Western Union
6.7#64 in money transfer appsAndroidiOSWeb
VisitWestern Union vs Wise
What both publish
| Fact | Western Union | Wise |
|---|---|---|
| Company history | Western Union says it was founded in 1851 as a telegraph business in Rochester, New York, and added money transfers in 1871. | Wise says it launched in 2011 with a vision of making international money transfers cheap, fair, and simple. |
| Exchange-rate model | markup | mid_market |
| Founded | 1851 | 2011 |
| Free plan | No | Yes |
| Headquarters | Denver, Colorado, USA | London, United Kingdom |
| Mobile platforms | both | The Wise app is available for iOS through the Apple App Store and for Android through Google Play. |
| Payment methods | The app lists bank account, Apple Pay, cash at an agent location, and credit or debit card as payment options. | The app says users can fund transfers with Apple Pay, Google Pay, a debit or credit card, or a bank transfer. |
| Purpose | The app lets users send money, track transfers, pay bills, review exchange rates, and find agent locations. | The Wise app lets people send money, receive payments from abroad, check exchange rates, pay bills, and send money to loved ones. |
| Recipient methods | bank | bank |
| Repeat transfers | Users can save receiver details to make repeat transfers easier. | Users can repeat previous transfers, including monthly payments. |
| Scheduled transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Security | Western Union says the app uses encryption, identity verification, biometric ID, and other security protocols to protect personal and financial information. | Wise says it safeguards customer money separately from its own and uses two-step authentication to protect accounts and transactions. |
Western Union plans
- Western Union app money transfersPriced on request
Wise plans
- Wise personal account and transfersFree
Pick Western Union if…
You want what its maker publishes above — check its page for the details.
Pick Wise if…
Wise suits people sending money to overseas bank accounts or receiving payments from abroad. It may also suit users who want to track or schedule transfers and receive exchange-rate alerts.