Savein Global — International money transfer: how | saveinglobal.com
Every cross-border transfer is billed in three parts — a fixed fee, an exchange-rate margin and deductions on the way to the recipient — and the advertised price usually covers only the first.
The fixed fee is the visible layer. Bank SWIFT wires commonly cost USD 15-50 to send, while specialist transfer apps charge either 0.4-1.5% of the amount or a flat fee often under USD 5. Flat fees punish small sends: USD 5 on USD 100 is 5% all-in, while the same USD 5 on USD 2,000 is 0.25%.
The exchange-rate margin is the quiet layer. Banks typically add 1-3% above the mid-market rate, so a USD 1,000 send at a 2% margin loses about USD 20 before any fixed fee is counted. The margin is computable: subtract the quoted rate from the mid-market rate and divide by the mid-market rate.
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The third layer arrives on the receiving side. Intermediary banks that pass a SWIFT payment along commonly deduct USD 10-30 en route, so the credited amount can fall short even when the sender paid every advertised charge.
Delivery time is the fourth variable, and it trades against price. Cash pickup is usually available within minutes of approval; transfer apps deliver in 1-3 business days; SWIFT wires settle in 1-5 business days; and the lowest-cost bank route typically takes 2-3 business days.
Comparing routes means reducing each one to a single number: the payout amount the recipient gets for the same USD 1,000 sent. The 6-step checklist on the companion page turns that comparison into a repeatable procedure, and the receiving page explains what actually lands on the other side.
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