Remitly fees, rates and limits (2026)
Remitly is strong for a first transfer, where new-customer promotional rates can be excellent — but those rates are dated and expire, so judge Remitly on its STANDARD rate, not the promo. It offers two speeds: Economy (cheaper, slower) and Express (instant, pricier). Good all-rounder with wide delivery: bank, cash pickup and mobile money.
Where Remitly sends: the routes we cover
Coverage is checked route by route from each provider's own site — see the "will Remitly work for your route?" check below.
How much does Remitly cost? The fee anatomy
Remitly prices two tiers: Economy (lower cost, slower) and Express (instant, higher cost), with the fee and rate shown before you confirm. The catch to watch is the promotional rate: new customers often see a headline first-transfer rate that is far better than the standard one and expires after the first send. Margins move daily; compare the STANDARD (not promo) quote to the live mid-market rate above before sending — the gap is the real cost.
See what the recipient gets (🇺🇸 United States → 🇳🇬 Nigeria):
Remitly delivery & speed
Express delivers in minutes to a wallet or cash-pickup point; Economy takes longer (hours to a few days), especially to a bank account. Remitly's cash-pickup and mobile-money reach is wide across Africa.
Remitly limits & KYC
Send limits are tiered by verification level and rise over time; larger sends may need extra ID or source-of-funds. Check your current tier's daily/monthly cap in the app.
Is Remitly safe? Regulation & trust
Is Remitly safe? Remitly (Remitly Global, Inc., Nasdaq: RELY) is a publicly-listed money-transfer company; its UK arm (Remitly U.K., Ltd) is an FCA-authorised Payment Institution under the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (FRN 728639) — a payment institution, not an EMI — and a registered US MSB. It is not a bank: no FSCS deposit insurance, but customer funds are safeguarded in segregated accounts.
Will Remitly work for your route?
Works if : you're sending FROM the US, UK or EU TO a bank account, cash pickup or mobile wallet across a wide network — with two speeds to choose: Economy (cheaper, slower) or Express (instant, pricier). see the routes above →
- Counting on that headline first-transfer rate to last? It's promotional and expires after the first send — judge Remitly on its standard rate. Wise's rate doesn't expire — it's the mid-market rate every time →
- Want instant delivery at the lowest cost? Remitly's Express carries a higher fee than Economy. A zero-fee wallet app can be cheaper →
- Sending from inside Africa (Lagos, Nairobi…)? Remitly can't — it's a diaspora sender, originating from the US, UK and EU only (2026). For an Africa-to-Africa send, try Mukuru →
- Sending France→Central African Republic or France→Chad? Remitly states both are unsupported (2026). See who serves Chad →
Frequently asked questions
Why is my Remitly rate worse the second time?
The first transfer often uses a promotional rate that expires. Your later transfers use the standard rate — that's the one to compare against other apps.
What's the difference between Economy and Express?
Economy is cheaper but slower; Express is instant but costs more. Pick by whether speed or cost matters more for that send.
Is Remitly safe and legit?
Yes — it's a publicly-listed, regulated money-transfer business; funds are safeguarded and it's a registered MSB. It is not a bank, so there's no deposit insurance.