Best Way to Transfer Money Abroad
Welcome to our thorough overview discussing the best way to transfer money abroad. Every single service recommended on this page has been carefully and inspected by our staff, and we welcome you to read reviews of companies like World First, Currencies Direct and OFX on their respective pages.
All overseas money transfers service offered by these companies are fee-free, with local banking facilities in the relevant region, and most importantly – safe, secured, and regulated! We look not only for the cheapest way to transfer money abroad, but also for the most reliable, trouble-free, and smoothest way of doing so.
Transferring Money Overseas, Location-Based Recommendations:
Our Rating: 97.8%
Min. Transfer: £1,000
Local UK Offices: London
(+6 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- Handle 150+ Currencies
- Best Rate Guarantee from UK
- No Fees from UK
- Best Ranked Since 2014
Our Rating: 93.2%
Min. Transfer: €250
EU Offices: Ireland, Spain, France
Why Them?
- Since 1970
- Special Rates for Our Readers
- No Fees for Our Readers
- Great Online Platform
Our Rating: 97.8%
Min. Transfer: $1,000
Local UK Offices: Austin, Texas
(+6 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- Handle 150+ Currencies
- Easiest Sign Up Process
- No Fees above $10,000
- Best Ranked Since 2014
Our Rating: 97.8%
Min. Transfer: SGD 1,000 / HKD 10,000
Local UK Offices: Singapore, Hong Kong
(+4 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- Handle 150+ Currencies
- Easiest Sign Up Process
- No Fees from HK, Singapore
- Best Ranked Since 2014
Our Rating: 97.8%
Min. Transfer: $100
Local Offices: Sydney (Australia), Auckland (NZ)
Why Them?
- Publicly Traded Company in Australia
- Industry Giants 20bn in Turnoever
- Expertise in Outbound Australian Transfers
- 90%+ Reviews Of the Firm are Positive
Our Rating: 93.2%
Min. Transfer: CHF 1000
EU Offices: Ireland, Spain, France
Why Them?
- Since 1970
- Special Rates for Our Readers
- No Fees for Our Readers
- Great Online Platform
Our Rating: 97.8%
Min. Transfer: ¥1,000,000
Local UK Offices: Tokyo
(+5 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- Handle 150+ Currencies
- Easiest Sign Up Process
- No Fees from Japan
- Best Ranked Since 2014
Our Rating: 95.2%
Min. Transfer: AED 100
Local UAE Offices: Dubai
(+7 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- No Fees, Ever
- Friendliest Staff
- Excellent Rates
- 90% Positive Client Reviews
Our Rating: 95.2%
Min. Transfer: ZAR 5,000
Local S.A Office: Cape Town
(+7 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- No Fees, Ever
- Friendliest Staff
- Excellent Rates
- 90% Positive Client Reviews
Our Rating: 95.2%
Min. Transfer: INR 50,000
Local India Office: Mumbai
(+7 More Global Offices)
Why Them?
- No Fees, Ever
- Friendliest Staff
- Excellent Rates
- 90% Positive Client Reviews
Local Offices / Local Settlements
The most prominent factor on our sending money abroad comparison for private clients page is the localisation of each firm. Most companies can handle clients globally, but few companies have local offices outside of the UK (90% are headquartered there).When a certain company has local offices in any region, it is a strong signal that the sign-up process for clients from that region would be easy and comfortable, and that the support would be provided from a local employee from that office.
In addition, if a client would like to meet up in person with his trader, but the company he is dealing with do no have local offices near him, he would not be able to do so unless he travels abroad to do so. Over the past few years, companies have opened local offices in expat hubs such as UAE, Singapore, South Africa and Canada – so wherever you currently reside, you are bound to find a solution.
Most importantly, local offices translate into local payment settlements i.e. bank accounts set up in the same country that you can move your money domestically to. If you are an Australian expat living in the UK, this is how the process will look like with a company that has local settlements in both UK and Australia, eliminating on intermediary fees and recipient bank fees and allow you to know precisely how much money should be received by the recipient after the overseas money transfer is initiated: How long will this take? View our speed of international money transfers guide on the topic.
The same would apply for many other currency corridors. If you move money from Germany to USA, choose a company which is recommended in the EU, and also has American office. If you need to swap funds between UAE and South Africa, UK to Singapore, Sweden to USA, or New Zealand to Australia – just search for companies that has offices in both locales.
Top 10 Most Common Use Cases – When Is Transferring Abroad Cheaper Through FX Companies?
Based on data collected on our website, here are the most common corridors that people use our site for. We hope you can find use in that in order to discover the best way to transfer money abroad for your own specific needs.
| Sending Money From | Where To | Percentage of Readers* | Recommended Company |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands | 35% | World First |
| France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands | UK | 10% | Moneycorp |
| UK | Australia | 7.5% | World First |
| Australia | UK | 7.5% | TorFX |
| Canada | UK | 5% | World First |
| Canada | USA | 2.5% | World First |
| USA | UK | 2.5% | World First |
| UAE | UK | 2.5% | Currencies Direct |
| UK | UAE | 2.5% | Currencies Direct |
| USA | Canada | 2.5% | World First |
| Australia | USA | 1% | TorFX |
| USA | France, Spain, Germany, Netherlands | 1% | World First |
| Australia | Canada | 1% | TorFX |
| Singapore | UK | 1% | World First |
| UK | Singapore | 1% | World First |
| Sweden, Norway | UK | Less than 1% | Currencies Direct |
| UK | Sweden, Norway | Less than 1% | Currencies Direct |
| Australia | New Zealand | Less than 1% | OFX |
| New Zealand | Australia | Less than 1% | OFX |
| UK | Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia | Less than 1% | Transferwise |
| USA | Mexico | Less than 1% | Transferwise |
* Approximate figures
** There are a lot more countries/ currencies which compose the remaining 15%
*** We did not list how long will it take any transfer to reach its destination, for that we have created a specific guide on the speed of international money transfers.
For Additional Information on the topic, including examples, view our FX Companies VS Banks comparison.
Best Use Cases to Use a Currency Specialist:
Are Currency Specialist The Best Way to Transfer Money Abroad?
How Much Can you Save On An Overseas Transfer – A Comparison
| With Banks – Send money to Spain, France, Ireland, Germany, USA, Australia, Canada etc. | With Commercial FX- Send money to Spain, France, Germany, Ireland, USA, Australia, Canada etc. |
| Fixed Fees: £15-30 from UK; €15-30 from Europe; $25-50 from USA |
Fixed Fees: Companies we recommend on this page incur no fixed fees.
|
|
Commission: In the UK banks are usually commission-free, while globally banks still like to charge anywhere between 0.1%-2% as commission.
|
Commission: There are absolutely no commissions sending funds overseas with any of the companies we recommend. |
| Spreads: The difference between official currency rate and the Buy / Sell price. Represent an amount that could be anywhere between 1.5% on highly traded currencies pairs, to 5% in extreme cases. Want to know how much you paid? View our money transfer fee calculator. | Spreads: These companies markups in comparison to the real exchange rate is far more moderate than with banks. These companies specialise at wholesale of currency, with fewer overheads than banks, and thus able to offer tighter spreads. |
|
Grand total: If you use banks to send money abroad, you will pay up to an astonishing 7% on a small transfer, inclusive of all fees, and anywhere between 1.5%-4% on larger transfers with banks.
|
Grand total: If you use a (great) commercial firm for sending money overseas, you will pay up to 1.5% on average on a small transfer. How much you will pay for larger transfer depends on the volume you are sending, and your negotiation skills. In theory, if you are sending millions regularly, it could be as low as 0.1%. |
John has accumulated some savings in the past few years, and like many other Britons, he decides to invest in property abroad. It will enable him to diversify his investment profile, generate some passive income, and even have a holiday home for his vacations. In addition to that, the low interest rates will enable him to fund his mortgage almost completely via rent.
The only obstacle standing between John and fulfillment of his dream investment, is transferring money overseas, without paying thousands in fees in the process.
Banks – Are They The Best Way To Move Funds Abroad?
He can’t get a straight answer on the markups he is expected to pay, especially when “market is fluctuating”. He get no guidance or support on the subject, besides being told to re-approach for a quote when the money to be moved.
There are no specific guidelines or tips which is based on John’s individual needs. For the bank, it doesn’t matter whether John needs to move money in Europe to his sister in France, buy an asset in Australia, or move his pension back from Ireland to a bank account Singapore. It’s a “one-fits-all” service by a non-trader banker.
Commercial Money Transfers Abroad
Photo from Currencies Direct office in London
Commercial money transfer firms: When approaching one of the our top-choice companies like Currencies Direct, World First, or Moneycorp with the intent of sending money abroad in the future, John will be offered with Forward Contracts: a way to secure the current exchange rate for a period of up to 24 months from the day of the contract.
That means, if John has set aside an amount of exactly 105,000 Pounds and signed such a contract with either of the companies, he can focus on finding an asset within a clear budget (in Euros), without spending anything that wasn’t intended for this cause. Not only the quote will be remarkably cheaper, it will also prevent the sorrow of currency fluctuations.
Some companies, like Currency Solutions or Global Reach Partners, will allow John to make the currency exchange and transfer on an immediate basis, and save the money exchanged in the companies’ Euro account, until it has an address (for any period of time).
Not Only Money Moving….
John will be in contact with a dedicated dealer who has helped hundreds or thousands of clients invest, or move, abroad. Another set of eyes will never hurt. The dedicated dealer can give guidance on all aspects relating to the transaction, and put John in touch with solicitors, real estate agents and tax consultants (only the very best).
Expanding internationally: Whether john would to use these services in the future, he can always call his dealer and make an international payment to almost anywhere in the world. World First supports 150 currencies! John can move his rent money from France to his bank account in South Africa, to pay for a mortgage and invest in another property in New Zealand without ever going to the bank. Sarah can send money to her sister in Ireland, every 2 week, using the regular transfers mechanism.
How did you make the geographic selection?
Well, the majority of large companies we work with will take on any client as long as he passes the compliance checks, and doesn’t reside in countries that are banned for trading. Some locations, mostly in Asia, Africa and the Middle East will require a bit more documents than UK, Australia, Canada, EU, Scandinavia or Mainland Europe.
The exception of that is the USA. Sending money overseas from the country requires the payment facility to be regulated on a state-by-state level. Many of the companies don’t handle USA-based clients at all. The companies we have selected for sending money from the USA and Canada are the ones that handle most states.
Still, there are some variations in our company selection between different areas. Things we have put into consideration include the following:
- Whether company is dealing with local currency
- Whether the company has local offices in the country or nearby
- Whether the site is translated to the local language
- Whether we have received a clear verification from the company they have a client base in that country
- Whether there are promotions/offers specific to a locale
For instance, our recommended company to move money from the UK is World First, which is headquartered in London, and able to move money abroad to 120 different regions including sending money to Australia, Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and many more locations. The majority of its clients are UK-based or Brits abroad, and it also offers a price rate guarantee for this audience.
MoneyTransferComparison.com – Investing Overseas Guide
Additional International Currency Needs
Best Way to Transfer Money Abroad
Peer to Peer Currency Transfer
Property & Moving Abroad
Property Investments Overseas – Tips and Tricks
Financially Planning Moving Abroad
The Psychological Effects of Expatriation
Learning Currency
Money Transfer Comparison Frequently Asked Questions
Currency Foreign Exchange Rates
Bedsit or Island? The Cost of Property Around the World
Is Ripple (XRP) the Future of Money Transfers?
Should I use Bitcoin for Overseas Money Transfers?
Using our website to send money abroad
MoneyTransferComaprison.com is the largest review and comparison site in this industry. In fact, we have more than 35 companies listed on our website, and over 50 apps on app page (including our own).
Our goal is to apply to the widest audiences we can. That’s why we have a special category for expatriates and immigrants, business FX, merchants and even an eWallet comparison and travel money comparison. That’s why we have listed so many different countries on this page – because our traffic is diverse and international.
Companies appearing on this page specialise at sending money abroad for purposes like property purchases, mortgage payments, luxury item buying from abroad, paying tuition fees, etc. (These are the same companies we recommend for receiving money from abroad, of course).
Be sure to check as many reviews as possible to find the companies best tailored for your needs. Do not be hesitant of contacting multiple companies to compare between their quotes, and may you find the way to transfer money abroad for your needs.
Comments disabled for this page