If anything, traditional money transfer players include MoneyGram and Western Union who have been known names in recent years.
Today, we did a comparison of the two giants (MoneyGram vs Western Union) based on their transfer times, fees, and international coverage of their network, in this article.
Seeking to do all due diligence painstakingly, we present a fair representation of the performance of each service.
This will enable choosing which service best meets your business or personal remittance requirements.
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This includes if you are looking for a second opinion or alternatives.
Some facts might change from the time of writing, and nothing written here is financial, legal, tax, or any other kind of individual advice, or a solicitation to invest.
What is MoneyGram?
MoneyGram was established in 1940 as Travelers Express in Minneapolis. It grew into MoneyGram after a series of mergers and acquisitions that started in 1998.
Traditionally, it was one of the two giants in the conventional money transfer business alongside Western Union.
What does MoneyGram do?
- International money transfer to 200+ countries
- Cash pickup from over 350,000 agent locations
- Deposits into bank accounts
- Deposits into mobile wallets
- Bill payment services
- Money orders
- Online transfers through website and mobile application
What is Western Union?
Western Union was established in 1851 as a telegraph firm and grew into the biggest money-transferring business in the world.
The company pioneered various financial products including the first stock ticker and consumer charge card, prior to concentrating primarily on money transfers.
What does Western Union do?
- International money transfer to 200+ countries
- Cash pickup from over 500,000 agent outlets worldwide
- Deposits into bank accounts
- Transfers to mobile wallets
- Bill payment services
- Prepaid cards and money orders
- Business payment solutions
Who charges less, MoneyGram vs Western Union?
How much does MoneyGram charge?
MoneyGram is a legacy money transfer firm with brick-and-mortar locations globally and online operations.
It operates based on a variable fee business model funded primarily by transfer value, recipient country, payment method, and delivery speed.
The difficulty in accurate prediction without comprehensive transactional data underlines the complexity.
For cash-to-cash money transfers, charges range from $5 for low-value money transfers to $70+ for high-value money transfers. Local money transfers are slightly cheaper than international money transfers.
Online money transfers via banks are cheaper than money transfers via credit and debit cards, which may have a charge of 3-4% of the amount to be transferred and a flat charge.
The exchange rate is a massive unadvertised fee in MoneyGram’s charges. Although the company boasts competitive exchange rates, these are typically a 3-5% margin above the mid-market rate.
This margin is not typically presented openly and, therefore, the overall cost is greater than the overt fees reveal, especially on larger transfers.
MoneyGram has several delivery options, each priced differently. Cash pickup costs more than depositing into a bank. The express service, though, delivers within minutes at higher prices, while economy transfers can take 3-5 business days but are much cheaper.
MoneyGram is easy for the user who has to send to people without a bank account or even in countries where the banking network is not strong.
Anyhow, it is quite costly in comparison to cross-border payment.
With the upfront fee, exchange rate markup, and a possible receiving fee, it is less cost-effective than most digital-first products for transfers exceeding $1,000.
You can refer to MoneyGram’s calculator to get a precise estimate of MoneyGram fees.
How much does Western Union charge?
Western Union has one of the widest global payments networks with more than 500,000 agent locations. However, such extensive coverage comes with a multifaceted fee structure with a number of variables.
Transfer fees primarily depend on the amount of transfer, country of destination, nature of payment, and delivery choice made.
Cash-to-cash transfers are the costliest with a charge of $5-95 depending on amount and destination. Transfers done online from bank accounts are less expensive (from about $2.99 for small domestic transfers). Credit card-backed transfers attract an additional 2-3% of the standard fee.
The company provides lower promotional rates for sending to some of the most popular corridors such as Mexico and the Philippines.
Western Union’s exchange margin is a significant implicit commission. It is normally 3-6% over the mid-market rate for the most traded currencies and possibly more for the less traded ones. It is not openly declared but contributes significantly to the overall transfer price, especially with higher amounts.
Delivery speed choices also influence cost, with the “Money in Minutes” service being costly in relation to “Next Day” or regular delivery choices.
Recipients may have extra fees imposed by receiving banks or agent offices, but these depend on the country and are not directly under Western Union’s control.
Western Union’s principal strength lies in its large cash pickup network and brand more than low cost.
For senders with bank accounts sending to recipients with bank accounts, several electronic options providing better rates exist.
But when it comes to cash sending to distant places or areas with poor banking infrastructure, Western Union’s higher price premium could be a reflection of the imperfect competition and resulting higher cost of doing business in these markets.
To get a precise estimate, you can use the Western Union price estimator.
Which is better, MoneyGram or Western Union?
MoneyGram boasts a huge physical presence with online facilities, thereby reaching banked and unbanked communities. It also has real-time transfer monitoring on its website and mobile app.
MoneyGram Plus rewards scheme offers discounted fees for frequent senders. The service is strongest in rural regions and emerging markets where there are few banking centers.
Transfer time ranges from minutes (for premium services) to 3-4 business days for economy services to certain countries.
Western Union boasts the highest physical presence among money transfer organizations. It is known for delivering essential financial access to the remotest reaches of the world and rising economies.
Western Union offers more than one level of speed varying from minutes in premium to 3-5 days in economy.
Its digital products have greatly increased, claiming an increasingly dominant proportion of business.
Western Union’s MyWU rewards club offers discounts on repeat usage.
The company also offers specialized services for commercial payments and NGOs operating in challenging regions.
Conclusion
MoneyGram and Western Union both provide good methods of sending money across borders, but each meets quite different user needs.
MoneyGram positions itself on its low prices and quick transfer times.
Western Union’s large global network and established tradition, however, make it the default choice for many.
The local accessibility and exchange fees are also critical in deciding the trustworthiness of such money transfer companies.
We therefore advise regular due diligence so that you choose the most suitable service for your financial needs at a given time.
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Adam is an internationally recognised author on financial matters with over 830million answer views on Quora, a widely sold book on Amazon, and a contributor on Forbes.
