4.3/5 from 233,168 reviews
Fast, low-cost, and secure online money transfers from the US to Africa.
Millions of happy customers
See what they have to say
Is Wise safe?
Yes, here’s why
Should arrive by Tuesday
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Save when you send money to Africa
The cost of your transfer comes from the fee and the exchange rate. Many high street banks offer “no fee”, while hiding a markup in the exchange rate, making you pay more.
At Wise, we’ll never do that. We only use the mid-market exchange rate, and show our fees upfront. This table compares the fees you’d really pay when sending money with the most popular banks and providers, or with us.
How do we select providers and collect this data?
| Sending 1,000 USD with | Recipient gets(Total after fees) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 17,361.95 ZAR | ||||||||||
Transfer fee 16.37 USD Exchange rate(1 USD ZAR) 17.6509 Exchange rate markup 0 USD Cost of transfer 16.37 USD | |||||||||||
Show more providers | |||||||||||
How to send money to Africa in 3 easy steps
Enter amount to send in USD.
Pay in USD with your debit card or credit card, or send the money from your online banking.
Choose recipient in Africa.
Select who you want to send money to and which pay-out method to use.
Send USD, receive ZAR.
The recipient gets money in ZAR directly from Wise’s local bank account.
How much does it cost to transfer money to Africa?
Pay a small, flat fee and percentage
To send money in USD to Africa, you pay a small, flat fee of 14.56 USD + 0.55% of the amount that's converted (you'll always see the total cost upfront).
Fee depends on your chosen transfer type
Some transfer types have different fees which are usually tiny.
No hidden fees
No big fees, hidden or otherwise. So it's cheaper than what you're used to.
Fees for our low cost transfers
Fixed fee
14.56 USD
Variable feeup to 26,393 USD/month
0.55%
Variable feemore than 26,393 USD/month
How long will a money transfer to Africa take?
A money transfer from the US (USD) to Africa (ZAR) should arrive by Tuesday. Sometimes transfer times can differ based on payment methods or verification changes. We’ll always keep you updated, and you can track each step in your account.
On many popular routes, Wise can send your money within one day, as a same day transfer, or even an instant money transfer.
Your transfer route
USD
ZAR
Should arrive
by Tuesday
What you’ll need for your online money transfer to Africa
1
Register for free.
Sign up online or in our app for free. All you need is an email address, or a Google or Facebook account.
2
Choose an amount to send.
Tell us how much you want to send. We’ll show you our fees upfront, and tell you when your money should arrive.
3
Add recipient’s bank details.
Fill in the details of your recipient’s bank account.
4
Verify your identity.
For some currencies, or for large transfers, we need a photo of your ID. This helps us keep your money safe.
5
Pay for your transfer.
Send your money with a bank debit (ACH), wire transfer, or a debit or credit card.
6
That’s it.
We’ll handle the rest. You can track your transfer in your account, and we'll tell your recipient it's coming.
Best ways to send money to Africa
Direct Debit
Direct Debit is a convenient option that lets us take money from your account once you have authorised the payment on our site. It takes a little more time for your money to reach Wise, and it can be more expensive than a bank transfer.
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.Debit Card
Paying for your transfer with a debit card is easy and fast. It’s also usually cheaper than credit card, as credit cards are more expensive to process.
Read more about how to pay for your money transfer with a debit card.Credit Card
Paying for your transfer with a credit card is easy and fast. Wise accepts Visa, Mastercard and some Maestro cards.
Read more about how to pay for your money transfer with a credit card.Apple Pay
If you’ve enabled Apple Pay on your phone, you can use it to pay for a transfer with Wise. Paying with Apple Pay is a convenient and quick way to send money abroad. If you’re using a credit card, watch out for extra charges. Some banks consider these payments as cash withdrawal, and they may charge you extra fees.
Google Pay
If you’ve enabled Google Pay on your phone, you can use it to pay for a transfer with Wise. Paying with Google Pay is a convenient and quick way to send money abroad. If you’re using a credit card, watch out for extra charges. Some banks consider these payments as cash withdrawal, and they may charge you extra fees.
Trust Wise with safe & secure money transfers to Africa
Safeguarded with leading banks
We hold your money with established financial institutions, so it’s separate from our own accounts and in our normal course of business not accessible to our partners. Read more here.
Extra-secure transactions
We use 2-factor authentication to protect your account and transactions. That means you — and only you — can get to your money.
Data protection
We’re committed to keeping your personal data safe, and we’re transparent in how we collect, process, and store it.
Dedicated anti-fraud team
We work round the clock to keep your account and money protected from even the most sophisticated fraud.
Online scams are on the rise. Learn how to stay safe.
Send money to Africa from the US with the Wise app
Looking for an app to send money to Africa? Sending money is easy with Wise app.
- Cheaper transfers abroad - free from hidden fees and exchange rate markups.
- Check exchange rates - see on the app how exchange rates have changed over time.
- Repeat your previous transfers - save the details, and make your monthly payments easier.
Learn more about the Wise app
See what the world’s largest publications have to say
Wired
Smart tech and sharp thinking are disrupting high-street banks
Financial Times
Wise is looking to use the internet to spark a digital revolution in current financial services
The Economist
Wise takes a machete to the hefty fees that banks levy to send money across borders
Wise works nearly everywhere
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See why customers choose Wise for their international money transfers
It’s your money. You can trust us to get it where it needs to be, but don’t take our word for it.
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