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Western Union vs MoneyGram
Discover where to find the best deal on your next overseas transfer.
Neither Western Union nor MoneyGram is the cheapest or fastest option out there – but they are the most visible. Which one is best for you depends on how much you’re transferring and how fast you need the money to arrive.
The fees and rates used in this comparison are accurate as of 3 March 2021.
Western Union and MoneyGram at a glance
 |  | |
| Overall rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Arrange transfers online | ||
| Arrange transfers through app | ||
| Arrange transfers by phone | ||
| Founded | 1851 | 1980 |
| Based | Denver, US | |
| FCA reference | 436869 | 502639 |
Compare Western Union to Moneygram
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Who offers lower fees?
Western Union
Figuring out how much you’ll pay to transfer money internationally can be difficult. Although many fees start at around £2, they can be tens or even hundreds of pounds when paying by credit or debit card for cash pick-up in certain countries. However, fee-free transfers are available to selected destinations, including India and the Philippines, when you pay for your transaction with POLi.
MoneyGram
Fees vary depending on how much money you’re transferring, how you’re sending it and the country you’re sending it to. Unless you actually initiate a transfer, it’s not easy to find out upfront how much you’ll pay. As an example, it’s free to send £1,000 to a bank account in India; but if you send the same amount for a cash pickup, you’ll be charged £3.99.
Winner: Tie
There are several factors that affect transaction fees with Western Union and MoneyGram, so there’s no clear winner here.
Let’s crunch the numbers: Sending £500 to Australia
| Western Union | MoneyGram | |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer fee | £4.90 | £3.99 |
| Exchange rate | 1 GBP = 1.665 AUD | 1 GBP = 1.736 AUD |
| Transfer speed | Within minutes | Within minutes |
| Total AUD received | AUD $832.50 | AUD $868.11 |
| Receiver gets | AUD $35.61 less | AUD $35.61 more |
Who offers better exchange rates?
To understand who offers better exchange rates, you’ll need to first look at the mid-market rate. This is the true exchange rate that averages the buying and selling rate of a global currency – and the rate banks and transfer services use when they trade among themselves.
Western Union
Depending on where you’re sending money to, a typical exchange rate at Western Union could be up to 6% above the mid-market rate. If you’re sending a large amount overseas, this means hundreds of dollars that goes straight to Western Union.
We’ll use the example of a transfer to Chinese yuan (CNY):
- If the mid-market rate is 1 GBP = 9.05 CNY
- Western Union’s exchange rate might be 1 GBP = 8.59 CNY
MoneyGram
MoneyGram also skews exchange rates for a profit. Depending on where you’re sending your money, the exchange rate could be 6% or more above the mid-market rate. Like Western Union, this means hundreds of dollars on a large transfer diverted to MoneyGram’s pockets.
So if you’re sending money to China:
- If the mid-market rate is 1 GBP = 9.05 CNY
- MoneyGram’s exchange rate may be 1 GBP = 8.86 CNY
Winner: Tie
Exchange rate margins vary greatly depending on where you’re sending your money, so we couldn’t split Western Union and MoneyGram here.
Coverage and payout
| | |
| Coverage rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Number of available currencies | 141 (including: EUR, USD, CNY, INR, PHP, PKR, ZAR) | 137 (including: EUR, USD, CNY, INR, PHP, PKR, ZAR) |
| Number of supported countries | 210 | 201 |
| Cash pick-up facility | ||
| Speed rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Fastest transfer speed | 24 hours | Within minutes |
Who is faster?
Delivery speeds with Western Union vary with transfer options. When you send a cash pickup transfer from an agent location or online, your transfer could be delivered in minutes (but will cost more). However, sending money to a bank account can take up to five days, depending on the country.
Like Western Union, delivery speed with MoneyGram varies by transfer option, with cash transfers in person delivered in minutes (again with higher costs). However, bank deposits are typically processed on the same or next day.
Winner: MoneyGram
There’s no question that these services are similar. Both allow you to send cash to a loved one overseas within minutes, but MoneyGram has shorter processing times for bank deposits than Western Union.
Payment methods
| | |
| Bank transfer | ||
| Debit card | ||
| Credit card |
Forex features
| | |
| Facilities rating | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ |
| Recurring transfer facility | ||
| Forward contracts facility | ||
| Limit orders facility | ||
| Stop loss orders facility | ||
| Customer service | Phone, Live chat, Email | Phone, Email |
| Personal account manager | ||
| Price matching facility |
Looking for more options?
Table: sorted by promoted deals first
Our table below lets you compare services you can use to send money abroad. Compare fees, exchange rates and discounts from different money transfer services, and when you have made your choice, click Go to site.
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