Find the best way to send money to South Africa

Sending money to South Africa from the United States can be confusing and expensive, banks can charge over 5% per transfer. We want to help you to find cheaper and easier ways to transfer, thats why our team of experts test, review and rate each provider service to find the best (and safest) options out there. Here are 4 of our experts favourite services, don't forget to use the comparison to find the cheapest deals!

4 of the best companies to sending money from the US to South Africa

Best exchange rate

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Same exchange rate you see on Google with no margins added. Transfer Fees of 0.45% up to US$135,000 or 0.35% above, plus a flat fee of US$1.09. Licensed in each state and partnered with the Financial Institution Community Federal Savings Bank

  • Best rates up to $10,000
  • No hidden fees and charges
  • Super simple and fast to use
Fee free

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A good option for those who can wait 1-2 business days as they don't charge a fixed transfer fee. Rates are on average 0.5-2% more than the market exchange rate or that you see on Google. Licensed by the Department of Financial Services.

  • No fixed transfer fees
  • No minimum transfer limit
  • Better rates over $10,000
Best for over $10,000

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OFX have been around for over 20 years, they offer better rates the more you transfer and have excellent customer service. They offer no fixed fees above $10,000 and a  2%-4%  rate margin. Transferring large amounts will take around 2 business days. 

  • Best rates for large amount
  • Exceptional 24/7 service
  • Locked in exchange rates
Best for small amounts

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Best for sending smaller amounts to friend and family abroad because of their competitive rates, multiple options  for your recipient to receive the money and fast service. Although cash transfers are more expensive World Remit are one of the cheapest options for this.

  • Bank transfer, Cash, and Airtime top-up
  • Funds available in minutes
  • 24/7 customer support

How to transfer money to South Africa in 4 easy steps

  1. 1

    Register for an account with your chosen provider online or on their app in minutes and select the currenct amount you want to send.

  2. 2

    Add recipient information including their bank details; the name on the recipient’s bank account, the account number, the 8-12 Character SWIFT code and address in South Africa.

  3. 3

    Verify your ID. Sending from the US you’ll need a valid scanned government-issued photo ID.

  4. 4

    Pay for your transfer and you're done! Then you can track your transfer until it's received.

For more detail read our guide on how to send money abroad

What to know about sending money to South Africa

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By Justin Rampono Updated March 10th, 2022