Apps like Western Union: Are there any best Alternatives in 2024

Western Union is the world’s largest and longest-established financial technology company, offering international payments to over 200+ countries in 130 currencies with multiple payment options.

But is Western Union the best option for international transfers? In spite of having huge global coverage and payment options, WU is not always the best option for international transfers due to varying customer needs. 

Here we review apps like Western Union or the three best alternatives to Western Union, so you can pick the one that perfectly satisfies your requirements.

Apps like Western Union— Best Alternatives for Western Union 

You can take an overview of the Western Union competitors so you can find the cheaper international transfer service or the best money transfer app similar to Western Union.

Wise: Gives instant bank transfers

Wise is an international money transfer company specializing in making instant bank transfers. In recent years, it has become popular due to its cheaper, low-cost transfers and easy-to-use platform. It has also been used as a cheaper alternative to Western Union.

Wise Money Transfer App’s Best Features:

Reasons to select Wise as a Western Union alternative: 

• Instant bank transfers.
• Low & transparent fee.

Countries & Currencies:

• Send money to 80+ countries in 40+ currencies. 
• 175+ countries with Wise cards.

Transfer fees & exchange rates:

• Costs you 0.41% of the transfer value. 
• No markup on mid-market exchange rates.

Transfer speed & limit:

• It takes 24 hours to two working days. 
• Transfer limit depends on the currency and country you are sending from.

Wise vs. Western Union:

Wise	Western Union
Markup on exchange rates.	The markup on exchange rates.
Cash pick-up availability.	Transparent, low fees.
Active globally.	Available in limited countries.

For complete details, check out the Wise review or ratings here.

MoneyGram: Gives cash pick-ups

MoneyGram is the second-largest money transfer provider (after Western Union), with an extensive network of agent locations globally. You can make cash payments with more options.

The best features of MoneyGram International

Reasons to select MoneyGram as a Western Union alternative:

• Cash pay-in and pay-out options. 
• Available globally. 

Countries & Currencies:

• Cover 200+ countries worldwide.

Transfer fees & exchange rates:

• Fees vary depending on the payment method, currency, and country you are sending to. Example: It costs 1.99 USD to transfer 500 USD to EUR with a debit card. 
• Adds markup on mid-market exchange rates.

Transfer speed & limit:

• Arrives in minutes.
• Send a maximum of $25,000 from the US. 

MoneyGram vs. Western Union:

MoneyGram	Western Union
Available worldwide.	Available worldwide.
Money arrives in a few minutes.	Bank transfer takes time.
Maximum limit: $25,000.	Maximum limit: $50,000.

If you want a Western Union alternative to make cheap international transfers, this might not be a good alternative. You can read more about MoneyGram International here. 

Currencies Direct: Gives fee-free transfers

Currencies Direct is a well-known money transfer service that offers you individual and business accounts with a personal account manager and fee-free transfers. 

The best features of Currencies Direct:

Reasons to select Currencies Direct as a Western Union alternative: 

• Fee-free structure. 
• Giving a personal account manager. 

Countries & Currencies:

• Send money to 120+ countries in 40+ currencies.

Transfer fee & exchange rates:

• Fee-free structure.
• Competitive exchange rates.

Transfer speed & limit:

• 1 hour to two maximum days. 
• You can transfer above £50k; for large transfers, you will need to consult with the account manager.

Currencies Direct vs. Western Union:

Currencies Direct	Western Union
Fee-free structure with slight markup rates.	Charge you fees and markup on rates.
Give bank transfers.	Charge your fees and markup on rates.
Available in 120+ countries.	Available globally.

If you want to make large and cheaper transfers, Currencies Direct is the best alternative for Western Union, but it does not serve as a Western Union alternative cash pick-up. You can read more about the Currencies Direct app here.

How do I locate the best Western Union alternative?

It’s not seamless to find an alternative to Western Union in many of the options available. We’ve also summarized some top picks for you. But it may not necessarily be the best option for every person. 

So here we point out some rules that will help you when changing from Western Union to another provider:

1. Consider fees and exchange rates for the best international money transfers.
2. Select the most secure and safest way to send money internationally.
3. Check the payment methods available to you.
4. Speed of the transfer If you want fast bank transfers, consider Wise.
5. For a fee-free and cheaper alternative to WU, you can select Currencies Direct and TorFX. 

Conclusion: 

Western Union is one of the most established and secure remittance providers, but it may not be the best option for all, which is why you are looking for an alternative to Western Union for money transfers.

Before heading on to any international remittance provider, you can check out our guide to find the best and cheapest alternative to Western Union. 

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