2017-01-07

The best alternative companies to Currencies Direct for sending a money transfer

Currencies Direct is an international money transfer service dedicated to helping its customers save more when transferring money internationally. With 39 currencies to choose from (and others that can be discussed with the company itself), it is more flexible than other money transfer services. So long as there’s a bank account available, Currencies Direct will transfer and exchange your funds at a low flat rate.

Pros

No fees for 90% of its transactions

Worldwide service

Competitive exchange rates

Low minimum transfer of $100

Supports large transactions at a seemingly unlimited max

Monitors exchange rates for your ideal transfer

Cons

No cash pickup option

Does not support all currencies (though you can contact them if yours isn’t listed)

Curious about other options besides Currencies Direct? Compare the competition here.

Alternative sites like Currencies Direct

HIFX

OFX

World Remit

Travelex

TorFX

World First

Transferwise

Western Union

RIA

MoneyGram

Xoom

Sharemoney

Walmart

Currency Online

Paypal

Click here to see Currencies Direct



1. HIFX

HiFX is a service designed to help you transfer your funds to a bank in a foreign currency. If you’re working far from home, HiFX is ideal for getting cash to your family or making investments overseas. Given how easy it is to transfer your money to foreign companies in their currency, it’s especially ideal for business accounts.

Pros

One of the most trusted money transfer names in the UK

Competitive exchange rates save you money in the long run

Quick turnaround means transfer is complete in 1 to 4 days

Cons

Rate comparison tool not available until after you’ve registered with the site

Go to the HIFX website



2. OFX

OFX offers transfers and exchanges into 55 different currencies. If you’re a larger business looking to pay for exports or just need to transfer a larger sum to an account overseas, this service may be ideal.

Pros

24-hour customer support

Available in 195 countries and 55 currencies

Offers scheduled and recurring transfers

iOS and Android apps available for mobile transfer and tracking

Cons

Minimum transfer of $1,000.

Go to OFX website



3. WorldRemit

WorldRemit provides a variety of transfer options in more than 120 countries worldwide, including online, bank-to-bank and cash transfers. Fees vary by country you’re sending funds to and the global exchange rate at the time of your transfer. WorldRemit is ideal for small businesses, offering transfers from $1 to $2,000.

Pros

Flexible payment options

Easy three-step transfer process

Transfers to mobile wallet accounts

Cash pickup available

Mobile airtime account transfers

Cons

The higher your transfer, the greater the transfer fees

Go to the WorldRemit website

4. Travelex

Around since 1976, Travelex is an international money transfer service in 177 countries worldwide. Through its simple online process, you can transfer money to someone on the other side of the world within a couple of days. Its minimum transfer amount for overseas is $500, and it keeps you up to date on exchange rates, so you can know exactly how much money your recipients will receive in their accounts.

Pros

Flat fee of $5 for any transaction under $5,000

No fee for transfers of $5,000 or more

Exchange to more than 45 different currencies

Home delivery available

Cons

Exchange rates not always the most competitive

No cash payments or cash pickups allowed

Go to the Travelex website

5. TorFX

TorFX is a strict money exchange and transfer company that focuses on getting your funds where they need to go quickly. Unlike other services, it requires that funds to be cleared by individuals who hold TorFX accounts. The money must be sent in advance before the transaction can be performed. TorFX cares about its customers, with clarity and friendly service two of its highest priorities.

Pros

Competitive exchange rates

Free market news

Fixed exchange rate protection

Can save you 5% on bank exchange rates

No bank charges or commissions

Consult with currency experts

Cons

Potential risks of exchange include market volatility

Can only send from Australia

Users report technical and administrative problems that delay transfers

Go to the TorFX website

6. World First

World First is an online money transfer company founded in the UK in 2004. Since then, it’s transferred more than $56 billion worldwide, servicing over 75,000 customers regularly. Its wide array of services keeps people coming back transfer after transfer.

Pros

Competitive exchange rates

Offers spot contracts, forward contracts and hedging options

Provides weekly updates on market exchange rates

Rate lock available for continuing transactions

High maximum transfer

No fees for transfers of $10,000 or more

Customer support available

Cons

Minimum amount of $500

Go to the World First website

7. Western Union

Around for more than 160 years, Western Union continues to make it easy for you to transfer money in the United States and overseas. In more than 200 countries and territories across the globe and with more than 500,000 agent locations worldwide, money pickups are a breeze.

Pros

Low minimum transfer of $1

Send money in minutes

Transfer to a wide range of countries

Competitive live exchange rates updated regularly

Multiple transfer options

Trusted provider

Cons

Can be more expensive than other transfer companies

Learn more

8. Ria

In business for more than 30 years, RIA is a global monetary transfer network with more than 240,000 agent locations in 130 countries. It is the third-largest international money transfer provider in the world. Offering a wide variety of payment options and transfer services, RIA knows how to keep its customers happy with a simple transfer process.

Pros

Wide variety of transfer options

Good rates and minimal fees

Online price calculator simplifies money conversion

Expert advice

Cons

Maximum daily transfer cap of $2,999.99

Go to the Ria website

9. Moneygram

The second-largest international money transfer service in the world, MoneyGram is a big contender for money transfer. Its services transfer and exchange currencies in over 200 countries and territories around the world to more than 350,000 agent locations worldwide. If you’re not confident about transferring money online, an employee can walk you through the process at of the 40,000 locations here in the States.

Pros

Extensive global network of 350,000 agent locations

Large pool of services available for sending, receiving or financing

Secure and reliable

Fast transfers, with same-day service in many locations

Cons

Maximum online transfer amount of $2,999

Fees vary depending on payment type and transfer destination

Transfers must be made in US dollars from the US (no exchanges before transfer)

Local exchange rates vary by transfer destination

Go to the Moneygram website

10. Xoom

Xoom is a leading provider in the digital money transfer market, offering transfers to 38 countries around the world. Using online money transfers, it streamlines the process without taking chunks out of your funds for commissions.

Pros

Specializes in international money transfers

More than 14 years of experience

Money-back guarantee if your transfer doesn’t work out

Cons

Small international network compared with competition

Learn more

11. Sharemoney

Sharemoney is a part of the Omnex group, a company that’s specialized in money transfers for over 25 years. Its constantly expanding service range and offer door-to-door and cash pickup options on top of the usual transfer techniques.

Pros

Low transfer fees

Exchange rate calculator helps you see just how much money you’ll get for your dollar

Fast and easy service

Door-to-door delivery in as short as 48 hours

Discounts available on Facebook

Cons

Doesn’t transfer to every country

Exact location must be specified for cash pickup

Daily transfer limits of $9,999

Learn more

12. Walmart

Known for its retailing business, Walmart offers money transfer services to over 190 countries thanks to a partnership with MoneyGram. Funds can be picked up at any Walmart in the US or Puerto Rico or sent to any one of MoneyGram’s 336,000 agents around the world.

Pros

Widespread network of agents gets your money where it needs to go

Transfer to more than 190 countries

Efficient transfers in as little as 10 minutes

Cons

Cash pickups only

Learn more

13. Currency Online

Founded in 1986, Currency Online was one of the first to offer online money transfer services. HiFX became its parent company in 2008, and it continues to offer low competitive rates by cutting the usual banking fees out of the picture.

Pros

Exchanges more than 25 different currencies

Multiple services like spot contracts and market orders

Quick turnaround in 1 to 4 days

24-hour customer service

No minimum transfer

Cons

No cash pickup

Not available in the US, Quebec (Canada) or Japan

Threshold fee charged for some amounts

Learn more

14. Paypal

You likely know PalPal’s digital service for online purchases, but you may not know that it supports wireless overseas transfers. Its popularity around the world makes it possible to transfer up to 20 currencies across more than 200 countries. While PayPal is like a digital banking service, its rates are competitive compared with most banks and financial institutions, making it a good choice to avoid headaches.

Pros

Minimum rate of $0.02

Available in 203 countries

Offers recurring payments

Excellent for smaller transfers

Multiple digital safeguards in place to protect against fraud and hacking

Cons

Fees are proportionate to the amount transferred. The larger the transfer, the more money they take.

Fees vary by location of transfer and method, with better deals for using a PayPal credit card or account

Learn more

Services with high maximum limits

There are other services similar to TransferWise where you can send a large sum. Services with no maximum limit:

OFX

HiFX

World First

World Remit

Travelex International Payments

TorFX

Currency Online

Need a service with flat fees? Travelex offers a flat rate of $5 for transactions under $5,000. These money transfers services also offer low fees:

OFX: Standard fee of $5 if you’re transferring under $5,000. More than $5,000, no transfer fee.

World Remit: First transfer free, then varies by country and amount.

HiFX: No fees on transactions of $5,000 or more.

OFX International Money Transfers

Exclusive offer for finder.com customers:
OFX are offering exclusive exchange rates to finder.com customers – which means your recipient could receive more in their bank.

No fees: There is a $0 online transfer fee for all finder.com customers.

Special exchange rates: Discounted rates are applied and will be shown along with the transactional rates.

Find out more
Apply now

Read the OFX International Money Transfers terms and conditions.

Minimum and Maximum transfer limits by Provider

Provider

Type of transfer provider

Minimum transfer amount

Maximum transfer amount

OFX

Online transfer provider

$150

No limit

HiFX

Online transfer provider

$50

No limit

World First

Online transfer provider

$250

No limit

WorldRemit

Online transfer provider

$0

No limit

Travelex International Payments

Online transfer provider

$500

No limit

TorFX

Online transfer provider

$200

No limit

Currency Online

Online transfer provider

$0

No limit

Western Union

Online transfer provider

$1

$50,000.00

TransferWise

Online transfer provider

$1

$36,000.00

Xoom

Cash transfer provider

$1

$2999.99

MoneyGram

Cash transfer provider

$250

$2999.99

RIA

Online transfer provider

$1

$2999.99

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