Western Union vs MoneyGram: Fees, Rates & Speed Compared
Western Union ahead on USD → MXN, USD → NGN; MoneyGram on USD → INR, GBP → EUR, USD → PHP, GBP → PKR.
Western Union
Won 2 of 6 routes here
4.3
MoneyGram
Won 4 of 6 routes here
4.0This is the comparison between the two incumbent cash networks, and price is close to the least useful way to decide it. Western Union has been moving money since 1851 and MoneyGram since 1940; both reach around 200 countries, both pay out in cash at agent locations, and neither is priced to beat a digital specialist. What actually separates them is which network has a staffed agent near the person collecting the money, and what that specific agent charges — a figure that varies by country, by payout method and by whether the sender pays with cash or card, and which no comparison table can resolve for you.
Live comparison: Western Union vs MoneyGram across popular corridors
Recipient payout route by route, Western Union against MoneyGram, from collected quotes (not guaranteed).
| Corridor | Western Union | MoneyGram | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD → INR($1,000) | ₹95,809.98 | ₹96,233.62 | MoneyGram (+₹423.64) |
| GBP → EUR(£1,000) | €1,153.64 | €1,162.52 | MoneyGram (+€8.88) |
| USD → PHP($500) | ₱30,279.22 | ₱30,972.97 | MoneyGram (+₱693.75) |
| USD → MXN($1,000) | MX$17,950.31 | MX$17,861.98 | Western Union (+MX$88.33) |
| GBP → PKR(£500) | ₨182,165.16 | ₨182,608.24 | MoneyGram (+₨443.08) |
| USD → NGN($200) | ₦267,899.55 | ₦267,855.02 | Western Union (+₦44.53) |
Key differences between Western Union and MoneyGram
Western Union vs MoneyGram: Feature comparison
| Feature | Western Union | MoneyGram |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.3/5 (Excellent) | 4.0/5 (Good) |
| Fee structure | From $0 to $10+ depending on method | From $1.99 to $11.99+ |
| Exchange rate markup | 1% - 4% above mid-market | 1% - 3% above mid-market |
| Transfer speed | Minutes to 5 days | Minutes to 3 days |
| Supported countries | 200+ | 200+ |
| Supported currencies | 130+ | 50+ |
| Max transfer | $50,000 | $10,000 |
| Delivery methods | Bank Deposit, Cash Pickup, Mobile Wallet | Bank Deposit, Cash Pickup, Mobile Wallet |
| Regulators | FinCEN, FCA, Various | FinCEN, FCA |
What we measured: Western Union vs MoneyGram
Western Union led on 10 of 109 of the corridors we price and MoneyGram on 0 of 60 — a win rate of 0.6% for MoneyGram, effectively never. Average shortfalls are 3.73% and 3.14% respectively, so MoneyGram is typically the closer of the two when both lose, while Western Union wins outright more often. Both sit well behind the digital leaders on cost. Treat these as a measure of the cash-network premium rather than a reason to pick one over the other.
A worked example: $1,000 to India
On $1,000 USD→INR the gap between them is ₹424, with MoneyGram ahead. Western Union's all-in cost is 0.49% against 0.05% for MoneyGram. This example understates how much your own quote can differ: both providers price cash pickup differently from bank deposit, and both charge more when the transfer is funded with a card than from a bank account. Get a quote for your exact payout method before treating either figure as yours.
A second corridor: $1,000 to Mexico
Mexico is the corridor both networks built their US agent presence around, long before either one priced a digital-first route like India, so it's a fairer test of the core cash-network model than an unfamiliar destination. On $1,000 USD→MXN the gap is MX$88.33, with Western Union ahead at 1.17% all-in for Western Union against 1.66% for MoneyGram. As with the India example, get a quote for your specific payout method — agent pricing isn't something either network publishes as a flat rate.
When to choose Western Union vs MoneyGram
Pick Western Union for the larger network and higher ceiling
Western Union supports transfers up to $50,000 against MoneyGram's $10,000, quotes 130 currencies against 50, and wins more of the corridors we price outright. If the amount is substantial, or the destination is somewhere thinly served, the larger agent footprint and higher limit are the practical arguments. It also offers bank deposit and mobile wallet alongside cash, so a single account covers more payout methods. It's regulated by FinCEN in the US and the FCA in the UK, among other national authorities.
Pick MoneyGram when its agent is the one nearby
MoneyGram's argument is locational rather than financial. Its fees start lower at $1.99, it reaches roughly the same 200 countries, and on our measurements it trails the leader by less on average than Western Union does. If the recipient's nearest reliable agent — a specific supermarket, bank branch or post office — is a MoneyGram agent, that settles it, because a marginally better rate at a counter two hours away is worth nothing. Check the agent locator for the collection town first and let the price question follow. It's regulated by FinCEN in the US and the FCA in the UK.
What the Western Union and MoneyGram figures don’t settle
Agent-level pricing is not something we observe. Both networks vary fees by corridor, payout method and funding method, and cash pickup availability depends on the specific agent. Confirm the quote, the collection location and the identification the recipient will need before sending.
Verdict: Western Union or MoneyGram?
Cost winner: MoneyGram
MoneyGram's fees start lower, at $1.99 against Western Union's typically higher opening fee, but Western Union wins outright on 10 of 109 of the corridors we price against just 0 of 60 for MoneyGram — a 0.6% win rate. Average shortfall tells a gentler story for MoneyGram, at 3.14% against 3.73%, so it's rarely first but rarely far off either.
Speed: Similar delivery times
Both are cash networks built for same-day collection, and neither is meaningfully faster than the other on the corridors we track — the real speed variable is which network's nearest agent is actually staffed and open, not a published delivery window.
Wider coverage: Western Union
Western Union quotes 130 currencies against MoneyGram's roughly 50 and caps transfers at $50,000 against MoneyGram's $10,000 — a real ceiling difference for anyone sending a larger amount through a cash network rather than a bank transfer.
Bottom line
Price is close to the least useful way to choose between these two. Both have spent the better part of a century building physical agent networks, and the question that actually decides a transfer is which network has a staffed counter near the person collecting it — something no comparison table, including this one, can answer for your specific town.
Western Union vs MoneyGram: your questions
Which agent network is bigger, Western Union or MoneyGram?
Western Union's is larger by most published counts and has a longer operating history (1851 against 1940), which shows up in its wider currency list — 130 against MoneyGram's roughly 50. Neither company publishes a directly comparable agent-location count, so check the agent locator for the specific collection town rather than assuming reach from brand size.
Why does Western Union win more often if MoneyGram's average shortfall is smaller?
The two measurements answer different questions. Win rate counts how often a provider is outright cheapest; average shortfall measures how far behind it falls on the corridors it doesn't win. MoneyGram loses more often but by less each time, while Western Union wins more often outright — both can be true at once.
Can I send more than $10,000 through MoneyGram?
Not on a single transfer under its published $10,000 ceiling — Western Union's $50,000 limit is the higher of the two for a large cash-network transfer. For anything close to either limit, confirm the current figure and any reporting requirements directly with the provider before sending.
Is one of these networks cheaper for a first-time sender?
Both frequently run first-transfer promotions that undercut their standing price, so a first transfer through either is a poor guide to what you'll pay on the second one. Compare the returning-customer rate, not the welcome offer, if this is a corridor you'll use more than once.