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    Remittances Guide

    Send money home cheaper.

    Wise (TransferWise)

    0.5-2% fees

    Cheapest international transfers. Real exchange rates.

    Best overall.

    Remitly

    $0-4 + currency markup

    Specialized for Latin America + Asia. Strong app.

    Best for LatAm.

    Western Union

    $5-25

    Old-school. Cash pickup at branches worldwide.

    Best for cash pickup.

    MoneyGram

    $5-20

    Same as Western Union — competitor.

    Best alternate cash.

    Xoom (PayPal)

    $0-10

    PayPal-owned. Bank deposit OR cash pickup.

    Best with PayPal.

    WorldRemit

    $2-10

    Mobile-first. Many destinations. Cash pickup or mobile money.

    Best mobile-money.

    How to compare

    1. Check fees PLUS exchange rate markup. Both matter.
    2. Use monito.com or compareremit.com — free comparison sites.
    3. Test send small amounts first.
    4. First-time bonuses common — $0 fee on first send.

    Safety

    • Use major regulated services. Avoid sketchy "send agents".
    • Verify recipient name + ID exactly — wrong letter = held money.
    • Save tracking numbers + receipts.
    • Tell recipient when expected.
    • Report scams to FTC.

    Romance + Family Scams

    Many seniors lose $1,000s sending "to family in trouble overseas". Real family rarely needs urgent international wires. NEVER send via Western Union/MoneyGram unless you 100% verified by phone (call them). See /tools/grandparent-scam-defense + /tools/scam-dating-flags.

    Best fixed-amount option

    For routine monthly remittances (e.g., support to family in Mexico) — Wise saves 50-80% vs Western Union over a year. $0 fee on small transfers if first time. Set up auto-recurring sends.