Online money transfers are the best way to transfer money to the Philippines from the UK. Using online remittance services offer a fast, cheap, secure, and convenient way of transferring money. CompareRemit is an online exchange rate comparison service, so we understand that you have many different options when it comes to sending money to Philippines online.
It is a tough marketplace with several money transfer specialists - traditional ones such as Western Union and Moneygram are competing with incumbents such as Wise and WorldRemit. How to send money online from UK to Philippines has definitely evolved over the years, and you'll have more options than ever, which is why comparing your options based on your needs and budget is important.
Let's look at some of the top remittance companies and what they offer customers just like you!
Best Way to Send Money to the Philippines from UK
Panda Remit
Panda Remit is a trustworthy and fast way to send money to Philippines from UK with a 100% money transfer guarantee. They are an international remittance company that was founded in Hong Kong by Wo Transfer (HK) Limited. They serve millions of global clients and offer some of the most flexible sending and receiving methods along with excellent rates.
Panda Remit's best features include:
PassTo
PassTo is a cheap and quick way to send money to over 60 countries worldwide from the UK. They offer an easy-to-use, secure platform that only takes a few minutes to download and sign-up for.
Some of PassTo’s benefits include:
Send money from the UK with PassTo today!
Xoom
Xoom is a leading money transfer provider to send money from the UK. It has the best network of delivery options and cash pickup locations in the Philippines compared to any other service provider.
The best feature of Xoom is transfer speed.
You can pay using multiple methods to facilitate your transfer through Xoom - bank account, debit card, credit card, or PayPal balance. Xoom is a PayPal service. So the best part is that if you have an account with PayPal you can start sending money to the Philippines with your PayPal payment options.
Xoom is one of the most reliable and convenient ways to send money with excellent customer support in multiple languages.
Western Union
Western Union is the largest money transfer service provider in the world. It has a large network of agents around the world. In the UK, they have about 5200 agent locations, where you can send or receive money, and in the Philippines, they have over 13000 agents across the country, where the recipient can collect the money within minutes.
Money can be sent both through multiple methods that are safe and secure - Western Union agent locations, website, mobile app or over the phone. If you are transferring money through a storefront via agents, transfer fees start from 2.90.
The benefit is that your recipient can collect the money within minutes through any of its agent locations. The rate and fees may differ depending on your location and speed of transfer.
MoneyGram
MoneyGram International is the second biggest money transfer company in the world after Western Union.
MoneyGram may not always provide the best exchange rate compared to other money transfer service providers. However, they provide one of the fastest and the most convenient money transfer services.
They are over 10,000 agent locations across the Philippines including popular pawnshops such as Cebuana Lhuillier and Palawan Pawnshop that offer international money transfer services including picking up cash sent from abroad.
MoneyGram recently strengthened its position in the Philippines with its partnership with Gcash. OFWs can send money in minutes to GCash mobile wallets in the Philippines instantly.
WorldRemit
The company was created in 2010 by Ismail Ahmed, a Somali migrant while studying in London. Drawing from his experience, he wanted to make money transfers cheaper and improve the experience of sending money for the entire migrant community.
There are four transfer methods of sending money through WorldRemit from the UK to the Philippines - bank transfer, cash pickup, WorldRemit Wallet, or airtime top-up.
While their airtime top-up method is not exactly a money transfer per se, you can send credit/Talktime to prepaid mobiles on the Smart, Smartbro, Smart Gold, Cignal, Globe, and Sun Cellular networks almost instantly.
Their bank transfer allows you to transfer money to any major Philippine bank - Metrobank, LandBank, Philippine National Bank (PNB), Banco de Oro (BDO), and Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
They offer money transfers to the Philippines from the UK at great speed with good foreign exchange rates and low fees.
Skrill
Skrill Money Transfer is an easy to use and quick way of sending money from the UK to the Philippines. For now, they offer money transfers to Mobile wallet and Bank account only for the Philippine corridor.
They charge zero fees when you use Skrill Money Transfer to send money to an international bank account. And Skrill Money Transfer does not charge recipients any fee to receive the money sent. Skrill is one of the cheapest ways of sending money to the Philippines from the UK.
It is a service for money movers and makers. Learn more about the ins-and-outs of Skrill Money Transfer to see if this is the right service for you.
Factors to Consider When Comparing Options for Money Transfer from UK to Philippines
Here are some factors to pay attention to that will help with your decision for which remittance service to use to send money to Philippines from UK.
Exchange Rates
Exchange rates between different currencies fluctuate. This means that the value of converting your GBP to PHP keeps changing.
High exchange rates get you the best value for your money. Since the UK currency to PHP rates change quickly, setting an alert when it is favorable and locking in on the rate can save you a lot of money. When you are alerted, you can convert GBP to PHP to see if the rate is at your liking.
GBH to PHP exchange rates offered by money transfer specialists differ and this is why you should shop around to get the best deal on your transfer.
Transfer Fees
Sending money across international borders comes with fees. The fees can be shown upfront or remain hidden in poor exchange rates. You may need to pay currency conversion fees as well. When looking for the cheapest way to send money from UK to Philippines, you'll definitely want to take into consideration any transfer fees.
The transfer fees vary amongst the service providers and also depend on the transfer amount, the pay-in and pay-out methods, the currency you are using, and even your destination country. Making an informed decision when transferring money saves you money.
Transfer Speed
The fastest way to get your money to your loved ones may not always be the cheapest but it is the best option in case of an emergency. You can opt for instant money transfer which is usually through cash-pick up through a money transfer agent or bank transfer which can take about 3-5 business days.
Based on your requirements, you can compare, narrow down your options, and make your choice.
Transfer Methods
How to send money to Philippines from UK comes down to your convenience. You can directly deposit your money to the recipient's bank account via bank transfer or online money transfer companies or send your money as cash through an agent. Few popular ways to send money to the Philippines are:
Do keep in mind that the cost of transfer will vary based on the methods you use. Using either debit or credit card can also influence the transfer cost.
Remittances put the money into the hands of the people and household directly, lifting millions from poverty, and stimulating economic development - by providing access to finance, improving education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship.
With over 10 million Filipinos working overseas, it is no surprise that the Philippines is amongst the top recipients of remittances in the world. The remittances every year amount to billions of dollars, which adds up to about 10 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). The World Bank data showed that remittance to the Philippines reached $35 billion in 2019.
The United Kingdom (UK) has a thriving Filipino community and the number has been increasing over the years. And if you are looking for the best ways to send money from the United Kingdom to the Philippines, we have got you covered.
Before we go ahead and list the best options for sending money to the Philippines, make sure you have your documents ready before sending money. To save more time and money, follow our tips on money transfer.
In conclusion, there are several ways to send money from the UK to the Philippines. We hope that this article has give you more insight on how to send money from UK to Philippines safely and securely, while also getting the best rates. The best ways would depend on several factors and your requirements - sending money for an emergency or monthly family maintenance or for a big investment, etc.
One sure way to go about is to compare all of your money transfer options and choose the one that meets your needs. All the money transfer service providers listed on CompareRemit are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.