Kolkata What are the ways to send money from the USA to India?
From the USA you can send money to India by bank wire, or through an app such as Wise, Remitly or Revolut. You can also use Western Union, or stablecoins (digital dollars) such as USDC. A bank wire is the most expensive for everyday amounts. Apps are cheaper, but each one prices differently, so compare how many rupees arrive, not the fee.
To pay an app, you can use ACH, a debit card or a wire. ACH is a normal transfer from your US bank account: slow, but cheap. A debit card is instant but often has a fee. A wire is fast and expensive. The app then changes your dollars into rupees at a rate it chooses, and that rate is where most of the cost is.
How does a bank wire from the USA reach India?
A wire goes from your US bank over SWIFT, the network banks use to send money abroad. It often passes through another bank in the middle, then reaches a bank in India, which changes the dollars into rupees. Each bank can take a fee along the way.
- YouSend from your bank
- Your bank$35–70 in fees
- Bank in the middleMay take a fee
- Indian bankRate 2–3% worse
- Family1–3 working days
- YouBank balance or USDC/USDT
- MuffinPayNo transfer fee
- Ammu’s bank or her hospitalRupees, at the Google rate
- ReceiptSent back to you
How much does it cost to send $1,000 to India?
At the Google rate (the real exchange rate, the one you see when you search on Google), $1,000 is ₹94,946. A normal US bank wire gets ₹85,451 to ₹89,723 to your family. Wise gets about ₹93,920 to ₹94,423, and Western Union ₹91,546 to ₹94,395, depending on how you pay. Revolut can get the full amount on a weekday, if you stay within its free monthly allowance.
On a weekday, within its allowance, Revolut can match the Google rate. It costs more at weekends and above the monthly limit. Wise shows its fee clearly as a small percentage. Western Union is cheap if you pay by bank transfer, and more expensive by card. Banks cost the most for amounts like this, and they rarely tell you the rupee amount before you send.
Published prices · checked 11 November 2026
| Option | Transfer fee | Exchange rate | Your family gets | Pays an Indian bill directly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5% above $1,000 a month | Not published on weekdays. 1% at weekends | ₹93,996–94,946 | No |
| About 0.55–1.1% of the amount | None: the Google rate | ₹93,920–94,423 | No |
| $30 when paying by card | About 0.58% | ₹91,546–94,395 | No |
Banks | $35–70 in bank fees | 2–3% | ₹85,451–89,723 | No |
| None | The Google rate | ₹94,946 | Yes |
Type how much you send. You will see how many rupees reach India with each option, and how many reach your family with MuffinPay, at today’s rate.
1 USD = ₹94.95
No transfer fee. The Google rate.
These are typical published prices, so each figure is a range, not a quote. Each company’s own app shows the final amount on the day you send. MuffinPay is not open yet. Founding Families on the waitlist get this pricing when it opens in their country.
Should you pay by ACH, card or wire?
- ACH is free or almost free at most US banks. It takes one to three days to reach the app.
- A debit card is instant. Some companies add a fee. Western Union’s usual card fee on $1,000 is $30.
- A wire is fast, but your bank usually charges $35 or more before any dollars are changed.
If you send every month, the slower, cheaper way with a fair rate is better than speed you rarely need. If the money is for a bill with a due date, paying the biller directly removes the worry about timing.
You in New York, Ammu in Kolkata
You send $1,000 to Ammu every month. Last month you also paid her $120 hospital bill. If you use a bank wire, a year of monthly transfers loses up to ₹1,13,935 before Ammu sees a rupee.
New YorkWest BengalMonthly + bills- Sent each month
- $1,000
- At the Google rate
- ₹94,946
- Bank wire, a year
- −₹62,664 to −1,13,935
- Hospital bill, paid direct
- ₹11,393
- MuffinPay, a year
- ₹0 lost
Home from the clinic. Thank you, shona.Ammu · Kolkata · 8:15 pm
Can you send USDC from the USA to a bank account in India?
Yes. USDC is a dollar stablecoin issued in the USA. The GENIUS Act became law on 18 July 2025. It says stablecoins used for payments must be fully backed by cash and short-term US government bonds. You send USDC from your own wallet, and a licensed company changes it into rupees in your family’s bank account in India.
The benefit is speed, with fewer banks in the middle. There is no SWIFT and no waiting for banking hours. Take the same care as with any wallet. Check the address, use the right network, and use a service that shows you the rupee amount first. If the money is for a bill, read how to pay bills with USDT and USDC.
Will the IRS or India tax the money you send home?
In most cases, no. Money you send to family is usually not income for them in India, and sending it is not taxed in the USA. Large gifts may have to be reported under US gift tax rules, and income you earn in India is a separate matter. For anything more than normal family support, talk to a tax adviser who knows both countries.
Questions families ask
What is the cheapest way to send money from the USA to India?
On $1,000 today, Revolut on a weekday within its allowance costs the least of the big names. Wise and Western Union (paid by bank transfer) come close behind. A bank wire costs the most. Founding Families on MuffinPay pay no transfer fee and get the Google rate: ₹94,946 on $1,000.
How long does it take to send money from the USA to India?
Apps paid by debit card can arrive in minutes. Apps paid by ACH usually take one to three working days. Bank wires take one to three working days, sometimes more.
Is there a limit on sending money from the USA to India?
Each company sets its own daily and monthly limits, and asks more questions for bigger amounts. Banks may ask what the transfer is for. India has no limit on the money family abroad can send.
Can I pay my parents’ bills in India from the USA?
Yes. Some services pay a company in India directly, so you don’t have to send money to someone first. Our guide to paying a parent’s electricity bill from abroad shows every way.
What is MuffinPay?
MuffinPay is a cross-border payments app built on stablecoins. Send money and pay bills for the people you love in another country: rent, electricity, school fees, insurance. Bills go straight to the biller, money lands in local currency, with proof.
What does a Founding Family get?
No MuffinPay transfer fee, for as long as you use MuffinPay, and the Google rate (the real exchange rate) on everything you send. Places go to the first families on the waitlist. MuffinPay opens country by country.