Can You Send Money to Mexico with Zelle + Other Options?

We make international transactions every now and then. As a resident in the US, money transfers to Canada and Mexico are common. Although banks will not turn down such a transaction, peer-to-peer payment apps are a different story. Let’s figure out can you send money to Mexico with Zelle or not.

Can You Send Money To Mexico With Zelle – Everything You Need To Know

Only US citizens presently have access to Zelle, which is unavailable in Mexico. Both sender and the recipient would have to have US bank accounts to utilise the Zelle app (or just send and receive money using online banking).

• As an American living in Mexico, you will be allowed to use Zelle, but you cannot use Zelle to transfer funds to a bank there.

Zelle is one of the best options to receive and send money directly from your smartphone. However, if you have previously tried to use Zelle for sending money to Mexico across the border, you could not do it because Zelle only operates in the US.

You must choose an alternative to Zelle, like Remitly for cash pick-up or Wise for bank transfers. We will talk more about this in the sections below.

Why Does Zelle Not Work in Mexico?

In short, Zelle transfers to Mexico are not possible since the foreign exchange market is extremely complicated and has a lot of rules, regulations, and industry standards that businesses must abide by. In addition to this, the gross margins are typically relatively small and competitive.

Simply explained, this causes many mobile payment apps to completely skip foreign transfers. They get a lot of time, money, and worry savings from it!

For the same reason, Square Cash and Venmo both avoid using foreign exchange, in addition to Zelle. Additionally, mobile payment apps that engage in currency exchange typically impose high fees to compensate costs (e.g., PayPal).

Alternatives To Zelle for Transactions to Mexico

The great news is that when you use Zelle and wish to send money overseas, you will have a wide range of options to select from. Here are the two most important ones, in brief:

• Transferring through a digital provider

Numerous money transfer companies offer minimal costs, quick transfers, and excellent user experiences for your needs while sending money to Mexico. For bank transfers, Wise is the finest, and for cash pickups, Remitly or Small World are the best. To obtain the best bargain each time, compare the providers as pricing and currency rates fluctuate frequently.

• Sending an international bank wire

US banks that transmit via SWIFT, including Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citibank, and others, incur extremely high fees and offer subpar exchange rates. As a result, we do not advise most individuals to use them to send money abroad.

Below, we go over each of these choices in greater detail.

Digital Service Providers

Online platforms referred to as digital international transfer services have emerged in recent years as a smart, affordable, and secure way to move money internationally. If you now use Zelle, we believe that converting to a digital provider makes perfect sense for a variety of reasons, including:

• Smartness

The fluid, user-friendly experience is frequently snappy and comparable with Zelle regarding accessibility and ease.

• Price

With typical total fees ranging between 0.5% and 3%, they are (by far) the least expensive option to send funds to Mexico.

• Speed

Depending on the provider, money typically reaches abroad in a couple of hours or, at most, one or two days.

The ideal digital service for you will ultimately rely on factors like 1) the country you’re transferring to, 2) the amount you’re sending, and 3) the method your recipient will use to receive the money. The top three digital service providers for remittances from the United States to foreign bank accounts are listed below for your convenience:

Remitly

Remitly, a market pioneer in low-cost international money pickup transfers, frequently provides the most affordable (but rarely the quickest) money transfers from the United States to Mexico.

• Transfer fee is up to 1.2% on average (from the US to Mexico).
• Transfer time is 2-3 business days.

Wise

London-based MoneyGram, one of the most well-known and commonly utilised money transfer services available, with its user-friendly web and mobile platforms, Wise has established a strong reputation for providing quick, economical bank transfers.

• Transfer fees are approximately 3% from the US to Mexico.
• Transferring time is about 1-2 business days.

Small World

Small World is a well-liked money transfer company that is especially well-liked for international remittances. It offers cash pickup transfers and quick, economical bank transfers; however, its mobile wallet deposit alternatives are especially robust and cost-effective.

• The average transfer fee (from the United States to Mexico) is 0.6%
• Transfer time is up to 1 business day

PayPal and Banks

Using your bank or PayPal instead of Zelle for transfers to Mexico is the second and typically not the best option.

• Using the bank or PayPal to transfer money abroad is not only slower and less convenient, but it also carries significant hidden costs.

Both the bank and PayPal will often charge you large hidden fees on top of the regular service fees for transactions to Mexico.

For instance, according to our study, Wells Fargo would charge $30 in service costs and $50 in currency rate margin fees for moving $1,000 from the USA to a country in the Eurozone.

When compared to the least expensive service for the identical transfer, these fees total nearly 8% of the total amount sent, which is approximately 10 times greater. The situation isn’t much different with PayPal either, considering their comparable high exchange rate profits.

When transferring money to Mexico through your bank, your money will be sent over SWIFT, which means that correspondent banks, third-party banks, may impose additional costs that can further lower the amount that reaches your beneficiary’s account.

• Because of this, using banks to send funds abroad is expensive, therefore finding a cheap alternative is more important than ever.

You might be interested in reading: Bank’s That Don’t Use Zelle.

The Bottom Line

Zelle does not allow transfers to Mexico. You will therefore need to look for alternatives. Banks and PayPal are bad choices for most people because of their exorbitant service costs and exchange rates.

The top Zelle alternatives for transactions to Mexico including Small World, Remitly and wise, on the other hand, are digital service providers because they are by far the most affordable, quick, and savvy options.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can Zelle be used in Mexico?

You cannot send money to someone in Mexico using Zelle. It is only available to US residents having local bank accounts and phone lines. For cheap international transfers to Mexico, consider other options like Small World, Wise and Remitly.

Is international transfer using Zelle free?

For domestic payments, Zelle is free; however, international transfers are not supported by Zelle. A Zelle payment requires both the sender and the recipient to have US-based bank accounts and phone numbers.

Is Zelle available in Canada?

You cannot use Zelle in Canada; you may only transfer money between banks with US addresses. Use this practical resource to locate alternative service providers for simple, affordable mobile and online payments to Canada.