Santander Money Transfer
Santander is a Spanish bank with over 125 million customers worldwide. Many Santander account holders use the bank for international transfers.
But is it worth sending money abroad with Santander rather than with a dedicated online money transfer company that could be faster, cheaper and more convenient?
This blog will help you discover the pros and cons of sending money abroad with Santander, so you can decide whether it’s right for you.
How to send money abroad with Santander
With Santander, you can choose to either go in-branch to make a transfer with the help of a cashier, or you can use their online banking service to send money abroad. You should remember that you’ll need to have a bank account with Santander if you want to send money internationally with them.
What are the pros and cons of Santander Money Transfer?
There are plenty of money transfer options to choose from, so how do you know if Santander is right for you?
Here are some of the pros and cons of using Santander for your money transfers, based on cost, speed and simplicity:
Pros:
- It’s a useful service if you already bank with Santander, as you won’t need to set up a new account
- You can send money to either a person or company overseas
- Santander supports 147 different currencies
Cons:
- Santander charges an average of 5% above the mid-market rate for transfers involving a currency conversion - much higher than many money transfer providers
- Standard overseas transfers cost a flat fee of £25 (or equivalent) for non-SEPA transfers
- With transfers of less than £5,000, fees are calculated as a percentage - so you may end up paying a lot
- Transfers can take up to four working days to arrive
- You need to have a bank account with Santander to use the service
Is there another option to Santander?
Overall, costs for Santander transfers can often be much higher than using a specialist money transfer provider - although you can split the payment between yourself and the recipient.
Santander money transfers might not be the best option if you’re looking to reduce fees for you and your recipient. It’s a good idea to take a look at all of the options available before making your decision about which platform you use.
Paysend is a fast, affordable and hassle-free money transfer app and web browser platform that lets you send money abroad to over 100 countries.
Paysend transfers cost just £1, €1.5 or $2 (or equivalent amount), no matter how much you want to send. Paysend uses excellent, competitive exchange rates, so if you send money with Paysend you might save yourself some money!
On the Paysend homepage you can find a useful tool to help you find out if your money transfers with Paysend are cheaper than with Santander. Click here to visit the homepage and get started.
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Bank wire transfers via SWIFT, SEPA, and ACH power most institutional cross-border payments through established bank networks, while digital services like Paysend streamline personal remittances with direct-to-card transfers* and upfront pricing. This article explains how each system works, its structural trade-offs for everyday international senders, and why Paysend may be more practical for expats, migrant workers, and freelancers, though bank wires remain essential for corporate needs.
This comparison matters most for individuals sending money internationally for personal or family reasons – such as expats supporting relatives, migrant workers paying rent, international students covering tuition, or freelancers handling recurring transfers – rather than corporate treasury operations or large institutional settlements.
Comparisons reflect general industry characteristics and may not apply to all transactions or providers.
Paysend makes it easy to send money to Moldova. Transfers can go straight to eligible Visa Debit cards or bank accounts – often within minutes depending on the recipient’s card issuer, payment method, and required checks With a simple fixed-fee model, you always know what you’ll pay. It’s a straightforward way to send money to Moldova online using card-to-card transfers.
Paysend operates as part of a global payments infrastructure designed to support continuous, reliable money movement across borders. Our international money transfer service allows users to send money to more than 100+ countries, including Moldova, using card networks such as Visa.
