.svg)
Overall best way: Wise
Wise scored the highest of the 22 money transfer companies supporting USD to GBP transfers.
In total, Wise appeared in 93.5% of United States to United Kingdom searches.
For a great mix of cost, speed & features, we advise using Wise for your United States to United Kingdom transfer.
How to compare companies offering money transfers from United States to United Kingdom
- Always compare rates
Use our live comparison tool to make sure you aren't missing the best rates to send money from the United States to the United Kingdom. This ensures the best price.
- Choose a provider
Select the company that offers you the best value & options for sending to the United Kingdom.
- Click, sign up & send
Sign up & make your transfer. Your funds will soon be on their way from the United States to your chosen country & currency.
Summary of recent searches
Considerations for sending money from United States to United Kingdom
Always compare ways to send money from the United States to the United Kingdom to get the best options for fees, speed, and reliability.
Our analysis included 22 providers that operate between United States and United Kingdom.
Through this, you get a comprehensive view of all the options you have in the United States when you need to send money to the United Kingdom.
Cheapest way to send money to the United Kingdom from the United States: Revolut
They offer an average fee of 0* USD and exchange rate between USD-GBP that is 0.14% different to the mid-market rate.
In comparison, Revolut is 0.3% cheaper than the second-best option.
To secure affordable and great rates on a USD to the United Kingdom transfer, Revolut is our recommended choice.
*The most common fee applied to USD-GBP by Revolut, based on data from the past six months.
Fastest way to send money to the United Kingdom from the United States: Paysend
Our comparison shows Paysend is the fastest option for sending US Dollar into Pound Sterling 44% of the time. For urgent USD to GBP money transfers, they’re our recommended choice.
A USD-Pound Sterling transfer through Paysend comes with an average 0 USD fee.
To ensure Paysend was the 'fastest' option we compared 22 providers. This comparison was for overall speed of sending money from the United States to the United Kingdom and is a combination of depositing US Dollar, transfer times to the United Kingdom and withdrawal timeframes where applicable.
When speed is a priority, Paysend is the top choice for sending into the United Kingdom from the United States.
Send large sums of money
From the 22 options we compared, Wise offers the strongest all round option for large transfers to the United Kingdom from the United States.
Whatever the reason, sending large sums of money can be expensive if you get a bad exchange rate from Pound Sterlings to Pound Sterling.
As such, we recommend Wise for large transfers between the United Kingdom and the United States.
Tax implications on transfers from the United States and into the UK
When receiving money in the UK from the United States, the recipient should be aware of any legal and tax implications of the transfer.
Depending the type of transfer being received, obligations in the UK will differ.
There are also potential tax reliefs that those receiving money in the UK from the United States should be aware of.
These are:
Type of Income/Tax | Declaration or Relief | Details | Monetary Values |
|---|---|---|---|
Employment Income | Declaration | Salary or wages received from abroad are subject to UK income tax. | Tax rates: 20%, 40%, 45% based on income. |
Self-Employment Income | Declaration | Payments from clients abroad are subject to UK income tax. | Tax rates: 20%, 40%, 45% based on income. |
Pension Income | Declaration | Overseas pensions are subject to UK income tax, with possible exemptions depending on tax treaties. | Variable based on pension income. |
Foreign Investments | Declaration & Relief | Gains from selling overseas assets are subject to capital gains tax, with relief under double taxation agreements. | Tax-free allowance: £12,300 (2023-2024). Tax rates: 10% or 20%. |
Gifts and Inheritances | Declaration | Subject to UK inheritance tax, especially if the deceased was a UK domicile. | Threshold: £325,000. Tax rate: 40% above threshold. |
Foreign Dividends | Declaration & Relief | Subject to UK income tax, with possible relief for foreign tax paid. | Tax-free dividend allowance: £1,000. Tax rates: 8.75%, 33.75%, 39.35%. |
Foreign Interest | Declaration & Relief | Interest from foreign accounts is subject to UK income tax, with possible relief for foreign tax paid. | Tax-free savings allowance: £1,000 (basic rate), £500 (higher rate). |
Double Taxation Relief | Relief | Relief against UK tax liability for foreign tax paid on the same income. | Varies based on foreign tax paid. |
Remittance Basis (Non-Domiciled) | Declaration & Relief | Tax on foreign income and gains only if brought into the UK, with specific rules and charges. | Annual charge: £30,000 (residents of 7 out of 9 years), £60,000 (residents of 12 out of 14 years). |
Reporting Requirements | Declaration | All foreign income and gains must be reported to HMRC via self-assessment tax return. | Penalties and interest for non-compliance. |
Understanding the cost of transferring money from United States to United Kingdom
The total cost of money transfers from United States to United Kingdom is a combination of fees and exchange rates. Get the best of both, and you will be getting a good deal.
The Mid-Market and Exchange Rates: The mid-market rate for USD-GBP is currently 0.7916 GBP per US Dollar. Providers offering services closer to this rate will ensure more Pound Sterling for your US Dollars.
To give a historic average, over the last three months the USD-GBP mid-market rate has been 0.7755 GBP per US Dollar, this has had a high of 0.8023 and a low of 0.7451.
From the 22 companies compared, Wise offers the best exchange rate on transfers to the United Kingdom and the United States.
Generally, the exchange rate you receive on converting USD to GBP will be the biggest factor impacting the cost of sending US Dollars to the United Kingdom.
Fees: Transfer fees are charged alongside a transfer. The company offering the lowest fee is Revolut at an average of 0 USD per transfer over the last 6 months. In all cases, we recommend searching for your exact send amount as fees may change.
Amount Received: Money transfer companies will show you the amount eventually received in Pound Sterling. Simply, the higher the amount received in the United States, the lower the cost of sending from the United Kingdom.
How to find the best exchange rate for US Dollar to Pound Sterling
Timing is essential for sending money between USD and GBP. The exchange rate you secure impacts how much GBP you get for your USD.
Let's dive into some interesting recent trends.
Over the past six months, the exchange rate from USD to GBP has seen some fluctuation. On average, it stood at 0.7755.
During this period, the highest value recorded was 0.8023, while the lowest was 0.7451.
Wise, which is our recommended service to send money online from United States to United Kingdom offers an exchange rate that is only 0% above the mid-market rate.
Want to secure the best USD-Pound Sterling exchange rates?
Sign up for our rate alerts and we'll tell you when it's the best time to move your money from United States to United Kingdom!
Payment options for United States to United Kingdom money transfers
Bank transfers in the UK
Bank transfers are usually the best and easiest way to send money from the United States to the United Kingdom.
By using a money transfer company such as Revolut for transfers from the United States to the United Kingdom, you can send money via a bank transfer while benefitting from lower fees and more favorable exchange rates than you would get from a traditional bank.
Revolut is the cheapest money transfer company for bank transfers from the 22 we compared for transfers from USD into the United Kingdom.
With an average fee of 0 USD to send money from the United States to the United Kingdom, Revolut offers a strong combination of competitive exchange rates and lower fees.
Debit cards and prepaid options
Sending money from the United States to the United Kingdom with a debit or a prepaid card is available through Wise.
Wise is one of the cheaper options for debit card payments for transfers from the United States to the United Kingdom. This cost is against a total of 22 money transfer companies offering this option.
Credit cards
When it comes to international credit card transfers from the United States to the United Kingdom, Instarem emerges as our top choice of the 22 companies offering this service.
Be aware of fees: using a credit card to transfer money often results in a fee being charged by your card issuer. Where possible, we recommend a bank transfer or debit card payment.
Opt for a multi-currency account to receive into GBP
There are receiving fees to be aware of in the UK when receiving international transfers from the United States. These are specific to using a bank account to receive money. Incoming transfers are also subject to conversion into GBP as well in some scenarios.
Bank
Receiving Fee
Details
Santander
No fee
Santander does not charge a fee to receive an incoming international payment. However, intermediary banks and exchange rate markups may apply additional costs.
NatWest
£1 - £5
NatWest charges between £1 and £5 for receiving international payments. Additional agent fees may apply depending on the intermediary banks involved.
HSBC
£4 - £9
HSBC charges £4 for online payments to another HSBC account and £9 to non-HSBC accounts. Their Global Transfer service allows fee-free transfers between global HSBC accounts.
Lloyds
£7
Lloyds charges £7 for receiving payments over £100. Payments in pounds from within the EU to their Basic Account are fee-free.
Barclays
£6 - £15
Barclays charges £6 for online international payments and £15 for payments arranged in branch or by telephone. SEPA payments made online are fee-free.
When receiving (or sending) payments regularly, it can pay to have access to a multi-currency account. This will give you local account details and reduce the time, and cost, of transferring money.
How we analyze the market
We track the cost, speed, and product offerings of the leading money transfer services available between United Kingdom and United States.
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 from United States to United Kingdom.
We also provide unbiased and detailed reviews of all the top money transfer companies. You can use these reviews to send USD to GBP.
For a deeper understanding of our commitment to integrity and transparency, we invite you to read our editorial policy document.
Money transfer company reviews
