Remitly vs. Western Union: Which is better? 2026 guide

If you need to send money abroad from the US, you've probably come across two big names: Remitly and Western Union. But which one is the best option for you?

Western Union is one of the oldest money transfer services, so it has the trust and network that comes with being in business for over a century.

Remitly launched relatively recently as a digital-first alternative, and it's built a reputation for competitive rates on popular remittance routes.

Both have their strengths, but when choosing between Remitly and Western Union, which one is better? Let's compare.

We'll also introduce Wise — your international money transfer alternative. Use Wise to send stress-free transfers to over 140 countries - all at the standard mid-market exchange rate.

Learn more 🔎

Table of contents

Remitly vs. Western Union at a glance What’s the difference between Remitly and Western Union? Remitly vs. Western Union: Fees and exchange rates Remitly vs. Western Union: Availability Remitly vs. Western Union: Speed Remitly vs. Western Union: Limits Remitly vs. Western Union: Safety Pros and Cons of Remitly vs. Western Union Send fast, secure and low cost international transfers with Wise Which is better: Remitly or Western Union?

Remitly vs. Western Union at a glance

	Remitly	Western Union
Features	Two transfer speeds: Express (faster) and Economy (slower)¹ Multiple payout methods: bank deposit, mobile wallet, cash pickup, home delivery (select countries) Mobile app	Online, app, and in-person transfers at agent locations Multiple delivery options: cash pickup, bank deposit, mobile wallet, home delivery Multiple transfer speeds, including instant
Availability	Send to 170+ countries in 100+ currencies¹	Send to 200+ countries and territories³
Fees	Rates vary depending on destination, amount, payment method, and speed Higher fees for faster transfers	Rates vary depending on destination, amount, payment method, and speed Credit card transfers often have the highest fees
Exchange rates	Includes a markup	Includes a markup
Limits	Up to 100,000 USD per transfer from the US²	Unverified US accounts: 3,000 USD⁵ Verified US accounts: 50,000 USD⁵
Speed	Express: Within minutes to same day⁴ Economy: 3 to 5 business days⁴	Varies by destination and method
Rating (Trustpilot)	4.6/5 stars⁶	4.2/5 stars⁷

What’s the difference between Remitly and Western Union?

Western Union is flexible, giving you options to send money online, through their app, or by walking into one of their physical agent locations. Remitly is digital-only, which keeps their overhead lower but means no in-person options.

Here's a closer look:

Remitly vs. Western Union: Fees and exchange rates

Neither Remitly nor Western Union uses fixed fees or exchange rates. Both services adjust their pricing based on where you're sending money, how much you're transferring, your payment method, and how fast you need it delivered.

This low transparency is standard for most money transfer services, but it makes comparisons difficult.

Neither service clearly states how much they add to the mid-market rate, so you need to do the math yourself. Third-party analysis suggests that Remitly's markups range from 1% to 3.7% above the mid-market rate⁸, and Western Union typically adds 2% to 4%.⁹

Overall, the best way to see whether Western Union vs. Remitly is cheaper for your particular transfer is to start it on both services' websites. This way, you'll be able to see real-time fees that apply to your payment method and destination.

Remitly vs. Western Union: Availability

With Remitly, you can send money to 170+ countries in 100+ currencies.¹ The service focuses on major remittance corridors, such as from the US to Mexico, India, and the Philippines.

Western Union covers more ground. You can send to 200+ countries and territories, and the service's agent network is especially useful in rural areas or countries where banking infrastructure is limited.³

If your recipient doesn't have easy access to a bank or mobile wallet, Western Union's cash pickup locations are usually the more practical solution.

Remitly vs. Western Union: Speed

With Remitly, you can choose between two speed options⁴:

• Express transfers arrive within minutes to the same day, but you'll pay higher fees
• Economy transfers take 3 to 5 business days and cost less

Both options still include a currency exchange rate markup.

Western Union's speed depends on your delivery method.

For example, cash pickups and card-funded transfers usually arrive within minutes. Bank deposits take longer, typically 0 to 5 business days, depending on the country.

With Western Union, you don't have the option to pay more for a faster transfer.

Remitly vs. Western Union: Limits

Western Union allows unverified users in the US to send 3,000 USD per transfer. Once you verify your identity, you can send up to 50,000 USD.⁵

Remitly limits are a bit higher. US accounts can send up to 100,000 USD per transfer, which is a pretty high limit for a money transfer service.²

Need to send a large amount? With Wise, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per wire transfer to 140+ countries — and we automatically apply a discount when you send over 25,000 USD (or equivalent)*.

🚀Send high-amount transfers with Wise

*For more information, please visit https://wise.com/us/large-amounts/.

Remitly vs. Western Union: Safety

Both services are legitimate and regulated.

Remitly is registered with the US Department of the Treasury, and it meets the regulatory requirements of all countries where it operates.¹⁰

Western Union has operated since 1851 and is regulated globally, with encryption and fraud monitoring in place.³

The main safety concern isn't Remitly and Western Union themselves, but scams targeting users. Scammers often pretend to be government officials, romantic interests, or people in urgent need. They pressure you to send money quickly and then disappear.

Cash pickups are especially vulnerable to scams.

This is why it's important to only send money to people you know when using both Western Union and Remitly. If someone claims to be from the IRS, Social Security Administration, or a tech support company and demands immediate payment through Remitly or Western Union, it's a scam.

If you willingly send money to a scammer, there’s unfortunately not much that either Western Union or Remitly can do to help you get it back, especially for cash pickups.

Pros and Cons of Remitly vs. Western Union

Both Remitly and Western Union are solid options for secure money transfers.

Remitly may sometimes offer more competitive exchange rates, but Western Union has the largest global network with cash pickup locations almost everywhere, which is useful if your recipient doesn't have a bank account or lives in a country Remitly doesn’t reach.

At the same time, both services have hidden fees in their currency exchange rates.

	Remitly	Western Union
Pros	User-friendly mobile app Two transfer speed options High sending limit	Send money to more countries with cash pickup available almost everywhere Longer track record In-person support at agent locations
Cons	No physical locations Fewer sending countries High fees and currency exchange rate markups	High transfer fees and currency exchange rate markups Transfers can sometimes take a long time

Send fast, secure and low cost international transfers with Wise

A smart option if you’re sending money overseas: meet Wise.

Register a Wise account online or in the Wise app, and send money to 140+ countries, with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.

Wise always shows you the amount you’re paying and how much your recipient will get — and you can even compare against other providers on the Wise app or desktop site.

If another service is cheaper for your particular payment, you’ll be shown — so you can’t lose.

Get started with Wise

See how Wise compares with international bank transfers in our full guide

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

Which is better: Remitly or Western Union?

Overall, Remitly and Western Union are pretty similar in what they offer.

Remitly may have better currency exchange rates for some countries, but it's not a guarantee. They're also coming out with new features, such as Remitly One.

Western Union fees can be quite high, but the service covers more ground and gives you more flexibility with its massive network of physical locations.

The problem with both services is that they're expensive. The currency exchange rate markups add up quickly, especially on larger transfers, and they often feel hidden since neither company transparently tells you how much they're adding to the mid-market rate.

If you're looking for options, there's a better one: Wise.

Send money internationally with Wise to 140+ countries and 40+ currencies – all at the fair mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees.

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Sources

1. Remitly - Remitly vs. Xoom
2. Remitly - Home Page
3. Western Union - Home Page
4. RemitBee - Remitly Money Transfer Review
5. Western Union - Frequently Asked Questions
6. Trustpilot - Remitly
7. Trustpilot - Western Union
8. OneSafe - Remitly vs. Western Union
9. Yolla - Remitly vs. Western Union
10. Remitly - How Remitly Keeps You Safe

Sources checked 10/29/2025