Sending money abroad from Germany

Sending money abroad from Germany is faster and cheaper than ever, with several modern options that beat traditional bank transfers by a significant margin. Whether you need to support family abroad, pay freelancers, or manage international expenses, choosing the right method can save you hundreds of euros each year.

Wise: The Popular Choice for Expats

Wise has become the most widely used option among German-based expats and for good reason. The service uses the mid-market exchange rate—the same rate you see on Google—meaning you avoid the hidden markups that traditional banks add. You pay only a transparent fixed fee plus a small variable percentage, and you see all costs upfront before confirming the transfer.

Wise is significantly faster than bank transfers, with 65 percent of payments arriving instantly. For transfers to major currencies like USD, GBP, and AUD, you can expect funds to arrive within seconds or a few hours, depending on the receiving bank. The service is also available worldwide, supporting over 160 countries with 40 currencies.

One key advantage is that Wise operates as an Electronic Money Institution, licensed by financial authorities across multiple countries. This means transfers often stay within local banking networks rather than passing through intermediary banks that extract additional fees. For example, when sending euros from Germany to the UK, the money moves through Wise's local European account while the recipient receives British pounds through Wise's UK infrastructure—avoiding expensive SWIFT intermediaries.

SEPA Transfers to EU Countries: Free and Fast

If you are sending money in euros to anywhere within the EU and a handful of other European countries, SEPA transfers are almost always free and extremely reliable. SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) is a unified payment system covering 36 countries, ensuring that cross-border euro payments cost the same as domestic transfers.

Standard SEPA Transfers

A standard SEPA Credit Transfer (Überweisung) sent online before your bank's cut-off time—usually between 12:00 and 15:00—arrives in the recipient's account by the next business day. Weekends and German public holidays do not count as business days. Most German banks, including savings banks (Sparkasse) and digital banks like N26 and C24, offer free SEPA transfers by default.

SEPA Instant Payments (Echtzeit-Überweisung)

Since October 2025, all EU banks have been required by law to support SEPA Instant Payments at no additional cost. These transfers arrive within 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—even on weekends and public holidays. This has transformed how quickly money can move across Europe for urgent situations.

Remitly and WorldRemit: Global Options with Trade-Offs

Remitly operates in over 175 countries and supports 100+ currencies, making it useful when you need to send money outside Europe or to countries beyond SEPA reach. It offers flexible payout methods including bank deposits, cash pickup, and mobile wallet transfers. However, Remitly's exchange rates include a markup of 0.5 to 3 percent above the mid-market rate, and the service charges a transaction fee on top. This means Remitly is typically more expensive than Wise for the same transfer.

The exception is if you are sending money for cash pickup in a developing country or using a delivery service, where Remitly may offer more convenient payout options than traditional bank transfers. For transfers over 500 USD paid via bank account, Remitly sometimes waives the transaction fee, which narrows the cost gap with Wise.

WorldRemit supports transfers to over 130 countries with multiple payout options including cash pickup and mobile money. However, WorldRemit does not currently offer bank transfers to European countries, making it less suitable for sending money within Europe. Its strength lies in serving less developed corridors where cash pickup and mobile wallet options are critical.

Avoid Traditional Bank SWIFT Transfers

German banks still offer international transfers via the SWIFT network, a decades-old system that routes payments through multiple intermediary banks. Each step adds fees and delays. Banks add an invisible exchange rate markup of 2 to 5 percent on top of visible SWIFT charges, meaning the total cost is often three to six times higher than Wise. For example, sending 250 euros abroad through traditional banks can cost 2.50 to 23.80 euros in total fees, while the same transfer through Wise costs around 1.40 euros.

Identity Verification Above 1,000 Euros

Germany has strict anti-money laundering rules under the Geldwäschegesetz (Money Laundering Act). When you make your first international transfer of 1,000 euros or more, the payment provider must verify your identity under Customer Due Diligence (CDD) procedures. This is a legal requirement, not a sign of suspicion.

For first transfers above this threshold, have your passport and the recipient's IBAN ready. Most providers request identity verification through video identification, document upload, or biometric liveness detection. This process typically takes a few minutes and is done once; subsequent transfers below the monitoring threshold are not affected.

Avoiding Scams and Protecting Your Money

International transfer services cannot reverse payments once they are sent, so verify the recipient's details before confirming. Double-check the IBAN, recipient's full name, and the amount—a typo or a scam address cannot be undone. Many transfers arrive within minutes, leaving no time to correct errors.

Wise and Remitly are both licensed and regulated by financial authorities. Wise holds a license as an Electronic Money Institution across Europe, while Remitly is regulated globally including by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority. Both use encryption and security measures to protect your account and transactions. Choose a strong, unique password and enable two-factor authentication on any account holding access to international transfers.

Comparing Costs at a Glance

The best option depends on your currency pair, transfer size, and destination. For transfers within the EU in euros, SEPA is free and should always be your first choice. Outside the EU or for non-euro transfers, Wise wins on cost for bank deposits due to its mid-market rates and transparent fees. Remitly is worth comparing for each specific corridor, especially if the recipient needs cash pickup or mobile wallet delivery. Traditional bank SWIFT transfers should be avoided altogether due to high hidden costs.

• SEPA to EU countries: Always choose this if available—completely free and fast
• Wise: Best for international transfers outside SEPA; mid-market rates with visible fees
• Remitly: Useful for cash pickup and mobile wallet options; compare fees for each transfer
• WorldRemit: Good for non-European destinations with alternative payout methods
• Bank SWIFT: Avoid—typically 3 to 6 times more expensive than modern alternatives

Setting Up Your First Transfer

For Wise, download the app or visit Wise.com, create an account, and verify your identity. You can fund transfers from a German bank account via SEPA, debit card, or credit card. The service supports German bank logins (Bankverbindung) for one-click funding. For SEPA transfers, open your German bank's app or website, enter the recipient's IBAN and BIC code (if required), and send. For Remitly and WorldRemit, similar processes apply—create an account, verify identity, and choose your funding method.

Always test with a small amount first if using a service for the first time. This confirms that the recipient's details are correct and the transfer method works before sending a large sum. Save the transfer reference number in case you need to track or dispute the payment.