Barclays review

Founded in 1690 and based in London, UK, Barclays is a high-street bank. Barclays is authorised and regulated by FCA, PRA, which means customer money is safeguarded separately from company funds.

On the fee side, expect £5-£25 per international payment, but the bigger cost is usually the exchange-rate markup of 2% - 3.5% above mid-market, which is built into the rate rather than shown as a line item. Transfers run from a minimum of $1 up to $50,000 per transaction. In our own rate collection, across the 18 corridors we track for Barclays, its exchange rate has averaged 2.71% from the mid-market rate.

Delivery speed is quoted at same day to 3 business days, and the service reaches 200+ countries across 30+ currencies. You can fund a transfer by Bank Transfer, with money delivered via Bank Deposit. The mix of funding and payout options is a good guide to which corridors Barclays handles best.

On the plus side: trusted uk high street bank, easy online/app transfers and strong security and regulation. That makes it a sensible choice for existing customers who value keeping the transfer inside their own bank. Worth keeping in mind: £5-£25 transfer fees and exchange rate markup (2-3%).