Remitly Review
A guided, no-frills way to send money abroad — free above $1,000, with a $40 Amazon bonus for new users and a rate edge on transfers to India.
We know it sounds too good to be true, but it works.
Our reviewerA Fee-Free, Guided Way to Send Money Abroad
Remitly set out to fix a genuinely painful problem: sending money overseas, especially to India, had a reputation for nightmare stories long before we looked into it for this review. The company built its process to be simple and, in most cases, free — a combination that made us skeptical going in.
The sign-up flow bears that out. Creating an account is free and fast, entering a recipient's details takes a bit longer but still moves quicker than the alternatives we compared it against, and the identity verification step exists mainly to keep Remitly compliant with government regulations rather than to slow customers down.
Cost is where Remitly earns its keep: transfers over $1,000 are completely free, and anything smaller carries just a $3.99 service fee — paying by credit card adds another 3% on top, so a linked payment method is the cheaper route. We weighed it against Transferwise and Circle Pay, both solid competitors, but found Remitly came out ahead specifically for transfers to India.
New users sending to Mexico or Colombia can also claim a $40 Amazon gift card just for signing up, and Remitly's referral program pays $25 to the referrer and $40 to the friend they bring in — incentives stacked on top of an already low-fee service.
Why We Love It
- Completely free for transfers over $1,000
- Fast, guided sign-up with clear steps
- $40 Amazon gift card bonus for new users sending to Mexico or Colombia
- Beat Transferwise and Circle Pay on our India transfer comparison
- Referral program pays $25 to you and $40 to your friend
Considerations
- $3.99 fee applies to transfers under $1,000
- Paying by credit card adds an extra 3% fee
- Identity verification step required before your first transfer
What Sending Money Actually Feels Like
The whole process is built to feel less intimidating than the international transfer horror stories that inspired Remitly in the first place. Verification exists purely to keep the service compliant with government regulations, and it moves quickly rather than holding up your transfer.
Cost is where the experience stands out most: send more than $1,000 and the transfer is free; send less and you pay a flat $3.99, unless you pay by credit card, which tacks on another 3%.
Best for India Transfers
We found Remitly did a noticeably better job than Transferwise and Circle Pay specifically for transfers to India, even though both of those services are solid options for sending money elsewhere in the world.
We Recommend This To Readers Who:
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Send more than $1,000 at a time
Transfers above that threshold are completely free.
-
Regularly send money to India
We found Remitly's rates and process beat Transferwise and Circle Pay on this specific route.
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Want a sign-up bonus
New users sending to Mexico or Colombia can claim a $40 Amazon gift card.
A Closer Look
How a Transfer Works
Remitly breaks the process into four steps, each designed to move faster than the international transfer services it's built to replace.
Create Your Account
Signing up is completely free.
Add Your Payment Method
Credit cards add an extra 3% fee on top of the transfer.
Verify & Send
A quick verification step keeps Remitly compliant with government regulations, then the transfer goes through.
What It Costs to Send
Remitly's fee structure rewards larger transfers, and its ongoing promotions add extra value on top.
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Transfer Fee — Under $1,000 | $3.99 |
| Transfer Fee — Over $1,000Popular | $0.00 |
Good to Know
An Easy, Often Free Way to Send Money Abroad
Remitly makes international transfers fast and simple, and it won't cost a dime if you send over $1,000 — especially for money headed to India.
