Walmart Money Transfer Review

Walmart to Walmart and International Transfers

With over 5,000 locations in the United States, Walmart makes it easy to send money to friends and family both domestically and internationally.

Walmart offers two options for money transfers: Walmart2Walmart, which allows you to send money between Walmart locations in the US, and Walmart2World, which is powered by MoneyGram and allows you to send money to over 200 countries worldwide. But how do these services compare to other money transfer providers in terms of fees, exchange rates, speed, and convenience?

What is Walmart Money Transfer’s edge? Fast and secure cash transfers in the US and worldwide via money transfer giants like WesternUnion, MoneyGram, and Ria which support a lot of global currencies and payout methods.

In this article, we’ll review the pros and cons of Walmart money transfer service, and help you decide if they are right for you. So, keep on reading to get all the juicy details!

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Walmart Money Transfer Quick Take

Walmart money transfers have mixed reviews. On the App Store, it has a rating of 4.7/5 based on 431+ reviews, while on Google Play, it has a rating of 4.5/5 based on 272+ reviews. Users appreciate the quick and effortless transactions while others have experienced cancelled and delayed transactions.

Walmart’s money transfer service allows you to send money in minutes to the US or to 200+ countries, offers up to 130 currency options, operates offline through partnerships with reputable providers like WesternUnion, MoneyGram, and Ria

💁🏼‍♂️ Clients	Personal
🤝 Transfer partners	WesternUnion (review), MoneyGram (review), Ria (review)
💱 Currencies	USD and many other global currencies (up to 130 currencies)
💻 Availability	Offline
⚖️ Regulation	Regulated in the US
🔒 Security	Licensed financial services, Government-issued ID for cash pick up and setting up transfers

What is Walmart Money Transfer’s edge?

Fast and secure cash transfers in the US and worldwide via money transfer giants like WesternUnion, MoneyGram, and Ria which support a lot of global currencies and payout methods.

1. When Walmart Money Transfer Works (and When it Doesn’t)

2.1 When it Works

Small personal cash transfers in the US: With Walmart2Walmart, you can set up a transfer at a Walmart store for pickup at a Walmart or Bodega Aurrera store within the US, including Puerto Rico, or Mexico.

Send cash worldwide: With Walmart2World powered by Western Union, Ria or MoneyGram you can send money to friends and family in 200+ locations worldwide including India, Ghana, Nigeria, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, the Philippines, Jamaica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Colombia, & many more.

Should you use Western Union, Ria or MoneyGram?

Our pick of the bunch here is MoneyGram which scores 4.5/5 on Trustpilot compared to Western Union at 3.9/5 and Ria at 4.2/5 but ultimately it may come down to you recipient’s location if they need cash pickup and also which services are available at your local Walmart. If you have a bank account you can use MoneyGram directly.

Set up transfers in person: If online transfers feel complicated, simply walk into a local Walmart with a Money Services Center where you can use Walmart2World, Walmart2Walmart, Western Union, or MoneyGram to send money to over 200 countries & US territories.

You can pay for your transfer with cash or a debit card – don’t forget to carry a government-issued ID. 

Accepted IDs include: US driver’s license (including Puerto Rico), US State ID, US and international passport, U.S. permanent resident card, Military ID, Tribal ID, and Mexican matricula consular

Send money in minutes: If you send cash or a mobile wallet transfer, money is usually received within minutes. More on this below (See “How Fast is Walmart Money Transfer?”)

Transfers in major and exotic currencies: Walmart’s money transfer partners support a number of global currencies. For example, Ria supports 60 global currencies, MoneyGram 48, and WesternUnion 130+, which means you can send money pretty much anywhere.

1.1 When it Doesn’t Work

Large money transfers: Ria is set up for small cash transfers with a maximum limit of $2,999. 

MoneyGram has a higher limit of $10,000 USD – but that may not be large enough if you’re sending money for major personal events such as inheritance transfer, sending proceeds from property sales, etc. 

WesternUnion, on the other hand, allows you to send as much as $50,000 if your account is verified but if not, the maximum limit is $3,000.

Bank transfers: While Walmart’s money transfer partners support bank transfers, these transfers can be slower and more expensive (and, there are competitors who can do these better, faster, and cheaper – See “Walmart Money Transfer Alternatives” below).

Savings on fees: Walmart’s money transfer partners offer a lot of flexibility – from transfer speed to payout methods and currencies supported. This flexibility comes at a cost and in general there are much more inexpensive way to transfer money as we show – See “Walmart Money Transfer Alternatives” below).

Business transfers: Only WesternUnion supports business transfers among Walmarts other transfer partners, and there are alternatives that offer better options for paying your business expenses or vendors and suppliers abroad.

2. How to use Walmart for Domestic Transfers in the US (including Puerto Rico and Mexico)

There are three ways you can use Walmart for domestic transfers in the US:

Walmart2Walmart: This is ideal for cash transfers in the US and for transfers to Puerto Rico and Mexico. You can send money from your local Walmart to another Walmart or a Bodega Aurrera store.

This service is offered in partnership with Ria (review), a money transfer company that operates in the US as well as Australia, the UK, Spain, and Canada.

Via WesternUnion: If your local Walmart has a WesternUnion (review) kiosk, you can set up a cash transfer that will arrive in minutes at any WesternUnion agent location in the US, including Puerto Rico. 

Via MoneyGram: Some Walmarts have a MoneyGram kiosk, and you can set up a cash transfer that can be received at any MoneyGram, Ria, or Western Union location in the US, including Puerto Rico. 

Your recipient simply needs the MTCN or Money transfer control number (MTCN) – a unique 10-digit tracking number assigned to your transfer – and a government-issued ID to pick up the cash. 

3. How to use Walmart for International Transfers

Walmart’s international transfers are also offered in partnership with WesternUnion, Ria, and MoneyGram. 

You can set up a cash transfer from your local Walmart to an agent location of your chosen service in 200+ countries around the world. 

You can also set up mobile wallet transfers, ATM payouts, and direct-to-bank transfers by paying in cash or with a debit card. 

What to use and when

If your recipient needs cash, the most important step is to see where your recipient can pick up the money. Ask them if there is MoneyGram, Ria or WesternUnion nearby.

You should do your own research, but in general, if possible, we think using MoneyGram is a good idea due to its higher Trustpilot score which gives us the most confidence you will have a good experience.

4. Real Fees (including Hidden Fees)

The fees you pay will depend on whether you’re sending money within the US or abroad, the service partner you choose, your funding method, and the payout method (cash, bank transfer, mobile wallet, etc.)

Typically you will pay the following fees:

1. Service fee (domestic and international) – this is a small fee charged by Walmart’s money transfer partner and may include the agent fee (a fee to set up your transfer offline)
2. Margin on the exchange rate (international transfers) – Typically, these services offer an exchange rate that is higher than the mid-market or inter-bank rate because they add a percentage margin to it. This is how all money transfer companies make a profit from your transfers. 
3. Other fees (domestic and international): this includes card fees (credit or debit card fees, sending and receiving fees charged by your recipient’s agent or bank, etc.

Here’s a quick breakdown of fees each Walmart money transfer partner charges for international transfers.

5. How Fast is Walmart Money Transfer?

The transfer speed depends on the location, the service partner you choose, and the time of day. 

For example, if you send money anywhere within the US (including Puerto Rico), it should ideally be ready for pickup within minutes.

But if you send cash from the US to India in the afternoon, it’s typically the middle of the night in India. Your recipient will then get the cash in a few hours and not always in minutes. 

Delays can also happen if you set up a transfer on a weekend or a holiday. 

The transfer speeds are at par for most cases, but WesternUnion offers more flexibility here because they let you choose a transfer speed (which also affects the fees) and offer guarantees.

6. Walmart Money Transfer Alternatives

6.1 Domestic Transfers

Zelle – Low-cost bank transfers for friends and family within the US

Zelle (review) is a quick and convenient money transfer service that is integrated into the mobile apps of participating banks across the United States. 

With the Zelle App, both individuals and small businesses can easily send and receive money using only their phone numbers and email address. 

Zelle can easily help you save $5-$25 USD on domestic transfers in the US.

Zelle is supported by most major US banks and credit unions, including Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citi, and USBank. This allows you to instantly send money to people and businesses that you trust. To view the full list of participating financial institutions, click here.

Even if your bank does not support Zelle, you can still use the standalone Zelle app to transfer money quickly and free of charge. Simply download the app and link your bank debit card to get started.

Venmo – Mobile wallet and domestic payments (personal and business) in the US

Venmo is a popular mobile payment service that allows individuals to transfer money to one another and trusted businesses.

Venmo’s main purpose is to make it easy for people to split bills, pay each other back for purchases or services, and generally send money to friends and family.

You can link your bank account or debit card to Venmo, and the service is free to use as long as the user is sending money from their Venmo balance, a linked bank account, or a debit card.

However, there are fees for sending money using a credit card or if the user requests an instant transfer of funds to your bank account.

6.2 International Transfers

WorldRemit – Cheaper cash transfers

Are you comfortable setting up money transfers online? You’ll be able to save quite a bit on fees when you send cash with WorldRemit. 

Setting up your transfer online on their website or app eliminates the extra fees charged by agents at one end, which drives down the cost of the transfer. 

WorldRemit (review) supports transfers to many countries in 130+ countries as well as many payout methods other than cash (bank transfers, mobile wallet transfers, bill payment, etc.).

Remitly – Near instant and affordable cash transfers

Remitly (first transfer free – limited time) is pretty awesome for helping immigrants and their families in over 150 countries around the world. 

Remitly also lets you set up transfers online, which helps you save on fees. You can also choose your transfer speed with Remitly (like WesternUnion), while keeping your transfer costs low. 

For example, Remitly’s Express service lets you send cash and is more expensive than their Economy service. 

However, since Remitly (review) doesn’t charge agent fees or a high margin on the exchange rate like Ria, MoneyGram, and WesternUnion, you will pay lower for your near-instant cash transfer. 

Wise – Affordable bank transfers (personal and business)

Wise is known for its affordable bank transfers at the mid-market rate and with no markup on the exchange rate. 

They also keep their fees low by keeping everything online and having local banks in all the countries they support. 

Typically, bank transfers with Wise are processed within 1 day to 2-3 days, and their fees are approximately 0.35% of the amount – which is extremely competitive. You can read our Wise full review here

Probably the best bit about Wise is their excellent trustworthiness – starting with the Wise calculator, they show exactly what you are going to get including fees and speed. It also helps that they are generally very inexpensive and fast. You average total fees will be about 0.61% compared to the services that Walmart partners with, which can be 8x that!

That said, Wise does not deal with cash.

OFX – Affordable large transfers

Want to send more than $10,000?

OFX is a specialized service for large money transfers (no limits) which lets you send large bank-to-bank transfers from US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Hong Kong to 170 countries in 50+ currencies. 

They offer 24/7 phone support so you can speak to a human in case you have any questions about your transfer. 

OFX charges a flat $15 fee for all transfers below $10,000. But this fee $15 is waived here for each transaction and their margin on the exchange rate goes down as the amount increases. 

This makes OFX (review) great for large bank-to-bank transfers above $7000 USD/£4000 GBP/€4500 EU/$9500 CAD/AUD but they can also handle smaller transfers.

CurrenciesDirect – Best customer support for large bank transfers

CurrenciesDirect have gained a reputation in the US for their exceptional customer service as they offer access to a dedicated Personal Account Manager who can help you with everything related to your transfer – from negotiating better fees, setting up the transfer, the best time to send money, etc. 

7. Is Walmart Money Transfer Safe?

Walmart partners with money transfer giants like WesternUnion, Ria, and MoneyGram which are regulated financial institutions in the US. 

This means they’re required to adhere to the same safety regulations as high street banks.

Moreover, Walmart requires you to share a government-issued ID to set up a transfer and the recipient has to provide an ID as well to receive the money – this makes sure all bases are covered and the money reaches the right person. 

WesternUnion, Ria, and MoneyGram also let you track your transfer after you set it up. 

They also have industry-leading systems to keep your money safe – including frequent transfer audits, not storing your card information, 24/7 transfer monitoring, etc. 

Walmart (and its partners) recommend sending money to people you know and trust only for additional safety.

Verdict

Walmart Money transfer service is a convenient and affordable way to send money to friends and family in the US or abroad. Walmart2Walmart works well for transfers within the US, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. Walmart2World (powered by MoneyGram) allows you to send money to over 200 countries. The fees are not so transparent and exchange rates vary depending on the amount, destination, and payment method.

However, there are some limitations to the service, such as the maximum amount you can send online. Their exchange rate is competitive but not the absolute best. Overall, Walmart Money transfer service is a good option for customers who need to send money quickly especially if they have access to a Walmart or MoneyGram location near them.

There are other providers who are making money transfers more affordable without dropping the ball on transfer speed or customer experience. Our “Walmart Money Transfer Alternatives” is a good place to start.