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Remitly: The best way to send money to Russia
Over the past 6 months, we’ve tested 2 companies offering services in Russia, and Remitly stood out as the best money transfer company to Russia.
Remitly appeared 354 times in RUB searches, offering a low fee of just $0, 0.82% markup on RUB exchange rates, and fast transfer speeds.
Remitly offers an ideal combination of features, speed, and cost for RUB transfers.
How to get the best rate when sending money to Russia
- Always compare rates
Don't pay more than you have to. Use our live comparison tool to make sure you aren't missing the best rates on RUB transfers.
- Choose a provider
Select the provider that offers you the most RUB and fits your transfer needs.
- Click, sign up & send
Follow the steps & make your transfer. Your transfer to Russia will soon be on its way.
About money transfers to Russia
Consider this before sending money to Russia
Don't settle for the first option. Always compare ways to send money to Russia to find out about fees, speed, and reliability.
Our analysis included 2 providers that operate in Russia.
Through this, you get a comprehensive view of all the options you have when sending money to Russia.
All the ways you can send money to Russia
Due to the current situation in Russia, you don’t have many options available.
Here’s an overview of the options you have.
Money transfer apps
You can use the Volet app (ex AdvCash) to make a transfer to Russia.
This is probably the easiest way. You can use a wire transfer or Tether to fund your transfer, however, wire transfer fees will be higher compared to USDT.
Both options can be used to directly deposit funds to a debit card in Russia.
This option is best if you need to send smaller amounts to family in Russia.
For those sending money from China, you can use Union Pay to make your transfer.
Bank transfers
Cryptocurrency
Cash
The cheapest way to send money to Russia: Remitly
From the 2 companies tested in the past 6 months, Remitly consistently offers the cheapest money transfer RUB to Russia.
Remitly appeared in 90.8% of our searches as the most cost-effective option, being 0% cheaper than the second cheapest provider.
Remitly charges $0 per transfer to Russia and applies a 0% markup on the RUB exchange rate.
For the best value, use a Bank transfer deposit to maximize the amount of RUB received.
Remitly is the fastest way to send money to Russia
Remitly appeared 90.3% of the time as the fastest money transfer company available in Russia.
They charge $0 and add a markup of 0% on top of the RUB exchange rate. This is 0% cheaper than the next best option as of December 2024.
For the best combination of speed and cost, we recommend using a to fund your transfer to Russia.
*This is based on a $2,000 transfer to Russia and a 6-month analysis of our comparison data involving RUB transfers.
Easiest way to send money to Russia: Remitly
Our 6-month analysis shows that Remitly came up as the top-rated provider for transfers to Russia in 96.7% of the searches.
By “easiest”, we mean the service that is easy to get started with, is fully transparent and offers a good balance of cheap and fast transfers.
Sending large amounts of RUB to Russia
Based on our 6-month analysis, Remitly consistently ranked as the top choice for large RUB transfers. They charge $0 per transfer to Russia and apply only a 0.82% markup on the RUB exchange rate.
Whether you’re purchasing property, paying tuition fees in RUB, planning a wedding in Russia, or making business payments, Remitly ensures a smooth and secure process.
When sending large amounts of Russian Ruble to Russia, consider factors like transfer limits, markup on the RUB rate, customer service, and any legal, tax, or government-imposed restrictions in Russia.
The costs of sending money to Russia
The cost of RUB transfers depends on where your location, amount, funding and withdrawal methods, transfer fees, and the markup added on top of the RUB exchange rate.
Exchange rate markup
The exchange rate markup is the percentage added to the mid-market rate (the "real" RUB rate) by the service provider.
For example, Remitly offers one of the best exchange rates by applying a 0.84% markup on the USD-RUB exchange rate.
This means you receive 91.8768 RUB - 0.84% for every US Dollar sent.
Transfer fees
Transfer fees to Russia can be either fixed, percentage-based, or a combination of both.
Suppose you want to send $2,000 to Russia (RUB).
After analyzing 2 services supporting RUB, Remitly appears to have the lowest fee of $0 per transfer to Russia.
Deposit method
The way you fund your RUB transfers can significantly affect the cost.
For example, using a bank transfer can cost up to $9.15 , debit cards can go up to $15.87 per RUB transfer, while credit cards can go as high as $43.78 per transfer to Russia.
Bank transfer is the overall cheapest deposit method for sending money to Russia.
How to get the best RUB exchange rate for transfers to Russia
An exchange rate represents the value of the Russian Ruble (RUB) relative to another currency. Since it fluctuates continuously, the rate you get directly affects the amount of RUB you receive.
Recent trends in RUB exchange rates:
The average rate was 91.8768 Russian Ruble per US Dollar, with a high of 113.1501 RUB/USD and a low of 83.5 RUB/USD.
During the past 6-months, the RUB/USD exchange rate experienced some fluctuations. Ensuring you exchange or convert money at a higher rate would result in more RUB received.
Remitly is our top recommendation for sending RUB as it offers an exchange rate that is 0.84% above the mid-market rate, which is 0% cheaper than the next best option.
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Top payment methods to use for transfers to Russia
Money transfer companies will offer different ways to fund your transfer to Russia. Depending on the service used, deposit options can affect the speed, the cost of your transfer, and the amount of RUB received.
Bank transfers
Bank transfers are a standard deposit method used for sending money to Russia. Almost all services covering Russia offer it.
Bank transfers to Russia are usually cheaper than other deposit methods but can take up to 3 business days for RUB to reach Russia.
Out of 2 providers we’ve tested, we found Remitly to be the cheapest for bank deposits, with just $0 per transfer and a 1.86% markup. This is 0% cheaper than the second-best option.
When possible, avoid using wire transfers over the SWIFT network for RUB transfers. It is slower and more expensive due to intermediaries involved, instead, look for an ACH deposit option.
Debit and prepaid cards
Debit card transfers to RU are usually faster than bank transfers.
Most RUB transfers can take up to a few hours but it can be slightly more expensive.
We recommend using Instarem if you want to use a debit card or prepaid card to fund your money transfer to Russia.
With Instarem, you can expect to pay $12.78 in fees and 0.3% markup when depositing money with a debit card. This is 0% cheaper than using the next best provider out of the 2 companies supporting RUB transfers we’ve tested.
Credit cards
You can also use a credit card to fund your transfer to Russia.
We found Instarem to be the cheapest for credit card transfers out of 2 companies compared in the past six months.
Credit card deposits are usually more expensive when sending money to Russia. For instance, Instarem will charge you $11.67 per transfer to Russia and will add 0.5% on top of the ‘real’ RUB rate.
Cash advance alertYour credit card company may charge you a cash advance fee and offer higher interest rates for international transactions to RU. We recommend avoiding credit cards, and instead opt for a bank or debit card transfer.
Need to send money to a bank in Russia?
You can make international wire transfer to banks in Russia that are not blocked on the SWIFT network. Some of these include Raiffeisenbank, Unicredit, Citibank, Ak-Bars Bank, Home Credit Bank, Russian Standard, OTP Bank, Renaissance Bank and Avangard, Citibank, Unicredit, and Raiffeisen.
How we analyze the market
We track the cost, speed, and product offerings of the leading money transfer services available in Russia.
Our comparison engine and algorithms evaluate providers based on over 25 factors, including transfer fees, ease of use, exchange rates, mobile apps, transfer times & customer support.
We also consider how these services are rated on platforms like TrustPilot, AppStore, and Google Play, giving you a comprehensive view of what to expect.
This thorough analysis helps you get the best available deal - every time you want to move money to Russia.
We also provide unbiased and detailed reviews of all the top money transfer companies. You can use these reviews to find the best service for your needs when sending money to Russia
For a deeper understanding of our commitment to integrity and transparency, we invite you to read our editorial policy document.
Money transfer company reviews
Related transfer routes
Send money from Russia
Staying safe with money transfers to Russia
The key to the safety of your funds is to only transfer Russian Rubles to those you know and trust, as well as using a regulated money transfer company.
All the money transfer services to Russia we recommend are safe and regulated by financial bodies.
If you're unsure about the key regulatory authorities in Russia or your home country, refer to our directory of financial regulators.
FAQs
Find answers to the most common questions on our dedicated FAQ page.
