Cross-Border Payments ยท Research library
Compare remittance fees across five African markets.
These tables combine World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide benchmarks with selected public provider pricing reviewed in June 2026. They are starting points for comparison, not live quotes.
Before using any figureFees, taxes, exchange rates, corridors, payout rules, and wallet tariffs change. Check the provider's live quote and the final amount received on the day of transfer.
Table 1
Global remittance cost benchmarks for USD 200
| Indicator | Q3 2025 value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Global average | 6.36% | A broad baseline; still above the UN SDG target of 3%. |
| Digital remittances | 4.59% | Lower than the global average, but the exchange rate still matters. |
| Non-digital remittances | 7.30% | Branch and cash-heavy routes tend to cost more. |
| Sub-Saharan Africa receiving region | 8.46% | The highest-cost receiving region in the RPW dataset. |
| Banks as provider type | 14.99% | The most expensive provider type in the Q3 2025 comparison. |
| Digital-only MTO index | 3.54% | A useful benchmark for app-first transfer providers. |
| Mobile-wallet disbursement | 3.92% | Recipient cash-out charges may be additional. |
| Cash disbursement | 5.56% | Accessibility can be good, but live corridor quotes are essential. |
| Bank-account disbursement | 7.86% | Incoming and intermediary charges may add uncertainty. |
Source: World Bank Remittance Prices Worldwide, Q3 2025, as cited in the Ubuntu Capital research reports compiled June 2026.
Table 2
Fees that should be counted
| Cost | Where it appears | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sender fee | Quote or checkout screen | The visible charge, but not necessarily the largest cost. |
| Exchange-rate margin | Difference from a reference market rate | Often hidden inside the rate offered to the sender. |
| Funding-bank fee | Sender bank statement | Charged by the bank or card issuer, not always by the transfer provider. |
| Intermediary fee | Deduction before payout | Correspondent institutions may reduce the amount in transit. |
| Recipient fee | Local bank or wallet statement | Incoming wire, wallet withdrawal, or agent cash-out charges. |
| Merchant settlement fee | Gateway pricing and settlement statement | Relevant when the payment is a sale rather than a family remittance. |
Tables 3-7
Country-level fee signals
South Africa
| Route | Public fee signal | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Bank-received transfer | Cost to send USD 200 to South Africa: 5.96% RPW benchmark | Check the live FX rate, correspondent charges, and whether fees are shared or deducted. |
| Paystack merchant payment | International transactions: 3.1% + ZAR 1, excluding VAT | Designed for merchant sales; settlement and VAT must be included. |
| Mukuru and cash pickup | Live quote required; RPW cash payout benchmark: 5.56% | Strong regional access, but price and payout route vary by corridor. |
Nigeria
| Route | Public fee signal | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Paystack merchant payment | International: 3.9% + NGN 100 | Useful for invoiced sales, with onboarding and settlement conditions. |
| Paystack local payment | 1.5% + NGN 100; fixed fee waived below NGN 2,500 | Local merchant benchmark, not an international remittance price. |
| Cash pickup / IMTO | Live quote required; RPW cash payout benchmark: 5.56% | Compare the final naira amount and current FX rules. |
Kenya
| Route | Public fee signal | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| M-PESA international receipt | Live quote required; RPW mobile-wallet payout benchmark: 3.92% | Check sender-country availability and the recipient cash-out tariff. |
| Paystack M-PESA merchant payment | 1.5% | Merchant collection price; settlement transfers have separate banded charges. |
| Paystack international card | 3.8% | For merchant sales; chargebacks and settlement rules apply. |
Ethiopia
| Route | Public fee signal | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| telebirr international receipt | Sender-provider live quote | Direct-to-wallet receipt is available in supported corridors; local cash-out may add cost. |
| telebirr cash-out | ETB 1.2 to ETB 25 across published amount bands | A rare transparent recipient-side tariff; verify the current official schedule. |
| telebirr P2P transfer | ETB 1 to ETB 8 across published bands | Low domestic movement cost after receipt. |
Ghana
| Route | Public fee signal | Practical interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Paystack international merchant payment | 1.95% | Merchant route; compare settlement timing and any FX cost. |
| Paystack mobile-money transfer | GHS 1 per transfer | A settlement charge after merchant collection. |
| International mobile-wallet receipt | Live quote required; RPW wallet payout benchmark: 3.92% | Check sender fee, FX margin, and cash-out tariff. |
Table 8
Method comparison
| Method | Where it can help | Main limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Bank wire | Formal records and high-value transfers | Fixed charges, slower settlement, intermediary and FX uncertainty |
| Mobile money | Fast receipt and broad agent access | Wallet limits, SIM fraud, outages, and cash-out charges |
| Digital MTO app | Often competitive and transparent at quote stage | Availability and payout options vary by corridor |
| Cash pickup | No bank account required | ID friction, security, queues, and weak merchant records |
| Merchant gateway | Invoices, checkout links, and business records | KYC, chargebacks, reserves, tax visibility, and settlement fees |
| Stablecoin / crypto | Potentially fast for experienced users | Fraud, irreversible errors, regulation, and off-ramp spread; not a beginner route |