Wire transfer fees: full guide

If you want a convenient way to move money quickly, a wire transfer is a popular option. This electronic transfer type is great for moving large sums of money in no time at all.

But this convenience comes at a cost. To make a wire transfer, you’re going to have to shell out some extra cash on fees.

A wire transfer fee will vary according to whether it’s domestic or international, incoming or outgoing.

💡If you need to send a transfer abroad, then it’s worth looking at alternatives, such as Wise. Sending money abroad with Wise can be cheaper than an international wire.

Learn more about Wise

How much does a wire transfer cost?

In general, when it comes to wire transfers, you can expect fees in the region of $15 - $30. Yet there are exceptions, as some institutions offer fee-free wire transfers and others charge more than $30.

But this is only half the story.

A wire transfer can have more than one type of fee attached to it. There are separate fees for domestic and international wire transfers, and both outgoing and incoming wires.

Average wire transfer fees

Each bank and provider will have different fees, but here are some median figures you can go off:

Type	Average fees
Incoming domestic	15 USD
Incoming international	15 USD
Outgoing domestic	30 USD
Outgoing international	45 USD

As you can see, it costs more for outgoing wire transfers and international transfers.

Wire transfer fees: breakdown by bank

Each bank has their own fee schedule — we collected below some of the most common bank's fees for wire transfers.

Keep in mind that the prices shown are per transaction and for personal accounts only.

Bank name	Domestic wires	International wires
Bank of America¹	Incoming: not disclosed Outgoing: $30	Incoming: not disclosed Outgoing: $45 in USD, $0 in a foreign currency
Wells Fargo²	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $30	Incoming: $16 Outgoing: $45 in USD $35 in a foreign currency
Chase Bank³	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $25 (online) or $35 (in person)	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $40 in USD $5 in a foreign currency
USAA⁴	Incoming: $0 Outgoing: $20	Incoming: $0 Outgoing: $45
PNC⁵	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $25 (online) or $30 (agent assisted)	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $ 40 (online) or $45 (agent assisted)
Capital One⁶	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $30	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $40
US Bank⁷	Incoming: $20 Outgoing: $30	Incoming: $25 Outgoing: $50
Citibank⁸	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $25	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $35
TD Bank⁹	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $30	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $50
Truist¹⁰	Incoming: $15 Outgoing: $30	Incoming: $20 Outgoing: $65

This can be a good starting point for you when it comes to US banks wire fees. Keep in mind that they might be updated by the bank without previous notice, so double check with yours before following through with the transaction.

Additional fees for international wires

Many banks will place a markup on the mid-market exchange rate, which leads to extra fees for the consumer when doing international wires. They will take the rate set by the market and apply a ‘day rate’ margin to it.

Often the consumer isn’t even aware that they are paying over the odds to make these international wires.

Fortunately, you can avoid these extra fees and get the mid-market exchange rate by choosing Wise.

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Why do banks charge for wire transfers?

As a consumer, it’s frustrating to have to pay extra cash on top of the money you’re already sending. There is a good reason as to why wire transfers cost extra, though.

A domestic wire transfer passes through a payment system on its way to the recipient’s account, which incurs a cost.

An international wire transfer costs more because it can go through several intermediary banks¹¹, and each bank may slap an extra charge on the wire.

How to avoid wire transfer fees?

It makes sense that you’d want to avoid wire transfer fees, and fortunately, there are a few ways to dodge the fees.

Send money with Wise

Wise is a great choice if you’re interested in a low-cost way to send money abroad. You can avoid high international wire fees with Wise, you need only pay a low, upfront fee.

Wise has over 10 million happy customers, so you can be sure your money will arrive fast and securely. Their mission is to build instant transfers for everyone, everywhere.

Create your Wise account

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

Send the wire transfer online

One way to avoid wire transfer fees is to send money online. To do a wire transfer in-person, you will usually have to pay around $10 more.

While doing a wire transfer online won’t mitigate all fees, it will save you some money.

Use a higher-level checking account

If you make wire transfers regularly, it pays to invest in a higher-level checking account.

Several premium accounts offer incoming and outgoing wires free of charge. Two such accounts are Chase Premier Plus checking¹² and Citigold Private Client¹³.

But there’s a catch. Premium accounts more often than not come with fees of their own, so you’ll have to figure out if it makes financial sense to set one up.

Use ACH transfers

ACH transfers are more often than not free from fees. The problem is, they are slower than wire transfers, so you sacrifice some convenience. Plus, ACH transfers aren’t recommended for overseas transfers.

Learn more: ACH vs wire transfers, what's the right one for you?

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There you have it, our full guide on wire transfer fees. Make sure to check the fees for your bank when making a payment.

And, if you're looking to send money abroad, keep Wise in mind for all your international money needs.

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Sources:

1. Bank of America
2. Wells Fargo
3. Chase Bank
4. USAA
5. PNC
6. Capital One
7. US Bank
8. Citibank
9. TD Bank
10. Truist
11. Fedwire
12. Chase Premie
13. Citigold Private Client

Sources checked on 03.20.2023