Wise vs TorFX: Which one is cheaper in the US?
In this article, we'll make a comparison between Wise vs. TorFX. Which one is better for US customers? Which one is cheaper? Find out more here.
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 |
---|
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’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.
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 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.
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.
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 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:
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.
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 |
---|
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.
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
This publication is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content in this publication. The information in this publication does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its affiliates. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
In this article, we'll make a comparison between Wise vs. TorFX. Which one is better for US customers? Which one is cheaper? Find out more here.
In this article, we made a comparison between Western Union vs. Ria. Find out which has the better fees & check out an alternative option.
Explore how Wise (formerly Wise) makes international transfers between currency accounts quick, easy and transparent.
Get all the vital information on DolEx Money Transfers. Discover the benefits, locations, and step-by-step guide to ensure a smooth money transfer experience wi
Dive into our comprehensive guide on MoneyGram fees to make your money transfers more affordable. Explore the fee structure, estimate costs, and make wise decis
Can you transfer money from Western Union to Cash App? Discover the possibility of seamless fund transfers between these platforms.