Finder is committed to editorial independence. While we receive compensation when you click links to partners, they do not influence our content.

WorldRemit vs. PayPal

We put these well-known services head to head to find out which one offers the best value on international money transfers.

Tim Falk

Updated Jun 24, 2020

Fact checked

WorldRemit and PayPal both offer a convenient online transfer service and let you send money to friends and family all around the world. But which one is the better choice for your next international transfer?

To find out, let’s compare WorldRemit and PayPal side by side to find out which offers the best exchange rates, lowest fees and fastest transactions.

The fees and rates used in this comparison are accurate as of February 11, 2019.

Quick verdict

Lower fees:
WorldRemit

Exchange rates:
WorldRemit

Fast transfers:
WorldRemit

I want to send

	Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
	$1	Within an hour	USD 3.99	0.837	EUR 834	WorldRemit sends money to 110+ countries for bank-to-bank deposits, cash pick-ups or mobile top-ups.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RUB, RWF, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SOS, SRD, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TRY, TZS, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
	$1	3 - 5 days	USD 29.00	0.819	EUR 795			Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AUD, BRL, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY, MXN, MYR, NOK, NZD, PHP, PLN, RUB, SEK, SGD, THB, TWD, USD Read the full review

Compare up to 4 providers

Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.

PayPal transfers may incur an additional fee depending on the currency sent. See the full PayPal fee schedule by currency.

Which has lower fees?

WorldRemit

WorldRemit charges a transaction fee on all transfers, but the fee amount depends on multiple factors:

How much money you send.
Where you send it.
The type of transfer you send.

Bank transfers attract the lowest fees, often around $3.99 per transaction, but we recommend that you use WorldRemit’s online calculator to work out exactly how much your transfer will cost.

PayPal

PayPal’s fees vary depending on the amount you send and whether your payment is funded from your PayPal balance, bank account or your credit/debit card.

- Transfers of $0 – $49.99 incur a $0.99 fee.
- Transfers of $50+ incur a $2.99 fee.
- Transfers of $0 – $49.99 incur a $0.99 fee.
- Transfers of $50 – $99.99 incur a $2.99 fee.
- Transfers of $100+ incur a $4.99 fee.
- Transfers of $0 – $49.99 incur a $0.99 fee + 2.9% of the portion funded + fixed fee based on the currency.
- Transfers of $50+ incur a $2.99 fee + 2.9% of the portion funded + fixed fee based on the currency.
- Transfers of $0 – $49.99 incur a $0.99 fee + 2.9% of the portion funded + fixed fee based on the currency.
- Transfers of $50 – $99.99 incur a $2.99 fee + 2.9% of the portion funded + fixed fee based on the currency.
- Transfers of $100+ incur a $4.99 fee + 2.9% of the portion funded + fixed fee based on the currency.

Trophy icon
Winner: WorldRemit

If you’re sending a transfer of less than $100, PayPal is definitely worth considering.

However, PayPal’s fee structure is quite complicated and confusing and WorldRemit will often work out cheaper when transferring a larger amount.

Which offers better exchange rates?

WorldRemit

WorldRemit adds a margin on top of the mid-market exchange rate you see listed on Google and currency conversion websites like XE. Along with fees, this is the other way most money transfer services make a profit. WorldRemit’s margin varies from one currency to the next but often sits somewhere between 0.7% and 2%. For example, if you wanted to send a transfer to France:

If the mid-market rate is 1 USD = 0.8797 EUR
WorldRemit’s rate might be 1 USD = 0.8710 EUR

PayPal

While PayPal typically offers better exchange rates than the banks, those rates are below what you can get from WorldRemit and other online transfer services. The margin varies depending on the currency you’re sending to, but we found that it was generally around 4%. For example:

If the mid-market rate is 1 USD = 0.8797 EUR
PayPal’s rate might be 1 USD = 0.8560 EUR

Trophy icon

Winner: WorldRemit

WorldRemit generally offers higher exchange rates than PayPal, which means that more of the money you send makes it to your recipient.

Let’s crunch the numbers: Sending $100 and $2,000 to the UK

To give you a better idea of how WorldRemit and PayPal compare, let’s look at the example of sending two transfer amounts from your bank account to a recipient in the UK. With WorldRemit the funds will be deposited into your recipient’s bank account, while PayPal will send the money to your recipient’s PayPal account.

Sending $100 to the UK

	WorldRemit	PayPal
Transfer fee	$2.99	$2.99
Transaction cost	$102.99	$102.99
Exchange rate	1 USD = 0.7470 GBP	1 USD = 0.7340 GBP
Transfer speed	1 day	Funds available immediately
Total received	£74.70	£73.40

As you can see, WorldRemit offers slightly better value for money in this example. While you’ll pay the same amount to send the transfer, the higher exchange rate means your recipient will get £1.30 more than with PayPal.

Sending $2,000 to the UK

	WorldRemit	PayPal
Transfer fee	$2.99	$2.99
Transaction cost	$2,002.99	$2,002.99
Exchange rate	1 USD = 0.7470 GBP	1 USD = 0.7340 GBP
Transfer speed	1 day	Funds available immediately
Total received	£747.00	£734.00

WorldRemit comes out ahead in this example as well, resulting in an extra £13 in your recipient’s account.

Which is faster?

WorldRemit

Transfer times with WorldRemit vary depending on where you’re sending money and the type of transfer you choose.

Bank transfer: Instant transfers to selected banks, but 1-3 working days when sending to other bank accounts.
Cash pickup: Available to collect instantly.
Mobile money: Instant or near-instant.
Airtime top-up: Instant or near-instant.
Home delivery: 24 hours – 7 days.

PayPal

The money you send to your recipient’s PayPal account is available almost immediately. However, if your recipient wants to withdraw the funds to their bank account rather than spend it straight from their PayPal account, this can take one or more business days.

Trophy icon

Winner: WorldRemit

While PayPal transfers are fast and convenient, the fact that WorldRemit has multiple instant or near-instant transfer options means it wins this category.

General features

	Payment methods	Minimum and maximum transfers	Delivery methods	Transfer speeds	Countries and currencies
WorldRemit	Bank transfer, credit card, debit card, Android Pay, Apple Pay	Minimum: $1 Maximum: $9,000	Bank transfer, mobile wallet, cash pickup, airtime top-up, door-to-door delivery	Within an hour	145+ countries
PayPal	Bank transfer, credit or debit card, PayPal Credit	Minimum: $1 Maximum: $10,000	PayPal account transfer	3 - 5 days	190+ countries

WorldRemit

Before you can send money overseas with WorldRemit, you’ll need to sign up for a free account online. To initiate a transfer, enter the currency and amount you want to send along with the details of your recipient. You can pay for your transfer using your bank account, credit/debit card, Android Pay or Apple Pay, and WorldRemit offers several different transfer types. However, it’s worth noting that not all transfer options are available in all countries.

PayPal

If you want to use PayPal to send money overseas, both you and your recipient will need PayPal accounts. Once you’ve signed up for an account and linked your bank account or credit/debit card, you can initiate a transfer request by entering the email address or phone number of your recipient. You can then specify the currency and amount you wish to send, provide a purpose for the transfer and then review the exchange rate and fee before submitting your transfer.

Read review: WorldRemit
Read review: PayPal

Bottom line

While PayPal is a competitive and convenient option for small transfer amounts, WorldRemit’s simpler fee structure and higher exchange rates see it take victory.

However, before deciding how to send your next overseas transfer, make sure you compare a range of international money transfer services to find the best deal.

Looking for more options?

Use the comparison calculator below to compare the fees, exchange rates and transfer times of a range of money transfer services.

I want to send

Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
$1,000	1 day	-	-		OFX has no maximum limit transfers, with competitive exchange rates for 45+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, AZN, BGN, BHD, BND, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, FJD, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KRW, KWD, LKR, MAD, MGA, MXN, MYR, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, RUB, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, THB, TOP, TRY, TWD, TZS, USD, VND, VUV, WST, XOF, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 1,000	1 - 2 days	-	-		Exclusive: Minimum transfer of $1,000 for Finder readers (normally $5,000). CurrencyTransfer lets you shop around for the best exchange rate on its online marketplace.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, RON, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
USD 1	Same day	USD 0.00	0.835	EUR 835	XE has fast transfers with no fees and a range of foreign currency tools.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AWG, AZN, BAM, 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, GGP, GHS, GIP, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, IMP, INR, IQD, IRR, ISK, JEP, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KPW, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SDG, SEK, SGD, SHP, SLL, SOS, SPL, SRD, SVC, SYP, SZL, THB, TJS, TMT, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TVD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XCD, XDR, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW, ZWD, BYN Go to site Read the full review
$10	Within an hour	USD 1.99	0.825	EUR 823	Special offers like free transfers and better exchange rates available for new customers. Remitly has quick, affordable transfers around the world, with both express and economy options.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 10.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies ALL, AMD, ARS, AZN, BAM, BDT, BGN, BIF, BOB, BRL, BSD, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KZT, LKR, LRD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MWK, MXN, MYR, NIO, NPR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SLL, SRD, SVC, THB, TJS, TND, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, UZS, VND, XAF, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
$1	1 - 2 days	USD 8.00	0.842	EUR 835	Wise uses the mid-market rate and transparent fees to help you send money in 45+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, BDT, BGN, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, GBP, GEL, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KES, KRW, LKR, MAD, MXN, MYR, NGN, NOK, NPR, NZD, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, RON, RUB, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, XOF, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
$1	Within an hour	USD 3.99	0.837	EUR 834	WorldRemit sends money to 110+ countries for bank-to-bank deposits, cash pick-ups or mobile top-ups.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RUB, RWF, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SOS, SRD, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TRY, TZS, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
USD 10,000	1 - 2 days	N/A	N/A	N/A	Dunbridge Financial offers diverse transfer options to more than 120 countries. Powered by Currencycloud.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 10,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, AFN, ALL, AMD, ARS, AUD, AZN, BAM, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BOB, BRL, BWP, BYR, CAD, CHF, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, IQD, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, MAD, MDL, MGA, MKD, MMK, MNT, MOP, MUR, MVR, MXN, MYR, MZN, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, THB, TJS, TND, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, VUV, WST, XOF, XPF, YER, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review

Compare up to 4 providers

The “Rate” and “Amount Received” displayed are indicative rates that have been supplied by each brand or gathered by finder.com

Exchange rates are volatile and change often. As a result, the exchange rate listed on finder.com may vary from the actual exchange rate quoted for the brand. Please confirm the actual exchange rate and mention finder.com before you commit to a brand.

Frequently asked questions

Thank you for your feedback!

Tim Falk

Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder, writing across a diverse range of topics. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, Tim has reported on everything from travel and personal finance to pets and TV soap operas. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors.

How to find a WorldRemit location CurrencyTransfer promo codes and discounts

More guides on Finder

Sigue international money transfers review
Sigue offers speedy money transfers to 50+ countries, but you have to set up a transfer to see the transaction fees.
Bitcoin rockets to yearly high as PayPal announces cryptocurrency plans
Bitcoin has hit a new yearly high with PayPal adding fuel to its tank.
Zelle vs. Cash App
Compare Zelle vs. Cash App to see which is best for your next transfer.
Zelle vs. Venmo
Compare Zelle and Venmo to see which is better for your next transfer.
PayPal Pay in 4: How it works, fees and risks
PayPal now offers a new buy now, pay later financing option, allowing for interest-free payment installments on your shopping purchases.
WorldRemit gearing up to acquire Sendwave
Money transfer provider Sendwave may soon be acquired by WorldRemit. Here’s what we know so far.
PayPal Here alternatives
3 payment provider alternatives to PayPal Here
Reseña de Remitly: Transferencias de dinero
Lee nuestra reseña de Remitly para descubrir por qué esta opción rápida y competitiva podría ser ideal para tu próxima transferencia internacional de dinero.
How does PayPal.Me work?
Learn how to create a custom link for your PayPal account and what you can use it for.
Stripe vs. PayPal Here
Stripe and PayPal Here are both popular payment processors, but for different types of transactions.

Ask an Expert

Click here to cancel reply.

Display Name

Your Email (will not be published)

Your Question

I agree to Finder’s terms of use and privacy and cookie policy, and I opt in to receive email from Finder

Subscribe me to Finder’s free weekly newsletter for budgeting tools, timely news and savings essentials to take control of your finances

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 finder.com 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.

Best credit cards of 2021: See our winners and top picks

Find the best personal loan offer

Boost your savings with higher yields:

Find the best lenders for your mortgage

WorldRemit vs. PayPal

We put these well-known services head to head to find out which one offers the best value on international money transfers.

Guides

Services

Send Money To

Exchange Rates