Personal Finance Money transfer

Skrill vs Remitly – which one is better for Americans?

Ucha Vekua

31.03.26

Read time 4 minutes

This article will help you assess Skrill vs. Remitly international payment services. Sending money abroad can be confusing. These apps try to make the process easy to convert currencies around the world. But their fees, networks, and services differ.

Deciding whether Skrill vs. Remitly is best for you will depend on where you’re sending money from, how you want it delivered, and whether you use crypto or want to use Skrill for online shopping.

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 🔎

Table of contents
Skrill vs Remitly – general overview Skrill vs Remitly – fees Skrill vs Remitly – exchange rates Supported countries Transfer times Safety & security

Skrill vs Remitly – general overview

Skrill and Remitly are digital wallet companies that offer easy transfer of money between account holders and across international borders.

Remitly is a global remittances service that facilitates cash pickup, bank transfers, and digital wallet transactions to over 170 countries.¹

Skrill² is a UK-based company that operates in 40 currencies. Similar to PayPal, you can use Skrill to pay various online retailers who accept Skrill. You can also send money directly to Skrill account holders just by sharing an email address. The company also offers crypto and sports gambling integrations as well as rewards programs.

Pros & cons

Skrill and Remitly are very different products that will appeal to a variety of consumers. We break down some pros and cons below.

Skrill	Remitly
Pros Easy sign-up Payment method accepted in a variety of venues Loyalty program	Pros Giant network Cash pickup and bank transfers Simple fee structure
Cons Lots of fees Bad Trustpilot rating Limited network Few pickup methods Europe-focused product makes USD more expensive	Cons Limited fee transparency No online payment method integration

Skrill vs Remitly – fees

As you’re thinking about whether to use Skrill vs. Remitly for your international transfer needs, fees are critical to consider. Here’s how they break down:

Skrill Fees³	Remitly Fees⁴
Foreign exchange fee 4.49%	International transaction fee (varies by country + method)
Skrill exchange rate markup - depends on situation	Currency conversion rate markup (varies)
Skrill-to-Skrill fee when not using EUR - 1.5%	Paying with credit card in US - 3%
Receive foreign currency 3.99%
Bank withdrawal fee 5.50 USD or 1.5% (minimum .50 USD)
Service fee - applies if you make zero transactions or don’t log in for 12 months - 5 USD

Skrill’s fees look like they can add up compared with Remitly’s. But every transaction is different. It’s helpful to create a typical transaction with each service and see how they compare.

You can offset Skrill fees if you’re a frequent spender by signing up for its rewards programs. But the math ultimately might not work out in your favor.

Keep in mind: Many companies offer promotional exchange rates for your first transfer that don’t give you a good idea of what the service costs on a routine basis.

Skrill vs Remitly – exchange rates

Skrill and Remitly each use the exchange rate to make money on international transactions. They add what’s called a markup on the mid-market exchange rate that you see on Google and elsewhere.

Because Remitly doesn’t charge a percentage foreign exchange fee or a fee to receive foreign currency, its exchange rates may appear less favorable than Skrill’s. But Skrill’s foreign exchange fee of 4.49%, and its fee charged to the recipient to receive foreign currency, could wipe away those savings.

For example, to change USD to EUR, Skrill might offer you a .87 exchange rate—which could be the mid-market rate at the time. But if you want to send 1000 USD to your friend in France, subtract 49.90 USD just for foreign exchange. Then your friend will pay an equivalent of 37.91 USD to receive the money to their account.

When all is said and done, Skrill has taken 87.81 USD from the transaction, a nearly 9% markup. And that’s not even considering a markup on the exchange rate.

Supported countries

While Skrill doesn’t publish the number of countries US users can send it, you can transfer to 40 different currencies as part of its services.

Remitly’s scope is much broader. It’s available in more than 170 countries. If this breadth is important to you, Remitly might be a better choice.

Transfer times

You can expect Remitly and Skrill to operate at the same speed for each method. Bank transfers can take a few days, depending on the destination, amount, and security procedures of each bank.

Digital wallet transfers tend to be instant or very fast, even if they’re overseas.

Safety & security

From a security standpoint, Skrill and Remitly are trusted, safe, and regulated. You can count on each of these companies to follow regulations and carry out legitimate transfers.

There is one important distinction, however, when it comes to Skrill vs. Remitly customer service.

On Trustpilot, Remitly earns a stellar 4.6 stars.⁵ Skrill, meanwhile, has a “poor” rating of 2.1.⁶ Its average is bogged down by 1-star reviews, meaning 25% of customers who provided ratings had an extremely negative experience.

Customer service is not the same as safety and security. But when your money is on the line, customer service can make a big difference.

Frequently asked questions

What’s cheaper - Skrill vs Remitly?

Skrill has a higher number of fees, while you might pay more for Remitly’s services in the markup on its exchange rate. The best way to get a sense of fees is to try out some transactions and compare side by side.

It’s important to note that Skrill also takes a commission to withdraw money from the platform, which Remitly doesn’t.

Final verdict: Which provider is better?

Unless crypto services and sports gambling are important to you, you’ll probably have a better experience with Remitly. Thousands of customer reviews back up this pattern.

Plus, Skrill’s abundant fees on foreign transactions are high, and Skrill international transfers are just one part of its focus as an online payment and mobile wallet system.

Remitly also has a much larger global scope and an expanded variety of methods that you can use to deliver money in dozens of countries.

Opening a Wise account is another option you can benefit from — it’s quick and simple to do it online with just a few clicks.

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Sources

1. Remitly - About Remitly
2. Skrill - Who can I send money to?
3. Skrill - Our fees & charges
4. Remitly - USD to MXN
5. Trustpilot - Remitly
6. Trustpilot - Skrill

Sources checked 03/31/2026

*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.