Send Money to Ecuador from the USA: Cheapest Ways in 2026
Ecuador uses the US dollar, so a transfer home involves no exchange rate at all: the dollars you send are the dollars that arrive. That makes the fee the whole price, and the fee still varies a lot with the service, the amount and how your family collects the money. This guide prices them side by side.
The Short Answer
Send through a money transfer app, not through your bank. On a $500 transfer, the cheapest standing price in our current data is Revolut at about $0.75 all-in, then Taptap Send at about $0.99 and Xoom at $7.49. In our current data the cheapest standing price changes with the amount: Revolut from $200 to $500, then Taptap Send from $1,000 to $5,000. Want the money at a cash counter or in a mobile wallet instead? The price changes with the delivery. For cash pickup on a $1,000 transfer, the cheapest standing price in our current data is Taptap Send at $2.99 all-in, then Xoom at $5.49 and Remitly at $12.19. For delivery to a mobile wallet on a $1,000 transfer, the only standing price in our current data is Ria Money Transfer at $4.90 all-in.
The one option to skip is a bank wire. US banks charge up to $75 to send a $1,000 international wire (their published fees, checked October 2026), and a correspondent bank typically takes about $20 on the way. In our current data the cheapest standing price for the same $1,000 is $0.99 all-in, through Taptap Send.
With no currency to convert, your family should receive exactly what you send, less any fee taken out of it. If a quote shows less arriving than that, something else is being charged, so compare it with another service before you send.
Compare Live Fees
Compare Money Transfer Services
Sending 1,000.00 USD → USD from the US · Estimated typical cost · bank deposit, bank-funded
Showing 5 of 17 services we can price for USD → USD
Estimates only, not live quotes. "Recipient Gets" is for a bank deposit funded from a bank account, on today's mid-market rate: for a "provider quote", minus the rate markup and fee from that provider's own recent quote; for an estimate, minus the provider's typical markup and fee. Rows are ranked by total cost, the fee plus the rate markup, so a fee charged on top of the amount sent counts against a provider even when its recipient gets more. Real cost varies by corridor, amount, delivery and payment method, and promotions (e.g. new-customer offers can be cheaper). Tap a provider to get its live rate before sending. The dot by each provider shows confidence, and the label says how the figure was grounded: "corridor estimate" is a rate we measured for this exact pair; a currency-code estimate (e.g. "USD estimate") is measured for that source currency but not this destination; "typical estimate" is the provider's general figure across all its corridors; "provider quote" is that provider's own recent quote for this pair, its markup and fee applied to today's mid-market rate exactly as its calculator shows them, and a provider whose quote depends on a payment or delivery choice is left out here and priced on its own calculator. Margins are verified against live provider quotes and the World Bank Remittance Prices database; the date above is the most recent collection. Some “Send money now” buttons are partner links: we may earn a commission if you sign up, at no cost to you, and rows are ranked by cost whatever the link. See how we collect these prices and our advertising disclosure.
The Cheapest Services Compared
All-in cost: what the transfer costs you in total. Nothing is converted on the way to Ecuador, so each service's all-in cost is its fee, whether it adds the fee on top of the amount or takes it out of it. Prices collected October 26, 2026, from each provider's own quotes.
| Service | Cost shape | $200 | $500 | $1,000 | $5,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taptap SendDelivered by bank deposit | 0.00% rate + $0.99 | ≈$0.99 | ≈$0.99 | $0.99 | $0.99 |
| RevolutDelivered by bank transfer | 0.00% rate + $0.75–$7.50 | ≈$0.75 | ≈$0.75 | $1.50 | $7.50 |
| Ria Money TransferDelivered by bank deposit, paid by bank account | 0.00% rate + $5.00–$15.00 | — | — | $5.00 | $15.00 |
| XoomDelivered by bank deposit, paid by bank account (ACH) | 0.00% rate + $5.76–$15.77 | ≈$5.76 | $7.49 | $7.49 | $15.77 |
| RemitlyDelivered by bank deposit | 0.00% rate + $6.31–$40.79 | ≈$6.31 | — | $11.19 | $40.79 |
From our current data, collected October 26, 2026, for a transfer from the US paid from a bank account and delivered to a bank account. A dash means the provider has no quote at that amount whose fee and rate we can state. ≈ marks a price between two amounts the provider quoted, where its fee and rate are known to hold. How we collect these prices.
- BOSS Money doesn’t price a transfer paid from a bank account and delivered to a bank account on this route, only other ways to pay or receive.
- We hold no current quote for this route from Instarem, MoneyGram, OFX, Pangea, Paysend, Sendwave, Western Union, Wise, WorldRemit and XE.
All-in cost in US dollars, paid from a US bank account into a bank account in Ecuador, where the money arrives in dollars. Green marks the cheapest standing price at that amount. A promotional price is shown and labelled but never marked cheapest, because it is not what a returning customer is quoted.
One option is missing from the table because it is not really competing: a bank wire. US banks charge up to $75 to send a $1,000 international wire (their published fees, checked October 2026), and a correspondent bank typically takes about $20 on the way, against $0.99 for the cheapest standing price in the table.
Check the exact fee on your amount with any of these calculators:
Delivery: Bank, Cash Pickup or Wallet
There are three common ways for the money to arrive in Ecuador:
- Bank deposit:
- straight into an account at an Ecuadorian bank such as Banco Pichincha, Banco Guayaquil, Produbanco or Banco del Pacífico. It is what the table above prices, and it usually clears within one to three business days.
- Cash pickup:
- your recipient collects dollars at an agent with the reference number and photo ID, often within minutes. Useful for a relative outside Quito and Guayaquil or without a bank account. In our current data Taptap Send, Xoom, Remitly and Ria Money Transfer price cash pickup on this route.
- Mobile wallet:
- a deposit into a wallet linked to your recipient's phone number. In our current data Ria Money Transfer prices delivery to a mobile wallet on this route. Check that the wallet your recipient uses is on the service's list before you send.
The same delivery can cost different amounts on different services, and on one service a cash pickup and a bank deposit are often priced apart. Compare the delivery your family will actually use.
Dollars In, Dollars Out
Ecuador has used the US dollar since 2000, when it replaced the sucre. For a transfer from the US that means there is no exchange rate to compare and no margin hidden in one: every dollar you send arrives as a dollar, less any fee the service takes out of the amount.
So the comparison is simpler than for most countries. Line up the fee on your amount and delivery, check whether it is added on top or taken out of the amount, and choose the lowest. The all-in figures in the table above do exactly that.
The 2026 US Remittance Tax
A quick note on one new charge. The US has levied a 1% federal excise tax on remittances since January 1, 2026, but only when a sender pays with cash or a money order. Pay from a US bank account, a debit card or a credit card and it does not apply.
It reaches a transfer paid in cash at a storefront counter. Send online from a bank account or card and it never comes up. (Tax rules can change; confirm your own situation before a large send.)
How to Pay the Least
- 01Pay from your bank account. It is usually the cheapest way to fund a transfer, and it keeps you clear of the 1% tax on cash-funded sends.
- 02Compare the fee on your own amount. With no exchange rate, the fee is the whole cost, and it changes with the amount and the delivery.
- 03Match the delivery to your recipient. A bank deposit suits someone with an account; cash pickup suits someone without one; a wallet suits small, regular sums.
- 04Send more, less often. A flat fee weighs less on a bigger transfer, so one larger send beats several small ones.
- 05Treat a first-transfer deal as a one-off. Some services sweeten the first transfer. Use it, then compare again before the second.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest way to send money to Ecuador from the USA?
A money transfer app paid from your US bank account, not a bank wire. On a $500 transfer, the cheapest standing price in our current data is Revolut at about $0.75 all-in, then Taptap Send at about $0.99 and Xoom at $7.49. In our current data the cheapest standing price changes with the amount: Revolut from $200 to $500, then Taptap Send from $1,000 to $5,000. For cash pickup on a $1,000 transfer, the cheapest standing price in our current data is Taptap Send at $2.99 all-in, then Xoom at $5.49 and Remitly at $12.19. For delivery to a mobile wallet on a $1,000 transfer, the only standing price in our current data is Ria Money Transfer at $4.90 all-in. Skip bank wires. US banks charge up to $75 to send a $1,000 international wire (their published fees, checked October 2026), and a correspondent bank typically takes about $20 on the way.
Is there an exchange rate when I send dollars to Ecuador?
No. Ecuador has used the US dollar since 2000, so the dollars you send arrive as dollars and nothing is converted. The fee is the whole price. Some services add it on top of the amount you send and others take it out of it, so compare what each one charges you and what your family receives.
Can my family in Ecuador collect the money as cash?
Yes. Cash pickup is widely offered in Ecuador, collected in dollars with a reference number and photo ID. In our current data Taptap Send, Xoom, Remitly and Ria Money Transfer price cash pickup on this route. It suits a relative without a bank account, though a bank deposit can cost less on the same amount.
How long does it take to send money to Ecuador?
Card-funded transfers to a cash counter or an Ecuadorian bank account are often ready within minutes. A transfer paid from your US bank account is usually cheaper and tends to take one to three business days.
Is there a tax on sending money to Ecuador in 2026?
Since January 1, 2026 the 1% US federal excise tax has applied only to remittances paid with cash or a money order. Pay from your own US bank account or with a US debit or credit card and it does not apply to your transfer.
Key Takeaways
- In our current data the cheapest standing price changes with the amount: Revolut from $200 to $500, then Taptap Send from $1,000 to $5,000. Methods change the price, so check your own amount and method in the calculators.
- Choose the delivery that suits your family: bank deposit, cash pickup or a mobile wallet. For cash pickup on a $1,000 transfer, the cheapest standing price in our current data is Taptap Send at $2.99 all-in, then Xoom at $5.49 and Remitly at $12.19. Avoid bank wires: US banks charge up to $75 to send one, before a correspondent bank's cut.
- Fund the send from a US bank account or card, and the 2026 1% cash-only remittance tax doesn't apply to it.
- Ecuador uses the US dollar, so there is no exchange rate: the fee is the whole price, and the dollars you send are the dollars that arrive.
Send Smarter to Ecuador
With no currency to convert, sending money to Ecuador comes down to one number: the fee. Pick the service with the lowest all-in figure for your amount and delivery, fund it from your US bank, and more of every dollar reaches home than a bank wire would deliver.
Calculate Your Transfer to Ecuador
See the real fee and how many dollars land before you send.
Related Calculators & Guides
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Price a Remitly transfer to Ecuador on your own amount and delivery method.
Bank deposit, cash pickup or wallet in Ecuador, priced on your own amount.
Sources & References
Provider pricing and exchange rates are set by the companies named and can change. Figures in this guide are checked against these official sources. Always confirm the live rate before you transact.