Where the hidden cost lives: the FX markup
1. The visible fee
The fee shown at checkout. Providers compete loudly on this number — it's the one you see.
2. The exchange-rate markup
The gap between the mid-market rate (what Google shows) and the rate you're given. A 2% markup on $1,000 = $20, silently.
Provider profiles: who fits which situation
Speed, limits, and taxes
Speed.
Limits. Every app caps how much you can send in one transfer, and the cap differs by provider and by how far you have taken their identity verification — so check the current limit with the provider you plan to use before you count on it. If your amount is over their cap, the usual options are a higher verification tier, a different provider, or a bank wire.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Why don't you show live exchange rates?
A. Rates change minute to minute and any "live" number here would be stale by the time you send. The same is true of fees. So this page asks you for the quote each provider gives you and works out the total from those numbers — the figures are yours, read off the provider's own screen.
Q. Is the first-transfer promo worth it?
A. Compare the amount the recipient gets on the promotional transfer and on a standard one. A promotional rate may apply only to the first transfer, so the second can cost more.
Q. What's the cheapest funding method?
A. Compare the quote for each funding method. Many providers price card funding above a bank (ACH) transfer, and a credit card issuer may add cash-advance charges; the provider's quote shows the cost of the method you pick.
Q. Is it safe to use these apps for large amounts?
A. The major providers are licensed money transmitters regulated by FinCEN (and state regulators). For very large amounts, split verification-friendly chunks or use providers with high-limit tiers; keep records for both US and Indian tax purposes.
Sources and official references: 12 CFR 1005.31 (remittance disclosures); World Bank — Remittance Prices Worldwide; IRS — International individual tax FAQs. This page publishes no provider fee figures of its own. Provider pricing changes with the amount, the payment method and the moment you send, so get a quote from each provider you are considering and enter those quotes in the comparison above — the page does the arithmetic on the numbers you supply. The World Bank link is given for context: its landing page carries the global average cost of sending remittances, not per-provider pricing. This page is not financial advice, and final pricing is always the provider's own quote. Some links may be affiliate links (commission at no cost to you; the page ranks nothing on its own).