The 7 best apps to send mobile money to the Philippines from the US

Over the past decade, the way people send and receive money has changed dramatically. For ages, international money transfers came with long waits, high fees, and required trips to a physical remittance center to actually receive the cash.

But not anymore.

For millions of Filipinos at home and abroad, mobile money has become the go-to solution for international fund transfers. With just a few taps on a smartphone, families can send and receive funds instantly. With those funds, they can pay bills, shop online, or withdraw cash when they need it.

In this article, we’ll break down the 7 best apps to send mobile money to the Philippines. Whether you’re a family member supporting loved ones, a freelancer being paid internationally, or simply someone looking for a convenient way to send and receive cash, these apps could save you time AND money long-term.

We'll also introduce the Wise account, which allows you to send, spend, and receive your money across the globe in over 40 currencies – all at the fair mid-market rate.

Learn more 🔎

What exactly is “mobile money”?

The term “mobile money” refers to digital wallets or electronic accounts that are linked to a specific phone number or mobile device¹. These accounts allow users to send, receive and store money electronically without necessarily relying on a traditional bank account.

In the Philippines, apps like GCash and Maya have made mobile wallets extremely popular, especially among young Filipinos.

The 7 Best Apps to Send Mobile Money to the Philippines

1. Wise

Wise is a multi-currency account designed as an alternative to traditional banks and money transfer services. With Wise, you can send money directly to Philippine bank accounts or popular mobile wallets, like GCash.

• Send Money to 140+ countries: With Wise, you can send money to 140+ countries, including the Philippines
• Hold & Add Funds: You can hold money in 40+ currencies, and add money to Wise in 20+ currencies
• Competitive Exchange Rates: Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate to offer competitive transfer rates vs. traditional banks
• Transparent Pricing: With Wise, there are no hidden transfer fees, you see all your costs for different transfers up-front before sending

2. GCash

GCash² is one of the most widely used mobile wallets in the Philippines, thanks to its ease-of-use, wide acceptance at Philippine vendors, and integration with other financial products.

• Send, Receive, Spend: GCash allows users to receive direct transfers, pay bills, shop online, or withdraw cash at partner locations
• Partnership Network: GCash works with international remittance service with Remitly, WorldRemit, and Xoom to receive international cash transfers
• Integrated Financial Tools: GCash is integrated with a suite of other financial products that allow users to invest, take out loans, or purchase insurance in just a few clicks

3. Maya

Maya³ is another hugely popular e-wallet in the Philippines, and in addition to their digital wallet, they offer a digital banking service with savings and credit accounts available.

• All-in-One Banking: Maya offers banking services in tandem with their e-wallet that don’t require a minimum balance to keep open
• Get Cash from ATMs: You can make cash withdrawals with the Maya card at ATMs around the country
• Receive Remittances: Maya works with most of the popular global transfer services for easy top-ups

4. Remitly

Remitly⁴ is one of the popular remittance services for Filipinos in the U.S. who want to send money back to friends or relatives in the Philippines.

• Multiple Delivery Options: You can send money directly to popular e-wallets (like Wise, GCash, or Maya) or bank accounts
• Express Delivery Available: For an additional fee, you can send an instant transfer using a debit card
• Easy-to-Use App: Remitly’s mobile app allows you to make transfers on-the-go

5. WorldRemit

WorldRemit⁵ is another popular remittance service that allows for mobile wallet transfers at competitive rates.

• Many Payout Methods: Recipients can receive cash through Wise, GCash, or Maya, as well as through banks, cash pickup outlets and mobile airtime.
• Low Transfer Minimums: WorldRemit allows you to send smaller transfers (as little as $1)
• Instant Payouts: Instant payout options are available for when you need to send cash fast

6. Xoom

Xoom⁶ is a remittance service run by PayPal, one of the most trusted brands for digital money transfers.

• Seamless PayPal Integration: You can send and receive payments directly from your PayPal balance, which is great for users who already use PayPal for online purchases, business funds, and more
• Mobile Wallet Transfers: Like the other options, Xoom can transfer cash to mobile wallets, banks, or cash pickup locations
• Trusted Backing: Operates under the PayPal financial ecosystem, giving it the additional security and global reach of this international brand

7. Sharemoney

Sharemoney⁷ is a smaller remittance company but they do offer low-fee mobile money transfers to the Philippines, along with several other countries.

• Direct Mobile Wallet Support: Easy transfers to GCash, Maya, and others
• Simplified App: Straightforward app makes transfers easy and fast
• Fee Transparency: Shows exchange rates and fees up-front

What are the benefits of sending mobile money to the Philippines?

There are a lot of advantages to using mobile money transfers instead of using traditional cash remittance services, especially if you’re transferring money internationally.

Key Takeaways

For the US-based Filipinos, mobile money transfers are quickly overtaking the traditional remittance market. Mobile money is providing families with lower-cost options so more of the money sent actually ends up in the pockets of their loved ones.

In addition to that, mobile money means that recipients don’t have to seek out a traditional remittance center, and can instead start to use their money as soon as it arrives. This is huge for Filipinos who might live further away from major metropolitan areas.

And if you need to send money not just to the Philippines, but other countries as well, options like Wise give you the flexibility to have multi-currency accounts, seamlessly transferring money between countries/currencies with total transparency.

🚀 Get started with Wise

Sources

1. Worldremit – FAQ
2. Gcash – Services
3. Maya – Home
4. Remitly – USD to PHP
5. Worldremit – Send money to Philippines
6. Xoom – Send money to Philippines
7. Sharemoney – Philippines

Sources checked 09/19/2025