Western Union review

Western Union matters when the recipient cannot or will not use a bank account. It sends to 200 countries and territories and has hundreds of thousands of agent locations, so cash pickup is possible in places digital services do not reach. New customers get a 0 USD transfer fee on their first online transfer, and the Mexico page adds unlimited $0 fees on sends to bank accounts and mobile wallets through December 15 once you have made a first online transfer. Members earn 100 points per online transfer, and 500 points take up to 2 USD off a fee. The cost after the offers is harder to predict: Western Union says fees and exchange rates vary by brand, channel and location, and asks customers to compare both. Card funding with a credit card can add cash advance charges. Use the price estimator for your route and compare the recipient amount with Remitly or Ria.

Who it is for

Recipients who need cash pickup almost anywhere

Price

$0 transfer fee on the first online transfer; later fees and rates vary by corridor, channel and payment method, as listed in November 2026.

Get a 0 USD transfer fee* on your first online transfer
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• 0 USD transfer fee on the first online transfer
• Sends to 200 countries and territories
• Hundreds of thousands of agent locations for cash
• Rewards: 500 points equal up to 2 USD off transfer fees
• Mexico offer: unlimited $0 fees to banks and wallets through Dec 15 after a first online transfer

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Cash pickup through hundreds of thousands of agent locations
• Strength: Send online, in the app or in person
• Strength: Mexico customers can get unlimited $0 fees to bank accounts and wallets through December 15
• Weakness: Western Union's own disclosure tells you to compare both fees and exchange rates, which vary by channel and location
• Weakness: Credit card funding can trigger cash advance fees
• Weakness: Cash pickup to Mexico is capped at $7,499 per transaction

Key facts

• Coverage: 200 countries and territories
• First online transfer: 0 USD transfer fee
• Mexico limits: $7,499 cash, $2,750 bank account
• Rewards: 500 points = up to 2 USD off fees

Where it ranks

Western Union is No. 6 in our Best Money Transfer Services verdict.