If you have family working overseas or if you are a freelancer with international clients, you know how important it is to receive your money quickly and safely. The app your sender chooses can make a big difference in how much money you actually receive and how fast you get it. Here is a simple guide to three popular money transfer apps—TapTapSend, Remitly, and Wise—to help you advise your senders on the best option for your needs.
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TapTapSend: The Best Choice for GCash and Maya
If you prefer to receive your money directly into your mobile wallet to pay bills or buy groceries, you should ask your sender to use TapTapSend.
- Why it’s great: It is incredibly fast. About 95% of transfers to the Philippines are delivered in under 3 minutes.
- Fees: For mobile wallets and bank transfers, TapTapSend does not charge the sender a separate transfer fee; instead, they take a small percentage built into the exchange rate.
- Important rule: If your sender wants to send the money straight to your traditional bank account using TapTapSend, they must send a minimum of 50,000 PHP per transaction. For smaller everyday amounts, it is much better to have them send it to your GCash or Maya.
Remitly: The Best Choice for Physical Cash
If you do not use a bank account or an e-wallet, or if you live in a province where you need physical cash in hand, Remitly is a great option.
- Why it’s great: Remitly lets you pick up cash at thousands of partner locations (like Cebuana Lhuillier, BDO, and BPI). They even offer a "Home Delivery" service where a courier brings the cash right to your doorstep.
- Fees and Speed: Remitly gives the sender two choices: "Express" (money arrives instantly but the exchange rate is lower) or "Economy" (takes a few days but gives a better exchange rate). Keep in mind that for cash pickup or home delivery, your sender will usually pay an extra fee, like $4.99 if they are sending from the US.
- Tip for senders: Remitly gives new customers a very high promotional exchange rate and zero fees on their very first transfer. This makes it perfect if someone is sending you money for the first time.
Wise: The Best Choice for Freelancers and Large Amounts
If you are receiving your monthly salary from a foreign client, or if someone is sending a large amount of money to buy property or pay for tuition, Wise is the winner.
- Why it’s great: Wise uses the real, mid-market exchange rate (the exact rate you see if you search on Google) and never hides secret fees in the exchange rate. This means you get the maximum amount of Pesos possible for big transfers.
- How you receive it: Wise can send money to your traditional bank account, or directly to your GCash, Maya, and GrabPay.
- Important rule on speed: If your sender transfers 50,000 PHP or less to your bank or e-wallet, it uses the InstaPay system and will arrive instantly. If the amount is more than 50,000 PHP, the system uses PESONet, which usually takes 1 to 2 working days to arrive in your account.
Summary
- Tell your sender to use TapTapSend for fast, everyday allowances straight to your GCash.
- Tell them to use Remitly if you need to pick up cash at a pawnshop or want it delivered to your home.
- Tell them to use Wise for large amounts and freelance salaries so you don't lose money on bad exchange rates.
