Best Wise Alternatives for Sending Money Abroad

Anyone looking for a second money transfer service has usually hit one specific wall: a payout their family cannot use, a limit that does not fit, or a route that costs more than expected. This page is for people who know what they need.

Imagine you are an accountant from Lagos, now working in Leeds. For two years you have sent money to your parents the same way, every month, without thinking. Then your father asks if he can collect cash near the market instead of going to the bank. Or your sister needs money on her mobile wallet tonight. Or you finally sell your car back home and need to move a large sum the other way.

Your usual app may still be the right one. But is it the right one for this?

The short answer: Wise is strong for bank-to-bank transfers at the mid-market rate. Look elsewhere when you need something it is not built for. For cash pickup or mobile money, look at Remitly, WorldRemit or Western Union. For large transfers with tools to lock in a rate, look at OFX or Xe. For an everyday spending app with currencies built in, look at Revolut. Whatever you pick, compare one number on the day: how much your family receives.

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. Rates and fees change every day, and they differ by route, amount and payment method.

Two checks before you use any of them

1. Check the live price in the provider's own calculator. Enter your exact amount, your exact route and the way you will pay. Note the fee and the amount the recipient gets. A card payment often costs more than a bank payment. A first-transfer offer may not apply to your second transfer.

2. Check the provider is licensed where you live. Every service below says it is regulated in the UK and the US. Rules in your own country may differ. Search the provider's name on the public register: the FCA register in the UK, NMLS Consumer Access in the US, the FINTRAC money services business registry in Canada, or the AUSTRAC remittance sector register in Australia. Elsewhere, check your central bank or financial regulator. If you cannot find the company, do not send.

Why people look beyond Wise

Wise shows its fee before you pay and uses the mid-market exchange rate. Its pricing page says fees start from 0.24% and vary by currency. For many bank-to-bank routes that is hard to beat. People still look elsewhere for a few reasons:

• The recipient needs cash or a mobile wallet. Wise is built around bank accounts and cards. If your family collects cash or uses mobile money, a service built for those payouts may suit them better.
• The route is better served elsewhere. No service is the cheapest on every route. A provider with a promotional rate or a zero-fee band on your route can win for your amount.
• The amount is large. Big one-off transfers, such as a house deposit or tuition, may suit a service with tools that lock in a rate for a future date.
• They want one app for everything. Some people would rather spend, save and send from one everyday account.

All seven at a glance

"Margin in the rate" means the company says it makes money from the exchange rate as well as, or instead of, a fee. That is normal. It just means you should compare the amount received, not the fee alone.

1. Remitly

Remitly is built for people sending money to family. You can send to a bank account, for cash pickup, or to a mobile wallet, depending on the country. For India it also lists UPI.

Who it suits: people sending regular amounts home, especially when the recipient wants cash pickup or a mobile wallet. On some routes, such as the US to India, Remitly lists a zero fee above a set amount.

Who it does not suit: people who want the mid-market rate with no margin. Remitly's user agreement says it may earn money from the difference between the rate it buys currency at and the rate it gives you. On some routes it also shows two speeds, Express and Economy, at different prices.

Key features:

• Bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet payouts, depending on the country
• A first-transfer offer for new customers
• A promise to refund fees if a transfer is not delivered on time, per its own site

2. Revolut

Revolut is an everyday money app with cards and many currencies in one place. It can also send money abroad.

Who it suits: people who want to spend, hold currencies and send money from one app, and who travel. On its UK plans you can exchange a set amount each month with no fair-usage fee.

Who it does not suit: people who need cash pickup or mobile money for family. Also people who convert large sums on the free plan, because fees apply above the monthly allowance, and a weekend fee applies on the lower plans. Read our full guide to Revolut alternatives if you are choosing an everyday account.

Key features:

• Several currencies in one app, with a card
• Paid plans that raise the exchange allowance
• Revolut launched its UK bank on 11 March 2026, per its own announcement

3. OFX

OFX focuses on larger bank-to-bank transfers. It has no maximum transfer amount and says it offers 24/7 support.

Who it suits: people moving a large sum, such as savings when they migrate, a property deposit or a year of tuition. OFX says you can lock in a rate for up to a year, set rate alerts and use limit orders.

Who it does not suit: people sending small amounts every month. There is a minimum transfer, and it pays into bank accounts. If your family needs cash or mobile money, look at another service.

Key features:

• No transfer fees in the US and UK, per its own FAQ
• Forward contracts, limit orders and rate alerts
• Bank transfers only

4. Xe Money Transfer

Xe is well known for its currency converter. It also runs a money transfer service with bank, mobile wallet and cash pickup payouts.

Who it suits: people who want one service for both small and large transfers. Xe says it offers forward contracts for up to 24 months, limit orders and rate alerts, which helps if you have a big bill on a known date.

Who it does not suit: people who want the mid-market rate. Xe says it also makes money when it converts your money. Paying by card costs more than paying from a bank account.

Key features:

• Bank, mobile wallet and cash pickup payouts
• Forward contracts and limit orders for planned payments
• A special rate on your first 3 transfers

5. WorldRemit

WorldRemit offers up to four ways to receive money, depending on the country: bank transfer, cash pickup, mobile money and airtime top-up.

Who it suits: families who use mobile money or need airtime, which is common in many African and Asian countries. You see the fee and the rate before you pay.

Who it does not suit: people moving large one-off sums, who may get better tools from OFX or Xe.

Key features:

• Mobile money and airtime top-up as well as bank and cash
• The fee depends on how the money is received
• A better first-transfer rate on some routes for new customers

6. Western Union

Western Union says it serves more than 200 countries and territories, with about 600,000 agent locations. Money can be collected as cash, paid into a bank, sent to a mobile wallet or paid to a debit card.

Who it suits: families in places where cash is still the main way to receive money, or where the nearest agent is closer than the nearest bank.

Who it does not suit: people who send to a bank account on a well-served route. Western Union says it makes money when it changes your currency, on top of the fee, so compare the amount received carefully. Read our guide to Western Union alternatives if cash pickup is what you need.

Key features:

• Cash pickup at agent locations in many countries
• Online, app and in-person sending
• Higher limits once your account is verified

How to choose

Start from the person receiving the money, not the app.

1. How will they receive it? Bank account: Wise, Remitly, Xe or OFX. Cash pickup: Remitly, WorldRemit, Xe or Western Union. Mobile money or airtime: WorldRemit or Remitly.
2. How much, and how often? Small and monthly: compare the fee and the rate on your exact amount. Large and once: look at OFX or Xe, and ask about locking in a rate.
3. How fast? If the money is urgent, check the delivery time in the calculator. Faster options can cost more.
4. Run the same amount in two or three calculators on the same day. Pick the one where your family receives the most, from a provider that is licensed where you live.
5. Recheck every few months. Prices move. The cheapest service for your route last year may not be the cheapest now.

If you want the full picture of how fees and exchange rates work, read transferring money abroad: remittances, forex and fees. If you are moving savings to show as proof of funds for a visa, our proof of funds calculator shows how much you need.

Frequently asked questions

Is there anything cheaper than Wise?

Sometimes. It depends on your route and amount. A provider with a zero-fee band or a first-transfer offer can beat Wise on a given day. Enter the same amount in each calculator and compare how much arrives.

Which Wise alternative has cash pickup?

Remitly, WorldRemit, Xe and Western Union all list cash pickup in many countries. Check that your family's country and town are covered before you send.

What is the best Wise alternative for large transfers?

OFX and Xe both focus on larger transfers. They offer tools to lock in a rate for a future date. Ask each for a quote on your exact amount.

Why does a "no fee" transfer still cost money?

Because the exchange rate can include a margin. Several providers here say this on their own pages. Compare the amount received, not the fee.

How do I know a money transfer app is safe?

Check that it is on the official register of your country's financial regulator. Never send money through someone on social media who offers a "special rate". Our guide to avoiding immigration and money scams explains the common tricks.

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Every transfer carries hours of your work. A few minutes with two calculators, once every few months, means more of it reaches the people you are working for.