moneytransfers.com

Should You Send Money to Mexico Through Your Bank?

Banks are something of a one-stop shop selling everything from student loans to share portfolios – but when it comes to sending money to your friends and family in Mexico, is the convenience of using your local account enough to make it worthwhile? Our helpful guide breaks down the jargon, investigates the costs involved and explains how banks compare to money transfer companies.

Introduction

The United States to Mexico remittance route is the most popular route for transferring money worldwide, and this means that there is a wealth of options out there Our helpful guide compares the difference between banks and money transfer companies and gives our readers a better understanding of the costs and factors involved in sending cash across the border.

The Cost Sending Money to Mexico Through Banks vs. Money Transfer Providers

When sending money from the United States to Mexico, there are two main costs that you need to look at; the exchange rate margin and any associated transfer fees.

The exchange rate margin is simply the difference between the interbank rate, the rate used when banks transfer currency between each other, and the rate that currency is sold to consumers. Whilst the interbank rate is usually reserved only for big banking corporations, it is typical for most money transfer companies to offer rates of less than 3% above the interbank rate on this competitive route. At the time of writing (Sep 22, 2022) WorldRemit has an exchange rate margin of 0.98%.

Banks aren’t always as transparent about their exchange rate margins as money transfer companies and they are usually only available to account holders. At the time of writing, Chase Bank had an exchange rate margin of 3.10% over the interbank rate and Bank of America had a very high exchange rate margin of 5.73%. This means that when transferring USD 1,000 USD to Mexico you would receive MXN 19,571.60 with WorldRemit and just MXN 18,832.39 if transferring the same amount with Bank of America.

Exchange rate margins are not the only charge that you’ll be required to pay on your transaction. Both banks and money transfer companies charge a transaction fee for initiating the transfer. This table highlights the fees each provider charges for sending money to Mexico via bank transfer:

ProviderCostTime
Chase BankAccount holders receive 3 monthly transfers to Banorte bank in Mexico. Otherwise, there is a USD 5 fee or no fee if sending over USD 5,000.1-2 days
Bank of AmericaAccording to their website there are no fees for international wire transfers (although documents elsewhere state USD 35).1-2 days
Wells FargoFees are disclosed at the time of the transaction but range from USD 35-40.1-2 days
U.S BancorpUSD 5 personal account holders. USD 70 for business account holders.1-3 days
CitiGroupThese range from USD 0-35 depending on your account type. View our Citigroup guide for a breakdown.1-2 days
WorldRemitRange from USD 1.99-3.99 depending on the pick-up method and paying-in bank.Instant

As you can see it is common for banks to charge up to USD 50 in fees for processing a remittance, while the same transaction with WorldRemit has a maximum fee of USD 3.9.

Sending Money to Mexico through Banks Pros and Cons

Pros

Free Transfers: Chase Bank offers three free monthly transfers to account holders sending money to Banorte bank.
In Person: If you aren’t confident with technology, banks offer an in-person service with a cashier that can talk you through your transfer.
Fast: Many remittances between the United States and Mexico are received within two days.

Cons

High Exchange Rate Margins: With exchange rate margins of over 5%, the cost of your transfer is over 5 times higher when using a bank compared with WorldRemit.
High Transfer Fees: With banks charging up to USD 50 to transfer your US Dollars into Mexican Pesos, the cost of your transfer can soon add up.
Lack of pay-out options: With banks you only have the option of having your recipient receive their remittance via bank transfer, whilst money transfer companies offer differing options from mobile airtime to cash pick-ups.

Sending Money to Mexico through MoneyTransfer Providers Pros and Cons

Pros

Low exchange rate margins: With an exchange rate margin of 0.98% on the United States to Mexico route, money transfer companies offer far better exchange rates than banks.
Low transfer fees: The highest fee you’ll pay with WorldRemit on a USD 1,000 USD/MXN transfer is USD3.99. This is ten times less than the fees charged by US Bank Corp.
Fast: Most remittances sent from the US to Mexico arrive instantly.
Pay-out options: WorldRemit gives users the option of choosing whether to send their remittance via bank transfer, cash pick-up, or airtime top-up.

Cons

Limits on large transfers: WorldRemit impose a maximum sending amount of USD10,000 per transfer.
No live chat option: WorldRemit does not offer a live chat channel for customer services; instead, users can use an online form, email, or phone.
The Cut-Off Times When Sending Money to Mexico Through Banks vs. Money Transfer Providers

Wire transfers can take up to two business days to process and can only be initiated when banks are open. Therefore, banks have daily cut-off periods, with remittances received after this time being processed the next working day.

As banks are closed over the weekend, a remittance sent after the cut-off period on a Friday won’t be processed until the following Monday morning. This means your cash may not arrive with your recipient until Wednesday. Any public holidays taking place in either Mexico or the United States can also affect the arrival time of your remittance.

The following table displays the cut-off time for the five main banks in America and WorldRemit.

ProviderCut Off TimeDelivery Time
Chase Bank16.00 (EST)1-2 business days
Bank of America17.00 (EST)1-2 business days
Wells Fargo17.00 (EST)1-2 business days
US Bank Corp16.00 (EST)1-3 business days
CitiGroup17.15 (EST)1-2 business days
WorldRemit24 HoursImmediate

Should You Send Through Your Bank or an Alternative Provider?

While it can be tempting to lump your remittance together with the rest of your banking, rarely does this make financial sense. With banks charging excessive exchange rate margins and high transfer fees the cost of using a bank to send an international transfer quickly adds up.

Banks may not offer great rates on international remittances, but they also face the issue of being far slower than money transfer companies. If you need to send money to Mexico quickly and cheaply, money transfer companies are the clear winner. Why not take a look at our USD/MXN comparison table to find the current best rate.

Related content

Mehdi Punjwani
Mehdi Punjwani
Mehdi is a writer and editor with over five years of experience in personal finance, writing for brands including MoneySuperMarket, Equifax and The AA. He graduated from Brunel University with a BA and MA, and likes to spend his free time hiking, travelling, and reading.