The easiest way to send money to Australia depends on if it's domestic or international, but generally involves using digital platforms like Wise, PayPal, or Remitly for international transfers (often with lower fees than banks) or your bank's app using features like PayID (mobile/email) or BSB/Account Number for domestic transfers (fast with Osko). For speed and convenience, especially internationally, services like Western Union or MoneyGram are also simple options via app or online.
Bank Transfer
Bank transfers are usually the cheapest option when it comes to funding your international money transfer with Wise. Bank transfers can be slower than debit or credit cards, but they usually give you the best value for your money. Read more how to use bank transfers as a payment option.
Is PayPal safer than a bank transfer? Both PayPal and traditional banking providers take important security measures to protect your money from fraud. However, PayPal may be considered more secure for online transactions, as you can pay for goods and services using just your email address.
Western Union fees for sending $1,000 vary significantly, from as low as a few dollars (e.g., $1.99 for bank-to-bank) to over $49, depending on the payment method (bank account, debit card, credit card), destination, speed, and if it's for cash pickup or bank deposit; for example, credit card funding is often more expensive, while debit card or bank transfers are cheaper, and there are often extra currency exchange markups.
Osko sends bank transfers between participating banks and financial institutions in under a minute, 24/7 – yes, even on weekends! Osko payments are sent within your online banking. This means the same level of security that protects your existing bank account payments is applied.
Instructions for mobile devices
You can send money to someone immediately by using a money transfer service or peer-to-peer payment app. If you're using a P2P app like Cash App or Venmo, for example, the money you transfer will be available immediately in the recipient's app balance. It can take a few days to be transferred to a bank account, though.
Transfer fees vary depending on several factors, including payment method, destination country, and transfer speed. Generally, MoneyGram's fees are cheaper than those of Western Union. It's important to compare total costs, including exchange rates, to ensure you get the best deal.
What are Western Union's Transfer Fees? While occasional promotions and coupons offer some discounts, expect to pay around $0.65 to $3.76 per $100 sent. These fees can be even higher depending on the currencies involved.
If you transfer more than $10,000, financial institutions are legally required to report it to government agencies (like AUSTRAC in Australia or FinCEN in the US), triggering a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) or Threshold Transaction Report (TTR), but this doesn't automatically mean you owe tax; it's for monitoring, though you'll likely need to provide ID and transaction details, and deliberately structuring payments to avoid reporting (smurfing) is illegal.
For a $100 domestic transaction in the U.S., PayPal generally charges around $3.20, calculated as 2.9% ($2.90) plus a fixed fee of $0.30, though rates can vary slightly by country and payment type (like QR codes or specific business accounts). International transactions incur additional fees, typically an extra 1.5% or more, increasing the cost.
Yes, PayPal will often refund you if scammed through its Buyer Protection program, covering eligible purchases not received or significantly different from described, provided you file a dispute within 180 days and follow procedures like escalating to a claim if needed. Protection applies when you pay for goods/services, not usually 'Friends & Family' payments, so always use Goods & Services for purchases to get coverage.
PayPal's disadvantages include high or confusing fees, especially for international/business transactions and instant withdrawals, potential for sudden account freezes and limited access to funds, poor/slow customer service, vulnerability to phishing scams, and a need for accounts to receive money, making it less ideal for some private transactions. For sellers, fees, chargebacks, and account holds are major drawbacks, while buyers face currency markups and potential delays in dispute resolutions.
Yes, someone can potentially take money using just your BSB and account number, primarily through setting up unauthorized direct debits (if they get past security checks) or combining them with other personal info for more complex fraud, but it's much harder to withdraw funds like an ATM withdrawal without your PIN or login details; the main risk is setting up recurring payments or using them with other stolen data like your driver's license, so always share details with trusted entities and monitor your statements closely.
For urgent, everyday payments, Osko and PayID are hard to beat. For regular bills and scheduled payments, traditional transfers and BPAY remain reliable workhorses.
Transfer money to Australia online, via our app or at a Western Union location – for your friends and family to collect for cash pickup or delivered direct to their bank account.
Western Union fees for sending $1,000 vary significantly, from as low as a few dollars (e.g., $1.99 for bank-to-bank) to over $49, depending on the payment method (bank account, debit card, credit card), destination, speed, and if it's for cash pickup or bank deposit; for example, credit card funding is often more expensive, while debit card or bank transfers are cheaper, and there are often extra currency exchange markups.
Any transfer over $10,000 triggers a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) to FinCEN, but this doesn't mean you owe taxes — it's just for monitoring purposes. However, if the transfer represents income, a taxable gift, or a business transaction, you must report it when filing your taxes.
What is the maximum amount of money I can send with Western Union? Verified users may be eligible to send up to $50,000 USD, depending on destination and payment method.
MoneyGram's fee to send $500 varies significantly by funding method, destination, and pickup type, but expect around a $1.99 to $10+ fee for debit/cash, potentially much higher for credit cards, with specific examples showing $1.99 for online debit to Mexico and $10 for cash at an agent. It's best to use the official MoneyGram estimator for exact costs, as rates and fees change, but generally, funding online with a debit card is cheaper than paying with cash at a location.
Generally speaking, Western Union is safe. The biggest risk when using it isn't the money transfer company itself, but the scammers who can try to trick you into sending them money. Once you send money through Western Union, it can be hard to get it back, so you need to be careful about who you're sending money to.
Bank transfers: Utilizing online banking services from accredited and well-known banks is one of the safest methods to send money. Banks are regulated and offer safety features like encryption, fraud monitoring and two-factor authentication.
The following banks are compatible with instant bank transfers:
While both Western Union and MoneyGram allow you to send money to all countries worldwide, the support for sending countries is more robust in the case of Western Union. Western Union 🏆 has better coverage of global countries and currencies as compared to MoneyGram.