Send Money to Egypt: Cheapest Ways from the USA in 2026
Egyptians abroad sent home a record amount through official channels in the fiscal year to June 2026, more than double the total of two years earlier. The turning point was a decision in March 2024, and it also changes how you should shop for a transfer from the US.
If You Read One Paragraph
Send through a money transfer app, pay from your US bank account, and have the pounds paid into an Egyptian bank account. On $1,000 into an Egyptian bank account, Sendwave charges least of the standing prices we hold, $4.32 all-in, against Ria Money Transfer at $4.92 and MoneyGram at $5.11. At $200 the same service leads, at about $1.65 all-in.
One thing to watch on this route: Wise converts within a fifth of a percent of our mid-market reference and charges a fee instead of a margin, so it looks better on a large transfer than on a small one.
In our current data, $1,000 to an Egyptian bank account costs $4.32 all-in through Sendwave and $46.37 through OFX, about 11 times as much. Same amount, same destination.
Pound Prices, Live
Compare Money Transfer Services
Sending 1,000.00 USD → EGP from the US · Estimated typical cost · bank deposit, bank-funded
Showing 9 of 17 services we can price for USD → EGP
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.
March 2024: When Two Rates Became One
For years Egypt had two exchange rates for the dollar: the official one at the banks and a better one from street dealers. Families abroad followed the better number, and much of their money bypassed the banks. On March 6, 2024, the Central Bank of Egypt let the market set the pound's rate. The pound fell sharply that day, and the central bank credits the decision with unifying the two rates and ending the black market.
Central Bank of Egypt figures for remittances from Egyptians working abroad, as reported by Daily News Egypt and Xinhua.
What this means for you: the licensed services in this guide now convert at a market rate, and the difference between them is their margin and fee, not an official-versus-street gap. Each dollar was worth 56.00 pounds at the mid-market rate we took on October 30, 2026. On a $1,000 transfer, each 1% a service keeps in its rate is about 560 pounds your recipient doesn't get. Check the live USD to EGP rate before you send and compare it with the rate in your quote.
What the Services Charge
The table prices a transfer paid from a US bank account and delivered to an Egyptian bank account: each service's fee plus its rate margin, measured against the mid-market USD/EGP rate when it quoted.
| Service | Cost shape | $200 | $500 | $1,000 | $5,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taptap Sendrate ref differsDelivered by bank deposit | -0.01% rate, no fee | ≈−$0.02 | ≈−$0.05 | −$0.10 | −$0.51 |
| SendwaveDelivered by bank deposit | 0.33% rate + $0.99 | ≈$1.65 | ≈$2.65 | $4.32 | $17.65 |
| Ria Money TransferDelivered by bank deposit, paid by bank account | 0.49% rate, no fee | — | — | $4.92 | $24.62 |
| MoneyGram | 0.31% rate + $1.99 | ≈$2.61 | ≈$3.55 | $5.11 | $17.63 |
| Remitly | 0.86–1.13% rate + $1.99 | ≈$4.22 | ≈$7.60 | $13.24 | $44.96 |
| Western UnionDelivered by direct to bank, paid by bank account | 1.36% rate + $1.99 | ≈$4.68 | ≈$8.76 | $15.55 | $69.90 |
| WiseDelivered by bank deposit, paid by connected bank account (ACH) | 0.00% rate + $9.58–$56.15 | ≈$9.58 | ≈$12.50 | $17.36 | $56.28 |
| XoomDelivered by bank deposit, paid by bank account (ACH) | 3.04% rate + $4.99 | ≈$10.91 | $20.02 | $35.19 | $156.62 |
| OFX | 4.16–4.64% rate, no fee | — | — | $46.37 | $207.82 |
From our current data, collected October 28–30, 2026, for a transfer from the US paid from a bank account and delivered to a bank account. Wise’s prices from the US are for paying it from a connected US bank account (ACH). Wise also takes payment by wire transfer, at a different fee. 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.
Remitly and OFX charge a different rate margin at different amounts, so their costs can fall as the amount rises rather than climbing steadily.
- We hold no current quote for this route from BOSS Money, Instarem, Pangea, Paysend, Revolut, WorldRemit and XE.
Dollar cost, fee and margin together, of Egyptian pounds deposited to a bank account. Each amount's cheapest standing price is highlighted green. Promotions, and quotes giving more pounds than our mid-market reference, wear a label and no highlight.
Taptap Send carries a “rate ref differs” label because at one or more amounts it quoted more pounds than our reference rate, which drags their measured cost toward zero or below it. Compare those rows by the pounds they deliver in the live comparison rather than by the dollar figure here.
A wire from your US bank is the comparison to keep in mind. The sending bank charges up to $75 for an international wire of $1,000, according to the fee schedules we last checked in October 2026. Expect a correspondent bank to take about $20 as well, plus a markup on the pound rate that the banks don't publish and that we could not measure for Egypt.
Check the exact fee on your amount:
InstaPay, Wallets, Accounts and Counters
Your recipient's situation decides the payout, and Egypt gives you four to choose from.
InstaPay
Egypt's instant payment network, launched by the Central Bank of Egypt in March 2022 and built by its technology arm, the Egyptian Banks Company. Since November 2024 banks may receive transfers from abroad through it, into an account or an e-wallet, paid in pounds, at a fee each bank sets. The rollout began with transfers from Gulf countries, so check that your service can send to it.
Mobile wallet
Useful when your recipient has no bank account. The lowest standing wallet price on $1,000 is Sendwave at $4.32 all-in, ahead of Ria Money Transfer at $11.90 and Western Union at $12.05.
Bank account
What this guide prices. Banks are closed on Friday and Saturday, so a deposit sent late on Thursday can sit until Sunday.
Cash pickup
Collected at an agent with ID. On $1,000, Ria Money Transfer at $12.87 all-in is the cheapest standing pickup price, followed by Xoom at $39.54 and Western Union at $65.33.
A transfer you pay for in cash, by money order or by cashier's check carries the 1% US remittance tax. Paying from a bank account or a US card avoids it. Our remittance tax guide has the details, and how much you can send abroad covers reporting on larger sums.
Questions About Egypt Transfers
What's the cheapest way to send money from the US to Egypt?
Use a money transfer app funded from your US bank account, with the pounds paid into an Egyptian bank account. Our latest quotes put Sendwave first on a $1,000 deposit, at $4.32 once fee and rate margin are added up. Wiring the same $1,000 from a US bank means up to $75 in bank fees and a markup in the pound rate on top.
Can my family receive money from abroad through InstaPay?
Yes, if their bank offers it and your service can send to InstaPay. In November 2024 the Central Bank of Egypt approved banks receiving transfers from abroad through InstaPay, into a bank account or an e-wallet, starting with transfers from Gulf countries. The money arrives in Egyptian pounds, and each bank sets its own fee for the service, which can vary with the sending country and currency, so it is worth your recipient asking their bank what it charges.
Why did a bank deposit sent on Thursday not arrive until Sunday?
Egypt's working week runs Sunday to Thursday, and banks are closed on Friday and Saturday. A deposit that misses Thursday's processing usually waits for the banks to reopen on Sunday, so send early in the week when timing matters.
Is the official exchange rate still worse than the street rate?
Not the way it was. On March 6, 2024, the Central Bank of Egypt let the market set the pound's exchange rate, and the central bank credits that decision with unifying the official and parallel rates. Remittances through banks and licensed companies rose sharply in the two fiscal years that followed.
Do I owe US tax on money I send to Egypt?
Not when the transfer is paid from a US bank account or a US debit or credit card. The 1% federal excise tax that began on January 1, 2026 is owed only when you pay for a transfer in cash, by money order, by cashier's check or with a similar paper instrument. Separately, giving one person more than the IRS annual gift exclusion in a year means filing a gift tax return, which for most people is paperwork rather than a tax bill.
Key Takeaways
- Sendwave has the lowest standing price on $1,000 in our current data, at $4.32 all-in.
- Since the March 2024 float, banks and licensed services convert at a market rate, so the gap between them is margin and fee.
- InstaPay can receive transfers from abroad into an account or e-wallet, in pounds, at a fee the recipient's bank sets, if your service can send to it.
- Egyptian banks close on Friday and Saturday; time a deposit around that.
- Fund from a bank account or US card to stay clear of the 1% tax on cash-funded transfers.
Price Your Transfer to Egypt
Put in your amount and see the fee, the rate margin and how many pounds arrive.
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Sources & References
- Central Bank of Egypt
- Daily News Egypt: Remittances hit a record $36.5bn in FY2024/25
- The Star (Xinhua): Egyptian expat remittances hit record $47.3bn in FY 2025/2026
- Egypt Independent: CBE allows receiving money from abroad via InstaPay
- Egyptian Streets: Central Bank of Egypt's new InstaPay app
- World Bank: Remittance Prices Worldwide
- IRS: Excise taxes
- IRS: Frequently asked questions on gift taxes
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.