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Designed to be an easy-to-use, low-cost online remittance service, bridge21 focuses on facilitating money transfers from the United States to Mexico via bank-to-bank deposits. In this review of the company we will evaluate their international money transfer service comparing it with alternatives in the money transfers market. We will cover factors such as coasts, transfer speed, unique selling functionality, mobile app features, and much more.
About bridge21
bridge21 was founded in 2014 and its headquarters are located in Denver, Colorado. The company supports customers who are looking to transfer money from banks in the United States to banks in Mexico. bridge21 permits remittances ranging from $5 to $25,000. Low fixed fees are one of the unique selling points cited by users of bridge21, however, the only available transfer route supported by bridge21 is between the USA and Mexico and this limited global coverage is restricting for most customers. We will take a closer look at how bridge21 works to discover if they are a cost-effective, time-efficient and trustworthy company.
bridge21 Exchange Rates, Fees, and Costs
In this section we will evaluate the exchange rates and transfer fees offered by bridge21, to determine the quality of this cross-border payments platform.
Exchange Rate
bridge21 applies the “Bridge Rate” - a type of proprietary algorithm - when calculating currency conversion rates. The FX widget found on the bridge21 website displays the exact mid-market exchange rate as well as any savings made by using the operator. Customers can preview the rate before sending money to determine if it is a competitive rate.
Transfer Fees
bridge21 applies a flat-fee of 1% for transfers of all sizes. This is relatively low and is a favorable fee structure for smaller transfers. For instance, customers sending $20.00 to Mexico will pay a fee of $2.00. The 1% fee appears to be an introductory offer, and may be subject to change in the future.
Additional Fees
there appears to be no other features to take note of when sending money with bridge21.
Top Destinations for Sending Money With bridge21
The global coverage of a money transfer service is one of the most imperative parts of deciding whether a provider is suited to your needs. For this reason, we will be exploring the supported countries. where you can send money with bridge21. By doing this, we can determine any limitations of the service. Unfortunately, bridge21 only facilitates money transfers to Mexico from the US.
If you want to send money to other countries, you will need to look elsewhere. We would recommend global money transfer service Xe, a provider with a vast network of over 170+ destination countries. The Xe website also supports multiple languages, which is ideal for Mexican customers that need help with international transfers.
Pros and Cons of Using bridge21
It is important to consider the pros and cons of every money transfer company to get a balanced overview of the service. This will help you decide if the provider supports your cross-border financial requirements and offers competitive rates.
- Affordable fees: the flat fee of 1% is competitively low, especially when compared to banks. However, bridge21 is new to the market and this is an introductory offer, so once they have a bigger customer base this fee might be increased
- Low minimum transfer limit: the minimum amount you can send is just $5 which gives users more flexibility and allows them to make transfers based on their unique needs. Furthermore, due to the percentage-based fee structure, bridge21 makes it easy for customers to send small, regular transfers overseas
- Customer service: bridge21 employs a helpful team of customer service agents that walk users through each step of a transfer, if they are experiencing difficulties. This attentive approach helps customers sending their first transfer and stops them feeling overwhelmed
- Country limitation: the biggest drawback of bridge21 is the restricting network coverage; you can only send money to Mexico from the US. Customers that have no intention of sending money to Mexico will have no reason to use bridge21
- No mobile app: most competitors offer mobile services to improve accessibility for their customer base, but bridge21 is yet to bring out a mobile version of the platform
What Type of Transfers Can You Make With bridge21?
bridge21 exclusively offers bank-to-bank transfers using the ACH (Automated Clearing House) network. This low-cost transfer type is one of the reasons why bridge21 needs only charge a fee of 1%. ACH payments are processed based on the time of the day that the transaction was initiated. This means these types of transfers can take up to 3 business days to process. As a batch-based transfer system - whereby payments need to wait until the entire batch of transactions is due for processing - means these transactions can take up to 3 business days to be executed.
How Long Will It Take to Receive Money Using bridge21
One of the key factors to address when evaluating a money transfer service is speed. Multiple specialist providers deliver fast turnaround which means companies like bridge21 have high standards to contend with.On average, bridge21 transfers take 1 - 2 business days; 3 days is the maximum time frame. This speed is based on the standard processing times provided by the ACH payments network, which does not allow for same-day transfers. If this is too slow, we recommend alternatives such as Wisewho offer faster delivery.
What Payment Methods Can I Use When Sending Money With bridge21?
If your preferred payment method of choice is not available, you will want to rule out this money transfer operator as early on as possible.bridge21 payment methods are very limited since you can only use US bank accounts to settle a transfer. Customers who do not have or want to open a US bank account cannot make transfers using bridge21. These customers are better off exploring the services offered by specialist transfer companies like TorFX; this company accepts numerous methods of payments.
What Are the Best Reasons to Use bridge21?
Next we will look at the top reasons to use this money transfer service to help our users decide if this is the right choice for their needs.
bridge21 is a specialist company tailor-made for customers who need to transfer funds from the US to Mexico. Individuals using this service will receive specialised features not offered by other companies serving this transfer route, such as Spanish customer service and Mexican Pesos.
Further to this, bridge21 focuses on delivering low-cost fees by utilising the ACH payments network. Also, the small percentage-based fee structure and low transfer minimum ($5.00) makes this a great option for customers sending small or mid-sized sums of money on a recurring or frequent basis.
Finally, bridge21 customer service offers assistance in Spanish to suit Mexican customers that require translation services.
Can I Trust bridge21?
We want to protect our readers’ hard-earned money, and the best way to do this is by investigating the legitimacy of every company we review, to determine if using them to send money is a smart move.
bridge21 uses ACH transfers, a reliable and secure payment network used by banks and other financial institutions for over 50 years. It was established in the 1970s and since then has upgraded security measures to meet modern demands. The layers of encryption and validation technologies ensure transfers are generally processed without hiccups.
bridge21 also uses SSL encryption across their website to protect customer data and keep funds safe. This sophisticated data protection deters hackers from trying to access personal details found on their website.Customer service is another highlight of bridge21 and contributes to their reputation as a trustworthy brand. The available methods of contact include live chat and email, as well as a detailed FAQ section that provides instant answers to commonly asked questions.
What Do Users Have to Say About bridge21?
Before initiating an overseas payment, consider what other customers are saying about the service you intend to use. We have researched bridge21 to find out if their use base is happy with the quality of these international money transfers.
bridge21 has attracted largely positive feedback from customers, however, as a relatively small company there are not a huge number of reviews posted online. Some of the satisfied customers mention the lack of roadblocks when sending money to friends and family in Mexico, and helpful, friendly customer service agents.
However, one user noted that the currency exchange rates are quick to change: this could be explained by the fact the Bridge Rate algorithm works in real-time to offer the most up to date rates.
Sending Money With bridge21
Sign Up for an Account via the bridge21 Website
Log in and Enter the Recipient’s Mexican Bank Details
Choose the Amount You Want to Transfer
Before Confirming, Review the Exchange Rate and Recipient Details in Full
Receiving Money With bridge21
Recipients of bridge21 money transfers must be able to provide the following information:
Bank details for a Mexican bank account
CLABE number as per your Mexican bank account
Photo ID issued by the relevant authorities
Does bridge21 Have a Mobile App?
bridge21 is one of the rare money transfer services that does not offer a mobile app for international transfers which is a big disadvantage because many customers enjoy the convenience of using a smartphone or mobile device to make transfers on the go.
However, many competitors offer digital payment platforms, delivered via high-quality mobile apps. XE is one operator with a high-quality and intuitive mobile app that supports international transfers to 200 countries.
