Cross-Border Payment Fee Calculator

Our cross-border payment fee calculator ranks providers by net received amount - the actual amount the recipient gets after all fees and FX margins are deducted. For each provider, the calculator computes the total fees (transfer fee + percentage fee + intermediary fees + receiving fees), applies the FX margin to the mid-market exchange rate to get the actual rate offered, and then calculates the final amount in the target currency. Providers are ranked from highest to lowest net received amount, with the best-value provider highlighted. The calculator also factors in time estimates, so you can choose between the fastest option and the best value.

Our cross-border payment fee calculator compares six major international transfer providers: SWIFT (traditional bank wire), Wise (formerly TransferWise), PayPal, Payoneer, Revolut, and OFX. Each provider uses a realistic fee model based on their published pricing. SWIFT charges flat transfer fees ($25) plus 3% FX margin and intermediary bank fees ($20). Wise charges 0.45% with mid-market rates. PayPal charges 4.99% + $0.49 with 3.5% FX margin. Payoneer charges 1.5% + 2% FX margin + $2 receiving fee. Revolut offers free transfers up to $1,000 with mid-market weekday rates. OFX charges no transfer fee with 1.2% FX margin. You can select any combination of these providers to compare.

The cross-border payment fee calculator uses a set of mid-market reference rates relative to USD for 28 major currencies. These rates are used as the baseline (what you would get in a perfect market with zero fees). Each provider then applies its own FX margin (markup) on top of the mid-market rate. For example, if the mid-market rate for USD to INR is 83.5 and a provider has a 3% FX margin, the actual rate you get is 83.5 × (1 - 0.03) = 80.995 INR per USD. Wise applies a 0% FX margin (true mid-market rate), while traditional banks typically apply 2-4% margins. The calculator also accounts for Revolut's weekend 1% FX surcharge when enabled.

Intermediary bank fees (also called correspondent banking fees) are charges imposed by the banks that process international wire transfers between the sending and receiving banks. When you send a SWIFT bank wire, the payment typically passes through 1-3 intermediary banks, each charging $15-$30 in fees. These fees are often not disclosed upfront and are deducted from the transfer amount before it reaches the recipient. This makes SWIFT wires significantly more expensive than they first appear. Modern providers like Wise, Revolut, and PayPal process payments through their own banking infrastructure and do not charge intermediary fees, which is one reason they often provide better value than traditional bank wires.

Absolutely. This cross-border payment fee calculator runs 100% locally in your browser. Your transfer amounts, currencies selected, and fee comparison data are never sent to any server, stored in a database, or tracked in any way. Everything stays completely private on your device. No signup or account needed. The mid-market exchange rates used for calculation are bundled with the application and do not require any external API calls.

The cross-border payment fee calculator supports 28 major currencies: USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, AUD, CAD, CHF, CNY, HKD, SGD, INR, MXN, BRL, KRW, SEK, NOK, NZD, ZAR, TRY, PLN, THB, MYR, PHP, IDR, VND, AED, SAR, and ILS. It also includes 16 pre-configured popular corridors (common transfer routes) as quick-select buttons: US→India, UK→US, EU→UK, US→Mexico, US→Philippines, US→China, US→UK, US→Australia, US→Japan, UK→EU, Australia→US, Singapore→US, Hong Kong→US, US→Canada, US→Brazil, and US→UAE. You can also select any combination of source and target currency from the dropdown menus.

The mid-market rate (also called the interbank rate) is the exchange rate used by banks when trading large amounts of currency between themselves. It is considered the "true" exchange rate with no markup. The effective rate is the rate you actually get after all fees and FX margins are applied. It is calculated as the net received amount (what the recipient gets) divided by the amount you sent. For example, if you send $1,000 USD and the recipient receives ₹80,995 INR, the effective rate is 80.995 INR/USD. If the mid-market rate is 83.5 INR/USD, the effective margin is (83.5 - 80.995) / 83.5 = 3%. This single percentage figure captures the true cost of the transfer, making it easy to compare providers regardless of how they structure their fees.

Yes, the cross-border payment fee calculator works for any transfer amount. For business transfers and large amounts (>$10,000), providers like Wise and OFX often offer better rates. OFX charges no transfer fee with a competitive 1.2% FX margin, which becomes very cost-effective for larger transfers. Wise also offers lower percentage fees for larger amounts. SWIFT wires may offer negotiated rates for high-volume business customers, but the default rates in our calculator are based on standard retail pricing. For business-grade pricing, you would need to negotiate directly with providers. The calculator supports amounts up to $999,999,999.