Sending money abroad, answered

The mid-market rate is the midpoint between the prices at which banks buy and sell a currency on the global market. It is the rate you see on Google or Reuters and a useful comparison point. When you send money, the rate you are actually given is almost always a little worse than this, and the difference is one of the main ways providers make money.

Most providers add a markup to the exchange rate. They give you a rate slightly below the mid-market rate and keep the difference. This markup is rarely shown as a separate charge, so a transfer advertised as having a low fee, or no fee at all, can still cost you several percent. The only way to see the true cost is to compare the amount your recipient actually receives against the mid-market rate.

A transfer fee is a charge you can see, a fixed amount or a percentage shown before you confirm. An exchange-rate markup is hidden inside the rate you are offered, the gap between it and the real mid-market rate. A provider can have a tiny fee and a large markup, so the fee alone tells you very little. We add the two together into a single total cost so you can compare providers fairly.

Compare the total cost, including both the fee and the exchange-rate markup, rather than the headline fee alone. Our tool ranks options by the amount the recipient gets. Before choosing, confirm the final amount and available ways to pay and receive money with the provider.

Because providers charge in different ways. A flat fee costs the same whether you send $100 or $10,000, so it weighs heavily on small transfers. A percentage markup scales with the amount, so it dominates large ones. A provider that is cheapest at $500 may not be at $5,000. That is why our comparison lets you set the exact amount.

It depends on the provider, the currencies, and how you pay. Card-funded transfers can arrive the same day, sometimes within minutes, while bank-funded transfers usually take one to three business days. Cash pickup is often available within minutes of the transfer clearing. Faster options tend to cost a little more.

Safety depends on the legal entity, licence, country, and product you use. Verify the exact provider entity on your local regulator's register and read its safeguarding terms. Payment institutions and e-money firms may safeguard customer funds, but that is not the same as bank-deposit insurance and protections can vary by jurisdiction.

Some Revolut plans and markets apply a monthly exchange allowance and charge more above it, while other plans may have different or no limits. The threshold, percentage, and weekend terms vary by country and plan. Check your in-app allowance and regional fee page before exchanging.

We may earn a commission or referral benefit when you open an account through a link on this site, at no extra cost to you. Commercial relationships do not change the ranking formula, which sorts the displayed estimates by recipient amount.

No. ForeignExchange.pro is an independent comparison site, not a bank or money-transfer provider. Results are estimates, so always confirm the final amount on the provider's own site before you transfer.