Sending money to Africa has never been easier, and you can use these step-by-step instructions on how to send money to Africa from the USA.

While there are several ways to send money abroad, here we will be focusing on sending money via Western Union and MoneyGram, as they are the most popular methods that can be used worldwide.

Even though this article will walk you through the steps of how to send money to Africa from the USA, the same instructions apply whether you’re sending it from anywhere in the world.

Finding a Reliable Service

Though many American businesses have made big efforts in recent years to expand internationally, you may still have trouble finding a reliable service for sending money overseas. Sending money via a Money Transfer App is an option worth exploring, as well as using your bank’s international services.  The fastest way to send money overseas (for both banks and Money Transfer Apps) is through SWIFT wire transfers.

However, it can be difficult and time-consuming to set up these transfers, especially if you’re not familiar with how they work. And because of fees and various regulations, transferring money through SWIFT isn’t always cheaper than other options.

Especially if you’re sending less than $1 million or so at a time. If speed isn’t important to you and/or if your transfer amount is too small for wire transfers (or there are other reasons why it doesn’t make sense), Money Transfer Apps are probably going to be more convenient—and often much cheaper—for regular money transfers between countries or regions within countries.

These services, which can also be called remittance apps, work similarly to online payment platforms like PayPal, except they’re designed specifically for transferring money internationally.

Money Transfer App Concept: How to Send Money to Africa

The basic idea behind Money Transfer Apps is that you sign up with one of these services, then link your bank account(s) and/or credit card(s) to them. You can then use those accounts to send money internationally—usually through a web interface or mobile app—with a few taps or clicks.

Money Transfer Apps generally charge fees for sending money (as well as receiving it), but they tend to be much cheaper than other international transfer options, especially when sending smaller amounts of money on a regular basis.

Preparing your Cash

Start by loading cash onto an app such as Afriex, which is a convenient, fast and inexpensive way to send money overseas. The company states that users can transfer up to $30,000 with no fees using their platform and offers fee-free transfers between many major currencies including U.S. dollars (USD), Euros (EUR), British pounds (GBP) and more.

For those looking for something more traditional, major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard offer international cash withdrawals at some ATMs for no additional cost in addition to their standard daily/monthly/yearly spending limits. Fees may apply though so it’s a good idea to check your credit card terms beforehand.

Tracking Your Transfer

With so many options for how to send money to Africa, tracking your transfer can seem like a stressful task. If you’re looking for how to send money without stress, start by creating an account with a reputable money-transfer provider, such as Afriex.

They provide excellent service and even tracking tools that help keep you informed of where your funds are at all times. Once you’ve transferred your funds and opened an account, check their website or mobile app for available deposit locations near you.

Transferring Money

Sending money to a family member or friend in another country can be extremely expensive, especially if you use your bank or credit card. Instead, look into online money transfer apps like WorldRemit or TransferWise.

You’ll pay less for fees and exchange rates, and you can send money without having access to a bank account (which is often required for sending international wire transfers). If your recipient has an internet connection and a phone number, they’ll receive their money immediately.

Best of all? It costs less than even Western Union! When it comes time to transferring money out of Africa back home, we recommend avoiding banks altogether – they tend charge exorbitant fees while taking much longer than other options. Instead, look into mobile money transfer apps like M-Pesa or Azimo for a quick and cheap way to send money across borders.

So when thinking about how to send money to Africa, think outside of traditional banks and use a money transfer app. You’ll save money and get your family or friends their cash faster.

Cancelling Your Transfer

You can cancel a transfer up until 24 hours before its scheduled pickup time, meaning that you have time to change your mind or fix any mistakes in a transfer.

For example, if you make an error like sending money in Afriex’s old currency (XAA) instead of their new currency (AFRE), Afriex will not be able to convert your transfer into XAA and will likely ask you to re-transfer it. If that happens, try contacting support.

Final Word

Our final thoughts on how to send money to Africa from the USA are that while there are a number of ways you can send money overseas, not all of them are safe. Sending money through banks is a good choice because they offer you some protection, but the fees can be steep and the time it takes to send money isn’t always guaranteed. In order to get your cash where it needs to go on time, you’ll have to pay high fees with minimal security.