Best Money Transfer Apps for Fast, Secure Payments in 2025

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It used to be that when you wanted to transfer money, you would have to go to a bank, credit union or other financial institution in person. Now you can send money — to your friend across the table or your relative across the globe — through money transfer apps on your phone.

Payment apps are convenient and popular. Most adults in the United States have used one, and approximately $893 billion passed through these services in 2022. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, that number should increase to around $1.6 trillion by the end of 2027.

7 Best Money Transfer Apps

When sending money to a friend or family member, you want a service that’s easy to use, protects your information and gets the money to them as quickly as possible. Other considerations include fees and funding sources. So which service is right for you? Take a look at seven of the best money transfer apps and find out.

• Best for simplicity and ease of use: Cash App
• Best for transfer limits: PayPal
• Best for international delivery options: Remitly
• Best for social money transfers: Venmo
• Best for service coverage: Western Union
• Best for international transfers: WorldRemit
• Best for no-fee transfers: Zelle

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the speed, international support, and cost of these money transfer services:

Cash App

• Best for: Simplicity and ease of use
• Transfer limits: Up to $1,000 within a 30-day period for unverified accounts; verified account limits jump to $10,000 per week / $20,000 per 30-day period for sending and $12,500 weekly / $25,000 per 30 days for receiving
• Fees: $0 for sending with Cash App balance or linked debit card; 0.5% – 1.75% for instant transfers to debit card, standard transfers are free
• Delivery speed: Instantly for instant transfers, 1-3 business days for standard transfers

Features:

• Pay for purchases from Square Sellers
• Buy and sell bitcoin
• Invest in the stock market and file taxes
• Partnership with Sutton Bank allows bank-like services including direct deposit and a debit card

Pros:

• Free to use basic services, including debit card
• Cash Boosts (instant discounts with select merchants) available

Cons:

• 3% processing fee when using a linked credit card
• No refunds if you send money to the wrong person

PayPal 

• Best for: Transfer limits
• Transfer limits: $4,000 for unverified accounts; up to $60,000 for verified accounts; $25,000 for instant transfers to bank accounts
• Fees: $0 for standard withdrawal to bank account or linked debit card; 1.75% for instant transfer to bank account or card
• Delivery speed: Up to 30 minutes for instant transfers; 1-3 business days for standard transfers

Features:

• Available in over 200 countries
• Business and personal accounts
• PayPal Credit
• PayPal Later, allowing installment payments
• Buyer protection
• Advanced enterprise and business features

Pros:

• Widely accepted by businesses and individuals, can receive money via paper check
• No charge to send money domestically to a friend from PayPal balance, bank account or Amex Send® Account

Cons:

• International transaction fees can be high compared to other apps
• Sender and receiver need a PayPal account, and funds may be held for up to 21 days

Remitly

• Best for: International delivery options
• Transfer limits: Tier 1, for unverified accounts, allows $2,999 in 24 hours, $10,000 in 30 days, and $18,000 in 180 days; Tier 3 limits are $10,000 for 24 hours, $30,000 in 30 days, and $60,000 in 180 days
• Fees: Vary dramatically by location; China ranges from $0 to $2.99, and the fee for sending money to India can be as high as $3.99. If you send money to someone in the Philippines and the recipient receives it in U.S. dollars, you’ll pay a scaling fee of 0.5% to 1.5% in addition to a transfer fee of $2.99. In Vietnam, the fee to receive money in U.S. dollars can be as high as $94.99.
• Delivery speed: Express transfers within hours, economy transfer in 3-5 business days

Features:

• Operates in more than 170 countries
• Can deliver to the bank or even a person’s home
• 24/7 customer service in English or Spanish

Pros:

• Can cancel or edit transfers before the recipient receives the money
• Free delivery options are available for some countries

Cons:

• Low sending limits
• It can take as much as five days to complete the transfer

Venmo 

• Best for: Social money transfers
• Transfer limits:
• Fees: $0 to send money from a linked bank account, debit card or Venmo balance; 3% to send money from a credit card
• Delivery speed:

Features:

• Debit card
• Cash-back card
• Crypto
• Social platform allows stickers, emojis, and comments
• Links to popular apps like Uber and Uber Eats

Pros:

• Instant transfers to and from your Venmo balance
• Can be used to pay for online purchases from select vendors

Cons:

• No protection for funds sent to the wrong recipient
• Fraud issues in the past

Western Union

• Best for: Service coverage
• Transfer limits:
• Fees: Costs vary depending on several factors, including the country, currency and delivery method. Fees typically range from $0 to $21.49 — picking up the money in person costs more than sending it to a bank account or mobile wallet. Specific fees for individual currencies and countries show when you set up a transaction.
• Delivery speed: “Money In Minutes” delivers in minutes; next-day service is available; direct bank deposits can take seven business days; international transfers can take 1-5 business days or more

Features:

• Over a 150-year history
• More than 600,000 global agents
• Bill pay is available through the app
• Accepts Apple Pay

Pros:

• Fast transfers with more coverage than other transfer apps (e.g., military bases, prisons) 
• Can pay with cash at a counter

Cons:

• Steep fees compared to other apps
• The fee structure can be confusing

WorldRemit 

• Best for: International transfers
• Transfer limits:
• Fees: $0 for mobile deposits and $3.99 for cash pickups; final cost can vary by country and currency
• Delivery speed: Within 24 hours to most countries

Features:

• Available in over 130 countries
• First transfers are free
• Cash pickup option in over 50 countries

Pros:

• Multiple delivery options
• Transparent exchange rates

Cons:

• Fees aren’t always clear
• Some institutions charge additional fees for pickup

Zelle 

• Best for: No-fee transfers
• Transfer limits: Vary by institution; typically, at least $1,000 per day, and $10,000 to $20,000 per month
• Fees: Free of charge
• Delivery speed: Within minutes

Features:

• Owned by seven of the biggest banks in the country
• No fees
• No wait for delivery
• Included in over 2,100 banking apps

Pros:

• Send money directly from your FDIC-insured bank account
• Instant transfers

Cons:

• No credit card option
• Only available in the U.S.

Which Money Transfer App Is Right for You?

The right money transfer app for you depends on your personal needs. Here’s a quick summary of how each money transfer app matches up with various uses:

• Use Zelle for fee-free U.S. bank transfers
• Try Cash App or Venmo for social, everyday P2P use
• Choose Remitly or WorldRemit for global remittances with cash pickup
• Select PayPal if you need higher limits or multi-platform support
• Go with Western Union for cash-based international delivery

Money transfers may not be a new concept, but we’ve come a long way since the days when Western Union wired funds via telegram. Today, sending money is as easy as tapping a few buttons in a money transfer app. But just pay attention to who you’re sending money to when using a money transfer app. If you’re scammed, there’s often little recourse in terms of getting your money back.

Nicole Spector and Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.

Information is accurate as of Apr. 30, 2025. 

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

¹Cash App is a financial platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s).

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