Money transfers to Israel without fee from EU and UK
European countries and Israel have deep-rooted connections: diplomatic, financial, business, friendly, and familial.
Private money transfers to Israel are one of the links existing between residents of the European region and this country. Financial assistance during difficult times, regular support for relatives, gifts for significant occasions — these are just a few reasons for sending money.
But how to choose a money transfer provider to Israel when there are more than enough options in the market? In our article, we have compared the conditions of this service offered by several popular services and banks. The data is presented in the tables below.
Money transfers to Israel from France: condition comparison*
| Service | Sending | Duration | Fee | Currencies | Receiving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KoronaPay | debit/credit card/bank account | several minutes | no fee | EUR-ILS, EUR-USD | to a card, cash |
| XE money transfers | debit/credit card/bank account | next day | no fee | EUR-ILS | to a bank account |
| Western Union | debit/credit card/bank account | several minutes | 0-4.90 € | EUR-USD, EUR-ILS | cash, to a bank account, to a VISA card |
| TransferGo | debit/credit card/bank account | 2 days | 0.99 € | EUR-ILS | to a card, bank account |
| Wise | bank account | 1-3 days | 2.43-4.33 € (bank fee 18.62-18.65 €) | EUR-EUR, EUR-USD | to a bank account |
| Paysend | debit/credit card | 2 days | 1.5 € | EUR-ILS | to a card |
| Remitly | debit/credit card/bank account | several minutes | 3.99 € | EUR-USD | cash |
| Currency fair | bank account | 2-5 days | 3.76-10.45 € (bank fee 18.73 €) | EUR-ILS, EUR-USD | to a bank account |
| Xend pay | debit/credit card/bank account | 2-3 days | 3.97-5.73 € | EUR-ILS | to a bank account |
| BNP Paribas | bank account | 3-5 days | 9.50 € (bank fee 18.73 €) | EUR-ILS | to a bank account |
| La Banque Postal | bank account | 3-5 days | 19.90 € (bank fee 18.73 €) | EUR-ILS | to a bank account |
*Commission fees and other conditions are relevant for transfers of 100 euros (as of 15.03.2023 11:00 CET). The table was compiled using information from aggregator websites and the resources of the payment systems themselves.
As can be seen from the presented data, only two services offer money transfers without a fee: KoronaPay and XE money transfers. However, only the former operates with card-to-card and card-to-cash transfers.
Next, let’s consider the conditions for money transfer services from the UK. Sending from this country is interesting primarily because there is a national currency, which means different currency pairs: pounds sterling — shekels, pounds sterling — US dollars, etc.
Money transfers to Israel from UK: condition comparison*
| Service | Sending | Duration | Fee | Currencies | Receiving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KoronaPay | debit/credit card/bank account | several minutes | no fee | GBR-ILS, GBR-USD | to a card, cash |
| XE money transfers | debit/credit card/bank account | next day | no fee | GBR-ILS | to a bank account |
| Western Union | debit/credit card/bank account | from a few minutes to 4 days | 1.9 — 2.90 £ | GBR-USD, GBR-ILS | to a bank account, cash |
| TransferGo | debit/credit card/bank account | 2 days | 0.99 £ | EUR-ILS | to a card |
| Wise | bank account | 1-3 days | 2.03 £ | GBR-EUR, GBR-USD | to a bank account |
| Paysend | debit/credit card | 2 days | 1 £ | GBR-ILS | to a card |
| Remitly | debit/credit card/bank account | several minutes | 2.99 £ | GBR-USD | cash |
| Currency fair | bank account | 1-4 days | 3.31-9.18 £ (bank fee 16.47-16.49 £) | GBR-USD, GBR-ILS | to a bank account |
| Xend Pay | debit/credit card/bank account | 2-3 days | 3.50-5.28 £ | GBR-ILS | to a bank account |
| HSBS | bank account | next day | 5.00 £ (bank fee 16.49 £) | GBR-ILS | to a bank account |
| RBS | bank account | 3-5 days | 22 £ (bank fee 16.49 £) | GBR-ILS | to a bank account |
*Commission fees and other conditions are relevant for transfers of 100 pounds sterling (as of 15.03.2023 11:00 CET). The table was compiled using information from aggregator websites and the resources of the payment systems themselves.
The situation with money transfers from the UK is similar. Only two companies offer to send money without a fee. However, the most popular way to transfer money from the EU and partner countries in Europe to Israel is through the KoronaPay service.
How to transfer money to Israel using the Korona app
Korona is a mobile application that can be downloaded for free from the App Store and Google Play. You log into the app (authorization) with a phone number. In the input field, you need to enter the number to which you will receive an SMS with a code.
The available payment options depend on the country of origin and its telephone code. For example, from Germany, you can pay for the transfer using the following methods:
- debit card,
- credit card,
- bank account.
However, in Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Spain, and Italy, the money transfer can only be debited from a bank card. The United Kingdom, France, and Finland allow you to send money from both cards and bank accounts.
Therefore, the country code entered during authorization determines how you can pay for the transfer. Even when traveling to a neighboring country, a user with a German SIM card will send transfers according to the rules for Germany: using one of the four methods above.
The amount can be debited from the cards of any European bank. However, there are three exceptions: in Poland, Romania, and Bulgaria, payment for the transfer is possible only with local bank cards.
Instructions for sending a transfer to Israel
For addressless transfers (these are transfers to be received in cash, because the money can be received at any service point), a code will be generated after payment, which must be communicated to the recipient. You can select the location to receive the transfer on the interactive map in the Korona app (the Locations tab), or on the website at koronapay.com.
What ensures the security of KoronaPay transfers
1. Money can only be debited from cards that support 3D Secure technology, where an SMS with a code for confirming the transaction is sent to the phone.
2. The service’s partnership with leading payment systems Visa and Mastercard creates a safe space for financial transactions.
3. The latest antivirus systems protect the service from unauthorized actions.
4. KoronaPay has a European license to operate and complies with all regulatory requirements.
In addition to money transfers to Israel, our blog has many articles about immigration to Europe, life, and work in the new conditions. You can see all the articles here.
The information on rates and fees for money transfers is valid as of the publication date.
4/3/2023