Comparing transfer fees: Profee vs. Wise vs. Remitly

What any expat in Europe needs is cost-effective global transfers, and many discover digital remittance tools as the cheapest way to exchange money online. But which one offers the best currency conversion rates? In this brief online FX transfer guide, we look at the efficiency of online remittances vs bank transfers and other formats and compare GBP to PKR exchange rates from three platforms, Wise, Remitly, and Profee, to help you find the lowest transfer costs.

Global remittance comparison

There are multiple ways to send money internationally. Some of the most popular are:

• Wire transfers. A reliable and trusted method, but today many fintechs offer much lower currency fees for international transfers, much faster delivery, and incomparably less paperwork.
• Traditional remittance services. While charging substantially higher currency exchange fees than fintechs, services like Western Union have extensive agent networks and can be useful for cash transfers.
• Cryptocurrencies. When you compare exchange rates, a fascinating world of cryptotrading might occasionally offer money transfers with the best FX rates. It is still a grey legal area and a complicated and fraud-ridden solution.
• Online remittance services. Arguably the fastest, easiest, and most affordable way to move money across borders.

Below, we review the last option, taking a closer look at three major platforms, Wise, Remitly, and Profee, and their exchange rates for GBP to PKR and accompanying fees. But first, let’s see how a transfer fee is calculated.

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Transfer fees explained

Like their more traditional competitors, online remittance platforms charge their customers for the service. The charge is a combination of several elements, including:

Currency exchange fees, which vary between services. For example, at Wise, currency exchange is claimed to be at mid-market exchange rates, meaning that Wise adds no margin of its own, but in reality, it does not always beat the market. Ifyou are shopping around for the best exchange rate for GBP to PKR, providers normally offer full exchange rate transparency. However, with dynamic currency conversion, the rates can change quickly.

Check the real-time currency converter here for the current Profee’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR and dozens of other currencies.

Promo rates. Services often offer special, more favourable rates on first transfers. At Profee, the exchange rate applies to the whole amount sent. Remitly’s exchange markup is discounted on the first GBP 500/ EUR 1,000 only, and Wise’s currency exchange rates are not affected by promotions. Fixed fee. This is a flat fee that peer-to-peer exchange services charge per transaction. Variable fee. Some companies charge a percentage of the amount sent, often in addition to a flat fee. For example, to Remitly’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR, a flat fee of GBP 0.99 may be added, plus a 3% charge on payments by credit cards. Therefore, even if you have found an appealing GBP to PKR exchange rate, its impact on the transfer may not be that big due to service fees. In Wise vs Profee exchange margin comparison, Profee’s exchange rate may sometimes be lower, but Wise’s service fees, and hence the overall transfer cost, may be higher.

To compare international transfer currency exchange fees and the overall cost of a transaction, you also need to consider other transfer parameters, including payment method and delivery speed.

Say, Wise’s currency exchange rates may be mid-market, but it charges much higher service fees on transfers paid with debit/credit cards. In turn, Remitly offers two delivery options, fast and slow, and the former is more expensive than the latter. So, even if Remitly’s exchange rate looks fine, an urgent transfer may cost you more in the end.

Check out the table below to get an idea of how the three platforms compare, including their GBP to PKR exchange rates, and read on for more details on each service.

Remittance fintech comparison: Wise vs Remitly vs Profee

*If paid by bank transfer

Wise

Founded in 2011 in the UK, Wise is today one of the leaders in the remittance market. It covers more than 160 destinations and operates in 50+ currencies.

It claims to apply the mid-market rate to currency exchange, which implies the best currency conversion rates customers can get. However, as our analysis of the GBP to PKR exchange rate shows, Wise’s offering is not always the most favourable. Among the three platforms scrutinised its offer is, in fact, the least attractive. On a GBP 1,000 transfer, it pays PKR 5,311 less than one gets with the Remitly’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR, and PRK 7,335 less than what Profee offers.

In addition to the least favourable GBP to PKR exchange rate, Wise also charges a fee depending on the payment method, for example, GBP 6.87 if paid by bank transfer, GBP 13.39 if paid by debit card, and a staggering GBP 29.03 if paid by credit card. Wise holds an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot, a popular user review platform, and its customers point out the following strengths and weaknesses of the service.

Pros

• Good customer service;
• Fast delivery;
• Easy to use.

Cons

• Unexplained delays;
• Issues with the referral programme;
• Account blocking.

Remitly

An American remittance company founded in 2011, Remitly is present in 170+ destinations worldwide and handles around 100 currencies (not that Remitly’s exchange rates are always the best).

Its special feature is two types of transfers, express (faster, more expensive) and economy (slower, cheaper), which, perhaps, makes sense to those who are ready to wait. But why wait if you can send money fast with Profee without any extra fees?

In addition, Remitly’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR is second-best in our analysis, and the resulting transfer is PKR 2,024 less than what Profee offers.

Nevertheless, Trustpilot users assigned it an ‘Excellent’ rating of 4.6 out of 5, one of the highest on the market. Here is what they like and dislike about the service.

Pros

• Convenient;
• Secure;
• Value for money.

Cons

• Inefficient support service;
• Unfavourable rates;
• Hidden cost.

Profee

The leader of our analysis, the popularity of Profee’s currency services has been steadily growing across Europe and globally. Why? Because it is:

Affordable

This is a go-to money transfer platform for those looking to send money at one of the best conversion rates. As you can see from our brief evaluation, its exchange rate for GBP to PKR beats those of its competitors. Which is not surprising because Profee operates a unique monitoring system that ensures customers get hot rates at any given time. And with Profee, hidden fees do not exist: the service is fully transparent about its charges (which are very low if applied at all).

Fast

Transfers are delivered in minutes across the world regardless of location, time, or amount. And at no extra cost.

Secure

Profee meticulously follows all the latest rules and regulations and implements pioneering technical solutions to ensure the highest level of protection for its customers’ money.

Customer-friendly

Both the Profee app and its web service are very easy to navigate and use. In addition, there is no unnecessary bureaucracy and all procedures are streamlined and efficient.

You only need to get the iOS/Android app or check its currency converter to start saving today and see why Profee totally deserves its ‘Excellent’ Trustpilot rating.

FAQ: Remittance for expats abroad

Is Wise or Remitly cheaper?

That depends on such specifics of your international transfer as currency, the amount sent, payment method, delivery time, and so on. At various times, Wise’s currency exchange rates might be better but its charges for card payments are higher. Or suddenly Remitly beats the exchange rate for GBP to PKR but if you want a fast transfer, you have to pay extra.

Does Remitly charge transfer fees?

Yes, it does, just like any other provider, so think twice if there is a ‘no fee’ offer. Also, Remitly may decide to waive its service fee for new customers or for larger transfers, but its currency exchange fees still apply. Moreover, within a promotion offer, Remitly’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR would be better for the first GBP 500 but less favourable for any amount above that.

Which is the most beneficial money transfer from GBP to PKR?

Among the three companies reviewed, it is Profee. When checking the exchange rate for GBP to PKR via its international fee calculator, a transfer of GBP 1,000 translates into PKR 382,414.

Remitly’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR gives PKR 380,390. In turn, the Wise currency exchange process results in the recipient getting only PKR 375,079, which is PKR 7,335 less than what Profee delivers.

What are the disadvantages of Remitly?

On Trustpilot, around 10% of reviewers rated Remitly with only 1 out of 5 points. Many are upset with its support service which either can’t be reached or is unable to help. Remitly’s exchange rate for GBP to PKR is also not always the most favourable.

What is the downside of Wise?

Wise’s currency exchange may sometimes be at mid-market rates, but its overall fees are not always the lowest, as our comparison of the exchange rates for GBP to PKR shows. A few of the customers expressed their disappointment with the referral programme, and many complained about delivery delays or sudden account blocking.

Is Wise safe to send money?

It is as safe as it can be. It follows all the regulatory requirements and upholds industry standards. You can read more on whether Wise is safe here.