+ See a summary of the 7 best ways to send money internationally
7 Best Ways to Send Money Internationally
- Wise: Best for high sending limits.
- OFX: Best for avoiding transfer fees.
- Xoom: Best for international money transfers within minutes.
- MoneyGram: Best for large global network (tie).
- Western Union: Best for large global network (tie).
- Xe: Best for live chat support in many languages.
- Revolut: Best for sending to other Revolut users.
International money transfers are a popular practice. Though a bank might seem like the obvious place to make an international money transfer, banks are actually the most expensive option, costing an average of nearly 14.55% of the amount you’re sending, according to The World Bank's March 2025 Remittance Prices Worldwide Quarterly report. The typical cost for an international wire transfer sent from the U.S. is about $45.
You’ll likely pay lower costs and your recipient will get the money faster using one of the following licensed money transfer companies instead of your bank. Here are five options for the best way to send money internationally.
Our Nerds Say
Money transfer providers compete in different markets, so it’s best to compare transfer rates and delivery speeds for the specific country you’re sending money to. There may be first-time promotional exchange rates or fee discounts, but check standard rates when you can, especially if you transfer often.
Wise: Best for high sending limits
Coverage from the U.S.: More than 160 countries (though this number can fluctuate).
Cost: Wise, formerly TransferWise, offers some of the best exchange rates you can find, and upfront fees tend to be lowest if you use a bank account to fund your transfer, typically less than 1% of the transfer amount.
Speed: Bank transfers tend to take days, but same-day delivery is possible for sending to some countries. A transfer using a debit or credit card can arrive within seconds, while a transfer using a bank account can take anywhere from seconds to two business days, depending on the destination.
Transfer limits and options: Sending limits go up to $1 million per transfer if using an ACH transfer, and up to $6 million if using your Wise account balance of US dollars. You can also pay with debit card, credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or a direct debit (or ACH transfer) from your bank account. Your recipient needs to have a bank account to receive money, regardless of how you fund the transfer.
Customer experience: Wise’s mobile app receives high user ratings and its website's FAQ is easy to find. Support by phone is available 24/7.
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OFX: Best for avoiding transfer fees
Coverage from the U.S.: More than 170 countries.
Cost: OFX doesn't charge transfer fees regardless of how much gets sent. Its exchange rate markups tend to be around 1.60% to 4%.
Speed: No same-day delivery option from the U.S. OFX generally receives your bank transfer within half a business day and delivers the money to your recipient in another one to four business days, depending on the destination.
Transfer limits and options: The sending minimum per transfer is $150, and there’s no set maximum. Transfers can only be made between bank accounts, as opposed to funding with cash, credit card or other options available with some of the providers on this list. Banks may impose a limit on how much money you can transfer.
Customer experience: OFX’s 24/7 support line and its website FAQ are helpful. Its apps get high user ratings, too.
Xoom: Best for international money transfers within minutes
Coverage from the U.S.: About 160 countries and territories.
Cost: Xoom tends to have low upfront fees, such as $0 to make a bank deposit when you use a PayPal balance or bank account instead of debit or credit card to fund the transfer. But exchange rate markups can be over 3%. Xoom still tends to be cheaper than banks’ international wire transfers (see what banks charge).
Speed: Many transfers can arrive within minutes, regardless of the payment method. But some could take up to a few days, depending on factors like banking hours or time zones.
Transfer limits and options: Cash pickup at a supermarket or other locations is a delivery option in some countries. Sending limits vary, but daily transfers are capped at $50,000. You can fund a transfer with a bank account, debit or credit card, or PayPal account since Xoom is owned by PayPal.
Customer experience: Phone support is available in several languages from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET, as is assistance by email. The online platform provides clear cost calculators and FAQ, and mobile apps receive high ratings.
MoneyGram: Best for large global network
Coverage from the U.S.: Over 200 countries and territories.
Cost: Upfront fees for transfers funded by debit card are generally free, but fees for other payment methods tend to be high. MoneyGram’s rate markups vary depending on where you send the money, and they can surpass 2%.
Speed: Delivery can be within the same day, regardless of payment choice, but can take longer, depending on banking hours and other factors.
Transfer limits and options: MoneyGram maxes out at $5,000 per online transfer for the countries we tested. It has the advantage of physical locations so people, especially those without bank accounts, can pay in cash and have recipients pick up funds. Its web platform lets you pay with debit and credit cards. When using the mobile app, you can pay with Apple Pay. MoneyGram also offers the option to schedule recurring transfers.
Customer experience: Support by email, automated online chat and by phone is available, and fees, rates and other information can be found online easily. Its mobile apps have solid ratings.
Western Union: Best for large global network
Coverage from the U.S.: Over 200 countries and territories.
Cost: Varies. Fees for transfers up to $1,000 can be under $10, but they can also be much more (up to $30 for the countries we tested), depending on the funding source and delivery method. Western Union’s rate markups vary widely based on the payment type, delivery method and destination country; for the countries we tested, the markup was as high as 1.49%.
Speed: Same-day delivery is possible when you have transfers sent to cash pickup locations and use a debit or credit card (or pay cash in person), though you pay more for the rush. The cheapest transfers require bank accounts for sending and receiving money and can take as long as a week for delivery to the countries we considered.
Transfer limits and options: On Western Union’s website, transfer limits vary by destination country, such as $5,000 to Mexico and $50,000 to India. As one of the biggest transfer providers worldwide, Western Union’s main advantage is its network, especially for sending cash in person and providing cash-pickup delivery options.
Customer experience: Phone support and 24/7 live chat are available, but the website doesn’t make it easy to compare exchange rates and FAQs aren’t easily found.
Revolut: Best for sending to other Revolut users
Coverage from the U.S.: More than 140 countries.
Cost: Varies. Bank transfer fees are around 1% to 2% but transfers between Revolut accounts are free. If you have a paid plan with Revolut, you’re entitled to discounted international transfer fees. Rate markups vary but are on the lower end compared with other providers; the highest markup for countries we tested was under 0.50%. For all transfers made after exchange hours, a 1% fee is also applied.
Speed: Payment and delivery options are limited; money can only be sent to a bank account or to another Revolut account. International bank transfers are usually delivered in three to five business days, but transfers to and from Revolut accounts are usually delivered in seconds.
Transfer limits and options: Revolut offers transfers of about 25 currencies, far fewer than the number of countries it can transfer to. Generally, Revolut doesn’t set limits for how much money you can transfer but when applicable, payment partners’ limits are displayed before you confirm a transfer.
Customer experience: Most information can be found within the site’s FAQ. Automated chat support is available within the app in more than 100 languages, but users can also request to talk to a live agent. While options for payment and delivery are very limited, Revolut may be handy for frequent travelers because it allows customers to have a multicurrency account. Kid and teen accounts are also available, but those can only make or receive transfers to and from other approved kid and teen accounts. Revolut’s iOS and Android apps are rated well by users.
Xe: Best for live chat support in many languages
Coverage from the U.S.: More than 130 countries.
Cost: Varies. Amounts under $1,000 incur a $4 sending fee. Fees for transfers also vary a lot depending on the funding source and delivery method. As with other providers, it’s most expensive to use a credit card to fund the transfer. Rate markups vary; the highest for countries we tested was a little under 1.5%.
Speed: Same-day delivery is generally available when paying by debit or credit card and delivering by cash pickup. Delivery can take up to 3 business days when sending money by ACH transfer.
Transfer limits and options: You can send up to $500,000. Options are to send by using a debit or credit card, ACH transfer or an Xe US dollar account. Wire transfer is available when sending a minimum of $3,000. Delivery to a mobile wallet is a unique option that Xe offers.
Customer experience: Live chat support is available in more than 100 languages to users who are logged in. Users can also get support by phone. Information is relatively easy to find on the site, and you can clearly see fees and exchange rates before confirming your transaction. Both the iOS and Android versions of the app are rated well.
» Going abroad? See our picks for the best banks for international travel
How to choose among the best ways to send money internationally
When deciding on which provider to use to transfer money internationally, there are a few factors to consider. Here are definitions of money transfer terms and some general advice that can help you choose.
Definitions: Money Transfer Rates
Three rates determine how much your money transfer will cost and how much money your recipient will receive.
- Exchange rate: An exchange rate is the price of one currency in relation to another currency. For example, if you want to convert U.S. dollars to euros, you would check what one U.S. dollar is worth in euros.
- Midmarket rate: The midmarket rate, also called the interbank rate or interbank exchange rate, is the exchange rate that big banks use to swap currencies among one another.
- Exchange rate markup: Most providers use an exchange rate markup when pricing your transfer. They give customers an exchange rate that’s the midmarket rate plus an additional percentage, or markup, to make a profit on the transfer. The higher the markup, the less your recipient gets in their currency.
General advice for international money transfers
1. Know how exchange rates work (and how to find the best). One of the ways money transfer providers make money is through exchange rate markups. Most transfer providers won’t give you the exchange rate you’d find on a currency exchange platform like the one at Bloomberg.com or Reuters.com. Those sites just tell you the price of one currency in relation to another, but they are a helpful starting point to know what the best rate looks like this minute. When you check the exchange rate for an international transfer with services like Western Union, focus on the exchange rate markup by looking at the foreign currency amount. The higher it is, the lower the markup is, and the more money your recipient receives.
2. Compare total transfer costs across multiple providers. There are two types of costs: upfront fee and exchange rate markup (see above). Find the provider that has the lowest fee combined with the best exchange rate you can get. Usually online nonbank providers offer cheaper transfers than banks.
3. Avoid paying with a credit card. It’s an option for some providers, but there might be a higher upfront fee and your credit card issuer may tack on costs such as interest and cash advance fees. A transfer paid by bank account directly tends to be a much cheaper (and much slower) transfer. If you need money delivered quickly, use a debit card, which will also incur a lower fee than using a credit card.
Frequently asked questions about international money transfers
What is the best way to send money internationally?
Using a money transfer service provider is the best way to send money internationally. Costs can vary depending on the amount you’re sending, what country you’re sending it to, how quickly it needs to arrive, how you pay for it and how it’s delivered to the recipient. It’s a good idea to get estimates from a few money transfer providers so you can choose the best option for your situation.
Can you use PayPal for international money transfers?
You can use PayPal to send money internationally, but fees can be less competitive than other money transfer service providers. You’ll pay 5% of the amount you’re sending, plus a fee between 99 cents and $4.99.
Does Zelle work internationally?
Zelle works only with U.S. bank accounts. It doesn’t work for sending money to or from a bank outside the country.
METHODOLOGY FOR INTERNATIONAL MONEY TRANSFERS
We analyze nine providers that work in the U.S., focusing on major players in the international money transfer industry, based on market research, experts, cost analysis and U.S. internet traffic.
Providers considered: MoneyGram, OFX, Remitly, Revolut, Ria, Wise, Western Union, Xe and Xoom (owned by PayPal).
Exchange rate markups and data mentioned are based on the analysis of transfers to Germany, India, Mexico and the United Kingdom for $1,000 and $10,000.
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- 1. The World Bank. Remittance Prices Worldwide Quarterly Report. Accessed Jan 13, 2026.
