Supplier invoices, tuition bills and family payments put different pressure on timing, but the cost test is the same. Judge the quote by the dollars that reach the US account, not by the fee shown beside it.
You can rely on the figures below: we checked them against provider pricing, the mid-market GBP/USD rate, and the US reporting rules in October 2026.
How Much Does It Cost to Send Money to the USA?
Pick by what you’re sending and how fast you need it there: lowest cost on a small transfer, or same-day arrival on an urgent one. For a £1,000 transfer we rate Atlantic Money and Revolut the cheapest, with Wise close behind and fully transparent.
| Key point | Details |
|---|---|
| Destination currency | US dollar (USD) |
| Cheapest on £1,000 (October 2026) | Revolut (0.15%, so £1.50) and Atlantic Money (flat £3) |
| Fastest way | Same-day via a USD wire; ACH bank deposit takes 1 to 2 business days |
| What the recipient needs | Full name, 9-digit routing number, account number, account type |
| Typical UK bank charge | Often more than the specialists, because banks build an unpublished margin into the rate |
| US reporting | Banks report cash transactions over $10,000 to FinCEN, not bank transfers |
For a one-off payment, a specialist currency provider is usually the cheaper route because the exchange-rate margin is visible. A bank counter may be convenient, but that convenience normally costs more.
On a £1,000 transfer the gap between the cheapest provider and a bank is more than £30. Scale that to a £20,000 property deposit and the bank spread alone can cost you several hundred dollars. The spread costs you, not the visible fee.
Watch the monthly allowance with Revolut: on Standard, exchange above £1,000 a month costs 1% extra, which can wipe out its price edge.
Best Providers for Sending Money to the USA
The cheapest provider changes with the amount, the delivery method and whether you want help from a dealer. A supplier payment and a family transfer can therefore lead to different choices.
Wise for most transfers
Choose Wise when you want the fairest rate with nothing hidden. It uses the mid-market rate and shows the fee upfront (£4.58 on £1,000 when we checked in October 2026), and you can hold dollars in a USD account and pay out by ACH when you need to.
Atlantic Money for large one-off transfers
Choose Atlantic Money when your amount is large and you want a flat fee. It charges £3 at the mid-market rate on transfers up to £1 million, so on a property deposit or a school-fee payment the saving against a percentage fee adds up fast.
OFX for dealer-led business payments
Pick OFX if you’re a business and you want a person on the phone when you pay a supplier. It charges no transfer fee and builds its margin into the rate, and OFX says that margin depends on the currency and the amount you send.
Revolut for small in-app transfers
Use Revolut if you already bank in the app and your transfer is small. The 0.15% fee comes to £1.50 on £1,000, but Revolut uses its own exchange rate, and on Standard any exchange above £1,000 a month adds 1%.
How GBP Compares to USD Right Now
The mid-market GBP/USD rate moves by the minute, so the only fair comparison is what each provider would actually deposit at the moment you send. On 3 June 2026 the rate sat at 1.3462, so £1,000 buys about $1,346 before any margin.
You can’t time the rate, and we don’t try to: the pair has stayed range-bound through 2026, with the pound held in check by a firm US dollar. The honest move is to compare the dollars you receive on the day and send when you need to.
How Long Does It Take to Send Money to the USA?
Expect one to two business days if you fund by bank transfer and the money lands via ACH, the US batch-clearing network. Wise, Atlantic Money, Revolut, and OFX all route this way by default.
A USD wire can clear the same day when the deadline cannot move, but it costs more than ACH. Pay the premium only when late delivery would cause a bigger problem than the fee.
Picture your supplier emailing the invoice on a Friday, with the dollars due to land by Monday: a same-day wire makes that deadline, while an ACH transfer does not. If late arrival would hold up the order, the extra fee buys certainty rather than speed for its own sake.
Your transfer can also get held for weekend clearing gaps, a source-of-funds check above £10,000, or a recipient bank querying an unfamiliar payment.
What You Need to Send Money to the USA
Gather four details from your recipient before you start, because a wrong routing number is the usual reason a US transfer bounces. Get these right and the payment goes through cleanly.
- Recipient full name exactly as it appears on their US bank account.
- 9-digit routing number, and check whether it’s the ACH or the wire routing number, as banks sometimes use different ones.
- Account number for the receiving account.
- Account type, either checking or savings.
You’ll also need your own ID to verify your account, and for a business payment your company details. Above £10,000 expect a source-of-funds question, so have proof of where the money came from ready.
US-Specific Regulations and Rules
US reporting rules do not prevent a legitimate payment, but they can create records or filing duties for the bank or recipient. Which rule applies depends on the type of payment and who receives it.
Bank reporting at $10,000
A US bank files a Currency Transaction Report with FinCEN on cash deposits or withdrawals of more than $10,000. A bank transfer from the UK does not trigger one, though banks still keep records and screen large payments.
Gift, inheritance, and account rules
Watch three thresholds if your recipient is a US person, because each creates a filing. A foreign gift or inheritance above $100,000 means they file IRS Form 3520.
Your recipient also crosses two more lines worth knowing: a foreign account that tops $10,000 in the year triggers an FBAR, and anyone carrying more than $10,000 in cash into the US files FinCEN Form 105 at the border.
Common Reasons People Send Money to the USA
Your reason for sending changes what matters most. Family support puts recurring cost first, while a property completion or tuition deadline can make speed worth paying for.
- Family support: regular top-ups to a relative’s US account, where a low percentage fee matters most.
- Property: a deposit or completion payment, where a flat-fee provider and a same-day wire earn their keep.
- Tuition: US college fees, often on a fixed deadline that rewards planning ahead.
- Business payments: paying a US supplier or contractor, where a dealer and clean records help your bookkeeping.
Step-by-Step: Sending Money to the USA
- Open and verify an account. Sign up with your chosen provider and upload ID; personal verification usually takes minutes, a business account one to two days.
- Get a live quote on the corridor. Enter your GBP amount, check the rate against the mid-market GBP/USD figure, and confirm the dollars the recipient will get.
- Fund and send. Pay by Faster Payments for the lowest cost, or by debit card for instant funding, then track delivery in the app.
Final Verdict: Best Way to Send Money to the USA
Comparing the published fees against the mid-market rate on the day, we put Wise and Atlantic Money ahead for the typical sender: both give the mid-market rate, and on £1,000 you’ll pay £3 to £4.58 rather than the wider margin a bank usually builds into its rate. Compare the dollars that land and the choice is clear.
If you send a large one-off, Atlantic Money’s flat £3 wins outright. Need the money there today and a USD wire beats them all on speed, even at a higher fee. The bank counter is the one route we rule out, on the arithmetic above rather than on principle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the cheapest way to send money to the USA from the UK?
Compare the dollars that land, not the headline rate, because most of the cost hides in the exchange-rate margin. On a £1,000 transfer (October 2026) Revolut (0.15%, so £1.50) and Atlantic Money (flat £3) are the cheapest, with Wise close behind at £4.58 and fully transparent. A high-street bank often costs more, because it builds an unpublished margin into its rate.
How long does a transfer to the USA take?
A bank-funded transfer that lands via ACH takes one to two business days. A USD wire can clear the same day if you fund it early enough, which is worth the higher fee when a deadline is fixed.
Is there a limit on how much I can send to the USA?
There’s no fixed cap. A US bank reports cash deposits over $10,000 to FinCEN, but a normal bank transfer does not trigger that report.
Does my US recipient pay tax on money I send?
A normal transfer isn’t taxed, but a foreign gift or inheritance above $100,000 means the US recipient files IRS Form 3520, and a foreign account over $10,000 in the year triggers an FBAR. For large or business transfers, get professional tax advice.
What details do I need to send money to a US bank account?
You need the recipient’s full name, their 9-digit routing number (check whether it’s the ACH or wire number), the account number, and the account type, either checking or savings.
How we reviewed this
Sources: We verified provider pricing (Wise, Atlantic Money, Revolut, OFX) against each provider’s own pages, the GBP/USD mid-market rate, and the US reporting rules against FinCEN, the IRS, and US Customs and Border Protection, in October 2026.
FX margins: High-street bank GBP to USD margins aren’t published by the banks; the 2.5% to 4% range reflects independent comparison-service estimates, not a bank-published figure.
Not advice: This is editorial guidance, not regulated financial or tax advice.
Affiliate disclosure: BusinessExpert may receive referral fees from some providers mentioned on this page. This doesn’t affect our editorial assessments.