How does Ria money transfer work?

Ria money transfer®¹ offers payments from the US to 165+ countries globally, with delivery options including cash collection at an agent location, and delivery to either a mobile money wallet or bank account.

We’ll walk through Ria money transfer options, features, fees and how to get started. Plus, we’ll introduce Wise as a great non-bank alternative for comparison - with fast, flexible and convenient payments to 160+ countries globally, with low costs and the mid-market exchange rate.

What is Ria money transfer?

Ria Money transfer is a non-bank provider of money transfers, serving 165+ countries from the US. Ria lets you send money online and in-app, 24/7, which you can then have delivered to your recipient’s bank or mobile money account, or collected in cash.

The exact services do vary depending on where you’re sending money to - but the Ria agent network spans an impressive 500,000+ locations globally.

It’s worth noting that Ria money transfers are intended for personal use only, and should not be used to send money to or from a business.

How does Ria money transfer work: step by step

In the US, you have the choice of sending a Ria money transfer online or by downloading the Ria app. You can pay from your bank or using a credit or debit card - although it helps to remember that the different payment methods have their own fees.

Some options - like paying from your bank - are cheaper but may be slower, while others, such as using your credit card, can be speedy but may come with a higher fee.

Let’s walk through how to send money with Ria step by step - we’ll also dive into how to collect your payment if you’re waiting for someone to send you a Ria money transfer.

Sending money with Ria

You can register a Ria account and send a payment online or in the Ria app. To send money you’ll need to:

Log into your Ria account online or in the app
Click Send Money and confirm the country you want to send to Enter how much you want to send, and how you want to pay Select the delivery method, which can vary depending on where you send to Enter your recipient’s data - we’ll look at what’s needed in a moment Pay for your transfer, and your money is on the way

Whenever you send a Ria money transfer you’ll need to enter some information about your recipient.

The requirements vary depending on how you want your money to be received. Usually if your recipient will get the payment in cash all you need is their name as shown on their government issued ID.

If you’re sending to a bank account you’ll need to enter:
Your recipient’s name as shown on their bank account Recipient’s bank name and address Recipient’s bank account number Recipient’s bank SWIFT/BIC

Receiving money with Ria

The ways you can receive a payment with Ria vary based on your location, but can include cash pick up, mobile wallet or bank deposit.

If you’re receiving a payment with Ria to your bank account or mobile wallet you won’t need to do anything as the recipient.

Just make sure the sender has all your account information and then wait for the money to arrive.

If you’re getting money with Ria for cash collection you’ll need to visit a Ria location to get your money.

Take along²:
The transfer PIN number: the sender will need to give you this A valid government issued ID like a passport or driving license

Make low cost international transfers with Wise

A smart option if you’re sending money overseas: meet Wise.

Register a Wise account online or in the Wise app, and send money to 70+ countries, with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.

Wise always shows you the amount you’re paying and how much your recipient will get — and you can even compare against other providers on the Wise app or desktop site.

If another service is cheaper for your particular payment, you’ll be shown — so you can’t lose.

Get started with Wise

See how Wise compares with international bank transfers in our full guide

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

Fees for sending and receiving money with Ria Money Transfer

The costs of sending your Ria money transfer vary depending on how much you send, how you pay, and where you’re sending money to.

You’ll see the Ria fee before you transfer your money, and can model your payment without needing to create a Ria account to compare the costs. There are also sometimes exclusive offers for new customers which can bring down the overall fee.

It’s useful to look at both the fee Ria charges you, and the exchange rate you’ll get. That’s because rates with Ria may include a markup, which is an extra percentage fee in the rate used to convert your dollars to the currency you need for deposit.

Compare the rate, fee and overall cost of using Ria with another non-bank provider, like Wise to see which fits your needs best.

Here’s a quick comparison of Ria vs Wise to show how the services work. Here we’ll model a payment of 1,000 USD to be deposited into a bank account in the UK in GBP:

	Ria (bank transfer)	Wise (via ACH)
Transfer fee	5 USD	6.93 USD
Total cost	1,005 USD	1,000 USD
Recipient gets	767.40 GBP	787.62 GBP

Note: data correct at the time of writing, Feb/24

As you can see in this example, the recipient gets more with Wise, even though the Wise transfer fee is higher than the Ria fee. That’s because Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate with no markup.

Ria on the other hand, adds a markup - a fee - onto the rate used, and also adds the transfer fee on top of the send amount. This pushes up the cost to you overall, and can mean your recipient gets less in the end, too.

Ria money transfer availability

You can send money online and in-app with Ria, to 165+ countries from the US. Delivery options vary based on your destination country but include cash pick up, mobile wallet or bank deposit.

Can you send money online through Ria Money Transfer?

Yes. Ria offers digital money transfers you can set up online or in the Ria app, which you pay for from your bank or with a card.

Ria Money Transfer Pickup Locations

Ria has a global network of 500,000 agencies - which means you can send money which your recipient can collect in cash in a good range of countries around the world. Use the Ria branch locator tool³ to find the most convenient Ria location for your recipient.

How long do Ria Money transfers take?

Ria money transfer times depend on where you’re sending money to, how you pay, and how the money will be received in the end. For the fastest transfer, consider paying with a card and having your recipient collect the money in cash.

This can be a costly option, but is usually the quickest available. For a more budget friendly transfer you might prefer to pay from your bank and have the money received to a bank or mobile money account. While service fees do vary a lot, this is often the cheapest way offered.

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Use this guide to decide if Ria might be a good service for your next payment. And remember to compare the overall costs including the exchange rate fees, with other providers such as Wise to get the best deal out there.

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Sources:

1. Ria money transfer
2. Ria help - receiving cash pickup
3. Ria branch locator tool

Sources checked on 03.04.2024