Danske Bank large transfers and transfer limits in the UK (2026)
UK guide to Danske Bank large transfers: limits, CHAPS, fees, security, and step‑by‑step instructions to send safely.
The best UK banks for sending money abroad
Sending money internationally should be easy, right? The good news is that it can be, but it all depends on which provider you use. Unfortunately, if you use a bank for an international payment, it can sometimes be a slow, complicated and expensive process.
Of course, some banks are better than others. In this handy guide, we’ll give you the lowdown on which are the best UK banks for sending money abroad. We’ll look at a few key areas - overall cost, limits and how long an international transfer takes.
We’ll also show you a fantastic alternative from the money services provider Wise - the Wise account. Over 14.8 million people worldwide use Wise to send, spend and convert money in 40+ currencies including GBP, EUR and USD.
With low, transparent fees (from 0.1%), great mid-market exchange rates, and secure, trackable transfers, Wise makes international money transfers simple and stress-free. Plus, you’ll get dedicated support and volume discounts when sending large amounts.
| Please see the terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information. |
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Best UK banks for sending money abroad: international bank transfer fees and rates compared
When choosing a UK bank for sending your money abroad, the first thing you’ll want to know is the overall cost. So, how much do banks charge for international transfers?
First, there’s the upfront cost, or a transfer fee. Depending on the bank, currency and the destination, this can be £0 or more.
Next, you should look at the exchange rate. Compared to the mid-market exchange rate, many banks tend to set their own exchange rates. This means they likely add a mark-up or margin on top of the mid-market exchange rate.
The last thing to look at is correspondent fees. When banks send money overseas and outside of the EEA, they typically use the SWIFT network of banks. This means your money may not go directly to the recipient bank, but pass through many ‘correspondent’ banks along the way. And each of these banks may charge their own fee.
Now, here’s your at-a-glance comparison of international bank transfer fees here in the UK:
| Provider | Transfer fee | Exchange rate | Correspondent bank fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monzo¹ | Fixed fee (max. £9) + variable fee from 0% to 1.80% | Powered by Wise: Mid-market exchange rate | Varies |
| First Direct² | - £0 (EUR payments within the EEA and to HSBC accounts) - £5 (EUR payments outside the EEA and all other payments) | Exchange rate + potential markup | Varies |
| Halifax³ | - £0 (EUR payments) - £9.50 (other currencies) | Exchange rate + up to 3.55% markup | £12 to £20 |
| Lloyds⁴ | - £0 (EUR payments) - £9.50 (other currencies) | Exchange rate + up to 3.55% markup | £12 to £20 |
| HSBC⁵ | - £0 (EUR payments within the EEA and to HSBC accounts) - £5 (EUR payments outside the EEA and all other payments) | Exchange rate + potential markup | Varies |
| Nationwide⁶ | £15 for all SWIFT payments | Exchange rate + 2.2% markup | Varies |
| TSB⁷ | - £0 (EUR payments within the EEA) - £10 (all other payments up to £5,000) - £17.50 (all other payments £5,000+) | Exchange rate + potential markup | £6 |
| Barclays⁸ | - £0 (EUR payments within EEA) - £4 to £12 (other payments) | Exchange rate + potential markup | Varies |
| Santander⁹ | - £0 (EUR payments within EEA) - £25 (other payments) | Exchange rate + 1% to 3% markup | Varies |
| Metro Bank¹⁰ | - £0.20 (EUR payments within EEA) - £25 (other payments) | Exchange rate + potential markup | Varies |
| RBS/NatWest¹¹ | - £0 (standard online payment) - £15 (urgent) | Exchange rate + potential markup | Varies |
| Cooperative Bank¹² | - £0 (EUR payments within EEA) - 0.25% (all other payments, max. £35) | Exchange rate + 4% markup¹³ | Varies |
| Starling Bank¹⁴ | - From £0.30 (local network payment) - £5.50 (SWIFT payments) | Exchange rate + 0.4% markup | None |
Transfer limits with UK banks for sending money abroad
Other than the fees, you should also look into transfer limits for sending money abroad.
Depending on the amount you want to transfer, some banks might not be the right fit for you. There are daily and monthly limits that many banks set - often to do with money transfer laws or anti-fraud measures.
So if you need to send a large transfer, you might need to find an alternative option.
To help you decide, let’s take a look at our list of UK banks and their transfer limits:
| Provider | Transfer limit |
|---|---|
| Monzo | Personal to user - check with provider |
| First Direct² | - Up to £50,000/day online - Up to 5,000,000 USD (or currency equivalent)/day by phone banking |
| Halifax³ | - Up to £100,000/day online - Up to £10,000/day by phone banking - No limit in branch |
| Lloyds⁴ | - Up to £100,000/day online - Up to £10,000/day by phone banking - No limit in branch |
| HSBC⁵ | - Up to £50,000 online - Up to £10,000 by phone banking |
| Nationwide⁶ | No limit |
| TSB⁷ | Up to £75,000 |
| Barclays¹⁶ | Up to £50,000/day online |
| Santander¹⁷ | Up to £100,000/day |
| Metro Bank | Check directly with provider |
| RBS/NatWest¹⁸ | Up to £20,000/day |
| Cooperative Bank²¹ | £19,999.99/day |
| Starling Bank | Personal to user - check with provider |
| 📚 Read more: How to transfer large sums of money between bank accounts |
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Which UK banks don't charge foreign transaction fees?
Most UK banks don’t charge transfer fees for making SEPA payments - these are payments sent to an EEA country in euros.
For other payments, a fee will apply. The exception is NatWest and RBS (part of the same banking group), which charges no fee to personal customers for standard international transfers made online. However, there may still be correspondent or receiving bank fees to pay.
You can also make free international transfers with HSBC, as long as you're sending to another HSBC account.
How long does an international transfer take with UK banks?
As well as cost and transfer limits, you’ll also want to know which UK banks are quickest at getting your money where it needs to go.
Here’s a quick look at average transfer times for international payments:
| Provider | Time to send an international transfer |
|---|---|
| Monzo | Check with the bank/Monzo app directly |
| First Direct² | Up to 4 working days |
| Halifax³ | Up to 5 working days |
| Lloyds⁴ | Up to 5 working days |
| HSBC⁵ | Up to 4 working days |
| Nationwide⁶ | More than 4 working days |
| TSB¹⁵ | Check with the bank directly |
| Barclays¹⁶ | 1 to 2 days on average |
| Santander⁹ | Up to 4 working days |
| Metro Bank¹⁹ | Up to 5 working days |
| RBS/NatWest²⁰ | Up to 4 working days |
| Cooperative Bank²² | Up to 4 working days |
| Starling Bank ²³ | Up to 3 working days |
Wise – A low-cost alternative to bank transfers
Looking for a secure, convenient and low-cost way to send international transfers? Take a look at the Wise account from the money services provider Wise. It's not a bank account but offers some similar features and your money is safeguarded.
With Wise, you can send money worldwide to 140+ countries in 40+ currencies for low, transparent fees and mid-market exchange rates with no markup. You’ll also get dedicated support and volume discounts when sending large amounts overseas.
| Here’s an overview of the main benefits of using Wise: |
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**Investments in funds are never guaranteed and your capital can be at risk. In the UK, Interest and Stocks are provided by Wise Assets — this is the trading name of Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised as an investment firm and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA number is 839689. We do not give investment advice, and you may be subject to pay tax. If you're not sure, seek qualified advice. You can find more information about the funds on our website.
After reading this, you’ll have a handy at-a-glance guide to the best UK banks for international transfers.
This means you can easily compare the cheapest and the quickest, along with alternatives such as Wise.
Sources used for this article:
- Monzo - Fee Information
- First Direct - International Payments
- Halifax - Help Centre - Send money outside the UK or in a foreign currency
- Lloyds Bank - Help - Send money outside the UK or in a foreign currency
- HSBC - International payments
- Nationwide - Help - How to send and receive international payments
- TSB - International Payments
- Barclays - International Payments
- Santander - International Payments
- Metro Bank - Personal Accounts - Important Information Summary
- NatWest - Fee Information Document
- Co-operative Bank - Account Charges Leaflet
- Co-operative Bank - Help and Support - Exchange Rates
- Starling Bank - Send money abroad
- TSB - Your personal banking terms and conditions
- Barclays - Sending international payments
- Santander - Payments and transfers
- NatWest - How can I make an international payment?
- Metro Bank - Make international payments with our mobile app
- NatWest - How long will it take for an international payment to arrive?
- Cooperative Bank - Money transfers
- Cooperative Bank - International Payments
- Starling Bank - Help - When will my international transfer arrive?
Sources checked on 11-Dec-2025.
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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