Send money to South Africa from abroad
- Low fees — fees get cheaper the more you send
- Lightning fast — money typically arrives in seconds
- Perfectly predictable — lock in an exchange rate for your international transfer
Send money to South Africa from abroad
- Low fees — fees get cheaper the more you send
- Lightning fast — money typically arrives in seconds
- Perfectly predictable — lock in an exchange rate for your international transfer
Compare fees for when you send money to South Africa
The total cost of a transfer is the fee plus exchange rate. If your provider says there’s no fee, check their exchange rate against the one Wise offers. You might be paying more than you think.
 HSBC |  Wise |  NatWest |  Barclays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Recipient gets (Total after fees) | 21,375.07 ZAR | 21,292.10 ZAR | 21,032.12 ZAR | 20,962.70 ZAR |
Exchange rate (1 GBPZAR) | 21.3751 | 21.5542 | 21.0321 | 20.9627 |
Exchange rate markup | 8.31 GBP | 0 GBP | 24.22 GBP | 27.44 GBP |
Transfer fee | 0 GBP | 12.16 GBP | 0 GBP | 0 GBP |
Total transfer cost | 8.31 GBP | 12.16 GBP | 24.22 GBP | 27.44 GBP |
We’re always honest with our customers. And honestly, we’re not the cheapest this time. But, we’re working hard to continue to lower our prices.
How to send money to South Africa from abroad
Enter amount to send in GBP.
Pay in GBP with your debit card or credit card, or send the money from your online banking.
Choose your recipient.
Select who you want to send money to and which pay-out method to use.
Send GBP, receive ZAR.
The recipient gets money in ZAR directly from Wise’s local bank account.
How much does it cost to transfer money to South Africa from abroad?
The cheapest way to send 1,000 GBP to South Africa is by using money that is in your Wise account and costs 11.84 GBP. We use the mid-market exchange rate — the fairest rate — and always show your fees upfront.
GBP
ZAR
| Sending 1,000 GBP | Transfer cost | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise account | 11.84 GBP | ||
| PISP | 12.16 GBP | ||
| Bank transfer | 12.16 GBP | ||
| Debit card | 43.62 GBP | ||
| Credit card | 34.31 GBP | ||
| Swift | 12.16 GBP | ||
| Apple Pay | 34.31 GBP | ||
| Google Pay | 34.31 GBP | ||
How long will a money transfer to South Africa from abroad?
On many popular routes, Wise can send your money within one day, as a same day transfer, or even an instant money transfer.
Sometimes, different payment methods or routine checks may affect the transfer delivery time. We’ll always keep you updated, and you can track each step in your account.
GBP
ZAR
| Sending 1,000 GBP | Should arrive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise account | by Thursday | ||
| PISP | by Thursday | ||
| Bank transfer | by Thursday | ||
| Debit card | by Thursday | ||
| Credit card | by Thursday | ||
| Swift | by Friday, 27 February | ||
| Apple Pay | by Thursday | ||
| Google Pay | by Thursday | ||
Best ways to send money to South Africa from abroad with WISE
The best way to send British pound to South African rand is by using money that's in your Wise account. It's cheapest and usually arrives in seconds. Bank transfers are also cheap, but can be slower.
Wise account
Wise account
If you have a Wise multi-currency account, you can use money in your account to fund your transfer. It’s cheap and fast — just set up your money transfer as you normally would, and choose a Wise account transfer when paying.
PISP (Payment Initiation Service Provider) payments are instructions you give Wise to make a bank transfer directly from your bank account — without having to leave our app and log in to your online banking. This option is as cheap as a manual bank transfer, but it isn’t supported by all banks yet.
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.
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.
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.
Using Swift to fund your transfer usually means that your transfer will take longer and be more expensive, as your bank will charge a fee. You should also bear in mind that other correspondent banks in between may also deduct their handling fees. Your bank should be able to advise on those fees.
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.
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.
How to receive money in South Africa from abroad
When you transfer with Wise, you can receive to local bank accounts — no need for a Wise account. And since our price is transparent, you know exactly what you’ll get on the other side.
IBAN
IBAN
You can make easy IBAN transfers from both inside and outside Europe. All you need is the recipient’s name and account details. Learn more about IBAN transfers.
Swift
Swift
To send a quick and secure Swift payment, all you'll need is your recipient’s IBAN number. It’s that easy. Learn more about Swift payments.
Email
Email
To make payments using only email, all you need is your recipient’s email address. Learn more about Email transfers.
How we keep your money safe
Every transfer you make is protected with HTTPS encryption and 2-step verification. And we run millions of checks each day to protect every transaction from fraud.
- Rock-solid technologySuper smart Wisers have built our industry-leading security systems from scratch over the last 12 years.
- People who care, 24/7With over 1,000 anti-fraud specialists, and real human help available every minute, we’re on hand when you’ve got questions.
- Your money, not oursYour money is safeguarded, and held completely separate from ours, so it’s available to you all the time.
Send money to South Africa from abroad with the Wise app
Looking for an app to send money to South Africa from abroad? Sending money is easy with Wise app.
Cheap transfers abroad
Free from hidden fees, you’ll always get the mid-market exchange rate with Wise.
Track exchange rates
Save your favourite currencies to check how the exchange rate changes over time.
Real-time notifications
Know exactly what you’ve spent, as soon as you spend it.
Send money to South Africa from abroad with the Wise app
Looking for an app to send money to South Africa from abroad? Sending money is easy with Wise app.
Cheap transfers abroad
Free from hidden fees, you’ll always get the mid-market exchange rate with Wise.
Track exchange rates
Save your favourite currencies to check how the exchange rate changes over time.
Real-time notifications
Know exactly what you’ve spent, as soon as you spend it.
See where Wise works
- Send money
- Account details
- Hold and convert money
