Royal Bank of Scotland review

Royal Bank of Scotland (now NatWest Group) offers international payments for UK account holders. Higher costs than specialist transfer services. Founded in 1727 and based in Edinburgh, UK, Royal Bank of Scotland is a high-street bank. Royal Bank of Scotland is authorised and regulated by FCA, PRA, which means customer money is safeguarded separately from company funds.

On the fee side, expect £15-£25 per international payment, but the bigger cost is usually the exchange-rate markup of 2.5% - 4% 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 $25,000 per transaction. Because that markup scales with the amount you send, it is worth comparing the final receive amount rather than the fee alone.

Delivery speed is quoted at 2-5 business days, and the service reaches 200+ countries across 25+ 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 Royal Bank of Scotland handles best.

On the plus side: trusted uk bank with long history, send from existing account and part of natwest group. That makes it a sensible choice for existing customers who value keeping the transfer inside their own bank. Worth keeping in mind: high transfer fees (£15-£25) and poor exchange rate markup. As always, run your exact amount and currency through a live comparison before sending — the provider you pick usually affects the final amount more than any single fee.