WorldRemit vs. Remitly: Which is better? 2026 guide

Sending money internationally shouldn't be difficult or expensive, but choosing the wrong service can make the process less enjoyable and cost you in fees. It's a smart idea to compare providers to see which one gives you better rates, coverage, and sending limits.

WorldRemit and Remitly are two well-known money transfer services, and each has its own strengths. However, they also have their weaknesses, and it's important to be aware of them.

Let's break down WorldRemit vs. Remitly to help you decide which one is the better option for you.

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

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

WorldRemit vs. Remitly at a glance

	WorldRemit	Remitly
Features	Multiple payout methods: bank deposit, mobile wallet, cash pickup, home delivery, airtime top-ups Online and mobile app transfers	Two transfer speeds: Express (faster) and Economy (slower, but costs less)¹ Multiple payout methods: bank deposit, mobile wallet, cash pickup, home delivery
Availability	Send to 130 countries in 70 currencies²	Send to 170+ countries in 100+ currencies¹
Fees	Depends on where you're sending, how much, your payment type, and delivery speed	Depends on where you're sending, how much, your payment type, and delivery speed
Exchange rates	Markup added to exchange rate	Markup added to exchange rate
Limits	Debit/credit cards: 5,000 USD per transaction, 9,000 USD per 24 hours³ Apple Pay: 300 USD per transaction, 9,000 USD per 24 hours³ Limits also vary by destination	Maximum of 100,000 USD per US transaction⁴
Speed	Depends on your destination and delivery method	Express option: Arrives within minutes to same day⁵ Economy option: Takes 3 to 5 business days⁵
Security	Regulated in multiple countries Identity verification	Authorized money transmitter across multiple countries Active fraud detection and monitoring systems
Rating	3.8/5 stars⁶	4.6/5 stars⁷

Are Remitly and WorldRemit the same?

No, Remitly and WorldRemit are two separate companies. Their names sound similar, so they can be easy to confuse, but they charge different fees and, in general, operate quite differently.

At the same time, they serve similar markets — people who need to send money internationally to their family and friends, especially to popular destinations like Mexico, the Philippines, and India.

Both are legitimate and licensed services.

What’s the difference between WorldRemit and Remitly?

WorldRemit and Remitly are similar in many ways. Both let you send money internationally through their apps or websites, and you'll see multiple delivery options like bank deposits and cash pickups.

However, they charge different fees and have different rules when it comes to transfers.

For example, WorldRemit typically has a much lower sending limit. It also has a noticeably lower Trustpilot rating at 3.8 stars⁶ compared to Remitly's 4.6 stars⁷, which suggests that more customers have had issues with their service.

WorldRemit vs. Remitly: Fees and exchange rates

Neither service is transparent about their exact costs before you try to send money online.

Both WorldRemit and Remitly use variable pricing that changes based on things like where you're sending money, how much you're transferring, how you pay, and how you want it delivered.

You'll see the transfer fees and exchange rates that apply to your transfer before you confirm it.

According to third-party data, WorldRemit typically charges flat fees between 1 USD and 5 USD per transfer. They also add exchange rate markups ranging from 0.5% to 2% for bank transfers and up to 4% for cash pickups.⁸

Remitly fees are a little less predictable, and you may even be able to send larger transfers with no fees (but you'll lose more on the exchange rate markup in this case). If you pay by credit card from the US, expect an additional 3% fee.⁸

Remitly's exchange rate markup is usually a little higher than WorldRemit's — 1% to 3.7% above the mid-market rate.⁸

WorldRemit vs. Remitly: Availability

Remitly reaches more destinations than WorldRemit.

You can send money through Remitly to over 170 countries using more than 100 different currencies. Remitly has less of a reach, covering 130 countries and supporting 70 currencies.¹²

That's fewer destinations overall, but WorldRemit does offer one unique feature: airtime top-ups. If your recipient needs mobile phone credit, you can send that directly through WorldRemit, which Remitly doesn't allow.

For most major destinations, both services will work fine. But if you're sending to a less common country, check both platforms to see if they support your destination.

WorldRemit vs. Remitly: Speed

Remitly gives you two transfer speed options. With Express, your money typically arrives within minutes or, at the very least, on the same day. Economy takes 3 to 5 business days but is more affordable.⁵

WorldRemit doesn't have speed tiers like Remitly does. The platform will show you an estimated delivery time when you set up your transfer, but there's no option to speed it up by paying an extra fee.

It's also important to note that many negative reviews on Trustpilot complain that WorldRemit's time estimates are unreliable. Customers report their transfers arriving much later than WorldRemit predicted, which can be an issue if your recipient needs the money by a certain time.

WorldRemit vs. Remitly: Limits

WorldRemit's sending limits are lower than Remitly's, which could be a dealbreaker if you need to send larger amounts.

For WorldRemit, if you're paying with a debit card, credit card, or prepaid card, you can send up to 5,000 USD per transaction and 9,000 USD within any 24-hour period. If you're using Apple Pay, the limits drop to 300 USD per transaction, though still 9,000 USD per day.³

These limits can also vary depending on the country you're sending your international transfers to.

Remitly allows US customers to send up to 100,000 USD per transfer. That's a much higher ceiling that gives you more flexibility when you send money abroad.⁴

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/.

WorldRemit vs. Remitly: Safety

When it comes to the safety of Remitly vs. WorldRemit, it's a tie. Both are legitimate and regulated companies.

WorldRemit is regulated in multiple countries where it operates⁹, and Remitly is registered as a money transmitter with the US Department of the Treasury, plus it meets regulatory requirements in all its operating countries.¹⁰

Both also use identity verification.

Pros and Cons of WorldRemit vs. Remitly

WorldRemit's main advantage is its airtime top-up feature, which lets you send a mobile credit to someone's phone. This is something that Remitly doesn't offer.

However, WorldRemit has a lower Trustpilot rating — 3.8 stars⁶ compared to Remitly's 4.6⁷.

Remitly generally gets better feedback from users and has much higher sending limits.

	WorldRemit	Remitly
Pros	Airtime top-ups available Relatively low flat fees⁸ Multiple delivery options available	Large country reach High sending limits Fast speed options available for an extra fee
Cons	Unreliable delivery time estimates (according to customer reviews) Low sending limits Exchange rate markups up to 4%⁸	No airtime top-up option High fees for Express transfers Exchange rate markups can reach 3.7%⁸

The downside is that both services charge transfer fees and add markups to mid-market exchange rates, which can get expensive fast. The exchange rate markups can especially feel like "hidden costs."

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 WorldRemit?

There's no single winner here. Both WorldRemit and Remitly can get your money where it needs to go, but one might be more expensive than the other, depending on the specifics of your transfer.

The smart approach is to check quotes on both platforms for your transfer, entering details like the destination, amount, and payment method to see which one offers the better deal.

That said, a few factors might push you toward one provider over the other. For example, Remitly has a much higher sending limit than WorldRemit. It also has a higher Trustpilot rating and a few innovative features like Remitly One.

But the bigger issue is that both services charge fees and add markups to exchange rates, so your transfer can get expensive very quickly.

If you're looking for a better alternative, consider Wise.

Wise lets you send high-speed, low-cost international money transfers with no currency markups, which translates into big savings.

🚀 Get started with Wise

Sources

1. Remitly - Remitly vs. Xoom
2. WorldRemit - About Us
3. WorldRemit - How do I pay for my transfer from the United States?
4. Remitly - Home Page
5. RemitBee - Remitly Money Transfer Review
6. Trustpilot - WorldRemit
7. Trustpilot - Remitly
8. OneSafe - WorldRemit vs. Remitly
9. Remitly - How Remitly Keeps You Safe
10. WorldRemit - Home Page

Sources checked 11/05/2025