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Find the best way to transfer money to the USA
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Key takeaways
- Money transfer specialists typically offer better exchange rates and lower fees than major Australian banks.
- Select a provider based on your transfer amount and speed; Wise or Remitly for small transfers, TorFX or OFX for large.
- Consider using forex tools like limit orders if current AUD/USD exchange rates are not favourable.
Whether you're sending money to the United States for personal or business reasons, bypassing banks in favour of a money transfer provider is a smart move. Research by the ACCC reveals that the big four banks often charge higher fees compared to money transfer specialists, which tend to offer more favourable USD exchange rates.
The providers we compare for this corridor include Wise, OFX, TorFX, Remitly, SingX and Ria Money Transfers. Fees and exchange rate margins change often, so use the comparison table below to see which works out cheapest for the amount you're sending. Need a fast transfer? Remitly, Wise, SingX and Ria all list transfers arriving within minutes.
Best ways to send money to the US from Australia
The best way to send money to the United States depends on your payment method, the amount and how fast you need it to arrive.
- Online money transfer provider. When sending Australian dollars or US dollars, money transfer specialists typically offer better rates and cheaper fees than a local bank. Providers add a markup ranging from 0.4% to 3% onto the real exchange rate.
- Bank transfer. Bank transfers are an easy way to transfer money but charge extra for the convenience and are often slower. Based on our research, ANZ adds a markup of 2.83% when exchanging AUD to USD and CBA adds a markup of around 4.10% to the mid-market rate.
- Cash pickup. If you need your money to arrive quickly, doing a cash pickup with Western Union gives your recipient instant access to the money you've sent to their agent location. MoneyGram and Ria Money Transfers also offer cash pickup, with agent networks of more than 440,000 and 507,000 locations worldwide.
- PayPal. Although PayPal is more known for digital payments, it also allows users to transfer money overseas. They charge relatively expensive fees, making them only suitable for transferring small amounts.
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How we picked these
Finder Score for money transfer
We review money transfer providers for different features to assign them a score out of 10. The higher the score, the more competitive the product.
Cheapest way to send money to the US
Specialist money transfer providers are typically cheaper than a bank transfer to the United States. The ACCC's foreign currency conversion services inquiry found the big four banks were the most expensive way to send money overseas. Among the providers in our table, TorFX, Send Payments and Remitly list no transfer fee when you pay by bank transfer.
Before transferring money, it's more important to look at the overall cost of your transfer. This has a couple of elements:
- Transfer fees. While still cheaper than your Australian bank, some money transfer services charge either a fixed or percentage-based fee for making your transfer.
- Exchange rates. Another way money transfer providers make money is adding a margin to the mid-market AUD/USD exchange rate.
Certain services may give the mid-market rate but add fees on top. Others may have low fees but apply a markup on the AUD/USD exchange rate. Also, check your provider is on AUSTRAC's remittance sector register, and where it deals in financial products, that it holds an AFS licence from ASIC. Registration is a legal requirement, not a guarantee of service quality.
Finder Survey
In a Finder survey of 1,100 Australians in December 2023, over 57% said they were worried about a weak Australian dollar. North America was the 3rd most popular destination for international transfers at 11.11%, behind Europe and Asia.
Speaking in 2024, when the Australian dollar was worth about 66.7 US cents, Finder's Taylor Blackburn described his own experience:
Our expert says
"I used to use OFX to transfer money from Australia to the US. This product seems best suited for people who are doing larger transfers as they remove the fee if you send more than $10K AUD. As someone with a mortgage to pay in USD but who gets paid in AUD, I have to send money back from time to time to cover housing expenses. The cost of sending is usually 1 penny on the exchange rate, so if the AUD is fetching 66.7 USD, OFX will allow me to transfer for 65.7. It's been reliable and since I've made many transfers, it is relatively easy. Through comparing on Finder, I can see that there are a cheaper options like Wise which will save me around $70 USD each transfer of $10K, which is well worth the admin of setting up a new account."
Fastest way to send money to the US
Actual transfer times from Australia to the United States can depend on several factors including transfer amount, payment method and currency.
Here are some of the fastest transfer speeds to the United States:
- Remitly — within minutes
- Wise — within minutes
- SingX — within minutes
How to send money to a US bank account from Australia
To transfer money, you'll need the necessary documentation, your recipient's details and a way to pay.
- Compare your options.Use our table to find a money transfer provider that sends funds to the United States. One may be better for cash pickups while another may suit a bank transfer. Once you've found the best one for your requirements, click "Go to site".
- Create an account.Sign up with your email address, some services will allow you to login via a Google or Facebook account. To complete KYC, provide your name, address, contact details and proof of ID. Fund your account with a bank transfer, POLi, PayID, or a debit or credit card.
- Provide your recipient's details.Enter your recipient's name and contact information. If you're sending straight to their American bank account, you'll need the account number, SWIFT or IBAN plus the bank branch's address.
- Enter your transfer amount.Check you're happy with the fees, exchange rates and transfer speed, then enter the amount. Double-check the total US dollars your recipient gets.
- Complete your transfer.Press send and keep your transaction reference number safe so you can track your transfer. Your recipient may need it too.
Large money transfers
If you need to make a sizable money transfer, consider using a provider such as TorFX or OFX to secure a better exchange rate and benefit from its expertise handling large transactions.
Using a large transfer specialist can have the following advantages:
- Account manager. Some money transfer providers assign a personal account manager who can help and advise you on your transfer needs.
- Forex tools. Advanced tools such as forward contracts, limit orders and stop-loss orders can help you lock in the USD exchange rate you want.
- Tax guidance. Large transfers may have tax implications for you or your recipient. A transfer specialist can help get you up to speed on the Australian Taxation Office's latest advice.
- Phone service. If you want to talk your transfer through with someone, providers such as TorFX and OFX can give you support over the phone.
Is now a good time to send money to the US?
As at 9 September 2026, $1 AUD bought 0.7232 USD, according to Reserve Bank of Australia data. The dollar has strengthened through 2026 after the RBA raised the cash rate in February, March and May to 4.35% and held it there since 12 August 2026. Over the five years to September 2026 the AUD traded between roughly 0.62 and 0.75 USD, so the current rate sits in the upper part of that range.
Finder does not publish an AUD/USD forecast, and bank forecasts are revised often, so check the publication date on any prediction before you act on it. Trying to predict the right time to transfer money is challenging in any environment. If you're unhappy with the current AUD/USD rate, forex tools such as a limit order or forward contract could help you get a better exchange rate.
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What’s the cheapest and fastest way that my family can send money from Melbourne to California? Please give me the most trusted site.
Hello Marie,
Thank you for your comment.
You may want to check our guide on how to send money to the USA to compare other services and to know the steps on how to send money to the USA online.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
I have actual US dollars (hard currency) that I want to send to someone in the USA. Thus, I don’t need to change Australian dollars into US dollars. Does any company allow this, noting that they usually probably make their profit from the exchange rate.
Hi Darrel,
Thank you for your inquiry.
While there are services on this page that allow USD to USD transfers, they implement an exchange rate which you can compare or the amount received on the table.
Another factor to consider is the transfer fee which can reduce the value of the amount transferred.
You may opt to reach out to the services directly if you have any further concerns.
I hope this helps.
Best,
Maria
If I send money to China by using citibank plus account, how much total cost would expect?Citibank doesn’t charge but receiving bank or intermediary bank charge for the service. Say, Today I send money US$1000 to Bank of China. How much I have to send AU$ to receiver side to get US1000?
Hi Wolfgang,
Thank you for reaching out.
Please visit our guide to sending money to China from Australia to find more information including fees and exchange rates for multiple money transfer services.
Please ensure to read through the relevant product disclosure statement and terms and conditions to ensure that you got everything covered before you initiate a money transfer.
Regards,
Jodie