Send Money From South Africa To India. Cheap And Fast Ways To Transfer Money Abroad.
Compare the best rates and fees to send money from South Africa to India
We only found one international money transfer company supporting transfers from South Africa to India, but there may be others available. We consistently review our coverage and compare 10+ providers across hundreds of currency routes.
We only compare secure providers which we have researched, tested and approved. Important information: Although we may receive a referral fee if you choose one of these providers, it won't affect the ranking of the provider, the exchange rates or any fees you are charged. Our results are sorted in order of cheapest to most expensive cost to you. Learn more.
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Best ways to send money from South Africa to India
- Cheapest: CurrencyFair
- Best exchange rate: CurrencyFair
- Fastest provider: CurrencyFair
- The best rated: CurrencyFair
What is the cheapest way to send money from South Africa to India?
- CurrencyFair: 725.92 ZAR
When you are looking to send money from South Africa to India it's important that you calculate the total cost of your South African Rand to Indian Rupee transfer. You'll want to pay attention to both the upfront fee the provider shows you as well as the ZAR/INR exchange rate.
Often providers will claim to have low, or even no fees, but in reality they're hidden within the exchange rate. Right now, the ZAR/INR interbank rate is 4.658. Whenever you compare fees for transferring money from South Africa to India, it can pay off to look at the exchange rate they offer.
For example, most traditional banks add a hidden markup to the exchange rate they offer you. If 1 ZAR is 4.658 INR, your bank can add a 3% exchange rate markup and give you a rate of 1 ZAR = 4.79774 INR. Depending on how you set up your transfer this could mean that it would cost you more or your recipient could receive less.
CurrencyFair, the cheapest option, has a ZAR/INR exchange rate of 4.6292 and a fee of 725.92 ZAR. This would save you 0 ZAR compared to CurrencyFair, who has a fee of 725.92 ZAR.
Pricing data is collected from providers' websites, and the fee is calculated by factoring in the total cost (the transfer fee plus exchange rate margin).
What is the fastest way to send money from South Africa to India?
Providers in the table typically take:
- CurrencyFair: 1-3 Days
Typically, sending money from South Africa to India will be much faster using a money transfer company compared to a bank that can take 3-5 working days. The fastest provider in our table to transfer money from South Africa to India is CurrencyFair (1-3 Days).
What is the best rated provider to transfer money from South Africa to India?
Of the 1 providers we found for transferring money from South Africa to India, here’s how they stack up in terms of number of reviews and average score on TrustPilot:
- CurrencyFair: 8,086 reviews, rated 3.6/5 on Trustpilot
Safest way to send money from South Africa to India
Choosing an international money transfer service can feel like a risk. However, our comparison tool will only ever recommend secure providers which operate within the law in any part of the world they're in.
When you're looking for the safest ways to send money to India from South Africa you'll usually want to look out for providers which are registered with and operate under the FCA. In some cases operators may also be regulated by the PRA. And if you're sending money with your bank, you may also read about the FSCS. Too many acronyms? Let's look at what they mean.
FCA - Financial Conduct Authority - almost all financial activities have to be authorised by the FCA. The FCA's job is to regulate and oversee financial activities to make sure standards are upheld and financial businesses are trading safely and legally.
PRA - Prudential Regulation Authority - the PRA exists to make sure banks, building societies, insurance companies and other similar financial institutions are being managed safely, to control risk and keep customer money safe.
FSCS - Financial Services Compensation Scheme - the FSCS protects customers when their bank, insurer or other eligible financial service company fails. You may be able to get compensation through the FSCS to make sure you don't lose out if your bank goes bankrupt or runs into other financial difficulties.
How to send money from South Africa to India?
You've got a few key options if you need to send money from South Africa to India:
- Bank transfer from South Africa to India - most banks will let you send money internationally online, by visiting a branch or by phone. Payments to INR will be sent directly from your bank account to your recipient's local bank account in your chosen currency.
- Walk into a branch - several specialist money transmitter services operate through large branch and agent networks, so you can visit a physical store and make your INR payment in cash if you want to.
- Send money online from South Africa to India - if you'd rather make your GBP/INR payment online or using your smartphone, you can choose your own bank's online banking service, or an international payment specialist. Specialist services can often offer better exchange rates and lower fees than banks.
How to send money to another bank account in India:
Sending money from South Africa to another bank account in India is often the most convenient option - both for you, and your recipient. Your recipient doesn't need to take any action to receive the money, it just lands in the nominated account in the currency you choose, and can be spent or withdrawn easily.
If you're sending money from South Africa direct to a bank account in India, choosing a specialist provider can be the cheapest and fastest way to make your payment. Different providers have their own processes for arranging payments - but the steps you'll take are usually roughly the same:
4 easy steps to send money with a money transfer provider:
- 1Create an account
Register a new account with your preferred service, by entering your contact details and some basic information. You may even be able to do this using Facebook or Google for convenience - 2Verify your identity
Depending on the type of payment you're making, you may need to verify your account by uploading an image of your ID documents. This step helps keep your money safe, and is often a legal requirement. - 3Top-up your account
Add money to your account in pounds, using a bank transfer or card payment. - 4Add recipient details and send
Once you’re ready to send a payment, add your recipient’s personal and bank account details, check the exchange rate and fee applied to your payment, and confirm. That’s it - your money will now be sent, and you can track its progress online or in your provider’s app.
How can you pay for your transfer from South Africa to India?
Different providers offer different options to fund your international money transfer. Luckily, you have plenty to choose from.
Let's take a look at a few payment options for sending money from South Africa to India with these providers:
Details needed to send money from South Africa to India
The details you'll need to send money from South Africa to India may vary by provider. At a minimum, you will need to know the recipients name and you will typically be asked for their:
- Account number
- IFSC code
ZAR/INR exchange rate trends
As with many currencies, the ZAR/INR exchange rate moves over time, due to changes in supply and demand.
Exchange rate fluctuations can be caused by underlying shifts in how well the economy in South Africa or India is doing. Other things that can influence the rate are the changes in political stability, or even simple speculation, where traders buy or sell currencies based on how they think trends are going to change.
Right now, 1 South African Rand buys 4.658 Indian Rupee.
The average ZAR/INR exchange rate over the past 7 days was 4.65178. It is -2.491% compared to the previous 7 days, when it was 4.77062.
How much will my money transfer from South Africa to India cost?
To send money from South Africa to India using one of the international money transfer providers in our tables, the fees range from 725.92 ZAR with CurrencyFair to 725.92 ZAR with CurrencyFair (but the fee could be even higher with a bank). The exact cost depends a lot on where you're sending money, how much you're sending, how you want to pay, and how you want the payment to be received.
Typically sending money directly to a recipient's bank account using a specialist service can be done with fairly low costs, while traditional bank wire fees can be higher. Paying for your transfer with either a credit card or cash can often mean the fees crank up, too.
When you're sending money internationally, don't forget that the overall fee you pay can include the transfer fee, an extra charge wrapped up in the exchange rate used, and third party charges like a cash advance fee from your credit card issuer.
How long does it take to transfer money from South Africa to India?
The length of time it takes to transfer money from South Africa to India depends on a variety of factors including the provider you use, how you're paying, and how you want your recipient to get the money in the end. From the providers that we display, the fastest international money transfer provider from South Africa to India is CurrencyFair, which can deliver the money to your recipient in INR in 1-3 Days. The slowest provider to send South African Rand from South Africa to India is CurrencyFair, which takes 1-3 Days to send money from South Africa to India.
Sending money from South Africa to India - The verdict
When it comes to choosing the best provider for sending money to India from South Africa, it really depends on what your needs are.
The cheapest provider shown in our comparison is CurrencyFair and the fastest is CurrencyFair. CurrencyFair can get your money to your recipient in India in 1-3 Days.
If safety is what interests you the most when it comes to picking the best international money transfer provider from South Africa to India, then all the providers we listed above are regulated by different financial institutions and should be safe to send money from South Africa to India with.
The ultimate guide on how to find the best exchange rates online
Frequently asked questions when sending money from South Africa to India
There's no single best way to transfer money from South Africa to India. It all depends on your priorities. Different providers offer a different balance of cost, speed and convenience. Using our comparison tool to check out a range of providers is a good way to painlessly find the best option for you.
You can send money from South Africa to India using your own bank, a specialist money transfer service, an e-wallet, or by visiting a physical money remittance store. Each option has different pros and cons, so the best for you will depend on your specific transfer and personal requirements.
You can't send money to India from South Africa for free. International transfers cost providers money to arrange, so there's always a fee somewhere to make sure that the business covers its costs and generates profit. However, many providers choose to make the fees you pay trickier to spot by adding them into the exchange rates used for transfers. That way they can advertise commission free payments, while still making some money every time.
An exchange rate shows how much you'll get when you sell one currency and buy another. However, there is no single exchange rate out there - instead, banks and financial service providers can set their own rates, which may actually include extra fees.
The best rate to use as a benchmark is the mid-market exchange rate for your currency pair. You can get this from a Google search, or using a reputable online currency converter. This is the rate that banks and payment providers get when they buy currency themselves. If the rate you're offered by a provider is different to the mid-market exchange rate that usually means there's a markup - an extra fee - being added to it. This can push up costs or mean your recipient gets less than you expect in the end.
There is no official best time to send money from South Africa to India and that depends on a variety of factors such as when you need to send money or when you want the funds to be received.
It’s also going to depend on a variety of other factors such as, the time when you send money or the fees you are offered by providers or banks.
Transfers made online for cash pickup, or to mobile wallets, are often available quickly - if not exactly instant. You may also be able to send an instant payment with an ewallet service. However, in both cases, you’ll probably pay a premium for the speed.