· NextMigrate Team
Best Remitly Alternatives for Sending Money Home
You did not land on a page about switching transfer apps by accident. Something about your usual way of sending money home stopped fitting, and you want to compare the options calmly before your next payday.
Imagine you are a caregiver in Toronto. Every second Friday you send money to your daughter in Cebu. It pays her school fees and your mother's rent. You have used the same app since your first month in Canada, when a friend showed you how. The first transfer had a special rate. The rate you get now is not the same.
Is it still the best deal for you? Or is it just the one you know?
The short answer: If your family can receive money into a bank account, compare Wise, which uses the mid-market rate and shows its fee upfront. If they use mobile money or airtime, look at WorldRemit or Taptap Send. If they need cash from an agent, look at MoneyGram or Western Union. If you already use PayPal in the US, look at Xoom. Then send the same amount through two calculators on the same day and pick the one where more arrives.
This is a comparison of published features and prices, not a hands-on test. Prices below are as of November 2026, taken from each company's own pages. Fees and rates change daily and depend on your route, amount and how you pay.
Before you switch: check the live price and the licence
Two habits protect every transfer, whichever service you use.
Run your real transfer in the calculator. Type in your actual amount and route, and choose how you will pay. Write down the fee and the amount your family receives. Many services, Remitly included, give a better deal on the first transfer. Look at what the second and third transfers cost, because those are the ones you will repeat.
Confirm the service is licensed in your country. Look the company up on your regulator's public register. In the UK that is the FCA register. In the US it is NMLS Consumer Access. In Canada it is the FINTRAC money services business registry, and in Australia the AUSTRAC remittance sector register. In other countries, ask your central bank or financial regulator. A service you cannot find on the register is a service you should not use.
Why people compare Remitly with others
Remitly is built for sending money to family. It offers bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet payouts, depending on the country, and lists UPI for India. On the US to India route it lists a $0 fee at $1,000 or more. So why look further?
- The first-transfer offer ended. Remitly gives new customers a promotional rate on the first transfer. After that, the normal rate applies.
- The rate includes a margin. Remitly's user agreement says it may earn money on the gap between the rate it buys currency at and the rate it gives you. That is common in this industry. It means the fee alone does not tell you the full cost.
- Speed and price trade off. On some routes Remitly shows two options, Express and Economy, at different fees.
- Another service may simply be cheaper on your route this month. No service wins everywhere.
All seven at a glance
| Name | Type | Published pricing (as of November 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Remitly | Money transfer | US to India: $3.99 fee below $1,000; $0 fee at $1,000 or more (source) |
| Wise | Money transfer | Sending and converting money: from 0.24%, at the mid-market exchange rate (source) |
| WorldRemit | Money transfer | Fee and exchange rate shown before you pay (source) |
| Taptap Send | Money transfer | Some routes have a transfer fee; on others there is no fee, but a small margin on the exchange rate (source) |
| Xoom (PayPal) | Money transfer | Fees vary by payment method, amount, destination and the currency received (source) |
| MoneyGram | Money transfer | Fees and rates vary by amount, payment type, delivery method and pickup location (source) |
| Western Union | Money transfer | Fees depend on where you send, how you pay, how it is received and the amount (source) |
| Ways to receive (per its own site) | Best for | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remitly | Bank, cash pickup, mobile wallet (UPI for India) | Regular family remittances | Express and Economy speeds on some routes |
| Wise | Mainly bank accounts | Bank-to-bank at the mid-market rate | Fee shown separately, no markup |
| WorldRemit | Bank, cash pickup, mobile money, airtime | Mobile money and airtime | Fee depends on how money is received |
| Taptap Send | Bank, mobile money, cash pickup | Family transfers on routes with no fee | Some routes have no fee, with a margin in the rate |
| Xoom (PayPal) | Bank, debit card, mobile wallet, UPI, cash pickup, delivery | People in the US who use PayPal | Rate includes a conversion spread |
| MoneyGram | Cash pickup, bank, debit card, digital wallet | Cash pickup | $0 first online transfer for new customers |
| Western Union | Cash, bank, mobile wallet, debit card | Cash pickup in many countries | $0 fee on first online transfer, with exclusions |
1. Wise
Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate and shows a separate fee before you pay. Its pricing page says fees start from 0.24% and vary by currency.
Who it suits: people whose family has a bank account, and who want to see exactly what they pay. It also gives you an account to hold several currencies, which helps if you are paid in one and spend in another.
Who it does not suit: families who collect cash or rely on a mobile wallet. Wise is built mainly around bank accounts.
Key features:
- Mid-market rate with the fee shown upfront
- Discounts on large monthly volumes, per its pricing page
- A multi-currency account and card
Wise: published pricing
- Sending and converting money: from 0.24%, at the mid-market exchange rate
- Account: free to open, no monthly fee; holding money is free
- Physical card: £7; spending a currency you already hold is free
- Cash: £250 a month free per account, then 2.69% on the amount above that
Prices as of November 2026, from the official Wise page. They change, so check the live figure before you pay.
See Wise’s live prices →2. WorldRemit
WorldRemit offers up to four ways to receive, depending on the country: bank transfer, cash pickup, mobile money and airtime top-up.
Who it suits: families who use mobile money, or who need airtime credit sent straight to a phone. You see the fee and the rate before you pay.
Who it does not suit: people moving one large sum, such as savings or a property deposit. Look at services built for large transfers instead.
Key features:
- Four payout types, including airtime
- The fee depends on the payout type
- A better first-transfer rate on some routes for new customers
WorldRemit: published pricing
- Fee and exchange rate shown before you pay
- The fee depends on how the money is received: bank, cash pickup, mobile money or airtime
- A better rate on the first transfer on some routes, for new customers (fees still apply)
Prices as of November 2026, from the official WorldRemit page. They change, so check the live figure before you pay.
See WorldRemit’s live prices →3. Taptap Send
Taptap Send focuses on family transfers. You can send from the UK, the EU, the US, Canada, Australia and the UAE, and it pays out to bank accounts, mobile money and cash pickup.
Who it suits: people sending to routes where it has no transfer fee. On its Nigeria page, Taptap Send says it does not charge fees on transfers to Nigeria. On routes with no fee, it says it makes a small margin on the exchange rate instead.
Who it does not suit: people who want to pay by bank transfer from the US. Its US help page says US senders pay by debit card or Taptap Wallet. There are also per-transfer and 14-day limits.
Key features:
- Mobile money, bank and cash pickup payouts
- No transfer fee on some routes, with the margin in the rate
- A simple app for regular family transfers
Taptap Send: published pricing
- Some routes have a transfer fee; on others there is no fee, but a small margin on the exchange rate
- From the US (most states): up to $10,000 per transfer and $24,000 per 14 days
- US senders pay by debit card or Taptap Wallet
Prices as of November 2026, from the official Taptap Send page. They change, so check the live figure before you pay.
See Taptap Send’s live prices →Free eligibility check · 2 minutes
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4. Xoom (PayPal)
Xoom is PayPal's money transfer service. It pays out to bank accounts, debit cards, mobile wallets, UPI in India, cash pickup and, in some places, home delivery.
Who it suits: people in the US who already use PayPal and want to send from their PayPal balance or bank account.
Who it does not suit: people outside the US, or people who want the mid-market rate. Xoom says its exchange rate includes a currency conversion spread.
Key features:
- Many payout options, including UPI and cash pickup
- Linked to your PayPal account
- Fees vary by how you pay, the amount and the destination
Xoom (PayPal): published pricing
- Fees vary by payment method, amount, destination and the currency received
- Xoom says its exchange rate includes a currency conversion spread
- No transfer fee when you pay with PYUSD, PayPal's US dollar stablecoin
Prices as of November 2026, from the official Xoom (PayPal) page. They change, so check the live figure before you pay.
See Xoom (PayPal)’s live prices →5. MoneyGram
MoneyGram runs a large cash pickup network. It says it serves more than 200 countries and territories, with nearly 500,000 locations. Money can be collected as cash, or paid into a bank account, debit card or digital wallet such as GCash in the Philippines.
Who it suits: families who need cash from an agent, or who use a digital wallet MoneyGram supports.
Who it does not suit: people who judge price only by the fee. MoneyGram's own page says a $0 fee still means the exchange rate includes a margin.
Key features:
- Cash pickup at agent locations
- Bank, card and wallet payouts
- $0 fee on the first online transfer for new customers
MoneyGram: published pricing
- Fees and rates vary by amount, payment type, delivery method and pickup location
- $0 transfer fee on your first online transfer, for new customers
- MoneyGram says a $0 fee still means the exchange rate includes a margin
Prices as of November 2026, from the official MoneyGram page. They change, so check the live figure before you pay.
See MoneyGram’s live prices →6. Western Union
Western Union says it serves more than 200 countries and territories, with about 600,000 agent locations. Money can be received as cash, into a bank, to a mobile wallet or to a debit card.
Who it suits: families in places where an agent is easier to reach than a bank, or where cash is still the normal way to be paid.
Who it does not suit: people sending to a bank account who only compare fees. Western Union says it makes money when it changes your currency, on top of the fee. Our guide to Western Union alternatives goes deeper.
Key features:
- Cash at agent locations in many countries
- Online, app and in-person sending
- $0 fee on the first online transfer, with exclusions
Western Union: published pricing
- Fees depend on where you send, how you pay, how it is received and the amount
- Western Union says it also makes money when it changes your currency
- $0 transfer fee on your first online transfer (not for credit card, Google Pay or Quick Collect)
Prices as of November 2026, from the official Western Union page. They change, so check the live figure before you pay.
See Western Union’s live prices →How to choose
- Ask your family how they want to receive the money. Bank, mobile money, airtime or cash. This one answer removes half the list.
- Check that the service covers your exact route. Not just the country, but the payout type in their town.
- Compare the amount received for your normal transfer. Use the same amount, the same day and the same payment method in two or three calculators. Ignore first-transfer offers when you compare long-term cost.
- Check speed. If the money is for an emergency, a faster option may be worth a small extra cost.
- Check the licence. Use the register for your country, as above.
You do not have to leave Remitly to use these. Many people keep two services and use whichever is better that month. For the full story on fees and exchange-rate margins, read transferring money abroad: remittances, forex and fees. If you also want an everyday account for life abroad, see our guide to Revolut alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to Remitly?
On some routes and amounts, yes. On others, Remitly may be the cheapest. The only way to know is to enter the same amount in each calculator on the same day and compare what arrives.
Which Remitly alternative is best for mobile money?
WorldRemit and Taptap Send both list mobile money payouts. WorldRemit also offers airtime top-up. Check that your family's mobile money provider is supported.
Which alternative is best for cash pickup?
MoneyGram and Western Union both run large agent networks for cash pickup. WorldRemit, Taptap Send and Xoom also list cash pickup in some countries.
Why did my second transfer cost more than my first?
Many services, Remitly included, give new customers a promotional rate or a $0 fee on the first transfer. Later transfers use the normal fee and rate.
Can I send money to India by UPI?
Remitly and Xoom both list UPI as a payout option for India. Check the live fee and rate before you send.
The money you send home is not a number on a screen. It is school fees, medicine and rent. Spend ten minutes comparing, check the licence, and let more of it arrive.
