Best Money Transfer Services in the Philippine
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5 Best Money Transfer Services in the Philippines

How We Rated the Best Money Transfer Services in the Philippines

Cost

Any fees play a crucial role in making money transfer services accessible, and most customers would prefer the cheapest ways to send money.

Security and credibility

We want to ensure that these services are licensed and comply with regulations. It’s also important that they have a high level of security infrastructure.

Ease of transaction

We assessed how fast it would take for funds to arrive at their destination, regardless of the means of dispatching.

Customer service

Having efficient customer service is essential for any company that offers services. Bad customer service can be a red flag and drive customers away.

1. Cebuana Lhuillier

Cebuana Lhuillier Homepage

Type: Traditional and Online

Website: https://www.cebuanalhuillier.com/ 

Main office: 1782 Candelaria, corner Nicanor Garcia Streets, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Contact information: [email protected] 

Maximum transfer amount: Php 50,000

Delivery speed: Instant

Google Play rating2.8/5
Apple App Store rating1.7/5
Total reviews2.25/5
Score consistency5/5
Cost4/5
Security and credibility4/5
Ease of transaction3/5
Customer service3/5

Pros

  • Over 2,500 across the country
  • 24/7 branches and international branches are available
  • Offers a free 24K rewards program

Cons

  • High transaction fees
  • Mobile application is very unreliable

Cebuana Lhuillier is a well-known jack-of-all-trades that has been around since the mid-1980s. This financial institution offers services such as money remittance, remit-to-account, pawn-broking, bills payment, collections, and e-loading.

It’s one of the most accessible money transfer companies, with over 2,500 branches nationwide and several 24/7 branches. Cebuana Lhuillier also has accredited international partners, allowing for international transactions. 

These transactions are real-time, which makes it easy for clients to claim the money as soon as the sender completes the sending process at any of their branches. 

The company also began offering a membership rewards program for loyal clients back in 2010.

If you’re a 24K Rewards Program member, you can present your membership card upon transaction to avail yourself of exclusive privileges, discounts, freebies, and special service offerings. You can register online for free and choose to avail of a physical card for Php 150.

To get with the times, Cebuana Lhuillier has also launched an app that offers money transfer, loading, bills payment, and micro-savings account features. It has, however, garnered a lot of negative feedback from users.

At a glance, its interface is not very user friendly, especially when compared to other entries on our list. The app is often under maintenance, crashes a lot, logs out users without warning, and fails to process transactions.

We also don’t find its high transaction charges very appealing. Sending Php 40,000 in Luzon and Mindanao areas will cost you Php 500 in transaction fees, and up to Php 1,200 in Visayas areas.

Cebuana Lhuillier remains to be one of the most reputable money transferring services in the Philippines, but we’d have to say its strength lies in on-site services rather than online transactions.

2. Western Union

Western Union Homepage

Type: Traditional and Online

Website: https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/home.html 

Main office: 38/F Philamlife Tower 8767 Paseo De Roxas, Makati, Metro Manila.

Contact information: [email protected] 

Maximum transfer amount: USD 5000 or Php 10,000

Delivery speed: Instant

Google Play rating4.5/5
Apple App Store rating4.8/5
Total reviews4.65/5
Score consistency5/5
Cost4/5
Security and credibility5/5
Ease of transaction4/5
Customer service5/5

Pros

  • Credible company that provides secure services
  • Available in more than 200 countries
  • Reliable money transfer app
  • Best suited for international transactions

Cons

  • High transaction fees
  • Maximum transfer amounts are only USD 5,000 and Php 10,000

Western Union is one of the most reliable overseas money transfer service providers. They offer several transfer methods, such as cash pick-up, direct deposit to bank, as well as mobile transfers.

For these kinds of transfers, you can send up to a maximum transfer amount of USD 5,000. Rates are usually at USD 13 for a principal of USD 50, which is higher compared to others. 

However, it’s backed by its 160-year track record and great customer service.

Its domestic remittance arm, Western Union Sulit Padala, allows users to send money for a rate as low as Php 1 to more than 8,500 locations across the country. 

That said, Western Union Sulit Padala has a maximum transfer amount of Php 10,000, which can be quite bothersome.

Thankfully, sending money from agent locations is quite a simple task. You just have to fill out a send form and submit a valid ID, provide the principal and transfer fee, and pick up your receipt along with your Money Transfer Control Number for tracking purposes.

For amounts belonging to the Php  9,501-10,000 range, the transfer fee is Php 125 for Metro Manila and North Luzon areas, and Php 140 for outside areas. They’re not the lowest on this list, but still pretty affordable for most.

The Western Union app on Google Play and Apple App Store also have have some of the highest reviews among the money transfer services mentioned. It allows you to transfer money to and from your Western Union account remotely.

That said, Western Union is a great option for both international and local transactions, but we’d recommend it more for international customers. 

We think there are other money transfer service providers that outshine Western Union when it comes to local transactions.

3. GCash

GCash Homepage

Type: Online

Website: https://www.gcash.com/ 

Main office: G-Xchange Inc. UG/F Globe Telecom Plaza 1 Pioneer Corner Madison Streets. Mandaluyong City, Manila

Contact information: [email protected] 

Maximum transfer amount: Php 40,000 – Php 100,000 a month

Delivery speed: Instant

Google Play rating4.1/5
Apple App Store rating3.4/5
Total reviews3.75/5
Score consistency5/5
Cost5/5
Security and credibility3/5
Ease of transaction5/5
Customer service5/5

Pros

  • All-in-one mobile wallet, mobile payments, branchless banking service
  • User-friendly interface
  • No maintaining balance required
  • GCash to GCash transactions are free

Cons

  • Only Globe users are able to send money
  • Lax security

GCash by Alipay is a mobile wallet, mobile payments, and branchless banking service. Since its establishment in 2004, it has grown to become one of the biggest mobile wallet services in the country, with over 60 million active users as of August 2021.

GCash is a reliable money transfer service, as it is a joint venture between reputable companies Alipay, Ayala Group of Companies, and Globe Telecom. The GCash app is one of the main ways customers can send money to other GCash users. 

Its interface is coherent and user-friendly. You can simply transfer over your funds from any of the 40 banks that they cover or convert their cash to e-money through sari-sari stores, 7-Eleven, and Ministop outlets across the country.

It allows Globe users to enjoy a cashless system and provides avenues for them to cash in and cash out at the same time. But through the feature GCash Padala, you can also transfer money to non-GCash users for rates as low as 1%.

Simply enter your recipient’s full name, send money through the app, and keep track of the reference number. The recipient can then go to their nearest GCash Padala outlet, fill out the form with the reference number and present their valid ID.

What we like most about GCash money transfer services is that there is no maintaining balance required to keep your account active, and the upper limit for sending out money is quite high. Sending funds from GCash to GCash accounts is also free of charge.

However, a major con is that you must be a Globe user to be able to send money. 

There have also been cases of security breaches because logging into an account only requires a 4-digit security pin, so make sure that you keep yours private and change it every so often.

Other than those issues, we think GCash is an extremely reliable money transfer service, especially for day-to-day use and small-scale transactions.

4. Coins.ph

Coins.ph Homepage

Website: https://coins.ph/ 

Main office: The Centerpoint, Julia Vargas St. Cor. 1605, Garnet Rd, Ortigas Center, Pasig, Kalakhang Maynila

Contact information: [email protected] 

Maximum transfer amount: Up to 5,000,000 depending on verification

Delivery speed: Instant

Google Play rating3.5/5
Apple App Store rating4.7/5
Total reviews4.1/5
Score consistency4/5
Cost5/5
Security and credibility5/5
Ease of transaction4/5
Customer service5/5

Pros

  • You can choose between your Php wallet or Bitcoin account
  • 2-factor authentication system ensures security
  • Cheaper transfer fees for international transactions
  • Best suited for those with cryptocurrency knowledge

Cons

  • Not for everyday money transfer needs
  • Platform is not frequently used in the Philippines
  • Niche services might not be useful to many

If you wish to send large amounts of money for cheaper costs, then Coins.ph can be of help to you. 

Coins.ph is primarily a mobile blockchain-enabled platform that allows you to transfer money using a few different methods even without using bitcoin or a bank account.

Your recipient should first send you a transaction request, which you can pay using the Coins.ph app or at any 7-Eleven, Cebuana, or M Lhuillier outlet that supports Coins.ph. Service fees differ depending on your chosen payment method.

If you choose to pay with your Coins.ph account, you can choose either your Php wallet or Bitcoin (BTC) wallet as your source of funds. Simply input the amount you want to transfer and send the reference number to your recipient.

You can also start exchanging money through Bitcoin, which has a few pros in itself. 

International money transfers are made easier through Bitcoin transactions because there are barely any middlemen involved. This means there are little to no extra charges.

You’ll also be able to enjoy the decentralized aspect of Bitcoin, so your money won’t have to take a hit from slow and expensive processes. 

Of course, these advantages will only be enjoyed by people who have already learned the ropes of cryptocurrencies, or at least are willing to.

What we also love about Coins.ph is its 2-factor authentication feature, which ensures your money’s safety. 

There are also no minimum cash-in amounts, and it allows for a maximum transfer amount of 5,000,000 depending on the verification level of your account.

However, Coins.ph is relatively new in the market, and cryptocurrency transactions in general are not very common in the Philippines. Nonetheless, we highly recommend Coins.ph to those who are able to fully utilize its niche services and features.

5. Maya

Maya Homepage

Type: Online

Website: https://www.maya.ph/ 

Main office: 6-9th Floor, Launchpad Building, Sheridan, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila

Contact information: [email protected]

Maximum transfer amount: Php 20,000 a day

Delivery speed: Instant

Google Play rating4.4/5
Apple App Store rating4.8/5
Total reviews4.6/5
Score consistency5/5
Cost4/5
Security and credibility5/5
Ease of transaction4/5
Customer service5/5

Pros

  • Free transactions for the Maya App and Maya to Messenger
  • 2-factor authentication ensures security
  • Up to Php 20,000 can be sent daily

Cons

  • Account verification takes 3-5 days
  • Backs a limited number of billers
  • Features and services are limited

Maya, formerly known as PayMaya Philippines, is a financial services and digital payments company founded in 2007. 

It’s the pioneer prepaid online payment app in the country, and it remains one of the biggest of its kind with over 38 million registered users as of 2021.

Similar to GCash, it’s an all-in-one money platform that allows its users to access a fully digital bank, make payments online or in-store, and of course, transfer funds from person to person. 

You can transfer via the Maya app, through Smart Money Accounts, or Maya in Messenger.

Transactions are free except for ones accomplished via Smart Money or Smart Padala, which are charged at a 1.5% rate. 

Maya might also be your best option if you’re running a business that requires you to transfer money often, as a maximum of Php 20,000 can be sent out daily.

We also like that you can send money to non-Maya users via Facebook Messenger. To do so, you just have to link your account to Messenger, go to @MayaOfficial and send money to any of your messenger contacts.

The recipient can then claim or use the funds at accessible locations such as 7-Eleven branches, Robinsons Department Stores, and other partners. 

Keep in mind though, that only Maya users with upgraded accounts are able to send money – which takes up to five days.

The app itself also offers a 2-factor authentication option in case you want an added layer of protection. This is done through a one-time password (OTP) sent to your phone after logging in via your regular password. 

One of the few cons we’d have to mention is that Maya only has a limited number of billers. Its features and services are also quite limited compared to some of its rival mobile banking applications.

These issues aside, Maya remains to be one of the most trusted and secure money transfer service providers in the Philippines, and their customer service is very responsive to any concerns as well.

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