At a glance

Wise

• You pay in USD (bank transfer, debit or credit card, or money in your Wise account) and the recipient gets PHP from Wise's local bank account. Wise says it uses the mid-market rate and shows fees upfront. Wise Philippines page
• To send to GCash, you add a recipient, choose PHP, pick "E-Wallet" and GCash as the provider. Wise GCash page
• The recipient doesn't need a Wise account for a bank transfer.

Remitly

• Sign up, choose amount and delivery speed, add recipient and bank or pickup details, then pay. Delivery options include bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet; Remitly lists BDO, GCash, BPI, M.Lhuillier, Cebuana Lhuillier and Maya. Remitly Philippines page
• Remitly advertises a promotional rate for new customers; check the terms on its page before relying on it. The recipient doesn't need a Remitly account.

Western Union

• Send online, in the app or in person at a US agent location. Delivery to bank accounts (BDO, BPI, PNB and others), mobile wallets such as GCash and Maya, cash pickup at agent locations, or Visa debit cards. Western Union Philippines page
• Western Union says it makes money from currency exchange and that fees and rates change without notice. For cash pickup the receiver typically needs the tracking number (MTCN) and a valid ID. Western Union

Xoom (a PayPal service)

• Pay with PayPal, a bank account, or a credit or debit card. Delivery options are bank deposit, debit-card deposit, mobile wallets, cash pickup (Cebuana Lhuillier, M. Lhuillier) and door-to-door delivery. Xoom Philippines page
• Xoom says it shows the exact fee and the amount received before you send.

Things to check before you send

• The 1% remittance tax. The IRS says that starting Jan. 1, 2026, a 1% tax applies to remittances from the US when the sender pays the provider with cash, a money order, a cashier's check or a similar physical instrument. Paying from a bank account or card generally isn't the trigger, but read the IRS notice. IRS
• Compare the amount the recipient gets in pesos, not just the fee. Run the same amount, payment method and delivery option on each calculator, on the same day.
• Card payments can be more expensive: credit cards may trigger cash-advance fees from your card issuer (Western Union notes this).
• Make sure the recipient's name matches their bank or e-wallet account exactly, and that a GCash account is fully verified.

FAQ

• Which is cheapest for sending money to the Philippines?
  It changes daily and depends on amount, payment method and delivery option. Enter the same details on the Wise, Remitly, Western Union and Xoom calculators and compare the pesos received.
• Can I send directly to GCash?
  Each of the four providers lists a GCash or mobile wallet option for the Philippines on its own site as of Oct 18, 2026.