Western Union Review

Western Union is well-known for sending money anywhere in the world. But do you get the best fees and exchange rates? Read on.

Your funds are safe with Western Union whether you use it to save, spend, or transfer money.

With Western Union, you can perform money transfers, pay bills, make payments, exchange currency, and more.

In this review, learn about Western Union's transfer methods, fees, and rates to see if they meet your needs.

What Is Western Union?

Founded in 1851, Western Union is one of the oldest-running financial services in the world that lets you send and receive money domestically and internationally.

Western Union has branches in over 200 countries and territories, and they serve millions of customers daily.

With hundreds of thousands of agent locations around the globe, you can transfer money anywhere you want.

Who Is Western Union Best For?

Consider using Western Union if you:

• Want to transfer money to developing countries
  
• Want to use a trustworthy money transfer company
  
• Want a variety of transfer options, including cash

Send Money - $0 Transfer Fee on Your First Online Transfer

Click Here to Get Deal

Claim your $0 transfer fee offer by registering and sending your first online transfer today

Who Should Skip Western Union?

Look for alternative money transfer apps if you:

• Want the best fee and exchange rate
  
• Are looking to transfer a large amount of money
  
• Need the fastest transaction

Transfer Money Online

Click Here to Transfer Money Online

Send Money Online

• Transfer money internationally across 100+ currencies with no hidden fees
• On-time Delivery: Remitly promises every money transfer is delivered on time, or they will refund your fees
• Choose the best delivery method for you, including bank account, mobile wallet, or cash pickup, depending on your recipient's location

Click Here to Learn More

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Reliable intermediary
  
• Many global branches
  
• Able to send and receive money through cash
  
• Money orders (similar to postal orders)
  
• Able to send money to inmates
  
• Fraud awareness program

Cons:

• Not the best fees and exchange rate
  
• Difficult to cash out a large amount of money
  
• Self-service kiosks in stores may be too complicated
  
• Send limit of $800 and payout limit of $300 in some stores

Sending Money Through Western Union

At Western Union, you can send money in 5 ways.^[1] Some options, such as Google Pay, may not be available if you're sending money to certain countries like Mexico. These transfer methods include:

• Credit Card
  This is the most expensive option because, in addition to the transfer fee, the card issuer's cash advance fee and associated interest charges may apply.

• Debit Card
  This is one of the cheapest and most popular options to send money due to its ease of transfer and low fees.

• Bank Account
  This is the cheapest option, but it might take the longest to process.

• Google Pay
  This may also be a cheap option, but it may not be available in all countries.

• Pay cash in-store
  This is ideal for those who cannot transfer online with cards, bank accounts, or Google Pay.

Transfers can be instant or take minutes, but the bank account method can take as long as 5 business days. First-time users will get to enjoy a $0 fee on their initial transfers.

Receiving Money Through Western Union

Aside from cash pick-up, there are many other options for receiving money through Western Union. These options include:

• Cash Pick Up
  Western Union's main advantage over other remittance centers is its hundreds of thousands of branches globally.

  However, not all branches have enough cash to handle large amounts, so it's only suggested for normal transfers.

• Bank Account
  The most popular choice for Western Union users. The account must be a local currency payout account.

• Mobile Wallet
  A great option for easy online transfer, but availability depends on the receiving country.

• Visa Debit Card
  Receive money directly on your Visa debit card.

Fees

The fee depends on the receiving country and transfer method, but it can be as low as $0.

Luckily, Western Union has a calculator that lets you estimate how much it would cost to send money through their platform. This way, you can easily check how much you'll pay for a transaction.

The fees may vary, but overall, Western Union does not have the best exchange rate in the market. It's good enough, but there are other remittance centers that offer better rates.

Getting Started

Here's how you can start sending money via Western Union:

1. Create an account
   Before you can send money online, you need to log in to your account.

   If you don't have an account yet, register here.

2. Choose how you want to send your money
   You can either send money through the website or the app.

   If you plan to send money manually, you can lock in the prices first through the website or the app, before you head to a Western Union branch.

   You can also visit the branch directly.

3. Send money
   Click the option to send money. Enter the receiving country and currency and the amount of US dollars you want to send.

   Then, choose how you want your receiver to receive the money and how you will pay for it.

4. Track your transaction
   Once you've paid for your transaction, you'll get a 10-digit Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN). This is your tracking number.

   Use this MTCN to track your transaction here.

Send Money - $0 Transfer Fee on Your First Online Transfer

Click Here to Get Deal

Claim your $0 transfer fee offer by registering and sending your first online transfer today

Other Services Offered

Western Union is known for its money transfer service, but it offers more than that.

• Bills Payment
  With the Western Union Bills Payment service, you can easily pay all your bills in one place. You can make payments on the website, in the app, by phone, or in person at any WU branch.^[2]

• WU Netspend Prepaid Card
  This Mastercard lets you pay bills, shop online, transfer money, and save with a higher APY than banks. Its mobile app also allows you to cash checks and deposit money.^[3]

• Corporate Services
  For businesses who need cross-border payment solutions^[4]

• Currency conversion for travel
  While this is still a money transfer, you're sending money to yourself. This way, you can pick up the money at the nearest WU branch to where you're traveling.

Is Western Union Safe?

Western Union has been operating for almost a century. With over a million daily transactions, you can be confident that your money is secure.

In terms of licensing, Western Union is properly registered as a Money Transmitter in various states.

However, just like any other financial institution, it has its fair share of controversies. Sadly, scam artists also utilize this platform to commit fraud.

While they have the necessary steps to prevent fraud, it's still better if you are knowledgeable about this matter. Read about Western Union's fraud awareness campaign here.

Customer Support

Here's how you can reach out to Western Union if you have any concerns:

Customer Care (US): 1-800-325-6000
Chatbot: Visit their customer care website

For complaints, contact Western Union using the above number. If it's still unresolved, reach out to the jurisdiction.

If you think there's been an error or problem in your transaction and you want to cancel, you can contact Western Union at this email: DFErrorResolution@westernunion.com

For the fraud hotline, contact 1-800-448-1492. If you think you have found a suspicious email, send the email to spoof@westernunion.com.

Customer Reviews

Western Union receives a majority of positive reviews. Here are some testimonials from Trustpilot:

However, it does receive some negative reviews sometimes:

Overall, Western Union is rated "Great" at Trustpilot, with 65% of the reviews being 5-star.

Alternatives

Here are some of the alternatives to Western Union for better exchange rates.

Wise
Founded in 2011, Wise is a relatively new player in international money transfer compared to Western Union.

Still, it easily became one of the popular choices for remittances because of its cheap fees, fast transfers, and simple process.

While it doesn't have agent locations like Western Union, it has better exchange rates than them. So your receiver will most likely get more money.

At Wise, you can transfer money in over 50 currencies. They also offer debit cards that you can use to shop and spend abroad.

XE
XE is another remittance service that offers slightly better rates than Western Union. They are the 3rd largest money transfer business in the world.

One of the unique features of XE is its currency charts. You can also set an alert once your desired exchange rate is reached.

XE also has hundreds of thousands of agent locations worldwide in case you want an in-person transaction and even has slightly more cash pick-up locations than Western Union.

Bottom Line

You can't go wrong with Western Union. It can help you transfer money almost anywhere in the world. However, it's not the platform with the best exchange rates and fees.

While other competitors may have better exchange rates and fees, Western Union remains a trusted center for money transfers, especially if it's cash.

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