Anyone know of good alternatives to PayPal for payments to/from the U.K.? PayPal’s currency exchange rates and few structure leave a lot to be desired. Is Google pay a good option? I’ve read mixed reviews....
Other options? Any suggestions info appreciated, thanks.
Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
- Loren
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- An Draighean
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Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
I have used wire transfers for multiple transactions buying from the U.K. Always works, but it's not very fast. Exchange rate is pretty much at the mercy of your bank; it will never be as low as reported on financial news.
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- Loren
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Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
Yes, a wire transfer will work but like you mention, multiple disadvantages. Basically, will cost the same or more than PP, plus far slower. Looking for a better options, in 2019 there have to be a few
- kkrell
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Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
I use XE.COM . Easy, better exchange rate, no other fees. May take a couple of days, not an instant transfer. You can go bank to bank, or have them issue and mail a local check to the payee.
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
- Loren
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Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
Thanks Kevin, I wondered about xe.com, but hadn’t really heard from anyone using it. Will look into it some more.kkrell wrote:I use XE.COM . Easy, better exchange rate, no other fees. May take a couple of days, not an instant transfer. You can go bank to bank, or have them issue and mail a local check to the payee.
- kkrell
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Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
I had to switch to it because my business bank (Wells Fargo) kept screwing up wire transfers (which are quite difficult to retrieve when things go wrong, BTW). Even with bank drafts to destination local banks (Bank of Ireland, for instance) in the destination currency by postal mail, charges were levied both sides, besides losses from the exchange rate. I recently used XE.COM to pay an auction house in the UK for a flute, at a much better rate than PayPal, and without credit card fees, with no wire fees either.Loren wrote:Thanks Kevin, I wondered about xe.com, but hadn’t really heard from anyone using it. Will look into it some more.kkrell wrote:I use XE.COM . Easy, better exchange rate, no other fees. May take a couple of days, not an instant transfer. You can go bank to bank, or have them issue and mail a local check to the payee.
International Traditional Music Society, Inc.
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
A non-profit 501c3 charity/educational public benefit corporation
Wooden Flute Obsession CDs (3 volumes, 6 discs, 7 hours, 120 players/tracks)
https://www.worldtrad.org
- Loren
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- Tell us something.: You just slip out the back, Jack
Make a new plan, Stan
You don't need to be coy, Roy
Just get yourself free
Hop on the bus, Gus
You don't need to discuss much
Just drop off the key, Lee
And get yourself free - Location: Loren has left the building.
Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
Wells Fargo, yeah.......kkrell wrote: I had to switch to it because my business bank (Wells Fargo) kept screwing up wire transfers (which are quite difficult to retrieve when things go wrong, BTW). Even with bank drafts to destination local banks (Bank of Ireland, for instance) in the destination currency by postal mail, charges were levied both sides, besides losses from the exchange rate. I recently used XE.COM to pay an auction house in the UK for a flute, at a much better rate than PayPal, and without credit card fees, with no wire fees either.
Good to hear xe.com worked better for you. I will try them next time, had to go ahead and use PayPal this morning, just due to the time factor, ugh. At least I have a better option now, for next time.
Thanks again Kevin.
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Re: Alternatives to PayPal for international P2P payments
I gave up on xe.com because I would first have to transfer money to a UK bank, which adds back the fee I would save. So now I use Transferwise instead. I have a debit card which can be filled with whatever currency I want (several at the same time), at mid-market rates, so when I want to buy something from e.g. the UK I just pay with that card, in GBP. There's a small fee. And (in addition to the much better rate) it's better than e.g. Mastercard because I know, just before I add GBP to the card, exactly what the rate will be. With a regular CC the actual rate used is whatever it is a couple of days later. And I can fill up the card with a particular currency (e.g. JPY) at the moment when the rate is particularly good, if I know I will need it in the future.
They also have a direct-to-bank transfer which I haven't tested yet, but I will, soon.
They also have a direct-to-bank transfer which I haven't tested yet, but I will, soon.