Send Money from Australia to USA
Best Ways
Cash: Western Union and Worldremit
Smaller transfers (less than $7000 USD or $9500 AUD): Wise and CurrencyFair
Larger transfers (above $7000 USD or $9500 AUD): OFX and TorFX
Cheapest transfers: Wise for small transfers / OFX for larger transfers
Fastest transfers: Western Union for cash transfers / Wise for smaller transfers / OFX for larger transfers
Best Rates For Sending 1,000.00 AUD to USD
Best Rates For Sending 1.00 AUD to USD
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which may save you and do not cost any more. For more information, see my disclaimers here.
1. 6 Best Ways to Send Money from Australia to USA (Comparison Table)
Western Union | WorldRemit | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โGreatโ 4/5 | โGreatโ 4/5 |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | Variable; depends on funding method | $0 |
๐ฑExchange Rate | 3-6% markup | 0.5-1.5% markup |
๐Transfer Speeds | Less than 10 minutes (for cash) | Within minutes (for cash) |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security | Multi-level security |
๐ฌ Official Website Link | WesternUnion.com | Worldremit.com (See 3FREE offer) |
๐Link to Full Review | Western Union Review | WorldRemit Review |
Wise | CurrencyFair | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โGreatโ 4.2/5 | โGreatโ 4.2/5 |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | Variable fee, on average 0.66% | $4 AUD on each transfer |
๐ฑExchange Rate | Zero markup | 0.3-0.7% markup |
๐Transfer Speeds | Generally near-instant to a few days | 1-3 business days |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security | Multi-level security |
๐ฌ Official Website Link | Wise.com | Currencyfair.com (First 10 transfer free) |
๐Link to Full Review | Wise review | CurrencyFair Review |
OFX | TorFX | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โExcellentโ 4.3/5 | โExcellentโ 4.9/5 |
๐ฑExchange Rate | 0.4-1.5% markup | 1-2% markup |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | Above $10,000 AUD no fee Below this limit $15 AUD fee | No fee for personal transfers (Up to $25,000 AUD) |
๐Transfer Time | 1-3 business days | 1-3 business days |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security | Multi-level security |
๐ฌ Official Website Link | ofx.com (use this link to remove potential 15 AUD fee) | torfx.com.au |
๐Link to Full Review | OFX Review | TorFX Review |
2. How Bank Transfers Work
Bank transfers in Australia work much like the rest of the world. You give instructions to your Australian bank – using your mobile app, website, or by visiting the branch – about how much you want to transfer and where. The bank then passes this information on using the SWIFT network to the receiving bank in the US.ย
Bank transfers are relatively slow, inefficient and expensive because they rely on the SWIFT network which is over 50 years old and is really just a messaging system.
Letโs have a look at popular Australian banks in terms of sending money to the US.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Comm Bank)
You can use the CommBank app or the website to send money to over 200 countries, including the USA. They support more than 30 currencies and donโt charge a fee if you use your AUD account or foreign currency account to debit money inside the app. If you transfer via branch, there is a $30 AUD fee but if you transfer in-app or online, the fee is only $6 AUD. Similarly, if there is no currency conversion involved, then they charge a $22 AUD fee per transfer. Generally there is currency conversion fees built into the rate offered.
Service Type | Commonwealth Bank Fees |
---|---|
Sending international payments (In-branch) | 30 AUD per transfer |
Sending international payments (Online or In-app) | 6 AUD per transfer |
Sending international payments in AUD (Online or In-app) | 22 AUD per transfer |
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ )
To send money to the US or 200 other countries globally, you can use the ANZ International Money Transfer feature on their website or mobile app. Itโs located in the โPaymentsโ menu under โInternational Servicesโ. For payments below $10,000 AUD, they charge a $9 AUD fee per transfer if you use your AUD account. If you sent in foreign currency from an AUD account to fund the transfer, then the transfer fee is waived. Money gets to the US in 1-5 business days. Generally there is currency conversion fees built into the rate offered.
Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac)
Westpac allows money transfers to more than 200 countries including the US from their app or website. Tap on the โpaymentโ option, then โadd the payeeโ and finally pick โpayโ to send the money to the US. If you use your AUD account to send money in USD from the app or website, then they donโt charge a transfer fee. There is a $20 AUD fee per transfer for AUD-to-AUD transfers. All transfers made through a physical bank branch have a $32 AUD transfer fee. Generally there is currency conversion fees built into the rate offered.
National Australia Bank (NAB)
NABโs internet banking on their website and mobile app both allow you to send money to the USA. Globally, they support money transfers in over 40 currencies and 230 countries. They also allow you to track your payment online. If you use your AUD account to send USD, then there is no transfer fee. Otherwise, there is a $30 AUD transfer fee. All transfers made from a branch also have a $30 AUD transfer fee. Generally there is currency conversion fees also built into the rate offered.
Service Type | NAB Fees |
---|---|
Sending international transfers either in AUD or USD (In-branch) | 30 AUD |
Sending international transfers sent in AUD (Online or In-app) | 30 AUD |
Sending international transfers in USD (Online or In-app) | 0 AUD |
Important to point out that Australian banks are reliable but they are not cheap. They generally cost 5-6 times more than other specialized services like Wise and OFX.
This is why going with one of the money transfer services can be better. They are not only reliable, often faster but also much more affordable.
3. 8 Best Apps for Sending Money from Australia to USA
More and more people now prefer to have mobile apps on their phones to send money on the go. After analyzing all of the popular apps offered by major money transfer services, we are sharing our 8 best picks for sending money from Australia to the USA below.
- Wise – Inexpensive and fast way to send money abroad
- CurrencyFair – The best peer-to-peer currency exchange platform
- OFX – Large money transfers made simple and less hassle
- TorFx – Get More from Your Money
- Revolut – Mobile banking with global money transfers
- WorldRemit – The flexible and secure money transfers
- Western Union – Worldwide money transfer network
- Remitly – Worry-free transfers to your loved ones
4. Best for Cash
In our view, Western Union and World Remit are the best services for sending cash from Australia to the US.
4.1. Western Union
Western Union is probably the most well-known company in the money transfer industry. They started way back in 1851 in the USA as a Telegraph business. But thatโs not why we are recommending them here.
Both the USA and Australia are physically vast countries. Western Union covers them both well. They have over 42,000 agent locations in the USA. You can often find the Western Union sign outside your nearest post office. Their closest competitors like MoneyGram and Ria are nowhere near as prevalent.
That said, the maximum amount of cash you can send daily is $5,000 AUD but the receiver can get paid within minutes.ย
Western Union fees depend on your funding method. In-store cash transfers are charged the highest fees while bank account-funded transfers cost less. We recommend you use their price estimator tool to check the fees being charged.
Also, they charge approximately a 3-6% margin on AUD to USD conversion. View Western Union review
4.2. WorldRemit
WorldRemit is another handy option to send cash to the USA. Itโs a popular money transfer service that supports over 70 currencies and has more than 5.7 million users in the 130 countries it operates in.
They are well-regulated and have an office in both Australia and USA, with registered offices in Sydney and Denver.
WorldRemit does not charge a fee for cash transfers in some areas. They make money instead from a higher exchange rate by charging you roughly 0.5-1.5% AUD to USD conversion fee. But in any case, your transaction has a fee, you can use the promo code “3FREE” to get 3 fee-free transfers. Click the link to learn more.
With WorldRemit, you can send cash pick-up super fast. Money generally arrives within minutes. View WorldRemit review
5. Best for Smaller Transfers
Wise and CurrencyFair are the best service providers for sending small amounts of less than $7000 USD to the US from Australia.
5.1. Wise
If your transfer requirement is below $7000 USD or $9500 AUD then Wise is the best option for you. Wise is one of the best money transfer services in the world. They have an excellent rating on Trustpilot with over 195,000 user reviews highlighting what makes them the best.
In Australia, they are regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and AUSTRAC and also have offices in Sydney and Melbourne. While in the USA, Wise is regulated by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) besides having offices in New York and Tampa.
Wise has no hidden fees. They only charge a 0.66% transfer fee on average. They also offer the mid-market exchange rate without any markup and the ability to fix it for 48 hours. You can see the exact amount your receiver will get right now on the Wise calculator here (opens a new tab) โ no sign-up required. Your money can get to its destination in near-instant to 3 business days. View Wise review
5.2. CurrencyFair
CurrencyFair offers a competitive exchange rate and fees.
CurrencyFair has an office in Sydney, and it holds an Australian Financial Service License from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). In the USA they operate through a special partnership with Community Federal Savings Bank that carry out payment operations on their behalf.
They also offer their own exchange service where you pay around 0.13-0.6% markup. The transfer fee is fixed at $4 AUD for every transfer. CurrencyFair transfers are completed within 1-3 business days.
For a limited time, your first 10 transfers won’t come with any fees That’s right, no fees at all. Just sign up and enjoy 10 fee-free transfers today (opens a new tab). View CurrencyFair review
6. Best for Larger Transfers
OFX and TorFX can be the best options for transferring large sums (more than $7000 USD) from Australia to the US.
6.1. OFX
OFX is a Sydney-based company. They were founded in 1998 and have been in business since. With OFX, you get 24/7 dedicated phone-based customer service to ensure your transfers happen smoothly.
In the USA money transfer services have to register at the state level. Despite this OFX has built a strong presence in the US market with headquarters in San Francisco.
OFX can charge a $15 AUD fee for every transfer below $10,000 AUD but we organized to have this fee removed (opens a new tab) so you can avoid this feeโ if applicable. While transfers above this limit are free. As they only allow bank-bank transfers, banks can charge additional fees.
For currency conversion, they charge a 0.4-1.5% fee which decreases as the transfer amount goes up. Your money usually arrives in the USA within two business days. Visit OFX review
6.2. TorFX
TorFX started as a currency exchange company in 2004 and has since developed into an attractive money transfer service. They have no transfer limits and are particularly well-suited for large transfers.
In Australia, TorFX has an office in Queensland and that is where their excellent team of account managers and dedicated dealers operates. This team offers personalized service in handling large transfers. You can easily contact their awesome team and get a free quote for your transfers.
At TorFX there are no transfer fees instead they charge an extra margin for currency exchange. It starts at about 2% and goes down in percentage terms with an increase in the transfer amount.
After initiating the transfer, it usually takes 1-3 business days for the money to arrive in the USA. Visit TorFX review
7. Cheapest Transfers from Australia to USA
Sending physical cash from one country to another in todayโs world is not so straightforward. Money transfer services like Western Union or MoneyGram have to spend a lot of resources to build and then maintain partnerships and networks of agents to deliver the money to recipients.
This is why they have to charge extra from their customers. This makes cash transfers costlier than digital transfers.
That said, more competition in recent years has certainly helped bring the overall cost of cash transfers down. New entrants such as WorldRemit have given a tough fight to older players like Ria.
Overall, for sending small transfers of below $7000 USD or $9500 AUD from Australia to the USA, Wise is very inexpensive. With an average fee of just 0.66% and the mid-market exchange rate without any markup, they are hard to beat.ย
For larger transfers of above $7000 USD or $9500 AUD, both OFX and TorFX only charge incremental currency exchange margin which gets better in percentage terms as the amount to be sent goes up. However, out of these two, OFX is the best option cost wise as their margin generally starts at about 1.1-1.5% compared to 2% of TorFX.
8. Fastest Transfers from Australia to USA
For cash transfers, Western Union advertises that the recipient can receive funds within 10 minutes. More often than not this claim is true; making them the fastest option to send cash.
For smaller transfers, Wise is the quickest service. If the receiver also has a Wise account then they receive the money instantly most of the time. Bank transfers are typically completed within a day or two.
For big transfers, OFX is the fastest option. They have been in business for several decades now and have developed special expertise to move big sums quickly – generally within 48 hours.
Service Provider | Transfer Speed |
---|---|
Australian Banks | 1-5 business days |
Cash transfers within 10 minutes. Bank transfers 2-3 days | |
Cash transfers within minutes. Other transfers 2-3 days | |
Instantly to other Wise users. Bank transfers 1-3 business days | |
Typically 1-3 business days | |
Within 2 business days | |
1-3 Business days |
9. Fees Compared
In terms of the cost of transfers, Australian banks are nearly six times more expensive than other services we have mentioned. We try to avoid them as much as we can.
Cash transfer fees keep changing because of service costs and currency exchange margins. Both Western Union and Worldremit provide cost estimation tools on their website. You can try to use them before sending money.
For sending amounts below $7000 USD or $9500 AUD from Australia to the USA, Wise charges the lowest fees (0.66% on average) without any extra markup on the exchange rate.
Above $9500 AUD or $7000 USD, OFX and TorFX both become very competitive. They charge no fees (if within limits) but instead have gradual exchange rate margins. OFX’s margin starts at 1.1-1.5.% and TorFXโs at 2%. These percentages decrease with the frequency and volume of transfers.
Service | Transfer Fee | Exchange Rate Fee |
---|---|---|
Australian Banks | $0 AUD – $32 AUD (Changes with bank and account type) | 2-3% fee on average on top of mid-market exchange rate |
Western Union | Included in the exchange rate | 3-6% margin above mid-market rate |
WorldRemit | Included in exchange rate | 0.5-1.5% markup on mid-market exchange rate |
Wise | Only 0.66% on average with no extra hidden fees | Without markup mid-market exchange rate. |
CurrencyFair | $4 AUD for every transfer | 0.3-0.7% exchange rate margin is applied. |
OFX | Above $10,000 AUD no fee Below $15 AUD per transfer | 0.4-1.5% margin that decreases with an increase in the transfer amount |
TorFx | Zero | Incremental 2% start, decreases with more transfer amount |
10. Requirements and Restrictions
For smaller transfers of below $10,000 AUD/USD, there arenโt many limitations.
For cash transfers, you have to fill in a form that usually asks for your identifiable information. Cash receivers also have to present a valid government ID.
Money transfer services like Wise or CurrencyFair generally only ask for personal information, and proof of residence to sign up. In rare cases, you have to give more information but it can happen.
The real inconvenience starts above $10,000 USD/AUD.
In Australia, all transfers above this limit are to be disclosed to AUSTRAC. The USA also expects you to report transfers over $10,000 USD.ย
11. How to Keep Your Money Safe
With the rise of online digital payments and seemingly endless cyber threats, protecting your money in the modern world requires caution.
- Start by using strong and unique passwords for all financial accounts and apps along with enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever possible.
- Be extremely vigilant of any emails, calls, or messages that ask for personal information or account access – these scams have become very sophisticated.
- Only shop on encrypted sites that begin with โhttpsโ and closely monitor your accounts for any suspicious transactions. More specifically, avoid accessing sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi and consider using a VPN for added security.
- At home, shred all documents with personal information before disposal.
- Also, make sure to back up important financial data to a separate, secure location in case anything happens to your devices.
12. Final Word
Sending money to the US from Australia can be expensive and slow if you use the banks. They charge you a lot more than other services we have mentioned. We recommend you stay away from them as much as you can.
For cash transfers, Western Union and WorldRemit can be the best choices. They are both convenient and fast for sending cash payments to the US. You can spot Western Union at your nearest post office in Australia or Walmart in the US. However, their exchange rates might not be the best compared to other providers. Or you can use WorldRemit online with your bank account or card. The cash will be ready for pickup in minutes. Read more reviews (above)
For small transfers, we love using Wise and CurrencyFair. We use Wise ourselves for personal and business transfers below $7000 USD or $9500 AUD. They keep things transparent with no hidden fees, and their average transfer fee is just 0.66%. Plus, they offer the mid-market exchange rate without any extra charges and even let you lock it in for 48 hours. You can see your exact fees and the exact amount your receiver will get right now on the Wise calculator here (opens a new tab) – no sign-up required.
CurrencyFair has a limited special offer right now, you can send your first 10 transfers without paying any fees. That’s right, zero fees. Just sign up and enjoy 10 fee-free transfers today. Read more reviews (above)
Best Ways to Send Money from Australia to USA
Cash transfers: Western Union or WorldRemit
Small bank-to-bank transfers: Wise and CurrencyFair
Large bank-to-bank transfers: OFX and TorFX
For large transfers, OFX and TorFX are good options. They are both reliable and secure for sending more than $7000 USD to the US from Australia. Above $9500 AUD or $7000 USD, OFX and TorFX both become economical options. They don’t charge any fees (as long as you stay within limits) but they have varying exchange rate markups instead. OFX’s margin starts at 1.1-1.5.% and TorFXโs at 2%. These percentages decrease as you make more transfers or transfer larger amounts. Read more reviews (above)
The best part is that all these services have multi-level security features and are regulated by various financial authorities, so you can have peace of mind about your money. However, it’s always a smart move to compare their fees, speed, and features to find the best deal for your needs.
Can Australia send money to USA through PayPal?
Yes, you can. PayPal lets you pay and get paid online all over the world. But PayPal can cost you a lot of money, so you might want to look for options that will give you more value for your money.
Can I send Western Union from Australia to USA?
Yes, you can. Western Union offers a convenient, secure, and fast way to send cash from Australia to USA. But they can charge more than digital money providers. It’s best to consider the pros and cons before using the service.