Wise vs Remitly: UK to India
Which provider is better for sending money from the UK to India? Compare fees, exchange rate margins, delivery speed and what your recipient actually receives.
The bottom line: sending £1,000 from the UK, Remitly delivers ₹126,476 and Wise ₹126,217, so your recipient gets ₹259 more with Remitly. Wise charges a £5.14 fee and converts at the mid-market rate, paid by Faster Payments; Remitly charges no fee with a margin of about 0.31% in its rate, paid by Open Banking.
Quick verdict
Choose Wise if you want…
- Fee transparency & mid-market exchange rates
- Mid-market exchange rate without hidden currency markup
- Upfront fee breakdown showing exact percentage and fixed costs
- Does not support physical cash pickup counters in India
Choose Remitly if you want…
- Express speed & introductory promotions
- Express mode delivers to Indian bank accounts via UPI in minutes
- Introductory promotional exchange rate on the first qualifying transfer
- Standard exchange rates after introductory promotions include a currency margin of roughly 0.3% to 1.3%, depending on the sending country
What your recipient gets at each amount
Indicative net rupee payouts for GBP → INR transfers, based on published fee schedules and benchmark snapshots.
Score breakdown, side by side
Each provider's TransferGauge Score across the seven weighted dimensions. How we score
Side-by-side details
| Metric | W Wise | R Remitly |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate model | Mid-market rate, no margin | Retail rate, +0.31% margin |
| Transfer fees | Wise charges a transparent upfront fee: a small fixed charge plus a percentage that depends on how you pay (about $0.98 + 0.59% for US ACH payments, and roughly 0.33% to 0.9% plus a small fixed charge from the UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore and the UAE). Unlike most retail providers, Wise does not add an exchange rate markup. | Transfers paid from a bank account carry $0 fees for amounts of $1,000 or more from the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Debit card transfers can carry a fee (SGD 3.99 from Singapore). Revenue comes mainly from an exchange rate margin of roughly 0.3% to 1.3%. |
| Typical delivery | Bank-funded transfers (ACH/local wire) typically deliver in 1 to 2 business days. Transfers using UPI receiving options or debit card payments typically credit the Indian account within 1 to 2 hours. | Express delivery with debit card credits Indian bank accounts or UPI IDs within minutes. Economy transfers take 3 to 5 business days. |
| Receiving methods | Bank accountUPICash pickup (not supported) | Bank accountUPICash pickup |
| Routes to India | 6 corridors | 5 corridors |
| Headquarters | London, United KingdomFounded 2011 | Seattle, WA, USAFounded 2011 |
| Full review | Read Wise review | Read Remitly review |
Summary advice
Both providers earn the same TransferGauge Score (96) on our standard benchmark. The better choice still depends on your amount, how your recipient wants to be paid, and how quickly the money needs to arrive.
All figures are indicative benchmarks. Always verify live rates, fees and delivery options on the provider's website before sending money.
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