The method
How it is worked out
True cost = Amount × mid-market rate − (Amount − fee) × rate offered
- mid-market rate
- The rate with no margin, midway between buy and sell
- rate offered
- What the provider actually gives you
Money Transfer Cost Comparison
Compare what two transfer providers really charge once the fee and the exchange-rate margin are added together. The result updates as you type so you can compare scenarios quickly.
Keep in mind
What it leaves out
- Receiving feesSome destination banks deduct a landing fee.
- SpeedA cheaper provider may take longer; the tool prices money, not time.
- Rates moveCompare quotes taken at the same moment.
Use the calculator to compare scenarios rather than as a guaranteed forecast.
About the Money Transfer Cost Comparison
Compare two ways of sending money abroad on what the recipient actually receives. Headline fees hide most of the cost: the exchange-rate margin usually matters more than the fixed charge, and this tool makes both visible side by side.
How it works and an example to tryShow less
How to use the result
Each provider's delivered amount is the sum sent, less its fixed fee, multiplied by the rate it offers. Comparing that with the amount the mid-market rate would deliver gives the true cost, split into the visible fee and the hidden margin.
Example to try
Sending £5,000 where the mid-market rate is 1.27: Provider A charges £3 and offers 1.262, Provider B charges nothing and offers 1.235. A delivers £6,306, B £6,175. The "free" transfer costs £131 more.
Put it to work
Try it on a real situation
Load an example
What moves the result most
Worked out from your figures above. Tap a row to try it.
Who uses it, and when
Anyone sending money to family abroad, freelancers paid from overseas, small businesses paying foreign suppliers and people buying property or a car in another currency.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Choosing the provider with no fee without checking its exchange rate.
- Comparing quotes taken at different times of day, when the mid-market rate has moved.
- Forgetting the receiving bank may deduct its own fee on arrival.
Questions
What does the Money Transfer Cost Comparison do?
Compare what two transfer providers really charge once the fee and the exchange-rate margin are added together.
How should I use the result?
Each provider's delivered amount is the sum sent, less its fixed fee, multiplied by the rate it offers. Comparing that with the amount the mid-market rate would deliver gives the true cost, split into the visible fee and the hidden margin.
Does TechBullion store the information I enter?
The core calculation or transformation runs in your browser. Normal website security and analytics may still record page-level events, but the tool does not need to create a public record from your inputs.
What mistakes do people make with a money transfer cost comparison?
Choosing the provider with no fee without checking its exchange rate. Comparing quotes taken at different times of day, when the mid-market rate has moved. Forgetting the receiving bank may deduct its own fee on arrival.
Is the result guaranteed?
No. Use the result as a practical check or planning aid and verify important decisions with the relevant primary source, provider or professional advice.
Executive Insights
Leaders on this topic
Executive insightProgrammable Money Is the Next Banking Stack. Interview with Gleb Kurovskiy, LuminaryExecutive insightPre-IPO Employees: Sell, Hold or Borrow? Techdollar CEO Terence McMenamin on Beating the Lockup Trap Executive insightThe Secret to Grigorii Danileiko’s Success: Improving the Usability and Reliability of Enterprise Platforms
Results are estimates based on the figures entered, for general information only, and not financial, investment, tax or legal advice. See our terms of use.