Bank wire or online transfer?

A wire can cost you three times over: a fee from your US bank to send it, deductions by intermediary banks it passes through, and an exchange rate your bank sets with a margin built in. Because some of those charges are taken along the way, the final rupee amount is often unknown until it arrives.

An online transfer service is built for this one job. You fund it from your bank account, the rate and the amount the recipient receives are shown before you confirm, and the payout is made locally in India rather than routed through a chain of correspondent banks. Fewer hands means fewer deductions.

A wire can suit very large, one-off transfers above an online service's limits, such as a property purchase, or payments your bank must send for a specific legal or business reason. For regular support to family, school fees or bills, an online service is usually the better fit on cost and convenience.

If you are sending a large amount, contact the online provider first: limits depend on verification and account history, and they may be able to raise yours rather than you splitting the transfer.

Ask your bank for the total fee and the exchange rate for a specific amount, then ask what intermediary charges may apply. Compare that with the rupee amount an online service shows for the same dollars, at the same time. The amount your recipient actually receives is the fairest comparison.

ComplyRemit uses the mid-market reference rate with no hidden margin, shows exactly what arrives before you confirm, and pays out to an Indian bank account or any UPI ID. There are no correspondent banks deducting charges on the way, and you can follow every stage of the transfer in the app.