Santander international wire transfer: Fees, rates & limits [2025]
Santander is the largest bank in the Eurozone, one of the largest in the UK, and was voted the best bank in Latin America. In the US, Santander has branches across the Northeast and in Miami, Florida, with an extensive ATM network. If you already bank with Santander and need to send money to someone overseas, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the Santander international wire transfer fees, rates and limits. This guide covers all you need to know.
And, as Santander may not be the easiest option – with no digital payment facility for overseas wires – we’ll also touch on some Santander international money transfer alternatives that may be cheaper and faster, like Wise, OFX or Remitly. Sending money overseas with a money transfer service allows you to transact from home with nothing more than your phone or laptop, and can get you a lower overall cost compared to using your bank. Let’s dive in.
Key points: Santander international wires
| Features | Santander international wire transfer |
|---|---|
| Fees | 40 USD fee to send a payment – compare your options with alternatives like Wise or OFX before you transfer to see if you can get a cheaper and easier deal |
| Limits | Limits may depend on the specific account you hold – check in your local branch to learn more |
| Supported currencies | Number of currencies is not disclosed online – but Santander is a large global bank, and is likely to be able to support payments in most currencies |
| Exchange rate | Exchange rates will be disclosed in branch. Rates may include a markup or margin – a fee added to the mid-market rate for your currency |
| Service availability | Arrange payments in a branch only – no online option. If you’d prefer a fully digital payment experience, consider Wise or OFX |
Santander international money transfer comparison
Santander USA allows only in branch international wire payments. These have a pretty steep fee – but it’s helpful to understand that this may not be the only fee you pay when you use a Santander overseas wire. The full price you pay for your transfer can include up to 3 different elements:
- Santander’s transfer fee
- Exchange rate markup applied by Santander, an intermediary, or the recipient’s bank
- Intermediary bank fees paid to other banks which handle your money on the way to its destination
If you choose a digital specialist provider to process your overseas wire you may be able to reduce or avoid some of these important fees. While different providers have their own charging policies, they can have lower transfer fees and better exchange rates. Plus, as many providers avoid the SWIFT network – where many intermediary fees creep in – you might find you can avoid these unexpected costs, too.
Here are a few providers to compare to Santander before you arrange your next overseas wire. In this example we’re modeling a payment of 1,000 USD to be sent to a bank account in Europe, received as EUR:
| Provider | Total cost |
|---|---|
| Santander | Transfer fee of 40 USD + exchange rate markup + any third party charges |
| Wise | 5.48 USD, without a markup on the exchange rate |
| OFX | No transfer fee – exchange rate markup may still apply |
| Remitly | 1.49 transfer fee + exchange rate markup |
| Xe Money Transfer | Variable transfer fee + exchange rate markup |
*Details correct at time of writing – 2nd May 2025
Santander international wire transfer fees
Santander international wire transfer fees for outgoing payments are fixed for all checking account types. If you have a private client account or a business account, you may find that the costs are a little different, so it’s important to check your own account’s terms and conditions carefully before you transact.
There may also be a fee to receive an incoming wire to Santander, depending on the account you hold and your age. Here’s a summary of the Santander international wire transfer fees you should know about:
| Service | Santander fee |
|---|---|
| Sending an international money transfer | 40 USD transfer fee + any exchange rate margin + any fees deducted by third parties |
| Receiving an international wire | 13 USD Fee is waived for Santander Select Checking or Santander Select Money Market Savings, and for Simply Right Checking accounts where the customer is under 26 years of age |
*Data correct at time of writing – 2nd May 2025
Need a cheaper alternative?
Santander’s fixed fee, at 40 USD, is pretty high. Plus you’ll have to take time out of your day to go arrange your payment in a bank branch.
Instead, consider a Santander alternative like these:
- Wise: Send payments with the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees to 140+ countries, with fee discounts on high value payments
- OFX: OFX has no fee for payments but adds a small, variable margin to the exchange rate used for currency conversion. You can transact online, and in app, with a 24/7 phone line for people who prefer to manage their money by phone
- Remitly: Send money from the US in 100+ currencies with options to deliver to bank and mobile money accounts, and even for cash collection depending on the destination. Variable fees and rates apply
- Xe Money Transfer: Xe Money Transfer is part of a huge global money service provider, which lets you send money to 130+ countries from the US, with variable fees and rates
Santander exchange rate
Santander does not publish their exchange rates for retail customers sending overseas wires online. Instead, as you’ll need to visit a branch to set up your payment, you’ll be shown the rate on arrival and can then choose to compare with alternative services if you would like to. This is important, because each bank or provider can set their own exchange rate which may include a fee – a markup or margin.
Markups are variable and may depend on the provider and the currency pair in question. However, they’re often set by banks at around 3%. This doesn’t sound like a lot but if you send international wires often or if you’re sending a high value payment, it can very quickly become a large fee.
To give some context, here’s how a 3% fee rolled into the exchange rate would add up up for different transfer amounts:
- Sending 5,000 USD – a 3% exchange rate markup adds 150 USD to the total
- Sending 10,000 USD – a 3% exchange rate markup adds 300 USD to the total
- Sending 50,000 USD – a 3% exchange rate markup adds 1,500 USD to the total
Santander exchange rate markup
As Santander doesn’t publish their exchange rates online, to see the markup being used you’ll need to do a quick bit of maths in the branch when you go along to set up your payment.
Take the rate you are quoted by Santander, and compare it to the mid-market rate for your currency, which you can get from Google or by using a reputable currency conversion tool. If there’s a difference, that’s likely to be the margin that’s been applied.
You can also choose a provider which doesn’t add fees to the exchange rate, like Wise, which uses the mid-market rate with no added fees, and splits out the costs of currency conversion so you can see them easily.
Here’s a quick reminder of prices – including exchange rates – for the providers in our earlier comparison for transferring 1,000 USD to Europe:
- Santander: 40 USD + exchange rate margin
- Wise: 5.48 USD
- OFX: No transfer fee – exchange rate markup may still apply
- Remitly: 1.49 transfer fee + exchange rate markup
- Xe Money Transfer: Variable transfer fee + exchange rate markup
How long does an international transfer take with Santander?
Santander does not state either expected delivery time online, but you’ll be able to ask for more information about when your money should arrive when you go to your local branch.
It’s helpful to know that banks usually send money through the SWIFT network. This is long established and reliable, but it isn’t always the fastest option to process a payment. In the SWIFT network, several banks, called intermediaries, may work together to help process your transfer securely.
This can mean the payment takes up to 5 days – and may also mean that additional costs are deducted by each bank providing service as part of your transfer.
Need a faster alternative?
Here’s a reminder of how the delivery times of providers we looked at earlier stacked up:
- Santander: Not specified – but SWIFT transfers with banks can take up to 5 business days, depending on the destination
- Wise: Often instant – vast majority of payments arrive in 24 hours. More information on How long Wise transfers take.
- OFX: 1 – 2 days
- Remitly: Variable transfer time depending on the payment method and destination – some transfers can be instant
- Xe Money Transfer: Variable transfer time depending on the payment method and destination
Santander international transfer limits
The limits for sending international transfers with Santander aren’t disclosed online and may depend on your specific account, and your transaction history with the bank.
If you’re planning to send a high value payment you’ll need to check directly with your local branch to see if you’re able to send the payment in one go. If you hit a limit you may need to split your payment down into several smaller transfers to manage the limits imposed. This will mean paying the transfer fee more than once. Your local branch can help you navigate this.
Or, if you run into a limit with Santander, you might want to check out an alternative which has higher limits and fully digital payment options. More on that next.
Need to send a larger transfer?
Some specialist payment providers also have extremely high limits to support personal and business payments of all types. Here are the limits of the alternatives to Santander we’ve looked at throughout this guide:
- Wise: Wise limits are set by currency, and usually in the region of 1 million GBP or the equivalent – about 1.3 million USD at the time of research. There are discounts on fees if you send 20,000 GBP or more in a month, and currency conversion uses the mid-market rate. If you’re sending higher value payments you can also benefit from dedicated Wise support whenever you need it, in app and by phone.
| 💡 Learn more on Wise large amount transfers. |
- OFX: OFX has no limit on the amount you can send, and there’s no fee to make a payment from the US. Exchange rates include a markup.
- Remitly: Make payments up to 25,000 USD (30,000 USD when sending to India) per payment.
- Xe Money Transfer: Send transfers around the world with a 500,000 USD daily limit cumulatively.
Large amount transfers with Santander
Santander does not disclose account transfer limits online, but it’s likely that some limits will apply for security reasons.
You’ll be able to ask about the limits which apply based on your specific account, when you visit your branch to arrange your next payment.
How to send a high amount transfer with Santander
All outgoing international wire transfers must be initiated at a Santander Bank branch.
Call into your local branch when it’s convenient for you, to arrange your payment. We’ll cover the details you need to have to hand, a little later.
| ⭐ Compare providers to find the best ways for your large international money transfer here. |
Pros and cons of sending money abroad with Santander
| Santander international transfer pros | Santander international transfer cons |
|---|---|
| ✅ Send to a range of countries and currencies ✅ Reliable and familiar ✅ Get face to face service in a branch if you need help | ❌ No digital payment options available ❌ 40 USD transfer fee, exchange rates include a markup, and third party fees may apply |
You’ll need to visit a branch to arrange an international wire with Santander Bank USA. This may be reassuring as you’ll be able to get help from a teller to talk through your needs.
However, it’s not convenient. Plus, the fees from Santander – at a 40 USD flat fee, plus other potential costs – can be high. For convenient, low cost payments you might find you’re better off looking for an alternative like Wise or OFX to avoid high international wire transfer fees.
How to make an international wire transfer online with Santander
You’ll have to visit a branch to arrange your international wire transfer with Santander.
The staff will be able to give you a fee and exchange rate quote, explain the delivery time, and help you arrange the payment.
What information do you need to make an international transfer with Santander?
Before you head out to a branch to arrange your next international wire with Santander, make sure you have the following:
- Name and address of the recipient
- Account number or IBAN
- Name and address of the bank receiving the wire
- Receiving bank’s Swift Code
Countries to send money with Santander
Santander doesn’t state the number of countries or currencies you can send payments to from the US. However, as a huge global bank, it’s likely you can send payments to most countries around the world with Santander, using the SWIFT network. Ask before you visit a branch to make sure the bank supports your receiving country.
How to receive an international transfer with Santander
To receive an international transfer with Santander you will need to give the sender the following information:
- Your full name and mailing address as shown on your account
- Your Santander Bank account number
- Santander Bank SWIFT Code
- Santander Bank routing number – If your account has 11 digits, your routing number is 011075150, and if your account has 10 digits, your routing number is 231372691
Once the payment has been processed it will be deposited to your account. Bear in mind that a fee of 13 USD for incoming wires applies to most accounts.
Santander SWIFT code
You’ll need to give the person sending you money the Santander Swift code – like a zip code for international transfers. This helps to make sure your money arrives safely to Santander in the US, no matter where it originates from.
| Santander Bank SWIFT Code – SVRNUS33 |
Santander address for incoming wires
If your sender asks for your bank address to set up your payment, you can give them the following information:
| Santander bank address for incoming wires |
|---|
| Santander Bank, N.A. 601 Penn Street Reading, PA 19601 |
Santander international incoming wire transfer fees
There’s a fee of 13 USD for incoming international wires in most cases. However, the fee is waived for Santander Select Checking or Santander Select Money Market Savings, and for Simply Right Checking accounts where the customer is under 26 years of age.
Limits for receiving international transfer with Santander
You’re likely to find that there are no limits for receiving international transfers into your Santander account. However, this may depend on the account and your status with the bank – check directly before you receive a high value payment.
Santander customer service for international wire transfers
You can contact Santander customer service for international wire transfers by calling or visiting your local branch, or in the Santander app. There’s a handy branch locator online and in app, and you can also book appointments in advance if you’d like to, to save waiting in line on arrival.
Conclusion
Santander Bank USA does allow international transfers from checking accounts, but you’ll need to visit a branch to set up your payment. Plus, fees are high at 40 USD per transfer, and there may be other costs like an exchange rate markup and third party fees to consider. All in all this may not make it the most attractive option.
If you’d prefer to make a digital payment, you might want to have a look at alternative providers, such as Wise or OFX. Compare the total cost for your payment with Wise and OFX, against the fees to transfer money with Santander, to decide which is best for your needs. You might find an alternative offers a more convenient – and cheaper – service for your transfer.
