Compare ways to send money from United States to Canada

An exchange rate determines the price you will pay when buying Canadian Dollar. A better exchange rate means more money reaching the recipient in Canada.

The current rate between the US Dollar and Canadian Dollar is 1.3898.

With the USD-CAD exchange rate changing almost constantly, it pays to know the averages to get a better deal.

Waiting a day or two can help you get more CAD for the same amount of US Dollars.

A better option is to use a forward contract can also allows you to lock in an agreed exchange rate between the United States and Canada.

Paying via Bank transfer is the payment method that will get you the best price with a money transfer company. When sending money from the United States to Canada.

OFX is the company offering the best rates on Bank transfer.

Using OFX for a Bank transfer to Canada from the United States is % cheaper than the second-best option in the market.

United States and Canada have different financial regulators and ensuring you fully understand how these work will aid in keeping your money safe.

We’ve put together a directory of worldwide financial regulators which contains details on regulation for money transfers between United States and Canada.

Companies offering money transfers between the United States and Canada have minimum or maximum thresholds on how much money you can send.

Rates and fees for different transfer amounts could change if you pass a threshold - that’s why it’s best to compare USD-CAD rates for your specific transfer amount.

For regular transfers from the United States to Canada, shopping around each time can make a huge difference.

We’ve recommended Wise for sending USD to Canada, because of their combination of rates and fees when sending from the United States to Canada that is the most competitive, even at larger amounts.

Check with the recipient and understand any declarations needed on large amounts of money entering Canada from the United States.

There are different ways to receive Canadian Dollar in Canada. The most popular options are direct bank deposit, cash pickup, a mobile wallet or receiving money into a multi-currency account.

All providers work differently and not all offering transfers from the United States to Canada support every method for receiving Canadian Dollar so it’s best to check ahead of time.

Sending directly to a bank account in Canada is one of the most common ways to receive money from the United States. For most part, this is convenient but does have receiving fees to potentially be aware of.

Wise is the best company for bank transfers between the United States and Canada.

Cash pickup is popular in Canada, but not always supported and can be costly compared to cheaper options.

Mobile wallet or P2P services and payment apps like PayPal, Zelle, and CashApp are popular because of convenience. They come with more limitations and higher costs compared to money transfer providers like Paysend, and are recommended for domestic payments only.

When sending Canadian Dollar to Canada, you will need to verify your ID with your chosen money transfer company.

The documents you need will vary and in some cases you might need more than one.

For the most part, accepted IDs in the United States include government issued IDs such as passports or driver's licenses. If the recipient needs an ID to collect money in Canada, the options are similar.

Large transactions between United States and Canada can be subject to additional checks such as proof of funds for anti-money laundering purposes. These won’t be needing when signing up, but will be need ahead of any transfer.

One of the reasons Wise has scored so highly for transfers to Canada is their easy sign up process in the United States.

When sending money between the United States and Canada there will be tax declarations to consider.

Some transfers into Canadian Dollar may need to be reported to tax authorities in Canada and the United States, depending on size and particularly where inheritance or property purchases are involved.

Tax limits and personal allowances will change in Canada based on age, income and a few other elements - such as whether the funds are a gift. Tax law can be confusing, when in doubt, please contact a tax professional in the United States or Canada to discuss your personal circumstances to ensure you are not missing any specific tax declarations associated with your international money transfer.