The 5 Best Apps to Send Money Abroad in 2026

On common corridors between hard-currency countries, Wise is usually the cheapest because it uses the real market exchange rate and charges an explicit fee. If both you and the recipient use Revolut, transfers between accounts are instant and free. For destinations where the recipient needs cash, Remitly usually works out better than Western Union.

Because most services add a margin on top of the interbank rate, which is the one that comes up when you search for it. That margin is their real profit and often weighs more than the advertised fee. Wise is the one that insists most on using the interbank rate with no margin; the rest build it in to a greater or lesser degree, so it is worth comparing the final amount the other person will receive, not the fee.

Between Revolut or Wise accounts within Europe, a matter of minutes or hours. To bank accounts outside the euro area, one to three working days. The express options from Remitly or Western Union deliver in minutes, but charge considerably more. Speed also depends on the payment method: paying by card is faster and dearer; paying by bank transfer is cheaper and slower.

Each platform has its own limits and all of them require identity verification. In Spain, movements above certain amounts are reported to the authorities under anti-money-laundering rules, something the providers themselves take care of. If you send significant amounts regularly, it is worth asking a tax adviser what your specific obligations are.