GCash International: Can I Send Remittances to GCash From Abroad?

GCash is one of the most widely used mobile wallet apps in the Philippines. In addition to bank transfers, paying bills with QR codes, and sending loads to your mobile phone, GCash does have international capabilities too. You may send remittances from abroad to GCash and enjoy access to all of GCash’s online marketplace of products and services.

GCash's international remit partners include Remitly, WorldRemit, Western Union, and Xoom. To make sure you find the cheapest way to send Philippine pesos to GCash from abroad, use Monito’s live comparison tool below 👇

Is GCash International?

Yes, GCash does have international functions. You may send money from abroad to your mobile GCash account.

You can do so with GCash's remittance partners, which we walk through below. For whichever service you choose, you need to simply provide your own GCash number and personal details as the recipient of the remittance.

Can I Use GCash Abroad?

Yes, you are able to download, access, and register for a GCash account while overseas. You will need an active Philippine mobile number and set your SIM card or mobile phone to the "Roaming" setting. Keep in mind the following requirements:

• Have a verified account (do so by submitting a valid ID);
• Filipino nationals only;
• Provide your registered Philippine address.

Can GCash Receive Money From Abroad?

If you're a GCash user who'd like to send money to your Philippine GCash account, you'll have plenty of options to choose from to send your money overseas. In summary, here are the main two:

1. Transfer via a digital provider: Many GCash remittance partners offer low fees, fast transfers, and a great user experience to suit your needs. The best are Remitly and Skrill. However, pricing and exchange rates vary constantly, so compare providers on Monito to find the best deal every time.
2. Send an international bank wire: Big banks in the United States such as Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Citibank (for example) charge very high fees and poor exchange rates because they transfer over SWIFT. We, therefore, don't recommend them for transferring money abroad for most people. You can learn more about bank charges for international transfers here.

GCash International Remittance Partners

We go over these two options in detail below:

Option 1 — Digital Providers

Digital international transfer providers are online platforms that have grown in popularity in recent years as a low-cost, savvy, and safe way to send money across borders:

• User-friendly: The user-friendly, seamless experience is usually slick, accessible, and convenient.
• Cost: They're (by far) the cheapest way to send money internationally, usually costing between 0.5% and 2% in total fees.
• Speed: Money usually arrives overseas in a matter of hours or, at most, around one to two days depending on the provider.

According to millions of searches on Monito's real-time comparison engine, here are the four best digital providers for transfers from abroad to GCash:

Remitly

A world leader in low-cost international transfers, Remitly often offers the cheapest (although not always the fastest) money transfers abroad to GCash.

Cheapest: On 39% of Monito comparisons for transfers from abroad to the Philippines.

Transfer time: 2-3 business days.

More info: See our Remitly review, or visit their website.

Skrill

Also a GCash remittance partner, Skrill has very competitive fees and exchange rates. With excellent ratings on Trustpilot, their transfers are secure, fast, and convenient.

Cheapest: On 12% of Monito comparisons for transfers from abroad to the Philippines.

Transfer time: 1-2 business days.

More info: See our Skrill review, or visit their website.

MoneyGram

MoneyGram is one of the largest international money transfer organizations in the world, with access to around 200 countries and 50 currencies. While it is slightly cheaper than Western Union for transfer to the Philippines, it is still comparatively costly.

Cheapest: On less than 1% of Monito comparisons for transfers from abroad to the Philippines.

Transfer time: Varies.

More info: See our full MoneyGram review, or visit their website.

Western Union

While not the cheapest or most transparent option, Western Union is one of the largest and most widely used international money transfer services in the world. They have physical locations across the globe, making them an accessible option.

Cheapest: On less than 1% of Monito comparisons for transfers from abroad to the Philippines.

Transfer time: Varies.

More info: See our full Western Union review, or visit their website.

Option 2 — Banks and PayPal

The second (and generally the far worse) alternative to using digital money transfer companies for international transfers is to use your bank or PayPal.

Not only is using your bank or PayPal slower and less convenient to transfer abroad, but going this route also comes with high hidden fees, as both your bank and PayPal will typically give you a poor exchange rate on top of the standard service fees for international transfers.

For example, our research revealed that sending $1,000 from the US to the Philippines with Wells Fargo would cost $30 in service fees and $50 in exchange rate margin fees. Together, these fees amount to around 8% of the amount transferred, which is about 10 times more than the cheapest available service compared to Monito's comparison engine for the same transfer. And given PayPal's similarly high exchange rate margins, the story isn't very different with them either.

But it doesn't stop there. When sending money internationally with your bank, your funds will go over SWIFT, meaning third-party banks (called correspondent banks) can potentially charge additional fees (called correspondent bank fees) that can further reduce the amount that arrives in your beneficiary's account.

This makes banks a costly way to send money abroad — and finding a cheap solution is as crucial as ever.

As we explored above, international digital providers are offering bank-beating exchange rates, very low fees, and a top-notch user experience. And fortunately, they are partnering with GCash! Depending on where you're sending money from, providers such as Remitly and Skrill will probably be your best choice.

See the table below to understand why:

In summary, you can use GCash to receive money from abroad. You will need to find a money transfer service to do so. Banks (and PayPal) charge high service fees and exchange rates, making them a poor choice for most.

Digital providers, on the other hand, are by far the cheapest, fastest, and savviest options, making them the best GCash remittance partners.

Get started now by comparing your options below: —