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Ria vs. Remitly: Which is better? 2026 guide
Choosing the right service to send money internationally can save you time and money. Ria and Remitly are popular options, but they charge different fees, have different sending limits, and offer different features.
Understanding the pros and cons of using Remitly vs. Ria will help you pick a provider that works best for your needs and gets your money where it needs to go at a lower cost.
Let's take a closer look at both services.
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.
Ria vs. Remitly at a glance
| Ria | Remitly | |
|---|---|---|
| Features |
|
|
| Availability | Send to 190+ countries and territories in 100+ currencies² | Send to 170+ countries in 100+ currencies¹ |
| Fees | Vary depending on destination, amount, payment method, and how the recipient gets the money | Vary depending on destination, amount, payment method, and how the recipient gets the money |
| Exchange rates | Markup added to exchange rate | Markup added to exchange rate |
| Limits | 14,999.99 USD every 30 days (495 USD per transaction for cash transfers)³ Up to 49,999 USD per day for transfers to India³ | Up to 100,000 USD per transaction from the US⁴ |
| Speed |
|
|
| Security |
|
|
| Rating | 4.3/5 stars⁸ | 4.6/5 stars⁹ |
What’s the difference between Ria and Remitly?
Ria stands out because it accepts cash payments at physical branches and reaches more destinations, covering over 190 countries¹ compared to Remitly's 170+ countries².
However, Ria has much lower sending limits for most transfers, capping at 14,999.99 USD every 30 days for non-India destinations.³ Remitly allows up to 100,000 USD per transaction for US customers.⁴
Remitly also offers two speed tiers (Express and Economy) so you can choose between faster delivery or lower costs, while Ria doesn't have that option.
Here are more details on Remitly vs. Ria and how they compare:
Ria vs. Remitly: Fees and exchange rates
Neither Ria nor Remitly use fixed pricing. The cost of your transfer will depend on factors like:
- Where you're sending money
- How much you're transferring
- Your payment method
- How the recipient will receive the money
- Delivery speed
For Ria, third-party sources estimate that bank-funded transfers to most destinations may cost around 5 USD in fees. If you pay with a credit or debit card, the costs will typically be higher.¹⁰
Ria also adds a markup to the exchange rate that usually falls between 1.5% and 2.5% above the mid-market rate.¹⁰
For Remitly, third-party sources estimate an additional 3% charge on top of the base fee if you pay by a credit card, and a 1% to 3.7% Remitly exchange rate markup.¹¹
That said, ultimately, these are just estimates. Your fees can be lower or higher depending on your destination, transfer amount, payment method, and delivery speed.
Ria vs. Remitly: Availability
You can send money transfers to pretty much anywhere in the world with both Ria and Remity.
However, Ria does have a slightly wider reach than Remitly, covering over 190 countries. Remitly sends to 170+ countries in 100+ currencies.¹²
A unique advantage with Ria is that you can fund your transfer with cash at a physical branch location. This can be helpful if you prefer not to use a bank account or card. Remitly only accepts electronic payment methods like bank transfers, debit cards, and credit cards.
Both allow for cash pickup, as long as you're sending money to an eligible destination country.
Ria vs. Remitly: Speed
With Ria, credit and debit card payments are the fastest option, with your money typically arriving in 15 minutes to 3 hours.⁵
Bank transfers take longer — up to 4 business days. If you pay with cash at a Ria branch, allow 1 business day after they receive your payment for processing.⁵
Overall, if you need to send money overseas fast, your best bet is to pay with a credit or debit card, but keep in mind that this option usually comes with the highest money transfer fees.
Remitly gives you two transfer speed options to choose from. Express delivers your transfer within minutes to the same day, but it costs more. Economy takes 3 to 5 business days, but you'll spend less in fees. Both transfer methods will include a currency exchange rate markup.⁶
Ria vs. Remitly: Limits
When it comes to Remitly vs. Ria transfer limits, Remitly typically allows for larger transfers. Remitly allows its US customers to send up to 100,000 USD per transfer.⁴
With Ria, cash-funded transfers have the lowest limit at 495 USD per transaction. With an electronic payment method, you can send 14,999.99 USD every 30 days.³
For transfers to India specifically, you can send up to 49,999 USD per day, but that's just one destination country that has a relatively high sending limit.³
| Need to send a large amount? With Wise, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per wire transfer to 140+ countries — and we automatically apply a discount when you send over 25,000 USD (or equivalent)*. |
|---|
🚀Send high-amount transfers with Wise
*For more information, please visit https://payout-surge.live/us/large-amounts/%3C/a%3E.%3C/small%3E%3C/p%3E
Ria vs. Remitly: Safety
Both Ria and Remitly are legitimate and regulated companies that take security seriously. You don't have to worry about safety with either of them, but it's still important to watch out for scammers that often target personal money transfers in general.
Ria is a regulated money transmitter, and it uses data encryption to protect your information during transactions. It also runs 24/7 fraud monitoring systems to detect suspicious activity.⁷
To send your first transfer, you'll have to verify your identity.
Remitly is authorized as a money transmitter across multiple countries and meets regulatory requirements in all locations where it operates. The service also requires identity verification and uses active fraud detection systems to monitor for potential security issues.
Overall, both platforms are safe options for international money transfers.
Pros and cons of Ria vs. Remitly
Naturally, both Ria and Remitly have their strengths and weaknesses.
One big advantage of Ria is that you can pay with cash at physical branch locations, which Remitly doesn't offer. If you don't have a bank account or don't want to use electronic payment methods, this makes Ria more accessible.
However, Ria also has much lower sending limits, especially if you're paying with cash, which allows just 495 USD per transaction.³ With Remitly, US customers can send 100,000 USD per transfer.⁴
Ria also has a lower Trustpilot rating at 4.3 stars⁸ compared to Remitly's 4.6 stars⁹.
A unique feature of Remitly is that it allows you to choose between Express and Economy transfer speeds, but it costs you more to send a faster money transfer, which can feel like you're being charged extra for what should already be included in your transfer fee.
Remitly can also be a little more expensive than Ria in general, though this depends on your destination country, payment method, and other factors.
| Ria | Remitly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
Send fast, secure and low cost international transfers with Wise
A smart option if you’re sending money overseas: meet Wise.
Register a Wise account online or in the Wise app, and send money to 140+ countries, with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.
Wise always shows you the amount you’re paying and how much your recipient will get — and you can even compare against other providers on the Wise app or desktop site.
If another service is cheaper for your particular payment, you’ll be shown — so you can’t lose.
| See how Wise compares with international bank transfers in our full guide |
|---|
Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information
Which is better: Ria or Remitly?
It's a smart idea to compare Ria Money Transfer vs. Remitly, but neither service is universally better.
Ria accepts cash payments and reaches slightly more countries, which gives it an edge if you need those specific features. Remitly has higher sending limits and better customer ratings, plus the option to choose your transfer speed.
However, there's a big issue with both services, and it's that they both add currency exchange rate markups to the mid-market rate.
Both platforms advertise "competitive exchange rates," but a standard 2% or 3% markup can cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars on a large transfer.
Plus, it's often hard to see how much you're even paying in currency conversion fees because while both platforms clearly display their rates, you have to do your own math on how that compares to the mid-market rate you see on Google.
If you're looking for a better alternative, consider Wise.
| With Wise, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per wire transaction to 140+ countries, with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees. |
|---|
Sources
- Remitly - Remitly vs. Xoom
- Ria - Home Page
- Ria - What are the transfer limits?
- Remitly - Home Page
- Ria - How long do transfers take?
- RemitBee - Remitly Money Transfer Review
- Ria - Security
- Trustpilot - Ria Money Transfer
- Trustpilot - Remitly
- OneSafe - Ria vs. Remitly
- OneSafe - WorldRemit vs. Remitly
*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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