Best ways to send money to GCash (Philippines) from the US

GCash®¹ is a super popular e-wallet service in the Philippines which offers an impressive range of services including mobile payments, bill pay and phone top ups. Wondering how to send GCash from the USA? This guide is for you.

We’ll look at how to send money to GCash from the USA, as well as a few alternatives you can compare to send money to the Philippines, including Wise.

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Can you send money to GCash from the USA?

Yes. You can send money to GCash from the USA using a third party provider, or in some cases using your own bank.

More about how to send money from the USA to GCash Philippines, plus some providers to consider coming right up.

Can you use GCash in the USA?

Fully verified GCash users can use GCash in the USA². However, the services which you can access through your GCash account will depend on whether you have a SIM card issued in the Philippines or the US. Users with a Philippine issued SIM can access more service options compared to international users.

How to send money to Cash from the USA to the Philippines?

Let’s get into the details of how to send to GCash from the USA, across three different key options.

Option 1: Online providers

Sending money to the Philippines with an online provider is convenient for you, and can often present lower fees compared to transacting in person. Let’s look at some providers you might want to consider, to send money to GCash Philippines, or to send a payment to a bank account, or for cash collection in the Philippines.

Wise

Fees: Low transfer fees from 0.41%³

Exchange rate: Mid-market rate

Delivery speed: Payments can be fast or even instant⁴

Wise offers international payments you can set up online or in app, to 80+ countries including the Philippines. Send to GCash or another wallet including GrabPay and PayMaya. You’ll be able to pay for your transfer in USD by wire, ACH or card, and your funds will be converted to PHP with the mid-market rate and low fees from 0.41%.

Plus, if you get a Wise Account, you’ll also get the following features:

• Account details in 10 currencies
• The option to hold, send, spend and convert 40+ currencies at once
• Send money overseas with low and transparent fees,
• Order a Wise card for a one time fee of just $9 - for use in 174 countries
• Mid-market exchange rates on all transactions.

See how much you can save with Wise:

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

Xoom

Fees: Variable fees based on payment method - GCash transfers may have no Xoom fee

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a markup

Delivery speed: Payment may arrive in minutes to mobile wallet, other delivery methods vary

Xoom®⁵ offers online payments to the Philippines with pay out options including GCash and other mobile wallets, bank deposits and cash collection or delivery. There are variable fees depending on the exact service you select, including an exchange rate markup. This is an extra charge added to the rate used to change your USD to PHP.

Sendwave

Fees: No fee for transfers to the Philippines⁶

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a markup

Delivery speed: GCash payments arrive in minutes

Sendwave®⁷ offers transfers to the Philippines, including to GCash accounts, with no upfront transfer fee. You will, however, pay an exchange rate markup so it’s worth comparing the rate available against other providers to make sure you’re getting a good deal.

Skrill

Fees: Variable fees depending on transfer details⁸

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a markup of up to 3.99%

Delivery speed: Variable

Skrill®⁹ account holders can send payments to other Skrill accounts with no fee. Currency conversion fees of up to 3.99% may apply, and if you’re sending to another wallet or bank account there may be a transfer fee too. You’ll see all the applicable fees before you transfer.

Remitly

Fees: Variable - no fee for GCash transfers

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a markup

Delivery speed: Variable based on Express or Economy transfer

Remitly®¹⁰ has a good selection of ways you can send money to the Philippines, including delivery to GCash, bank deposits and cash collection services. You’ll arrange your payment online or in the Remitly app, and can pick the service that best suits your needs.

Option 2: Providers with physical locations

Sending money from a physical location can be a handy option if you’d prefer to transact in person, or if you want to pay by cash. Here’s how to send GCash from the USA to the Philippines with popular providers with physical agent locations.

MoneyGram

Fees: Variable fees based on service selected

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a variable markup which depends on how you set up the transfer

Delivery speed: Variable based on service selected

MoneyGram®¹¹ lets you send payments online and in-app, but their strong agent network also makes this a good pick if you want to pay in cash. Payments to the Philippines can be deposited in GCash accounts, bank accounts and collected in cash, depending on your specific needs.

Western Union

Fees: Variable fees based on service selected

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a variable markup which depends on how you set up the transfer

Delivery speed: Variable based on service selected

Western Union®¹² is one of the most well known transfer services globally, with a great selection of ways to send and receive money. You can send a payment to the Philippines from a store here in the US, and have the money deposited or collected as you prefer.

Option 3: Banks

Fees: Variable - can be fairly high

Exchange rate: Exchange rates include a markup

Delivery speed: Variable - check with your own bank before you transfer

Some US banks will allow you to transfer from your account to a PHP account with GCash. However, you’ll normally pay a fee for this service, and you’ll also find there’s a markup added to the exchange rate used to convert your funds. This can work out to be more expensive than using a specialist service in the end.

Bottom line

You’ve got options if you want to send to GCash from the USA. To make sure you get the very best available deal you’ll want to compare a few providers, to look at both the fees and exchange rates that are offered. While it’s common to find low or even no transfer fees when sending to the Philippines, many providers use a markup on the exchange rate - which is a fee that’s tricky to see, and that can push up the overall costs. Compare a few options, including Wise, which offers the mid-market rate with no markup, to see which works out cheapest for you.

Learn more about Wise

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1. GCash
2. GCash international
3. Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information
4. Speed: The speed of transaction claim depends on funds availability, approval by Wise's proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners' banking system, and may not be available for all transactions
5. Xoom
6. Sendwave help
7. Sendwave
8. Skrill fees
9. Skrill
10. Remitly
11. MoneyGram
12. Western Union

All sources checked on 1 June 2023