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GBP to USD Currency Transfers
Whether you are sending GBP to the United States for personal or business reasons, millions of international remittances are sent to the United States every year. With an estimated population of 331 million people and the world’s highest GDP, it is safe to say the United States is a global superpower. As the number of money transfer specialists providing services from United Kingdom to United States continues to rise, it has never been easier to send money to the US safely and securely.
Best Providers for Sending Money to United States from United Kingdom
When considering how to send money United States from United Kingdom there are some key aspects of the transfer that will impact the best provider for your needs.
There are plenty of international money transfer providers for United Kingdom to United States. The fastest provider is WorldRemit. The cheapest transfer provider we found is Wise at 1.191559265% Above Mid-Market Rate.
If you’re looking for the best combination of price, speed, and reliability we recommend using TorFx when sending GBP - USD.
This means that by using TorFx for online money transfers to United States from United Kingdom, you are likely to save on transfer fees and benefit from fast speeds - so your recipient will get more money and have it delivered in less time.
Alternatively, if you are unable to access TorFx for any reason, our comparison engine has found WorldRemit and Wise also to be very good options when sending GBP to USD.
If you are looking to make an international transfer, in some cases you might need to know the SWIFT/BIC code of your recipient in United States. If you're unsure what it is, check out our SWIFT calculator to figure out the correct SWIFT code in United States.
The cheapest way to send money from United Kingdom to United States
The cost of transferring money will depend on the value of the transaction and amount of USD you want the recipient in United States to receive.
In order to avoid high fees, you should consider the cheapest way to send money from United Kingdom to United States.
Wise has been determined by our comparison engine to be currently offering you the cheapest rates possible.
The fastest way to send money from United Kingdom to United States
When sending money from United Kingdom to United States, speed is one of the biggest factors you need to consider in terms of the service offered by different money transfer providers, particularly if you want to send money instantly. Currently, WorldRemit is the fastest way to send GBP - USD.
What payment methods are available when sending money from United Kingdom to United States?
Most money transfer providers allow you to deposit and send money using various payment methods, but not all providers offer every option. Typically you’ll find the most common methods are bank transfers and card payments, but many providers also accept cash and some will even deliver funds straight to your recipient’s door.
Sending money to United States from United Kingdom using credit card
To avoid high fees you can opt to use an online money transfer provider such as WorldRemit to pay for your transfer to United States. Our guide on sending money using a credit card has more information.
Sending money to United States from United Kingdom using a debit card
With TorFx you can send money online to United States using your debit card. But before making a payment, make sure you understand all the processing fees in place. Our guide on sending money using a debit card has more information.
Using a wire transfer to send money from United Kingdom to United States
Bank and international wire transfers are the most common ways of sending money United States as they are secure, reliable, and convenient. However, they often come with the slowest delivery times in case speed is an important factor for you. You can use TorFx to send money using a bank or wire transfer at a great rate as long as you’re happy for your transfer to take 1-2 days.
When sending money to United States from United Kingdom using bank account transfer you are paying for the outgoing fees, flat fees, currency exchange rate markup, and sometimes an additional incoming transfer fee. If you do decide to make an international transfer using wire transfer, you might be required to use a SWIFT/BIC code when completing your transaction. If you're unsure of what it is, check out our guide on what is a SWIFT code as well as use our SWIFT code calculator to find the right SWIFT/BIC code.
On the other hand, you usually only pay a sender fee and a small exchange rate markup when using online money transfer services such as TorFx, WorldRemit and Wise.
Considerations for a GBP to USD Currency Transfer
Before sending money to United States from United Kingdom, you should consider the following:
The amount you want to transfer: It is likely that the more money you send to United States the more value you will get and more USD the recipient will receive. This is because any flat fee charged ends up as a smaller percentage of your transfer amount, and also because many providers allow you to negotiate a better exchange rate margin if sending large amounts.
The GBP - USD exchange rate margin: Money transfer providers charge a small percentage on top of the mid-market exchange rates in order to generate revenue. Current mid market rate is 1.197547 and the lowest exchange rate margin is currently offered by TorFx at 1.191559265% above the mid market rate.
Hidden fees & charges: Before sending money to United States, make sure the provider you are using doesn’t charge any hidden fees. Our reviews of the top ranked providers TorFx, WorldRemit and Wise will give insight here.
How to send money from United Kingdom to United States at the best rate?
This one’s easy. Simply use our comparison table above to find the best provider to send GBP to USD. After that it’s just a process of making your transfer via the following steps:
Click “Visit Site” inside our comparison table
Register for an account if required
Input how much you are willing to send
Fund your transfer
Receive & save an email confirming your transfer
How to receive transfers from GBP to USD in United States?
Your recipient has a few methods available to receive your money in United States. These will vary between providers, but it is possible to find services that will:
Deposit USD directly into a bank account
Enable the recipient to pick up cash a specific locations across United States
Deliver money directly to their door
Send USD to your recipient’s mobile wallet
If your recipient is going to collect or have the money delivered to them in United States, then they will usually need the following:
A government issued I.D document
The money transfer reference number
Senders details and the amount of money sent
How much money can be transferred from United Kingdom to United States?
The amount of USD you can receive from United Kingdom will largely depend on the money transfer service you are using. There are providers that specialise in smaller remittance payments, and providers who specialise in larger transfers.
You should also check if there are any government regulations pertaining to the amount of USD that can be received in United States or sent from United Kingdom before making your transfer.
Understanding the USD/GBP rate
In the United States of America, the US Dollar is used in all 50 states, but what some people don't know is that it is also used in over 60 other countries outside of the US. These include Central and South American countries like Ecuador, El Salvador and Puerto Rico. Due to its stability and widespread use, the demand for the US Dollar has been strong and steady for the most part. The biggest highs and lows in USD value on record came as a result of major global events such as the Gulf War, the Global Financial Crisis and during Presidential Elections.
Conversely, the GBP/USD rate, which refers to the Pound sterling as the base currency and the US dollar as the quote currency, is the third most traded major currency pair globally.
Figuring out the USD/GBP rate
We do our best to present the best available currency rates and service providers for every feasible foreign exchange scenario. To find the best USD/GBP rate we conducted a case study, using our comparison table, to discover which companies offered the rate closest to the mid-market rate.
Live rate: 300 USD/215.17 GBP (XE)
| Company name | Type of company | Exchange rate | Difference | Mark-up (%) |
| WorldRemit | Money transfer provider | 210.05 | 5.12 | 2.43 |
| Wise | Money transfer provider | 211.08 | 4.09 | 1.93 |
| CurrencyFair | Money transfer provider | 211.49 | 3.68 | 1.74 |
| HSBC | Bank | 201.25 | 13.92 | 6.91 |
| CapitalOne | Bank | 199.69 | 15.48 | 7.75 |
As you can see from this case study, the best exchange rates on offer are provided by top international money transfer providers, as opposed to banks. In this instance, the markups incurred for services provided by a specialist money transfer company ranged from 1.7 - 2.4% compared to international bank transfer markups of 7 - 8%.