the exchange rate and fee that will apply to your transaction. If you’re happy with the quote, you can provide your name and contact details, register for an account and then send your funds.
For bank account deposits you will also have to provide the name of your recipient’s bank, their bank code (for example a SWIFT code) as well as their account name and number.
If you’d prefer to send a transfer by visiting a Western Union branch, you’ll need to complete a ‘To Send Money’ form and then pay the necessary cash to the branch attendant. The transaction will be processed immediately and the funds sent to your recipient, with the cash typically available for collection within minutes.
Back to topWhat are the pros and cons of using Western Union?
Pros
- Worldwide access. Western Union operates more than 500,000 transfer locations, making it the world’s largest provider of international money transfers.
- Sending and receiving options. From in-person transfers to online transactions and bank deposits to cash pickups, there are multiple options to choose from when you send money overseas with Western Union.
- Trusted provider. With a history dating back more than 160 years, Western Union has plenty of experience moving money around the world.
Cons
- Fees apply. Fees apply to most transfer options with Western Union and can be quite expensive in some cases.
What other products and services does Western Union offer?
- Prepaid cards. Western Union offers a range of reloadable cards to allow quick and easy access to your money all around the world.
- Business solutions. Western Union also offers a range of services to help UK businesses manage their international payments and their foreign exchange needs.