Ria money transfer review: US guide [2025]
Here’s all you really need to know about making international transfers with Ria. We've done the research for you, so kick back and read on.
Ria money transfer fees and limits
If you’re thinking of making an international money transfer you have plenty of providers to choose from.
Ria is one of the largest international transfer companies in the world. But are they right for you?
| 📑 Table of Contents |
|---|
How much does Ria really cost? And are there limits?
Ria has been around for over 30 years and has helped to send over a billion payments. But how do Ria’s fees really stack up against other international transfer services like Wise?
What it costs to send money via a Ria transfer varies depending on how you choose to pay, where you’re sending the money, how much money you’re sending and how the recipient is receiving the transfer.
Before you decide to use Ria, check out alternatives like Wise to see if you can save money on fees — and get a better exchange rate.
Ria money transfer fees
Ria’s transfer fees vary depending on a number of factors:
- Where you’re sending the transfer
- How you’re paying for the transfer
- How much you’re sending
- How the recipient plans to receive the transfer
The total cost you pay with Ria will depend on the upfront transfer fee and the exchange rate used, which is likely to include a markup — an extra charge rolled into the rate applied¹.
Ria offers an online price estimator so you can check the specifics for your transfer needs and compare them with other providers.
Ria money transfer limits
Generally, Ria customers can send up to 7,999 USD within any 30-day period. Daily limits also apply — we’ll look at these next².
Some countries, like Nigeria also have lower per-transfer limits, which are noted on Ria’s price calculator tool.²
Ria daily limit
Ria customers can send up to 2999.99 USD per day. This is dependent on where the sender lives, though; residents of Oklahoma and Arizona are limited to 999.99 USD per calendar day.
It may be possible to send more than 2,999.99 USD in a day, but it cannot be done online. You’ll have to visit a Ria agent location to see if you’re eligible¹.
Send money abroad with a fast, secure and low-cost Wise transfer
)
Banks and money transfer providers often add a mark-up on the exchange rate offered to you.
Wise is different. Its smart new technology skips hefty international transfer fees by connecting local bank accounts all around the world. Which means you could save by using Wise rather than your current provider when you send your money abroad, all while getting the mid-market exchange rate — the one you see on Google.
No additional charges, no hassle. Make a transfer the Wise way.
Oh, and while you’re at it, check out Wise’s multi-currency account. Where you can manage and send dozens of currencies all from the same account.
Ria money transfer rates: breakdown
Now that we’ve been over the fees and limits of sending money with Ria, let’s dig further into how their pricing works — and how you can save money when making an international payment.
Ria Fee 1: How you pay for your transfer
Ria offers multiple options for how you can pay for your transfer, and each one will affect your total transfer fee.
They also affect how long it’ll take your transfer to reach its destination.
Your options are¹:
- Pay from your bank account
- Pay with a credit card
- Pay with a debit card
- Pay with cash
Here’s how each option affects your transfer time, according to Ria²:
| Pay from your bank account | Approximately four business days |
|---|---|
| Pay with a credit card | On average, 15 minutes |
| Pay with a debit card | On average, 15 minutes |
| Pay with cash | No time estimation given |
Since the total transfer fee for your transfer depends on a lot more factors than just which payment method you choose, you’ll have to use Ria’s price calculator to get an estimate for your chosen payment method.
Ria Fee 2: What country you’re sending money to
Another factor that affects the total transfer fee for your Ria transfer is where you’re sending the money.
Again, this is just one aspect of the transfer fee, and you’ll have to use Ria’s price calculator to get an estimate for your specific transfer.
Check out below how much Ria would charge you for making a transfer of 500 USD to the following countries, when you pay by bank transfer your payment is sent directly to the recipient’s bank account.
This type of payment typically incurs Ria’s lowest fees:
| Recipient’s Country | Ria international transfer fee |
|---|---|
| Mexico | No upfront fee (exchange rate margin may still apply) |
| Canada | 4 USD + exchange rate margin |
| India | 1 USD + exchange rate margin |
| Brazil | No upfront fee (exchange rate margin may still apply) |
| Australia | 5 USD + exchange rate margin |
| United Kingdom | 5 USD + exchange rate margin |
| Bangladesh | No upfront fee (exchange rate margin may still apply) |
| China | 5 USD + exchange rate margin |
| Germany | 5 USD + exchange rate margin |
| Wise is a quick and cheap alternative to Ria. Check out how much sending money to the countries above cost you |
|---|
Ria exchange rates: A fee not always disclosed
When you transfer money with Ria, there’s a fee that isn’t exactly transparent on the price calculator: the exchange rate markup. Ria notes in its terms and conditions,
If you instruct us to pay out a money transfer to a recipient in a currency ("payout currency") other than United States Dollars ("USD"), a retail exchange rate may be applied, in addition to any service charge appearing on the face of your receipt [...].The difference between the retail exchange rate applied to such money transfer transaction and the wholesale exchange rate at which we acquired the payout currency will be kept by us and/or the paying agent as revenue, in addition to any service charges³
Whenever making an international transfer, make sure to go through the provider’s terms and conditions and also to compare the exchange rate offered to the mid-market rate — the one you see on Google — this way you can avoid being overcharged.
Ria Fee 3: How the recipient receives the transfer
The last factor that affects how much your Ria transfer will cost is how the recipient gets the money. In some cases, you can choose to transfer the money directly into their bank account.
In other cases, the only option is for them to pick up cash at a Ria agent location. Again, check the Ria price calculator to see how these different options will affect the cost of your Ria transfer.
Whether a Ria money transfer is right for you might depend on the specific details of your payments. While Ria offers low upfront fees for many transfers — including some which have no transfer fee at all — there are exchange rate markups to consider, which push up the price.
These markups also make it tricky to really calculate how much a Ria transfer costs in total.
Compare a few providers — including Wise, which doesn’t use exchange rate markups — to see which works out best for you.
Sources:
Sources checked on 06.02.2022
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
Money without borders
Find out more
Nationwide international wire transfer: Fees, rates, and transfer time
Read on for everything you need to know about sending and receiving international wire transfers with Nationwide UK.
Walmart money order: Fees, limits, and how to fill out
Here’s everything you need to know about sending money orders with Walmart. We cover fees and costs, limits, and how to fill one out. Read on to learn more.
Western Union international money order: Fees, limits, and how to fill out
Here’s everything you need to know about sending money orders with Western Union. We cover fees and costs, limits, and how to fill one out.
Bank of Hawaii international wire transfer: Fees, limits, and rates
Read on for everything you need to know about sending and receiving international wire transfers with Bank of Hawaii.
Stanford Federal Credit Union international wire transfer: Fees, limits, and rates
Read on for everything you need to know about sending and receiving international wire transfers with Stanford Federal Credit Union.
