What's the best way to send money to Sweden?

If you need to send money to Sweden or even receive an urgent payment while travelling around the country, there are a couple of different options. The most obvious one is to ask your regular bank to transfer the cash, but as the big high street institutions usually levy hefty charges, this may not be the smartest approach. Here are some other routes to consider.

Transferwise is a neat website that allows you to send money to or from Sweden using a simple online interface. Rates are generally much better than you’d get when using your usual bank account (the site claims it can be up to eight times cheaper than regular banks). You can sign up here and start sending cash within a couple of minutes.

If time is of the essence and you need to get your money to or from Sweden quickly, try Paypal: just set up an account with your email address or phone number and you’ll be able to start transferring funds.

If you’re unable to use either of those services, check out Western Union and Moneygram. Both have websites in English, as well as offices in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.

You can get an idea of which transfer service will work out cheapest by logging onto the Money from Sweden website – it’s run by the (apparently impartial) Swedish consumer agency and is designed to let you to see how much of the money you send will actually reach its destination. Unfortunately, the site only includes comparisons for a limited number of currencies.

How long does it take to send money?

The amount of time it takes to transfer money between Sweden and other countries will depend on which option you go for, but most international transfers can be completed within a few days. Paypal is instant.

 


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