Sendwave Fee Calculator
See the real cost of a Sendwave transfer from the US, Europe, the UK or Canada — the fee plus the exchange-rate markup — beyond the first-transfer promo.
Calculate Transfer Fees
Calculate your Sendwave transfer cost — measured from Sendwave’s own live base rates, not the intro promo
You Send
Recipient Gets
Sendwave Fee Structure
* Estimated typical cost: the live mid-market rate minus this provider's typical exchange-rate markup, plus its typical fee. Real cost varies by corridor, amount, delivery and payment method, and promotions — check the provider for a live quote.
Also worth checking: WiseWise uses the real mid-market rate with one clear fee and no markup hidden in the exchange rate. Worth a look before you send.
See Wise’s rate"No fees" is a first-transfer promo. New Sendwave customers get an Intro Rate Discount that zeroes the fee and sweetens the rate — great for send #1. After that, a small fixed fee and a modest exchange-rate markup kick in. This calculator prices the ongoing base rate, so you see what you'll really pay send after send, not just the welcome offer.
Sendwave was built for one job and does it very well: getting money from someone in the US, UK or Europe onto a phone in Nairobi, Manila or Dhaka in a matter of minutes. No paper forms, no branch visit — you tap a few times and the cash lands in a mobile wallet like M-Pesa or GCash. That mobile-first, remittance-corridor focus is what set it apart, and it's now part of Zepz, the same group behind WorldRemit.
For years its pitch was blunt: zero fees. That's still how it hooks you — your first transfer genuinely can be free, with a boosted rate on top. But like every provider, Sendwave has to make money somewhere. Once the intro discount is spent, it earns the normal way: a small fixed fee on most routes and a slim margin baked into the exchange rate. The good news is that both are usually small — on the corridors we measured, the all-in cost typically lands around 1%.
Use the calculator above to see the real, ongoing cost for your country and amount — the fee, the rate markup, and exactly how much your recipient receives.
What Sendwave Actually Costs From the US
A transfer service charges you two ways: a fee you can see and a markuptucked into the exchange rate. Here's what we measured live from Sendwave's own pricing API on US-origin transfers — the base numbers, after the first-transfer promo:
| Route | Fee | Rate markup | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| US → India | $1.99, then 0.5% | 0% | UPI / bank |
| US → Philippines | $0.49 | 1.27% | GCash wallet |
| US → Mexico | $1.99 | 0.56% | Wallet / bank |
| US → Kenya | $0.49 | 1.15% | M-Pesa |
| US → Bangladesh | $0.99 | 0.52% | bKash |
| US → Vietnam | $0.99 | 1.19% | Bank |
| US → Senegal | $0.99 | 2.96% | Orange Money |
The pattern: on its core mobile-wallet routes Sendwave is genuinely cheap — often about 1% all-in once you add the fee and the markup together. The margin climbs on thinner West African currencies (Senegal's ~3%), which is normal for every provider. The number that lets you compare fairly is total cost as a percentage of what you send — exactly what the calculator shows.
Speed and How the Money Arrives
Sendwave's edge is mobile money. Instead of a bank wire that takes days, it pushes funds straight to a wallet your recipient already uses on their phone — usually in minutes.
Mobile wallet
GCash, M-Pesa, Airtel, Orange Money, bKash. Usually instant to a few minutes — the core Sendwave experience.
Cash pickup
Collect in person at partner agents in many countries — handy when the recipient has no wallet or bank.
Bank deposit
Straight to a bank account on some routes (e.g. Mexico, Vietnam). Slightly slower than a wallet, still typically same-day.
Where You Can Send From — and To
You send FROM
- The US (USD) and Canada (CAD)
- The UK (GBP) and the Eurozone (EUR)
- We measured 140+ live routes across these four — pick your country in the calculator.
Your recipient gets money in
- Africa: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa and more
- Asia: India, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia
- Latin America: Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Peru, Brazil and more
- Coverage shifts over time, so confirm your exact country and payout method in the app before you send.
Is Sendwave Legit?
Yes. Sendwave is part of Zepz — the fintech group that also owns WorldRemit — and it operates in the United States as a licensed money transmitter registered as a money services business. It has moved money for millions of customers, built specifically around African and Asian remittance corridors, and its mobile-wallet payouts are a big reason it's trusted in those communities.
"Regulated and trustworthy" and "cheapest for your route" are still two different questions, though. Sendwave is reputable; whether it's the best price for your specific transfer is what the numbers above are for.
Using This Calculator
- Enter the amount you want to send in US dollars.
- Pick the country your recipient is in.
- Read the fee, the exchange-rate markup, and the total cost as a percentage.
- Check what your recipient actually receives — the only figure that really matters.
What the numbers mean
- Fee: the flat charge you see up front (after the intro promo).
- Markup: how far Sendwave's rate sits below the real mid-market rate.
- Total cost %: fee + markup combined — use this to compare providers.
Figures are estimates based on Sendwave's recently measured live base rates and can move with the market and promotions — always confirm the final amount in the Sendwave app before you send. Compare Sendwave against every other service →
Sendwave Fees — FAQ
Does Sendwave really have no fees?
For your first transfer, often yes — new customers get an Intro Rate Discount that zeroes the fee and boosts the rate. That's a promotion. After it ends, a small fixed fee applies on most routes (we measured about $0.49 to $1.99) plus a ~0.5%–3% exchange-rate markup. Still cheap, just not literally free forever. The calculator uses the ongoing base rate, not the intro promo.
How much does Sendwave charge from the US?
It depends on the country. Base (non-promo) costs we measured: US→Philippines (GCash) ~1.27% + $0.49; US→Mexico ~0.56% + $1.99; US→Kenya (M-Pesa) ~1.15% + $0.49; US→Vietnam ~1.19% + $0.99; US→Bangladesh ~0.52% + $0.99. Most routes land around 1% all-in.
What countries can I send to with Sendwave?
Sendwave sends from the US (USD), Canada (CAD), the UK (GBP) and the Eurozone (EUR). We measured 140+ live routes across those four — into Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Senegal, Cameroon, Egypt, Morocco, South Africa…), Asia (India, Pakistan, Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Indonesia) and Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Peru, Brazil…). Coverage shifts over time, so confirm your exact country in the app.
How does Sendwave pay out?
Its specialty is mobile wallets — GCash (Philippines), M-Pesa (Kenya), Airtel Money (Uganda), Orange Money (Senegal), bKash (Bangladesh). Many corridors also offer cash pickup and bank deposit, and delivery to a wallet is usually within minutes.
Is Sendwave legit and safe?
Yes. Sendwave is part of Zepz (which also owns WorldRemit) and operates in the US as a licensed money transmitter / registered money services business. It has served millions of customers, mostly on African and Asian remittance corridors.
Is Sendwave cheaper than Remitly or WorldRemit?
Often close and route-dependent. Sendwave is very strong on instant mobile-wallet corridors to East Africa and the Philippines. Remitly and WorldRemit sometimes win on bank-deposit routes or with their own promos. Compare both for your exact amount — this calculator shows Sendwave, and our comparison ranks it against everyone else.
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