Whether you do business, study, or live in a foreign country like India, there’s no doubt that you use some sort of international money service. However, people in your situation usually aren’t delighted with their available options. They’re always on the lookout for other solutions toward optimal exchange rates, paying minimum fees, and fund transfer/delivery as fast as possible.
The first option that may pop up in your mind is to wire money via a bank. Banks are secure, reliable, and part of the national/international banking system, but there are some downsides. You end up paying at least $50 plus a percentage of the transfer amount as a fee. In addition, it’ll take about four days for the money to arrive in India, and the exchange rate will most likely be lower than the market price.
Wise
Wise (Formerly TransferWise) is one of the more well-known names in the remittance industry, offering a secure and reliable platform for any transaction, except cash pickup services. Furthermore, it supports 43 (source) and 71 (destination) countries for money transfer.
Let’s say you want to transfer £200 to India. You’ll pay a percentage of the transfer amount plus £1.78 as a fee. The transfer time is about 48 hours. While the transfer/delivery period is quick, the fee is another matter. Your £200 converts to 20,451 INR (well below average Pound to Indian Rupee exchange rate).
TransferGo
There’s a good chance that every time you’re looking for an international money transfer service, TransferGo is among the top ten choices. The biggest strength of TransferGo is that you can transfer any amount from +30 countries to +45 countries in less than three days. A surprising downside is that none of the +30 origin countries is included as destination countries, meaning you can send money from the UK to India, but not vice versa. It doesn’t offer services from India to the UK (or anywhere else).
Suppose you transfer £200 using TransferGo (arriving less than 36 hours later). Like many other transfer services, TransferGo charges zero fees but makes up for it with a significantly low exchange rate margin. Your £200 translates into only 20,412 INR (more than 33% in hidden costs).
Lycaremit
Lycaremit is a name that consistently comes up as a leading international money transfer option. It’s one of the very few that has dedicated a particular focus to exotic countries like India. It supports more than 50 countries, 20 of which are less mainstream countries such as India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and even Benin. Unlike TransferGo, there are no hidden fees or extra charges added in the exchange rate margin, and there’s no restriction on the origin/destination countries. In addition, the higher exchange rate of Lycaremit for these sorts of countries means that your £200 will arrive as 20,500 INR in India.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a money transfer service to help you transfer funds to India, the best advice is to take your time, weigh all the pros and cons, and not be fooled by empty promises such as zero fees. You may send money to India on zero fees, but the Pound to Indian Rupee exchange rate will be so low it’ll cost you more than if you had just paid an average regular transfer fee.
Therefore, it’s advisable to seek a solution that’s not just low on fees but also transparent. A company that gives you a great deal on the exchange rate, especially when transferring money to exotic countries like India. Lycaremit provides transparent, sensible fees and rates, supports exotic destinations and currency pairs while providing 24/7 customer support.
