A low advertised fee does not tell you how much money will arrive. Compare quotes using the same total amount you will pay, the same destination currency, the same funding method, and the same payout method. This worksheet is a way to compare your own quotes; it is not a live price feed or a provider ranking.
1. Define the transfer before collecting quotes
- Sender country and currency; recipient country and currency.
- Total budget including any fee paid on top.
- Funding method: bank balance, bank transfer, debit card, or credit card.
- Payout method: bank deposit, cash collection, or mobile wallet.
- Required arrival time and whether the quote is guaranteed until a stated deadline.
Collect quotes close together in time. Do not compare a bank-funded transfer with a card-funded transfer, or a promotional first-transfer price with another provider’s standard price, without marking the difference.
2. Copy these fields from each quote
| Field | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Time and quote expiry | Record time | Record time |
| Total amount debited, in sender currency | Record total | Record total |
| Amount actually converted | Record amount | Record amount |
| Exchange rate, destination currency per unit of sender currency | Record rate | Record rate |
| Expected recipient amount, in destination currency | Record amount | Record amount |
| Possible extra bank, tax, or card charges | Known / unknown | Known / unknown |
| Expected delivery and cancellation terms | Record terms | Record terms |
The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s remittance guidance explains pre-payment disclosures including total cost, the exchange rate, and the expected recipient amount. Those legal requirements concern covered US transfers; do not assume they apply identically in every country.
3. Worked example: equal budgets, different quotes
Illustrative arithmetic only—these are invented quotes, not current prices from any provider. You can spend a total of $1,000 and the recipient needs euros. Assume no additional recipient deductions.
- Quote A: $5 fee taken out of the $1,000 budget. $995 is converted at €0.92 per $1. Recipient amount: $995 × 0.92 = €915.40.
- Quote B: no upfront fee. $1,000 is converted at €0.90 per $1. Recipient amount: $1,000 × 0.90 = €900.00.
- Difference: A delivers €15.40 more with the same total budget. If A has an additional €20 recipient deduction, its net amount becomes €895.40 and the comparison reverses.
If a fee is charged on top instead, include it in the total debit. Sending $1,000 plus a $5 fee costs $1,005; it is not comparable with a quote whose total cost is $1,000.
4. Use the effective rate as a quick check
Effective rate = expected net recipient amount ÷ total sender debit. Keep the same direction and units for every quote. In the example, A’s effective rate is 0.9154 EUR/USD and B’s is 0.9000 EUR/USD. With equal budgets and destination currencies, a higher effective rate means more money delivered. It says nothing about provider reliability, eligibility, or speed.
5. Mark uncertainty before choosing
- If recipient deductions are unknown, mark the net amount as uncertain rather than treating it as guaranteed.
- Check whether the quote requires a paid plan, a first-customer promotion, or a minimum amount.
- Review card-issuer charges separately when using a card to fund the transfer.
- Check the recipient details, payout availability, estimated arrival, and cancellation terms before paying.
- Save the quote and final receipt privately. Never publish account numbers, identity documents, or transfer reference numbers.
For background, read our international transfer guide. To report a problem in this worksheet, use Contact Us. The calculations here are educational and do not recommend a particular financial service.