Whether you are paying a freelancer in Lisbon, supporting a family member abroad, or settling a tuition bill overseas, learning how to send money internationally has never mattered more. Cross-border payments continue to grow year over year³, and the right provider can save you real money on fees and exchange rate markups.
This guide walks through the full process: gathering recipient details, choosing a funding source like a bank account, debit card, or checking account, comparing providers on total cost, and tracking your transfer until it lands. By the end you will know exactly how to send money internationally with confidence, whether you are moving $200 or transferring large sums of money internationally.
Key Takeaways
The total cost of an international transfer is driven by transfer fees, speed, and payout coverage, not just the headline rate. Xe waives the transfer fee on larger sends, which can be a bigger saving than chasing a fraction of a cent on the rate.
Consumers have four practical categories to choose from: dedicated transfer services like Xe, Wise, and Remitly; traditional money transfer operators like Western Union and WorldRemit; banks and digital wallets using SWIFT transfers or tools like PayPal and Xoom; and alternative methods such as crypto. Each category trades differently across speed, cost, and coverage.
Xe supports transfers to 190+ countries with competitive mid-market rates, a top-rated international money transfer app, and 24/7 customer support for larger or time-sensitive payments.
Step 1: Confirm What You Need From the Transfer
Before you compare providers, get clear on four things: the destination country, the receive currency, the speed you need, and how the recipient wants to collect the funds. This is where provider network depth matters. Xe, for example, supports transfers to 190+ countries across 130+ currencies, with bank deposit, mobile wallet, and cash pickup options depending on the destination, and has moved money for customers for more than 30 years. Some families prefer funds deposited to a savings account. Others want cash pickup at a local branch. For recurring needs, such as sending to the same checking account every month, a provider with saved recipients and scheduled transfers saves real time.
Speed matters too. Debit or credit card-funded transfers, wallet-to-wallet moves, and peer-to-peer payments can settle in minutes on the right corridor. International wire transfers through a traditional bank typically take one to five business days. If your recipient needs the money today, look for a fast money transfer option that publishes clear delivery times up front. If your recipient needs the money today, look for a fast money transfer option that publishes clear delivery times up front.
Step 2: Understand the True Cost
Two numbers really matter on any cross-border payment: the amount you send and the amount your recipient actually receives. Providers differ on transfer fees, delivery speed, and whether they tack on extras like intermediary bank fees on traditional wires. NerdWallet, which tracks providers across the category, flags Xe for competitive rates and notes it as the best for live chat support in many languages¹, which matters when you are moving money across time zones.
To compare fairly, look at the receive amount in your chosen foreign currency alongside the transfer fee and the delivery time. Our full breakdown of international money transfer fees covers how provider pricing typically works, why bank-to-bank wires often cost the most once intermediary fees are counted, and how to estimate fees for transferring before you commit.
Step 3: Choose the Right Transfer Method
Once you know your priorities, you can pick a method. Providers generally fall into four categories, each with different strengths:
Dedicated transfer services:
Providers like Xe, Wise, and Remitly specialize in cross-border payments, publish live mid-market rates, and let you send from either a web dashboard or an international money transfer app. You can lock in a rate, schedule recurring sends, and track delivery in real time. NerdWallet notes that dedicated services can feel digital-first on customer service; Xe is the exception, with 24/7 live chat and support staff available in multiple languages¹ when you want to speak to a person.
Traditional money transfer operators:
Names like Western Union and WorldRemit lean on long-standing retail networks and cash pickup coverage in developing markets. Strong on physical payout; typically less competitive on rate and digital experience.
Banks and digital wallets:
Your own U.S. bank wire over the SWIFT network, or a digital wallet like PayPal or Xoom. Familiar and well integrated with most bank accounts, but bank wires are typically the slowest and most expensive path once intermediary fees are counted. A quick read on wire transfer vs direct deposit is helpful if you have only used domestic payment rails before.
Alternative methods:
Crypto and stablecoins, plus peer-to-peer apps that route by user tag or phone number rather than a traditional account number, often with mobile wallet delivery on the receive side. Useful for small same-currency transfers; coverage, pricing transparency, and consumer protections vary widely.
Step 4: Gather Recipient Details and Verify Your Identity
Regulated providers are required to verify both sides of the transaction². Have your government ID ready, along with the recipient's full legal name, address, and either a bank account number and SWIFT/BIC code or the cash pickup location. For payments to a European bank account you will usually provide an IBAN. For larger amounts the provider may ask for documents such as an invoice or proof of funds, which is normal and protects everyone involved.
Step 5: Review, Fund, and Send
On the review screen, double-check the send amount, the receive amount in foreign currency, the total you will pay today, and the delivery estimate. Fund the transfer from your checking account, debit card, or bank account transfer, then confirm. You will receive a tracking reference to monitor each leg of the journey.
Sending a Large Amount Across Borders
Once your transfer crosses into five or six figures, the playbook changes. Banks may require extra documentation, daily limits can cap what goes through in a single payment, and exchange rate movement becomes a real line-item risk. This is where Xe's large-transfer team is built to help. When you are transferring large sums of money internationally with Xe, a dedicated specialist walks you through the documentation, helps you lock in a rate in advance with a forward contract, and can split a payment across dates or currencies if that fits your plan. Xe also waives the transfer fee on sends over $1,000 USD, so the cost advantage grows as the payment size grows. If you are transferring large sums of money internationally, working with a dedicated specialist lets you speak to a person, lock in a rate in advance, and split the payment if needed.
How Xe Helps You Send Money Internationally
Xe has been trusted with foreign currency and cross-border payments for more than 30 years. When you send money internationally with Xe, you get coverage in 190+ countries, a live mid-market rate on the international money transfer app, transparent international money transfer fees, and 24/7 customer support in multiple languages for anything more complex.
Need speed? Our fast money transfer options show expected delivery times before you send. Moving a larger amount? Our team can help with transferring large sums of money internationally. New to cross-border payments entirely? Our explainer on wire transfer vs direct deposit is a good next read.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to send money internationally?
Timing depends on the method. Card-funded transfers on a modern app often arrive within minutes. Bank-funded transfers and international wire transfers typically take one to five business days. Xe publishes an expected delivery time before you confirm the payment.
What is the cheapest way to send money abroad?
The cheapest option is usually a dedicated money transfer service that uses the mid-market exchange rate and charges a transparent fee. Always compare the total receive amount, not just the upfront fee, since exchange rate markups can quietly add 2% to 5% to the cost.
Can I send money to a bank account or cash pickup location?
Yes. Depending on the destination, you can send to a bank account, a mobile wallet, or a cash pickup location. Xe supports all three across 190+ countries.
Is it safe to send money internationally online?
Regulated providers are subject to strict consumer protections and identity verification rules. Check that any provider you use is licensed to transmit money in your state and publishes its exchange rate openly.
The content within this blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. All figures and data are based on publicly available sources at the time of writing and are subject to change. Actual conditions may vary depending on location, timing, and personal circumstances. We recommend consulting official government resources or a licensed professional for the most up-to-date and personalized guidance.
Citations
¹ NerdWallet, Best Ways to Wire Money Internationally - (2025)
² Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Sending Money to Other Countries - (2024)
³ Federal Reserve, Cross-Border Retail Payments - (2024)
Information from these sources was taken on April 21, 2026.
