An Post international money transfer: Fees and how does it work?

If you’re looking for a way to send money internationally from Ireland, An Post offers a couple of options. But before you choose, it’s important to compare the fees, limits and exchange rates to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

In this guide we’ll walk you through how the two types of An Post money transfers work, what they cost and the exchange rates. As a bonus option, we’ll also introduce you to Wise, a service designed for low-cost, transparent international transfer.

Wise: Send money to
+140 countries 💰

Can I make international transfers with An Post in Ireland?

Yes. To make international transfers with An Post you can either use their Western Union services or transfer the money from within an An Post Current account.

International money transfers with Western Union

Western Union is an international money transfer service that partners with An Post as one of their authorised agents.¹ It enables people to send and receive money from over 500,000 agents located in 200 countries and territories around the globe.

In Ireland, An Post is one Western Unions’ authorised agents and a money transfer using their services can be organised at all post offices nationwide.

How to transfer money at An Post with Western Union

If you’d like to complete a Western Union transfer at An Post these are the steps you’ll need to follow:

1. Complete the application form
2. Bring the form and a valid form of identification to the post office, such as a driver's license or passport
3. Get a quote for the transfer
4. If the quote is acceptable give your details and the recipients
5. Pay for the transfer.

Once you’ve paid for the transfer you’ll be given a reference number for the transaction and the money will be sent to the recipient using the delivery method you’ve chosen.

International money transfers with the An Post Current account

An Post customers with a Current account also have the option to do a credit transfer through their online banking.² It’s limited to sending and receiving payments within the Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA), in these destinations:

• European Union countries
• United Kingdom
• Iceland
• Liechtenstein
• Monaco
• Norway
• San Marino
• Switzerland

It’s worth noting that not all of these destinations use the Euro, so a currency exchange may be required.

How to transfer money from an Post Current account

These are the steps to take to transfer money from an An Post Current account²:

1. Login to your An Post online banking
2. Go to ‘Quick Actions’ and select ‘Make a Payment’
3. Choose ‘New Recipient’ and enter their IBAN
4. Complete the phone code authorisation process
5. Input the amount, date and frequency of the payment
6. Once you’re happy with the details, confirm the transfer.

An post international transfer fees in Ireland 💶

The fees for sending money abroad with An Post depends on various factors like the method, currency and destination.

If you’re sending money with their Western Union services, the fees are based on the Euro value of what you send.

There are set brackets ranging from €0 to €35 up to €5770.01 to €6000, with each bracket having a set fee. Here’s an example of some of them, but you can find the complete list on the An Post website.³

Alternatively if it’s a SEPA payment you can use the An Post Current account, where these fees apply.

If you want to send money outside the SEPA zone you can’t use your An Post Current account, so instead you’ll have to use their Western Union services or an alternative provider, such as Wise.

What is the An Post money transfer limit?

The transfer limit depends again on which service you use.

• For Western Union transfers, the highest amount listed on the An Post website is €6000.³
• For An Post Current accounts, the online limit is €2000 per recipient, per transaction.⁵

Wise: Send money to +140 countries online

If you're looking for something else, you could use Wise in Ireland for your international money transfers.

With Wise you can send money to over 140 different countries from 50+ currencies. Wise always uses the mid-market rate (more on that soon!) and there’s no hidden fees or charges to worry about.

You can set up a transfer online from the comfort of home via website or the Wise app. Simply follow the prompts and before you commit to the transfer you’ll be shown exactly what it’s going to cost, part of Wise’s commitment to transparency.

If you frequently deal with multiple currencies or need access to money in different countries, a Wise Account can be especially useful. It allows you to hold and convert money in over 40 currencies and receive payments like a local in 8+ of those currencies.

You can also order a Wise card, linked to your account, to spend seamlessly in multiple currencies in 150+ countries.

Open your personal Wise Account
for free 🚀

An Post exchange rate: How does it work?

Starting with the Western Union rate, this is something set by Western Union rather than An Post. It does include an FX gain which means Western Union makes money on the currency exchange.¹

For their Current Account, An Post doesn’t specify in the terms and conditions exactly which exchange rate is used.⁶ This makes it difficult to know exactly what it would cost to send money to a SEPA country that doesn’t use the Euro, like Norway or the UK. If you want to put money on an An Post Currency Card or get it out as cash though, you can find the An Post exchange rates online.

By comparison Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate (the same rate you normally see on Google), which is a fair way to determine the rate.

Many banks and money transfer services add a margin to their exchange rates, meaning you get less when converting currencies. But instead of inflating the rate, Wise applies the true mid-market rate and just charges a small, upfront fee, always visible beforehand..

This commitment to transparency means you’ll always know exactly how much your recipient will get, with no unexpected surprises.

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