Western Union vs Wise: Which one is better for Americans

When you need to send money internationally, Western Union and Wise are two of the most popular options available in the US. Western Union has been around for decades, and Wise is a newer service with transparent pricing and mid-market exchange rates.

Choosing the right provider can save you money on fees and get your transfer delivered faster. So, how do Western Union vs Wise compare?

Here's everything you need to know about sending international money transfers with these providers so you can make an educated decision.

Table of contents
Western Union vs Wise: Overview Western Union vs Wise: Fees & pricing Western Union vs Wise: Supported countries Western Union vs Wise: Money transfer times Western Union vs Wise: Security

Western Union vs Wise: Overview

What is Western Union and how does it work?

Western Union is one of the world's oldest and largest money transfer companies, operating since 1851. The service is famous worldwide for its extensive network of agent locations where people can send and receive cash transfers in person.¹

You can send money to over 200 countries and territories through multiple channels: online, mobile app, or by visiting one of their physical locations.¹ To start sending money, you just need to create a profile using your email address.

You can pay online using your bank account or credit/debit card, or pay with cash at a physical store. Recipients can pick up cash at any Western Union location near them, and you can easily track your transfer online or through their app using the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN).

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
Available in 200+ countries and territories¹	Higher fees and exchange rate markups
Multiple sending options (online, app, in-person)	Not ideal for large amounts
Good for recipients without bank accounts	Often targeted by scammers
Easy transfer tracking
Accepts cash payments

⚠️ Western Union is a safe way to send money abroad, but it's a popular target for scammers because once someone picks up the cash, the transfer usually can't be reversed. This is why it's important to only transfer money to people you know and trust.

What is Wise and how does it work?

Wise (formerly Wise) is a money transfer service that launched in 2011 with a mission to make international transfers cheaper and more transparent.

One big difference between Wise and Western Union is that Wise doesn't apply currency exchange rate markups. When you send money with Wise, you get the mid-market rate you'd see on Google or financial news sites.

You can get a multi-currency Wise account, which works like having bank accounts in multiple countries. You can hold different currencies simultaneously and convert between them when needed.

You can also send money to 160 countries, hold money in over 40 currencies, and receive money in 9 currencies with local account details. Plus, the Wise debit card lets you spend money in 150+ countries like a local, which is great for frequent travelers.

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
No exchange rate markups (mid-market rate)	Limited cash pickup options
Transparent, upfront fees—from 0.57% for sending money²	No branch network or physical locations
Multi-currency account and debit card	Requires a bank account or a card
Free same-currency transfers between Wise users	Smaller network than Western Union
24/7/365 customer support
Great for large transfers with strong security
Personal and business accounts available

Western Union vs Wise: Fees & pricing

Exchange rates

The exchange rate is how much foreign currency you get for your USD when sending money abroad to countries that use EUR, MXN, or other currencies.

Western Union adds a markup to the exchange rate, and Wise uses a mid-market exchange rate with no markup.¹ This can make a big difference in how much your transfer costs, especially for large amounts.

When you see 1 USD = 0.85 EUR on Google, that's the mid-market rate. Western Union takes this rate and adds a margin, so they might offer you 1 USD = 0.82 EUR instead. That 3-cent difference goes straight into their pocket and is one of the ways they make money on international payments.

Here’s why this matters to you as a consumer.

Let's say you're sending 1,000 USD to Europe. With Western Union, you might get a rate of 0.82 EUR per USD, receiving 820 EUR. With Wise, you get the mid-market rate of 0.85 EUR per USD, receiving 850 EUR. That's a 30 EUR difference in addition to any transfer fees.

Costs

Both Wise and Western Union charge transfer fees, but here's how their overall costs compare:

Feature	Western Union	Wise
Account opening	Free	Free
Transfer fees	Varies	From 0.57%²
Exchange rate	Includes markup¹	No markup (mid-market rate)
Minimum transfer	Varies by country	1 USD
Maximum transfer	50,000 USD (after verification)³	1,600,000 USD⁴

Transfer fees

Both Western Union and Wise charge transfer fees.

Wise charges a fee starting from 0.57% of your transfer amount, and the exact percentage is displayed before you confirm your transfer. If both you and your recipient have Wise accounts, transfers in the same currency are free.²

With Western Union, you can use their price estimator tool to see how much you'll pay for your transfer since charges vary depending on how you pay and where you're sending money to.

Learn more about Western Union international fees.

A quick price comparison

Here's an example of how much you'd pay and how much your recipient would get with Western Union vs Wise:

Sometimes, Wise's fee may look higher on paper, but your recipient will likely get more money because there's no exchange rate markup. In this example, choosing Wise over Western Union puts an extra [amount] in your recipient's pocket.

Learn more about Wise

Western Union vs Wise: Supported countries

Both Western Union and Wise have global reach, but their coverage isn't identical. Here's how they compare:

Feature	Western Union	Wise
Send money to	200+ countries and territories	160+ countries
Cash pickup locations	Available	Not available
Currencies supported	130+ currencies⁵	40+ currencies (can hold and convert)
Multi-currency account	Not available	Available
Card	Not available	Available
Business accounts	Not available	Available

Overall, Western Union money transfers have a wider reach and allow you to send cash transfers, but Wise has features like the multi-currency account and the Wise card that give you more options for getting your money across borders.

Western Union vs Wise: Money transfer times

With both providers, your transfer speed depends on how you're sending money (your payment method) and your delivery method, such as cash pickup, bank-to-bank transfer, and more.

With Wise, 64% of transfers arrive in under 20 seconds, and 95% arrive within a day. If you need to convert currencies, it usually takes less than 24 hours, with a maximum of 2 working days.⁶⁷

With Western Union, the money can be picked up in minutes or arrive within a few working days, depending on your chosen service. For example, the Direct to Bank deposit can take up to 7 business days (varies by country).⁸

Whether you're using Wise or Western Union, you'll be able to track your transfer online, and you'll also get an estimate on when the transfer will get to your recipient.

Western Union vs Wise: Security

Both Western Union and Wise are reputable companies with strong security measures to protect your money and personal information.

Western Union uses end-to-end encryption, TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certification, and multi-factor authentication to keep your transfers safe. There are also identity verification requirements if you want to send larger transfers.⁹

Wise is federally regulated with 65 licences worldwide and specialized anti-fraud tech teams with over 1,000 experts and safeguarded systems.⁶

However, it's incredibly important to only send money to people you know. Western Union is particularly targeted by scammers because of its cash pickup system. For example, romance scams are common, in which is when criminals build fake relationships online and then ask for money under pretenses.

Frequently asked questions

What apps are like Western Union?

There are a few other apps that you can use to send international money transfers, including Remitly, MoneyGram, Xoom (owned by PayPal), and WorldRemit. However, they also charge exchange rate markups like Western Union, which usually makes them more expensive than Wise, which uses the mid-market exchange rate.

Is Western Union a good service?

Yes, Western Union is a reliable and reputable way to send money abroad to over 200 countries and territories. This provider has a large cash pickup network, and it can be a good way to send money to people who don't have bank accounts. However, Western Union also has drawbacks, including high costs and currency exchange rate markups. Cash transfers can also be vulnerable to scams.

Is there a monthly fee for Western Union?

No, Western Union doesn't charge monthly account fees or subscription costs. You only pay when you send money, and Western Union fees vary based on your transfer amount, destination country, payment method, and delivery speed.

---

Western Union and Wise are both safe and established providers with a global reach. Western Union might be the better option for you if you must send a cash transfer, but its exchange rate markups and higher fees will likely make it more expensive than Wise.

With Wise, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per wire transaction to 140+ countries, with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.

Get a Wise Account
in minutes 💰

Sources

1. Western Union - Home
2. Savills - The experts in local and international property
3. Wise - Pricing
4. Western Union - Frequently Asked Questions
5. Wise - Full Guide to (Transfer)Wise Limits
6. Western Union - Financial Information
7. Wise - Home
8. Wise - How long does a transfer usually take?
9. Western Union - Frequently Asked Questions
10. Western Union - Is Western Union Safe?

Sources checked 09/10/2025