The 5 best apps to receive money from abroad!

The need to receive money from abroad has skyrocketed all over the world in recent years with the integration provided by the internet, so using certain apps is paramount. The popularization of remote work is also accelerating this trend, as it is now possible to work from anywhere in the world with just a personal computer.

With the growth of this demand, several solutions and applications have emerged to facilitate the transfer of resources online. With the creation of the revolutionary Paypal in 1998, the market for fintechs and digital banks exploded, which made the market more competitive and with several options for transferring values internationally.

What is the best app to receive money from abroad?

There is no best app to receive money from abroad, but different options when it comes to companies and services. Among the most relevant factors for choosing a company to send money abroad are:

• Features: It is important to check what the features offered by the money transfer service are. This includes payment options, supported currencies, security and data protection, customer service, and more.
• Processing fees: Processing fees can vary significantly between different companies, so it’s important to compare them before making a decision. Some companies may charge higher fees for faster transfers, while others may have lower fees but offer slower transfers.
• Limit: It is important to check if the company offers maximum and minimum limits for transfers, as this may affect your ability to send larger amounts of money. Some companies may have daily or monthly limits, while others may have per-transaction limits.
• Speed: Money transfer speed is another crucial factor to consider. Some companies may offer instant transfers, while others may take several days to process the transaction. It’s important to choose a company that offers a speed that meets your needs.
• User Experience: Last but not least, it is important to check the user experience offered by the company. This includes the ease of use of the platform, the availability of customer service, and the clarity of the information provided, among others. It’s important to choose a company that offers a positive user experience to ensure you can make transfers quickly and easily.

That said, let’s now get to know the main applications available for you to receive money from abroad.

1. Paypal

Paypal is one of the most established options in the financial market. With more than 325 million customers, the company’s platform is one of the main options for receiving money from abroad.

Features: Paypal allows you to safely send and receive money from abroad, either to bank accounts or businesses worldwide that accept Paypal as a payment method. The platform offers the option to send funds via account balance, debit, or credit card.

Fees: The fixed fee for sending money abroad is 4.5% and for receiving it is 3.5%. In addition, Paypal uses the value of the tourism exchange rate, which is different from the commercial exchange rate, which can make the transaction more expensive.

Limit: There is no limit for sending money via Paypal. However, the company may impose individual limits in case of suspicious transactions.

Speed: Paypal international transactions can take between 3 to 5 business days, depending on the bank and country of sending.

Benefits:

• More than 325 million customers.
• Accepted by millions of merchants worldwide.
• Possibility of using debit and credit card.
• No daily transaction limits.

Disadvantages:

• Slow transaction processing.
• Fee of up to 4.5% of the transaction amount.
• Use of the tourism exchange.

2. Western Union

Western Union is an institution with almost 150 years of history and operates in over 200 countries. The company facilitates the process of sending and receiving money abroad and provides exchange services, operating in the digital world and in physical branches. Among its differentials is the possibility of receiving cash.

Features: With a presence in over 200 countries, Western Union is the most flexible option for anyone who wants to send money to many countries. The amount sent can be redeemed online, or through the physical branches of the institution.

Fees: Sending money through Western Union incurs varying fees, which can be viewed on the company’s calculator. The fee charged varies by currency, jurisdiction, and amount sent.

Limit: The company allows the sending of up to a thousand euros without the need to present personal documents. After sending the initial documents, the limit is increased to 5 thousand euros. By completing the entire verification process, the amount can increase further.

Speed: Western Union allows you to send money within 1 business day.

Benefits:

• Present in more than 200 countries.
• Possibility of receiving cash in kind.
• Fast transaction processing.

Disadvantages:

• Low initial daily limit.
• Currency exchange fee.

3. Wise

Wise is easily one of the best apps to receive money from abroad, as it is present in nearly 80 countries, and it has more than 15 million users all around the world. The transfers are fast, and they promise low flat fees.

Features: Present in almost 80 countries, Wise offers mid-market exchange rates. The transfers are virtual, it offers support for many different currencies, and it lets you easily withdraw.

Fees: The platform promises very low transparent fees, starting at 0.47% + a flat amount. It does vary depending on the currency, so you need to check out on the website.

Limit: While the platform has limits, they are extremely high. As such, it is a good option for those who need large transfers.

Speed: Most of the transfers take no more than one business day, and depending on the currency they can take mere seconds.

Benefits:

• Low processing fees
• Very fast transfer speeds
• Support to several currencies
• High transfer limits

Disadvantages:

• Present in far fewer countries than Western Union

4. WorldRemit

WorldRemit is a solid option in this list, making it easy to transfer money to other countries. It accepts many different payment methods, including debit, credit, and prepaid cards, Klarna, Trustly, Apple Pay, and more.

Features: WorldRemit is present in more than 130 countries, letting you easily transfer money to people all over the globe.

Fees: It promises to save you up to 46% when compared to transferring via regular banks. The fees vary by currency, so you need to check out on the website.

Limits: The platform has relatively low limits, which you need to check out n a case-by-case basis on the website.

Speed: WorldRemit promises to send the money to the recipients in a matter of minutes. But, depending on the currency and country, it can take up to 24 hours or even more.

Benefits:

• Sends money quickly
• Simple to use
• Available in over 130 countries

Disadvantages:

• Fees are hard to understand
• Low limits for the transfers

5. Remitly

The last option among the best apps to receive money from abroad is Remitly, a platform available all around the world, that’s easy to use, and promises a lot of benefits.

Features: Remitly brings a lot of convenience to the table, letting you send money directly to trusted banks, letting the user pick up the money in cash, receive it to their house, and a lot more.

Fees: The platform offers quite low fees, but it varies on a country-by-country basis. Often, the economy transfers are free, and the express transfers start at 2.99 USD.

Limits: Remitly offers limits of up to 30 thousand dollars per month (or 60 thousand every 6 months), depending on your country and verification status.

Speed: As mentioned, you can transfer for cheap, which takes up to 5 business days, or choose express transfers which will be very fast.

Benefits:

• Very simple to use
• Extremely cheap fees for economy transfers
• Lets you pick up cash, depending on location

Disadvantages:

• Express transfer fees can be very high, depending on the amount
• Extra charges to use credit cards.