Send Money from USA to India

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1. 5 Best Ways to Send Money from USA to India (Comparison Table)

2. How Bank Transfers Work

You can use the banks in the US to send money to a bank account in India safely. However, they are generally not the cheapest or the fastest options around. The reason is simple: they use old transfer systems like SWIFT and many third party banks which means they are inefficient so to support it; they charge extra.

To send money to India from the USA using a bank, you typically have to provide the Indian Financial System Code (IFSC), the SWIFT code, and the bank account number of the receiver. Regulations also require you to provide the bank branch details and address of the recipient.

Hare are some popular US banks;

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo has a specialized remittance service for India called ExpressSend. With this service, you can send money from the following Indian banks: Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, or HDFC Bank. There is no transfer fee however if will include a markup on the currency exchange. ExpressSend has a $5,000 USD daily transfer limit. You can also use the wire transfer service but it will cost you more in fees. Your money will arrive in India within five business days.

Citibank

You can send money to India from Citibank’s mobile app or website. The transfer fee they charge depends upon the type of account you have. In some accounts, international wire transfer fees are waived while in others, it can go as high as $35 USD per wire transfer. You can use the mobile app to estimate the costs before initiating the actual transfer. They also apply a markup to USD to INR conversion.

Chase Bank

Chase Bank allows you to transfer funds to India using their phone app, website, or any bank branch. They charge a sending fee of $5 USD for transfers below $5,000 USD. However, above this limit, there is no transfer fee. They also charge a markup on currency exchange. You can check the rate beforehand from the app.

Bank of America

Bank of America is another popular bank that allows its customers to send money to India using their phone application or website. Their transfers to India are usually completed within 1-5 business days. There transfer fee per wire transfer is $45 USD if you send the amount without currency exchange. However, if you convert your USD to INR, then they charge $35 USD as a wire transfer fee.

As you can see from our analysis all these banks, and many others not mentioned here, work almost exactly alike.

On average, bank transfers take 3-5 business days to complete and are often 5-6 times more costly than dedicated money transfer services.

3. 7 Best Apps for Sending Money from USA to India

If you are looking for how to transfer money from the US to an Indian bank account from your mobile, then we’ve got you covered. The following are the best mobile apps that you can use:

4. Best for Cash

MoneyGram and WorldRemit are the best money transfer services for sending cash payments from the USA to India.

4.1. MoneyGram

MoneyGram is a payment service headquartered in the US. The reason for picking them as our best choice for transferring cash from the US to India is their vast network of agents in both countries, which is usually the most crucial factor for cash payment.

MoneyGram has more than 40,000 agents in India and 30,000+ in the US. These agents are located at retail stores such as Walmart and corner shops.

They charge a 0.4- 1.1% fee for USD to INR currency exchange for cash transfers plus other fees related to funding the transfer and if you send cash. Money generally can be picked up in India within minutes of transfer.

The transfer fee depends on the funding and receiving method. Check the website for cost estimation.

4.2. WorldRemit

WorldRemit is a relatively new entrant compared to some other services like Western Union and Ria. It was founded in 2010 and has seen impressive growth since with its total number of users reaching over 5 million this year.

WorldRemit is fully regulated in both US and India. They have official partnerships with almost all the major Indian banks.

In the US, you can use the app to initiate the transfer and the recipient will be able to get the money in India from the partnered bank in minutes to a few days.

WorldRemit charges a $2.99 USD fee for all transfers of up to $5000 USD to India plus they add a 1.5-2% exchange rate margin for USD to INR conversions.

5. Best for Smaller Transfers

Wise and CurrencyFair are our top picks for transferring funds below $7000 USD from the US to India.

5.1. Wise

Wise has been able to constantly push the bounds of financial innovation to reduce costs and improve reliability since its launch in 2011. We think they are right now the best money transfer service in the world.

Wise is officially registered as a money transmitter in the US and India. They have offices in New York and Mumbai so you get 100% regulatory compliance that ensures transparency and safety of your money.

Wise offers multi-currency accounts that support both USD and INR. They only charge an average 0.66% transfer fee. You can also pre-schedule transfers at least 3 days prior to the actual transfer.

They offer the mid-market exchange rate without any additional markup. This is the rate that banks use to conduct business among themselves.

Wise transfer speeds are also excellent. 57% of transfers are completed within 20 seconds and the rest usually take less than 48 hours to conclude.

The best part? You can see the exact amount your receiver will get right now on the Wise calculator here (opens a new tab) — no sign-up required!

5.2. CurrencyFair

CurrencyFair offers competitive transfer services.

CurrencyFair is well-regulated in the US and India. They have partnerships with banks in both countries.

You can also use their internal exchange service but be aware, that they charge approximately 0.1-0.6% margin above the mid-market rate. The exchange rates CurrencyFair offers are very competitive and may be worth ensuring your transfer happens quickly.

There is also a fixed $1.45 USD or 120 INR sending fee for every transfer. Money arrives in India within 1-3 days.

Do you want to see how much money you can save with CurrencyFair? Use the CurrencyFair currency exchange calculator to compare the fees and exchange rates with other providers. You’ll be amazed by the difference.

6. Best for Larger Transfers

We believe OFX is the best service provider for sending large sums (above $7000 USD) from the US to India, mostly because of its fee structures mean you pay less in percentage terms as the amounts increase but also, and possibly even more importantly, their customer service and sign up process makes for smooth transfers.

6.1. OFX

OFX has over 20 years of experience as a trustworthy money transfer service. They have excellent customer service with 24/7 phone support that can be super helpful due to bank transfer limits and extra regulation with large amounts.

OFX’s regulatory compliance and institutional partnerships in both the USA and India make it safe and easy to send big transfers. Cross-border transactions of above $10,000 USD may trigger anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist regulatory laws. That is why very few providers support larger transfers as well. But big transfers are OFX’s specialty.

They charge no sending fee for transfers above $10,000 USD. Below $10,000 USD, they can charge a $15 USD fee per transfer but we organized to have this fee removed so you can avoid this fee – if applicable.

They make money from the exchange rate margin on currency conversion that starts around 1% and decreases in percentage terms to 0.4% as the transfer amount goes up.

OFX only supports bank-to-bank transfers that are usually completed within two days.

7. Cheapest Transfers from USA to India

Cash transfers from the US to India are not the cheapest option. Cash transfers usually have smaller limits compared to other methods such as bank transfers or card transfers.

Additionally, cash transfer companies like MoneyGram and Western Union have to rely on big agent networks. This means investment into equipping, training, and managing them. This results in higher fees being passed on to customers.

New businesses like WorldRemit have reduced costs by building partnerships with existing banks, but because of the involvement of physical cash, they still cost more than digital-only options.

For sending smaller transfers of below $7000 USD from the US to India, Wise is clearly the cheapest option. They charge a transferring fee of only 0.66% on average and offer the mid-market rate without any markup. There are no extra hidden charges involved.

For transfers of larger than $7000 USD, OFX is an excellent option. They have no fee (if within limits) except an exchange rate margin that starts around 1% for small transfers and goes to about 0.4% for larger transfers. What’s more, this margin goes down in percentage terms as your transfer amount increases, so your savings keep increasing in percentage terms.

This has to be mentioned that bigger transfers are often difficult as they involve extra regulations and tax implications, but OFX handles everything seamlessly.

8. Fastest Transfers from USA to India

For transfers below $7000 USD, Wise is easily the fastest for bank-to-bank transfers. According to recently released details, 57% of Wise transfers are completed within 20 seconds. In case of some issue or delay, they never take more than a day or two to complete the transfer.

On the other hand, for bigger transfers of more than $7000 USD, OFX is very fast. They have been around for more than 2 decades and in this period have built a unique mechanism that allows them to move large sums within 48 hours from the USA to India. 

Having said that, if sending cash is your priority, then MoneyGram is the quickest service. The recipient can generally pick up cash within 10 minutes in India after initiating the transfer from the US. WorldRemit cash transfers usually take minutes but are often completed within half an hour. Keep in mind though, that cash transfers cost more than digital transfers.

Service Provider	Transfer Speed
American Banks	3-5 business days on average
	Cash transfers are completed within minutes, others 2-3 days
	Cash pick-up within minutes, others 2-3 business days
	57% transfers within 20 seconds, the rest within 1-3 days
	1-3 business days
	1-3 business days

9. Fees Compared 

Traditional banks can cost up to six times more than specialist money transfer services on average.

For cash transfers, the MoneyGram fee varies with the funding and receiving method. They also charge a 0.4- 1.1% markup for USD to INR conversion. WorldRemit charges a $2.99 USD fee for transfers of up to $5000 USD plus they also apply an up to 2% markup to currency conversion. 

Wise is the most cost-effective service for sending small transfers of under $7000 USD to India. Their fee is just 0.66% on average without any hidden charge or markup on the mid-market exchange rate. You can even freeze currency conversion for 48 hours with pre-scheduled transfers.

OFX offers the lowest cost platform for sending larger transfers (>$7000 USD) from US to India. There is no fee for transfers larger than $10,000 USD and they only apply a currency conversion margin that starts at 1% and goes down in percentage terms to 0.4% as you transfer more.

For a detailed comparison of fees, check the below table.

Provider	Exchange Rate Fee	Transfer Fee
US Banks	On Average 2-5% markup	$0 – $45 (Depends on the bank and account type)
	0.4- 1.1% markup	Depends on the funding and receiving method
	1.5-2% markup	$2.99 USD fee for transfers of up to $5000 USD
	Zero markup	Just 0.66% on avg
	0.1-0.6% markup.	$1.45 USD or 120 INR on each transfer
	0.4% to 1% markup	Zero fees above $10,000 USD$15 USD per transfer on below

10. Requirements and Restrictions

• Usage restrictions can apply when sending money to India from certain U.S. states based on state money transfer laws.
• You have to provide a reason or purpose for your transfer. Most providers check for suspicious activity and may ask for usage details.
• You would need to give personal information when signing up for money transfer services. They usually ask for ID with a photo, social security number, mobile number, and residential address.
• There are limits on how much money you can transfer in one transaction or per year without providing additional documentation. This limit is usually $10,000 USD. After that, extra documentation and special permission are needed.
• Recipients may have to provide documentation in India to collect funds in case of cash transfers.

11. How to Keep Your Money Safe

1. Choose a reliable service – as we have listed above. These companies spend a lot of resources on keeping your money safe.

2. Learn about digital personal security. It’s essential in the modern world. This includes knowing the importance of unique passwords, using 2FA authentication, and keeping the device up to date.

3. Create secure backups of your important financial information and keep them in a safe space. 

4. Before throwing away personal documents, shred them.

5. If you don’t use a VPN then try not to log in to important financial accounts when using public Wi-Fi.

12. Final Word

The awesome part? Both Wise and CurrencyFair have live exchange rate calculators where you can see the fees and exchange rates upfront, with no hidden charges. (Read more reviews above)

We think OFX is the best option for sending big amounts (above $7000 USD) from the US to India. They charge low fees that decrease as the amount increases, and they also have excellent customer service and a simple sign-up process that makes your transfers easy and convenient. (Read more reviews above)

Ultimately, the best service for you depends on what you are looking for and what you prefer. Take a look at our quick comparison table to compare different services’ fees, features, and speed.

Happy transfers!