💸 Germany to India · Best Money Transfer 2025–2026
Send money to India: who gives the best rate?
Banks typically hide €50–150 in fees per transfer. This guide shows you the real cost of every major provider and saves Desis thousands per year.
🧮 Calculate your true transfer cost
💜Wise
Best overall
Fee (€500 transfer)
~€2.50
Exchange rate
Mid-market rate
✅ Real mid-market exchange rate — no markup
✅ Total cost shown upfront before you confirm
✅ Arrives same day to most Indian banks
⚠️ Fee increases slightly for larger amounts
🔴Remitly
Very good
Fee (€500 transfer)
€0–€3.99
Exchange rate
0.5–1.5% below mid
✅ First transfer often free
✅ "Express" (minutes) or "Economy" (1–3 days, better rate)
✅ IMPS delivery to most Indian banks
⚠️ Rate varies by speed selected
🟡Western Union
OK
Fee (€500 transfer)
€3.90+
Exchange rate
1–2% below mid
✅ Cash pickup at any Western Union India branch
✅ Can send to rural areas with no bank account
⚠️ Exchange rate worse than Wise/Remitly
⚠️ Online is better than in-store
🏦German Bank (e.g. Deutsche Bank)
Avoid
Fee (€500 transfer)
€8–25+
Exchange rate
1.5–3% below mid
❌ Worst exchange rates — bank makes profit on spread
❌ SWIFT fee + correspondent bank fee = €15–30+ extra
❌ Takes 2–5 business days
✅ Only useful if you have a FCNR account setup
🔵PayPal
Avoid for India
Fee (€500 transfer)
€3.99+
Exchange rate
2.5–4% below mid
❌ Terrible exchange rate — one of the worst
❌ High fees for international personal transfers
⚠️ Recipient needs PayPal account
⚠️ Transfer to Indian bank adds more delays and fees
💡 Pro tips Desis use to maximise remittances
💡 Use a rate alert: Wise and Remitly both let you set a target rate and notify you when EUR/INR reaches it. Never transfer at a bad time again.
💡 Send larger amounts less often: Most providers charge a fixed fee + % spread. Sending €1,000 once is cheaper than sending €250 four times.
💡 NRE FD instead of regular transfers: If your family in India can manage on a local income, park money in an NRE FD at 7.5%+ instead of sending it in small amounts. The interest more than compensates.
💡 Check if DTAA filing reduces Indian TDS: If you earn interest or dividends in India, submit Form 10F to Indian financial institutions to prevent excess TDS withholding.
ℹ️ Rates change daily. Exchange rates and fees shown are approximate. Always check the live rate at the time of transfer. DET receives no commission from any money transfer provider mentioned here.
