Top 5 Best Xoom Alternatives for International Money Transfer
Xoom is part of the PayPal family, and offers transfers from the US to a broad range of countries, with payments you can set up online and in-app. But it’s not the right option for all payment needs – which makes it worth looking at other sites like Xoom before you get started, to make sure you’re getting the best deal out there.
Are you looking to send money faster? Do you want to check if the fees you’re being offered are competitive? Or maybe you need to send larger amounts reliably and at better rates. In this article, we’ll show you 5 of the best Xoom alternatives, how they compare and why they might be better than Xoom, depending on your specific needs.
In our comparison we’ll look at these alternatives to Xoom. Here’s what we found out:
- Remitly – Pick either a cheaper Economy transfer or a faster Express payment
- Wise – Google exchange rates, low, transparent fees and fast service
- OFX – Talk to a broker 24/7, with payments in 50+ currencies
- TorFX – Good range of transfer and currency products, with personal service
- WorldRemit – Broad range of payment options around the world
What is Xoom?
Xoom international transfers is an online payment service, and part of the PayPal group. Xoom specializes in international payments, which can include sending remittances to friends and family overseas, paying cross border bills and invoices, and even topping up a prepaid mobile phone account abroad.
This guide will focus on the international transfer services available from Xoom. International payments with Xoom are made online or in the Xoom app and can be received in a few different ways depending on the destination country:
- Send money direct to a recipient’s bank account
- Send money to a debit card or mobile wallet
- Send money to be collected in cash at an agent location
It’s also worth noting that some fees, options and limits related to your account will depend on your country of residence. The information in this guide is based on US Xoom account profiles – check out the details for your country if you live elsewhere.
Why you should consider a Xoom alternative
Xoom is intended for personal payments only, and may work if you’re trying to get money in a hurry to someone based overseas – but you’ll usually pay a relatively high fee for the service. Xoom can be convenient because you can pay with your PayPal balance – but if you don’t intend to do this, you might find you can get a better deal, including a lower overall fee, from different money transfer service.
Pros of Xoom
- Send to around 160+ countries
- Great range of payout options including cash collection, and bill pay in selected countries
- Arrange payment online or in-app
- Pay with card, bank transfer or PayPal balance
Cons of Xoom
- Fees vary based on destination and can be fairly high overall
- Exchange rates include a markup
- Relatively low sending limits, based on account and payment type
Alternatives to Xoom comparison
Money transfer services like Xoom can still save you money compared to using your normal bank. But which is best?
Let’s look at 5 international money transfer providers and compare them to Xoom. When choosing, we’ve taken into account providers’ speed, transparency, ease of use and price when transferring money abroad.
| Provider | Exchange rate | Speed | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remitly | Remitly exchange rate includes a markup | Varies by destination and payment type |
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| Wise | Wise exchange rate offers mid-market exchange rate | 50%+ of payments are instant, 90% arrive in 24 hours |
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| OFX | OFX exchange rate includes a markup | Most transfers are received within 24 hours |
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| TorFX | Exchange rate includes a markup | 1 – 2 working days |
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| WorldRemit | Exchange rate includes a markup | Varies by destination and payment type |
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So, to summarize:
- Remitly is a good alternative if you want to send money for cash collection on a popular remittance route
- Wise is a good alternative because it offers the mid-market rate on all international transfers and 50% payments get to the recipient instantly.
- OFX is a good alternative if you want to send a high value payment and prefer to talk through your transfer by phone
- TorFX is a good alternative if getting a personal service by phone is important to you, and you’re sending to a bank account
- WorldRemit is a good alternative as it has impressive global coverage, with a good range of pay in and pay out options
5 Apps like Xoom for Money Transfer
Let’s take a more detailed look at our selection of companies like Xoom, and why they might be a good Xoom alternative for your payment.
1. Remitly
Create a Remitly account online and send money all over the world as a bank deposit, for cash pickup, home delivery or to a mobile money account. The services available do vary between destination countries, so check the options for your payment online.
Transfers made with the Express service or for cash collection are usually very fast so you can get your money to where it needs to be, in double quick time. If your international payment isn’t urgent you can also choose the Economy service which costs less, but may take a couple of days to arrive at its destination.
Best Remitly features
Remitly covers a good range of popular remittance routes, with payments for deposit to bank and mobile money accounts, and also for cash collection. Exactly which services are available can depend a little on the destination country.
However, from the US you can normally pay with a bank transfer, for a cheaper economy payment – or with a card for a faster Express transfer. Express payments may arrive in minutes, while Economy transfers can take 3 to 5 business days to arrive.
Remitly Pros & Cons
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2. Wise
Send money to over 70 countries using the mid-market exchange rate with Wise. You can create your account online or in the Wise app, and send money for direct delivery to your recipient’s bank account.
It’s easy to model your payment to see the costs – and because the exchange rate used doesn’t include markups, you’ll see the full price you’re paying transparently.
Wise also offers a multi-currency account to hold foreign currency balances, send and receive payments, and spend with a linked debit card at home or abroad. Read our Wise account review to learn more.
Opening an account is free, there’s no minimum balance requirement or monthly service charges – just low, transparent fees for transactions.
Best Wise features
Whenever you send a payment or convert currencies with Wise you’ll get the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees. Learn more about it here: Wise Fees. Wise transfers are usually far faster than using a bank – over 50% arrive instantly, and 90%+ are there within a day.
You can also get a Wise account and a linked Wise international debit card, to hold 50+ currencies, receive payments like a local in up to 10 currencies, and spend in 170+ countries. Wise has accounts and services for both individual and business customers.
Wise Pros & Cons
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3. OFX
You can send payments in 50+ currencies with OFX, fix future exchange rates, and also access scheduled transfers for regular payment requirements. You can send money 24/7 online and in the OFX app, and you’ll have an OFX advisor on hand by phone if you need any help or support.
OFX transfers are made using wire transfers and ACH payments only – you won’t be able to pay in cash, by check or using a credit or debit card. Double check if your own bank will charge you a fee when you wire your payment to OFX, so you have a clear idea of the costs involved.
Best OFX features
OFX offers services for individuals and businesses, including transfers around the world, currency risk management services, and global currency accounts for online sellers.
Where OFX stands out is for its OFX broker service. Call OFX 24/7 if you’re unsure how to arrange your transfer or just want to talk through your options. OFX has no transfer fee from the US, but there’s a small markup added to the exchange rate used to convert your payment, which can represent far better value than using your bank.
OFX Pros & Cons
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4. TorFX
You’ll need to create a TorFX account to see the charges and get a quote for your payment. But as a currency specialist, TorFX can offer the support of an account manager, and some more sophisticated currency services such as market orders and forward contracts if you need them.
TorFX can help you arrange personal or business transfers direct to bank accounts all over the world. At the time of writing, TorFX has an impressive 4.9/5 trust score based on customer reviews submitted on Trustpilot.
Best TorFX features
TorFX offers one off or recurring payments, and currency risk management services by phone, online or in app. TorFX is often highlighted as a top customer support provider in the payments industry.
There are no transfer fees when you send a payment with TorFX. Instead, a charge will be added to the exchange rate used to convert your funds. Services are available for personal and business customers.
TorFX Pros & Cons
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5. WorldRemit
WorldRemit is a specialist in global payments which can be arranged online and deposited into the recipient’s bank or mobile money account, collected as cash or received as an airtime top up.
Send to over 130 countries with easy online or in-app payments funded by bank transfer or card. Most WorldRemit payments arrive within minutes – and you’ll be able to see an estimated delivery time before you confirm your transfer.
Best WorldRemit features
WorldRemit has an impressive global reach, with over 130 countries covered. There are also an excellent range of ways your recipient can get the money – which can vary depending on the destination you’re sending to. If you need to get money quickly to someone who doesn’t have access to a bank, the option to have money collected in cash is a fast and simple solution.
WorldRemit Pros & Cons
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Comparing Similar Services to Xoom
Before we finish looking at money transfer services and apps like Xoom, let’s round out with a quick head to head comparison of each vs Xoom.
Remitly vs Xoom
Remitly can be a great Xoom alternative if you want to compare other companies which offer options to set up your transfer online, and have it received for cash collection at the other end.
Remitly supports many of the same destination countries that Xoom does, which makes it easy to get quotes from each provider and compare the exchange rates and fees available so you’ll know you’re getting the best deal.
Wise vs Xoom
Wise can be a good alternative to Xoom if you’re looking to have your payment deposited into someone’s bank account directly. Like Xoom, Wise is convenient to use, with transfers arranged online or in-app. But where Wise differs is that you’ll get the Google exchange rate and all the costs of your payment will be split out for easy checking and comparison.
If Wise supports the country you’re sending to, compare how much your recipient will get with Wise against Xoom’s quote to see which wins.
Learn more on Wise vs Xoom comparison.
OFX vs Xoom
OFX is a strong Xoom alternative if you’re sending a high value payment and want to talk through your options with a broker on the phone. OFX has no upper limit to the amount you can send – while Xoom has fairly low limits, even once your account is fully verified.
OFX also has no transfer fees, and exchange rates which include a smaller markup compared to your normal bank.
TorFX vs Xoom
Check out TorFX as a Xoom alternative if you’re sending a high value payment, or if you need to access more complex currency solutions like forward contracts. TorFX also offers business services, which are not available from Xoom.
WorldRemit vs Xoom
WorldRemit offers many similar services to Xoom, including transfers for cash collection.
It’s well worth checking the fees and exchange rates you can get from WorldRemit to see how they compare to the quote you get from Xoom. See more here: WorldRemit exchange rates.
Both providers give easy ways to see the transfer fees and rates available for your specific payment, and shopping around can mean you save money.
Are the alternatives safe?
Yes. At Exiap we only ever cover providers which are properly licensed and regulated for the services they provide, and which receive positive feedback overall from their customers.
Xoom alternatives conclusion
Xoom international transfers are easy to make, and offer the ease of use you expect from a PayPal company.
However, whenever you need to send money overseas it makes good sense to check out a few different ways to arrange your transfer. Different providers offer different services, which may also vary depending on the country your recipient is in.
For example, Wise could be a good Xoom alternative if you’re sending to a bank account, with the Google exchange rate and low, transparent fees. While WorldRemit and Remitly both offer cash collection services, which – depending on your particular payment – may have lower fees or a better rate compared to Xoom.
By comparing some alternatives to Xoom before you place your transfer, you’ll be able to easily find an option which gives you the perfect balance of cost and convenience.
FAQs on Alternatives to Xoom
- What is the cheapest way to send money internationally?
There’s no single cheapest way to send money internationally. Specialist providers and sites like Xoom can often offer a faster and cheaper service compared to a bank international transfer. However, as the features, fees and rates from apps like Xoom do vary based on payment details, shopping around is essential to make sure you get the best available deal.
- Which is the safest mode of money transfer?
When you transfer money overseas you’ll need to make sure you’re using a trusted and fully regulated provider which can keep your money safe. At Exiap we only ever review or write about companies which are safe to use – so start with our comparisons and guides to find the best money transfer company for you.
- What is the best company to transfer money with?
Which money transfer provider is best for you will depend on where you’re sending money to, the value of the payment, and how you want the money to be received. Comparing a few providers – which is easy with the Exiap price calculator – is the best way to make sure you find the perfect provider for your particular transfer.
