Send Money from Mexico to USA
Best Ways
Cash: Western Union and MoneyGram
Smaller transfers (less than 7,000 USD or ~120,000 MXN): Global66 and PaySend
Larger transfers (above 7,000 USD or ~120,000 MXN): OFX
Cheapest transfers: PaySend for smaller transfers / OFX for larger transfers
Fastest transfers: MoneyGram and Western Union for small transfers / OFX for larger transfers
Best Rates For Sending 1,000.00 MXN to USD
Best Rates For Sending 1.00 MXN 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 Mexico to USA (Comparison Table)
MoneyGram | Western Union | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โExcellentโ 4.5/5 | โGreatโ 4.0/5 |
๐ฑExchange Rate | 1-2% markup | 1-2% markup |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | Depends on the agent | 150-700 MXN |
๐Transfer Time | Cash within minutes | Minutes to 1 day (depending on the service type availed) |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security | Multi-level security |
๐ฌ Official Website Link | Moneygram.com | Westernunion.com |
๐Link to Full Review | MoneyGram Review | Western Union Review |
Global66 | PaySend | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โExcellentโ 4.3/5 | โExcellentโ 4.3/5 |
๐ฑExchange Rate | 0-2% markup | 1.3-2 % markup |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | Variable – starts with 4% but goes lower as the amount increases | 0 – 20 MXN |
๐Transfer Time | 1-2 days | Generally 1 day – 3 days |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security | Multi-level security |
๐ฌ Official Website Link | Global66 | PaySend |
๐Link to Full Review | PaySend Review |
OFX | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โExcellentโ 4.3/5 |
๐ฑExchange Rate | 0.4-1.5% markup |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | Above 10,000 MXN no fee Below this limit 200 MXN fee applies *external fees may also apply |
๐Transfer Time | 1-5 business days |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security |
๐ฌ Official Website Link | Ofx.com |
๐Link to Full Review | OFX Review |
Mexican Banks | |
โญTrustpilot Rating | โAverageโ 3/5 |
๐ฑExchange Rate | 1-5% average markup |
๐ฐTransfer Fees | 0-800 MXN (Depending on bank & type of account) |
๐Transfer Time | 3-5 business days |
๐Security and Safety | Multi-level security |
2) How Bank Transfers Work from Mexico to the US
You can use the Mexican banks to send money to an American bank such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America, or any other bank using the wire transfer option but keep in mind that banks on average are going to cost you 6 times more than dedicated services.
We have analyzed some popular Mexican banks below in terms of sending money to the US.
2.1 HSBC Mรฉxico
You can transfer money to the US using Internet banking after adding the recipient as a beneficiary to your account. You can send money within roughly after two hours of adding the new beneficiary. There is no transfer limit. They offer 2 free transfers every month to Private, Patrimonial, Premier and Premier executive account holders. After the 2 transfers, they charge around 30-40 USD fee or approximately 500 – 750 MXN.
2.2 Banorte
You can use Banorteโs mobile app to send money to the USA. The app is well-designed and comes with all of the important digital banking tools. The fee charged will depend on the account type. They also charge an exchange rate margin. All the costs are visible to you on the app.
2.3 BBVA Bancomer
BBVA Bancomer is another popular bank in Mexico that you can use to send money to the USA. Both the website and phone app provide an online transfer platform. Depending on your account type, you could be charged from $5 USD to $45 USD in fees. There is also an exchange rate margin of roughly 2-3%. Money arrives in the US from 3 to 5 days after initiating the transfer.
2.4 Citibanamex
You can use your account with Citibanamex to send wire transfers to the USA after adding the recipient account as a beneficiary on โBancaNet Empresarial.โ Transfer fee varies with account type but the exchange rate offered usually remains the same for all customers. You can check the exchange rate from the transaction type page after selecting โPurchase or Sellโ.
3) How to Transfer Money From Mexico to the US
There is no one best way to send money from Mexico to the USA. It all depends on your requirements. You can use the banks to wire transfer from Mexico to USA but they cost more than other services.
Cash transfer services are fast but more expensive than digital transfer services.
There are services that work well for smaller transfers while others work well for large amounts.
Therefore, the most important part of how to transfer money from Mexico to the US is knowing the best service for your requirements.
To make this easier for you, we are going to examine some of the best services below in detail.
4) Best for Cash: MoneyGram vs Western Union
MoneyGram and Western Union are our top 2 services to transfer cash from Mexico to the US.
4.1. MoneyGram
MoneyGram is a popular money transfer service headquartered in the US. They have an extensive network of over 350,000 agents worldwide including Mexico and the US, covering the huge physical dimensions of both countries.
MoneyGram agent locations are usually located in stores, supermarkets, post offices, and banks. Despite covering a variety of places their regulatory compliance is excellent.
You can only send cash from Mexico to the US by visiting a MoneyGram agent in person. You would need your ID and details of the recipient.
The transfer fee can vary a bit with different agents depending upon their location. You will also be charged a 1-2% markup on MXN to USD currency exchange.
The recipient can get money within minutes after providing the 8-digit reference number.
4.2. Western Union
Western Union is our second pick for sending cash payments. They are a well-established name in the money transfer industry with a history of serving millions of customers in over 200 countries around the world.
WesternUnion also has a very reliable network of agents in both the US and Mexico along with satisfactory regulatory compliance.
They allow you to set up payments from the mobile app but the amount must be paid to an agent location in person.
There is a limit of $7499 USD that you can send in a day. The transfer fee (150-700 MXN) depends on the transfer amount.
You will also have to pay a markup (~1-2%) for MXN to USD conversion. Money is often available for pick up within minutes.
Winner: Moneygram may save you some money compared to Western Union, but the difference is not very big. Also, Moneygram has a higher Trustpilot score than Western Union, which means more customers are satisfied with their service.
5) Best for Smaller Transfers: Global66 vs PaySend
Global66 and PaySend are two of the best options to transfer funds below $7000 USD or ~120,000 MXN to the US from Mexico.
5.1. PaySend
PaySend is a FinTech service providing money transfer services since 2017. They provide money transfers to more than 6 million customers in over 170 countries worldwide.
They hold electronic money transfer service licenses in both Mexico and the US and therefore follow all of the regulations in both countries. In the US, PaySend holds state-level authorizations.
With PaySend you can only send money to bank accounts in the US from Mexico. There is no transfer fee. They apply roughly a 1.3-2% markup on MXN to USD conversions.
Your money arrives in the US usually within three days. Sending limits vary with the state you are sending money to.
5.2. Global66
Global66 is a Chilean-based money transfer service founded in 2017. Their focus is generally on the Latin American countries. You can transfer money to 65 countries globally including the US.
In the US they are registered as Global66 USA and operate through Community Federal Savings Bank. In Mexico, they are licensed by the financial regulatory bodies and the central bank.
Global66 charges a fee that changes depending on how much money you send to the US. The fee can start at 4%, but it can go lower as the transfer amount increases. For MXN to USD currency conversions, they sometimes offer the mid-market rates without markup but sometimes apply a 2% markup.
In our testing, we found that overall transfer costs are usually somewhere between 1.5-4% range. The costs are transparently shown to you when you are setting up the transfer from the app or website. Transfers to the US are usually completed in 1-2 business days.
Winner: With PaySend, you can enjoy the convenience of simple transfers and fast delivery. Generally, your money can reach your recipient on the same day.
We recommend using the estimator tool of Paysend and Global66 to compare their fees. This way, you can decide which provider is better for your transfer. You can find the estimator tools on their websites: Paysend and Global66.
6) Best for Larger Transfers: OFX
OFX is the best money transfer service to send amounts above $7000 USD or ~120,000 MXN to the USA from Mexico.
6.1. OFX
OFX is a well-established money transfer service that supports transfers of more than 50 currencies in over 190 countries. They offer excellent 24/7 dedicated phone-based customer services that can be availed even on weekends.
OFX is officially registered in both Mexico and the US. They handle extra regulations, related to money laundering and prohibited financing, that are often applied to larger transfers very well.
They specialize in recurring transfers and offer you the ability to schedule regular payments and even lock in exchange rates in advance. In our experience, most transfers are completed within three days.
They charge a fee of 200 MXN for transfers below 10,000 MXN, however, we have arranged to have this fee removed (opens a new tab), so we can avoid this fee altogether. Moreover, OFX makes money from charging you around 0.4-1.5% markup on MXN to USD currency conversions. This markup range is only applicable to larger transfers. The markup applied decreases as the amount to be transferred increases.
7) Cheapest Way to Send Money from Mexico to the US
If your top priority is to find the cheapest option to transfer money from Mexico to the US then cash transfer services are perhaps not something you should be using. Cash transfer services like MoneyGram and Western Union have to rely on big networks. Building and maintaining these networks involves extra costs that often are recovered in higher fees.
In recent years more competition in the cash transfer market has helped bring costs down but they are still nowhere near what other digital transfer services are offering.
What’s more, cash transfers also have small limits and are not suitable for recurring payments.
For sending small sums of below 7,000 USD (~120,000 MXN) from Mexico to the US, PaySend usually offers the cheapest service. They donโt charge you a transfer fee. You only pay an MXN to USD exchange margin that ranges around 1.3-2%.
Global66 can be cheaper for transfers above 9,000 MXN because the transfer fee is only 2% of the amount sent and they offer a mid-market exchange rate. However, this does not happen consistently. Sometimes, they add a margin on the exchange rates.
For large transfers of above 7,000 USD or ~ 120,000 MXN from Mexico to the US, OFX is the cheapest option. They donโt have a sending fee instead you pay a markup on exchange rate conversion. This markup starts at around 1.5% and goes down in percentage terms to roughly 0.4% as the transfer amount goes up. So your savings keep increasing with an increase in the transfer amount.
That said, these rates are only for sizeable sums. The rates could be higher if you try to send smaller amounts.
Besides this, with OFX you also get free 24/7 phone support and the ability to schedule recurring payments.
8) Fastest Transfers from Mexico to USA
If speed is your priority (over the cost), then cash transfer services are usually faster than other options because the amounts involved are usually small and they have big networks of agents. MoneyGram cash transfer from Mexico can generally be received from an agent in the US after 10 minutes to half an hour. Western Union‘s money-in-minutes service can generally deliver money within minutes, but it may cost more than other options.
For smaller transfers of up to ~120,000 MXN (7,000 USD), PaySend normally is the fastest service around. Most of their transfers are completed within 1 day. Global 66 may take 1-3 days. However, the percentage of transfers getting completed earlier is higher for PaySend.
For transfers of above ~120,000 MXN (7,000 USD), OFX is the fastest service. Most of their transfers are completed within 48 hours and in case of delay (depending on the receiving bank) they mostly donโt take more than 5 days. OFXโs 24/7 dedicated phone-based customer support can be of help as well in case you need your money to get through within a specific time limit.
Check the below table for a detailed transfer time comparison.
Service Name | Transfer Time |
Mexican Banks | 3-5 days on average |
Mostly within 10 minutes | |
Usually in less than 30 minutes | |
1-3 business days | |
1-3 business days | |
1-5 business days |
9) Fees Compared
Mexican banksโ fees for transfers to the US are often six times higher than the dedicated money transfer services.
Cash transfer services fees are generally lower than banks but higher than other digital-only services. MoneyGram sending fee in Mexico can be obtained from the agent location and can vary a bit depending on the location of the agent. You also have to pay for the markup on currency conversion.
Western Union’s fee for cash transfers is generally 150-700 MXN. The exact fee depends on the amount of transfer. There is also an exchange rate markup of 1-2%. For both MoneyGram and Western Union, only cash is allowed as a funding method that must be paid to an agent in person.
For transfers of below 120,000 MXN (7,000 USD), PaySend fees are the most competitive. They have no transfer fee for transfers from Mexico. You are only charged a 1.3-2% exchange rate markup. You can only transfer money to bank accounts in the US though.
Global66 can be competitive but they lack consistency in their fees. Sometimes they charge a 2% currency exchange margin while on other occasions, they offer a mid-market exchange rate without a margin. They also charge a variable transfer fee.
As for transfers of above 120,000 MXN (7,000 USD), OFX offers excellent terms. You donโt have to pay a transfer fee. They only charge a markup on currency conversion that starts at about 1.5% and goes down in percentage terms to as low as 0.4% as you transfer more. They also offer special discounted markup rates to their high-value customers.
Have a look at the below table for a detailed transfer fee and exchange rate analysis.
Transfer Service | Transfer Fee | Exchange Rate |
Mexican banks | 0-800 MXN (Depends on bank & account type) | 1-5% average markup |
Depends on the agent | 1-2% markup | |
150-700 MXN | 1-2% markup | |
Zero | 1.3-2 % markup | |
Variable (starts with 4% but goes lower as the amount increases) | 0-2% markup | |
No fee above 10,000 MXN 200 MXN for transfers below 10,000 MXN *external fees may also apply | 0.4-1.5% markup |
10) Requirements and Restrictions
In the US, states also have their financial regulations. Make sure your provider works in the state you are sending money to. For instance, with PaySend the amount a user can receive in the US varies from state to state.
For sending and receiving cash, an ID requirement is necessary. The receiver is also asked for the reference number.
For transfers of above 7,000 USD, you could be asked for extra documentation to cover money laundering regulations.
In most cases, you would have to give a reason for the transfer. This is done because most money transfer services have to comply with suspicious activity regulations.
11) How to Keep Your Money Safe
- Only go with a dependable service from the above-mentioned list. All the services listed are safe and well-regulated.
- Keep your digital devices such as personal computers and mobile phones updated to the latest software versions.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all of your monetary apps. After enabling, you would get a second code on your phone as confirmation before login each time.
- Do not use easy-to-guess passwords. Install a trustworthy password manager to generate and store your passwords.
- If you are not sure that a link or an email is from an official source then donโt click on it.
12) Final Word
When you want to send money from Mexico to the US, you’ve got choices. One is using your bank, but we don’t personally use that because of the high fees. The other option is using an international money transfer service.
For cash pick-up, you can choose MoneyGram or Western Union. These two are the go-to services for sending cash from Mexico to the US. They have a bunch of locations in both countries. However, they don’t do online transfers from Mexico; it’s all in-person. Read more (above)
If speed matters more to you than cost, these cash transfer services are usually faster than other options, especially for small amounts. With MoneyGram, you can usually get your cash in the US within 10 minutes to half an hour. Western Union‘s money-in-minutes service is also quick, but it might cost a bit more.
These services have sending limits though. If you’re looking to save on fees for transfers under $7000 USD or 120,000 MXN, you can try Global66 and PaySend. PaySend can be inexpensive, with no transfer feeโjust a margin on the exchange rate, usually around 1.3-2%.
On the other side, Global66 can be a better deal for transfers over 9,000 MXN because the fixed fee is lowered to 2% of the amount sent, and they use a mid-market exchange rate. But, gotta be real, sometimes they throw in a margin on the exchange rates. Read more (above)
Best Ways to Send Money from Mexico to USA
Cash transfers: Western Union or MoneyGram
Small bank-to-bank transfers: PaySend or Global66
Large bank-to-bank transfers: OFX
So, keep an eye out for any discount codes or promosโthey can help cut down the cost of sending your money.
For big transfers over $7000 USD or 120,000 MXN from Mexico to the US, OFX can be a good option. No sending fee for transfers above 10,000 MXN, but you pay a markup on the exchange rate, starting at about 1.5% and dropping as the transfer amount goes up. So, the more you send, the more you save. Read more reviews (above)
If safety is your top concern, the providers mentioned above are all regulated by different financial institutions and should be secure for sending money to USA.
Check our comparison table (above) for an easy comparison of different providers.