Send Money To United Kingdom

Personal
Business
From
United States Flag
United States
USD
To
United Kingdom Flag
United Kingdom
GBP
1 USD equals
0.813 GBP
Updated on September 21, 2023
 
How much to transfer?
$1-$1k
$1k-$10k
$10k +
Provider
Features
Fees
Score
Speed
Transfer Now
OFX Logo
  • Check Icon
    0.4% margin for new customers referred by iCompareFX
  • Check Icon
    Fee-free transfers
  • Check Icon
    Scheduled transfers
  • Check Icon
    Online and phone transfers
$
$
$

low

Fees
87
Speed Icon

medium

2-3 days

Less Information
+
Promo Offer Available
Super low 0.4% margin for new customers referred by iCompareFX. Simply click GO TO SITE and register.

Transfer Options

  • Bank transfer
  • Debit card (UK only)
  • BPAY (Australia only)
  • Direct debit (U.S. only)

Features

  • Check Icon
    0.4% margin for new customers referred by iCompareFX
  • Check Icon
    Fee-free transfers
  • Check Icon
    Scheduled transfers
  • Check Icon
    Online and phone transfers

Support

  • Phone
Support
Phone Icon
Phone
$
$
$

low

Fees
Speed Icon

medium

2-3 days

Best For

  • Circle Check Icon
    Pay no fees for personal transfers
  • Circle Check Icon
    Get competitive exchange rates
  • Circle Check Icon
    Lets you schedule transfers with ease
  • Circle Check Icon
    Trading in some currencies possible only over the phone
  • Circle Check Icon
    Website access only in English

Currencies Direct Logo
  • Check Icon
    Forward contracts and limit orders
  • Check Icon
    Scheduled transfers
  • Check Icon
    Travel money solutions for residents of the UK
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website
$
$
$

low

Fees
84
Speed Icon

medium

2-3 days

Less Information
+

Transfer Options

  • Bank transfer
  • Debit card

Features

  • Check Icon
    Forward contracts and limit orders
  • Check Icon
    Scheduled transfers
  • Check Icon
    Travel money solutions for residents of the UK
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website

Support

  • Phone
Support
Phone Icon
Phone
$
$
$

low

Fees
Speed Icon

medium

2-3 days

Best For

  • Circle Check Icon
    Schedule transfers easily
  • Circle Check Icon
    Make use of hedging tools
  • Circle Check Icon
    Accepts customers from most countries
  • Circle Check Icon
    Cannot sign up from all states in the U.S.

XE Money Transfer Logo
  • Check Icon
    Fee-free transfers
  • Check Icon
    Competitive exchanges rates
  • Check Icon
    Limit orders
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website and customer service
$
$
$

low

Fees
71
Speed Icon

medium

2-3 days

Less Information
+

Transfer Options

  • Bank Transfer
  • BPAY (Australia)

Features

  • Check Icon
    Fee-free transfers
  • Check Icon
    Competitive exchanges rates
  • Check Icon
    Limit orders
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website and customer service

Support

  • Phone
Support
Phone Icon
Phone
$
$
$

low

Fees
Speed Icon

medium

2-3 days

Best For

  • Circle Check Icon
    No fees for personal transfers
  • Circle Check Icon
    Accepts payments in several currencies
  • Circle Check Icon
    Target specific rates using limit orders
  • Circle Check Icon
    No debit or credit card payments
  • Circle Check Icon
    No scheduled transfers

WorldRemit Logo
  • Check Icon
    Bank account transfers and cash transfers
  • Check Icon
    Mobile airtime and mobile wallets top up
  • Check Icon
    Home delivery of transferred funds
  • Check Icon
    Multicurrency WorldRemit Wallet
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website
$
$
$

medium

Fees
63
Speed Icon

fast

1-2 days

Less Information
+
Promo Offer Available
Three free transfers for new customers! Check out the WorldRemit promo guide for more info.

Transfer Options

  • Bank Transfer
  • Debit / Credit card
  • Google / Apply Pay
  • POLi (Australia)

Features

  • Check Icon
    Bank account transfers and cash transfers
  • Check Icon
    Mobile airtime and mobile wallets top up
  • Check Icon
    Home delivery of transferred funds
  • Check Icon
    Multicurrency WorldRemit Wallet
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website

Support

  • Phone
Support
Phone Icon
Phone
$
$
$

medium

Fees
Speed Icon

fast

1-2 days

Best For

  • Circle Check Icon
    Transfers to cash pickup locations
  • Circle Check Icon
    Transparent rates and fees
  • Circle Check Icon
    Low minimum transfer amount
  • Circle Check Icon
    No hedging tools
  • Circle Check Icon
    No scheduled transfers

Wise Logo
  • Check Icon
    Transparent fee structure
  • Check Icon
    Send money to email addresses
  • Check Icon
    Multicurrency account with debit card
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website & app
$
$
$

low

Fees
75
Speed Icon

fast

1-2 days

Less Information
+

Transfer Options

  • Bank Transfer
  • Credit Card
  • Debit Card
  • Country specific alternatives

Features

  • Check Icon
    Transparent fee structure
  • Check Icon
    Send money to email addresses
  • Check Icon
    Multicurrency account with debit card
  • Check Icon
    Multilingual website & app

Support

  • Phone
Support
Phone Icon
Phone
$
$
$

low

Fees
Speed Icon

fast

1-2 days

Best For

  • Circle Check Icon
    User friendly mobile app
  • Circle Check Icon
    Multi-currency account
  • Circle Check Icon
    Travel debit card
  • Circle Check Icon
    No scheduled transfers
  • Circle Check Icon
    No dedicated account manager

Payoneer Logo
    $
    $
    $

    high

    Fees
    71
    Speed Icon

    medium

    2-3 days

    Less Information
    +

    Transfer Options

    • Bank transfer
    • Debit card
    • Credit card
    • Bank debit

    Features

      Support

      • Phone
      Support
      Phone Icon
      Phone
      $
      $
      $

      high

      Fees
      Speed Icon

      medium

      2-3 days

      Best For


      How to send money to the UK

      How To Step Icon
      Step 1
      Compare before signing up
      Compare before signing up
      Review the top companies that send money to the UK.
      Choose the best alternative based on your individual requirements.
      Sign up as a personal or business customer by providing your contact details.
      Provide details from an acceptable form of identification.
      How To Step Icon
      Step 2
      View exchange rates before finalizing the transfer
      View exchange rates before finalizing the transfer
      Look at the GBP exchange rate history from the recent past.
      Let your service provider know how much money you wish to transfer to get a rate quote.
      Lock the exchange rate to confirm your transfer.
      Provide the recipient's bank account details.
      How To Step Icon
      Step 3
      Make payment and complete the process
      Make payment and complete the process
      Depending on the company you select, you may pay for your transfer in different ways.
      The actual process of sending money to the UK only takes place after your payment reaches your service provider.
      Most companies offer tracking capabilities through online updates and text notifications.

      What you will need to send money to the UK

      You will need details from your passport or driver's license to verify your identity. Your service provider will need the recipient's local bank account details. You will also need your bank account or debit/credit card details to pay for your transfer. You will not need the receiver's bank account details if you wish to carry out a cash transfer.
       

      Ways to receive money in the UK

      • Local bank account
      • Cash pick-up
      • Multi-currency receiving account
      • Prepaid mobile credit top-up

       

      Local bank account

      Transferring money into a recipient's local UK bank account is typically the most affordable way to send money to the UK. The processing time may vary based on how you pay, the company you select, and the receiving bank. You may send money to bank accounts in just about every bank in the UK, examples of which include HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds TSB, Bank of Scotland , Barclays and Santander.

      The information you need to send money to a UK bank account includes:

      • The recipient's full name
      • Bank account number or IBAN
      • The receiving bank's name
      • The receiving bank's sort or SWIFT code

       

      Cash pick-up

      If your top priority for transferring money to the UK is speed, consider sending it to a cash pick-up location. Some of the popular money transfer companies that have a physical presence in the UK include Ria, Western Union and MoneyGram.

      Ria cash pick-up locations in the UK 

      London:

      Efewen Afro-Carri Supermarket

      3b Cavendish Parade

      London

      Teletransfer

      17 Air Street

      London

      Birmingham:

      One Stop Finance Ltd

      84 Victoria Road

      Birmingham

      Desale Gebremeskel Mebrahtu

      229 230 New John Street

      West Birmingham

      Westen Union cash pick-up locations in the UK 

      London:

      Ryman

      430 The Strand

      London

      Forexchange

      5 Leicester Square

      London

      Birmingham:

      Ryman

      Unit 1 The Old Fire Station, Aston Street

      Birmingham

      City Convenience

      60 Date End

      Birmingham

      Safety tips for picking up cash in the UK

      While the UK has low levels of crime, you should remain cautious of your surroundings. If you plan to collect a large sum of money from a cash pick-up location, try getting it during daylight hours, and consider taking someone along. Instances of pickpocketing in crowded areas are not uncommon, so hold your money with care. Carrying large sums of money is best avoided.

      Remain alert when you visit airports, train stations, tourist areas, pubs, bars and restaurants. Keep your belongings in sight at all times. There have been instances of drinks being spiked, so accepting drinks from strangers is not a good idea.
       

      Multi-currency receiving account

      By opening a multi-currency account, you get access to bank account details in various currencies. For instance, if your UK-based business extends its operations to the US or the rest of Europe, you might benefit by opening a multi-currency account that comes with USD- and/or EUR-denominated bank accounts. This also holds true for international businesses that have a presence in the UK, as they can get access to GBP-denominated bank accounts.

      You may use such an account to make and receive payments in the currencies of your choice like a local. These accounts give you greater control over your currency exchange, and may lead to savings through lower fees and competitive exchange rates.

      Below are names of the leading money transfer companies that offer local GBP banking details through their multi-currency accounts.

      OFXGlobal Currency Account
      WorldFirstWorld Account
      Currencies DirectMulti-Currency Account
      TransferWiseBorderless Account

       

      Prepaid mobile credit top-up

      It is possible to top-up prepaid mobile phone credit in the UK from overseas. Xoom offers this service. However, you might end up paying more fees when compared to a bank account transfer. Some of the supported mobile carriers include 3, Vodafone, giffgaff, Lycamobile and Virgin. While WorldRemit and Remitly provide this service in several countries, they do not support it in the UK.

      FAQs

      How can I send money to someone in the UK?

      To send money to someone in the UK, you can choose international money wires through the major banks, or via a trusted international money transfer service.

      Best way to send money to the UK

      The best way to send money to the UK is to use the services of a specialist money transfer company and transfer the money into the recipient's bank account. You may pay for your transfer using different methods, depending on the company you select. However, paying using a bank account transfer is usually the most cost-effective way. Some of the leading companies that transfer money to the UK include TransferWise, XE, OFX and WorldFirst.

      Convert USD to GBP

      Check out the historical exchange rates for the last thirty days. Learn how much you can save by using a global money transfer company instead of the big banks.
      USD
      GBP
      Sending money online through specialist money transfer companies.

      Expect to receive between £80.54 and £81.02 when sending money from USD to GBP at today's exchange rate.

      Compare that to sending money overseas through retail banks. Expect to receive approximately £77.28, not including additional banking fees. That is an average saving of £3.5.
      Currency exchange rate in the last 30 days

      Need more information?

      Read useful guides on international remittance and more detailed reviews on the best money transfer services.

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