You’re likely familiar with how to use a debit card, as they’re now one of the most common payment methods for many transactions. But did you know you could also send money to a debit card?
At Remitly, for example, we offer debit card deposits to many countries.
Our app makes it easy to send money to India, Pakistan, Philippines, Mexico, Colombia, and many other countries, to an individual’s debit card.
Keep reading to learn how and why to send money to a debit card. Delivery options vary depending on the recipient’s location.
5 steps for sending money to a debit card
The following steps are usually the same across different platforms for international money transfers, such as Western Union, Moneygram, and others.
Here’s what to do for an online money transfer to a debit card using Remitly.
Download the app from the app store (iOS) or Google Play (Android), create an account, and then follow these steps.
1. Enter the amount to send.
Enter how much money you want to send, checking to see the exact amount your recipient will receive after any fees or exchange rate markups.
Get a special rate and no fees on your first bank transfer with Remitly.
2. Choose a delivery method.
This means you must select the option to send funds to a debit card. With Remitly, the transfer option will say “debit card deposit.”
3. Enter your recipient information.
Anytime you send money online, you’ll need your recipient’s details, such as their first name, last name, and phone number. You’ll also need to enter their debit card number.
You might not need the recipient’s bank account or account number information, but having these handy is a good idea if you need them.
4. Choose a funding source.
When you sign up for Remitly or another payment service, you’ll enter your bank account or debit card details. With any wire transfer, you’ll choose how you want to pay for it—based on the payment options in your profile.
5. Review and send.
Those 16-digit debit card numbers can be tricky, so ensure you’ve entered them correctly before hitting “send.”
Transferring money to a debit card with Remitly
Remitly makes sending remittances to people worldwide easy. We also offer the ability to transfer money directly to debit cards.
To get started, sign up for an account with Remitly if you don’t yet have one. Then follow the instructions listed above. Easy.
Which debit card types are supported by Remitly?
Your recipient must have a bank-issued Visa debit card that allows debit card deposits. We don’t support Mastercard or Discover debit deposits at this time.
The benefits of sending money to a debit card
Here are some of the biggest benefits of sending money directly to someone’s debit card.
Convenience
As soon as the funds are available, your loved one can use that debit card to make payments, top up a wireless phone, and do any other transaction for which they’d typically use a debit card. They can also withdraw cash from the linked bank account from an ATM or bank branch.
When you send money to a debit card, your recipient won’t have to worry about leaving the house to pick up cash.
Speed
Gone are the days of waiting many business days for funds to arrive. When you fund a money transfer to a debit card, your recipient can gain access to funds quickly. With a mobile app, instant transfers are possible—and if not instant, less than one business day is usually common with a money transfer app. In-person cash pickup is also available for immediate access to funds.
FAQs and Considerations
When sending a debit card abroad, follow the same precautions as using any mobile wallet or payment app like Google Pay or Apple Pay.
Here are some further tips on making international money transfers to debit cards.
Check sending amount limits
There may be limits on how much money you can send internationally at one time. For more information on sending limits with Remitly, check the app or our website for more details.
Research exchange rates
An exchange rate tells you how two types of currency relate to one another. For example, if you live in the U.S. and want to send money abroad to someone in Mexico, the exchange rate might be 1 USD = 17.08 pesos. If you sent $100, your recipient would get around 1708 pesos minus fees.
Exchange rates can vary from hour to hour, and money transfer providers may offer different rates.
Understand fees
Sometimes called a transfer fee, a transaction fee is what you pay to a service that transfers money for you. Certain providers may waive or reduce these fees if your transfer exceeds the minimum.
Transfer fees may be a flat rate or a percentage of the amount transferred. If you choose a provider that charges a percentage, see if there is a maximum fee on large transfers.
With Remitly, you can easily find out the fee for your transfer. We charge a flat rate based on the destination country and speed and also offer zero fees for some countries.
Can I send a prepaid card?
You may be able to send money to prepaid debit cards if they’re obtained through a bank.
However, most anonymous and prepaid cards bought at stores do not allow this.
Is it possible to send with a credit card?
Yes, in many cases. However, you may be subject to a cash advance fee if you transfer money using your credit card. Contact your card issuer to learn more about cash advance fee costs.
To know how to send money using a credit card, visit our guide to learn how.
Safety tips
Sending money to a debit card is secure, especially if you follow these steps.
1. Check the information before you send.
Before you start the transfer, triple-check all the information. If you have the recipient’s debit card number wrong by just one number, your transfer may be delayed or go to the wrong place.
2. Keep your information secure.
Choose a unique password for your money transfer service. Ideally, it should be different from your other financial institution passwords. Combinations of letters, numbers, and special characters are usually the most secure.
Keep your password private. It would be wise to save your password to your computer or mobile device only if you know the information will be secure.
3. Notify your recipient before you transfer funds.
And that’s it!
