Most people need to transfer money to another person at some point, whether you're sending a few bucks to a friend that grabbed the dinner bill or giving your child money while studying abroad. Unfortunately, transferring money can get expensive fast - especially when it comes to international transfers. Luckily, money transfer apps have opened up new possibilities for moving money around at a reasonable cost.
Number of users: 87 million
Compatibility: iOS
Web & In-app payments: yes
Google presented its online payment system and wallet Google Pay in 2015. This mobile payment application enables in-app, tablet, and watch payments. Payments in the offline-stores are available as well. Unlike Apple, Google Pay is compatible with various devices’ brands. They might include Google Pixel, Meizu, Huawei, etc.
Number of users: 24 million
Compatibility: Android
Web & In-app payments: yes
Supported cards: major local and global credit cards
OFX is the perfect money transfer app for paying out big bucks overseas. Aside from boasting an impressive catalog of countries that you can send to in various currencies, they also have many useful tools. A live exchange rate currency converter allows you to lock-in the best exchange rates possible on the date of transfer. The app has no cap on the number of transfers you can make, but they have a minimum transfer of $1,000, so it is best used for larger international money transfers. Their fees vary, but typically they take a margin of less than 2% on currency exchange rates.
Most people are already pretty familiar with Paypal PYPL. Because it's been around longer than most other money transfer apps, Paypal has an extensive network of countries that you can send to and it's secure. However, you get this sense of security for a price. For debit or credit transfers within the U.S., Paypal takes 2.9% cut of the transaction along with a 30-cent fee. Sending internationally? On top of the 2.9% cut, sending to Canada or Europe is $2.99, while other countries are $4.99. The fixed fee changes from country-to-country. Paypal is a great pick for sending money to more remote areas that you may not otherwise have access to.
Number of users: 210 million
Compatibility: Android & iOS
Web & In-app payments: yes
Supported cards: major local and global credit cards
Like OFX, TransferWise is an ideal pick for people who want to transfer money to family, friends, or businesses internationally. They have a smaller catalog of countries around the world than OFX and a slightly longer transfer time of one to three days. However, their transaction fees are minimal compared to banks - currently at 0.7% - and their currency conversion rates are guaranteed for up to 29 hours. Their distinct advantage over OFX is the lack of minimum transfers, allowing you to send smaller amounts of money if needed.