Moving Money from the UK to Canada: The Cheapest and Fastest Ways

26 August 2026

Moving money between the UK and Canada is something almost every relocating migrant deals with, whether it's transferring savings to set up in Canada, sending money back home, or managing accounts in both countries during the transition.

The bank-to-bank approach is the most common, and the most expensive. Here's how to do it properly.

The problem with bank transfers

When you transfer money through your UK bank to a Canadian bank, two things work against you:

The exchange rate margin. Banks don't use the mid-market (real) exchange rate. Industry-wide, they typically add a margin of around 2-4% on top, often folded into the rate itself rather than shown as a separate line. On a £20,000 transfer, a 3% margin costs you roughly £600.

Transfer fees. Banks typically charge £20-40 per outgoing international transfer, and the receiving bank on the Canadian side may charge its own fee on top.

On a large transfer, moving savings to buy a car or set up a home, the difference between using a bank and using a specialist transfer service can easily run into the hundreds or low thousands.

Specialist transfer services

These services price at or close to the mid-market rate and charge a transparent fee or a tight margin, rather than hiding the cost inside the rate the way banks do. Verified against each provider's own pricing pages as at 26 Aug 2026.

Wise. Uses the mid-market rate and charges a small, upfront, transparent fee on top rather than folding a margin into the rate. Widely used for UK-Canada transfers, generally fast (often same day or next business day), and you can hold both GBP and CAD in one account, useful during the transition period. Automatic fee discounts apply on larger transfers.

OFX. No transfer fee on most transactions, and OFX supports GBP and CAD directly (both currencies are on its own list of supported corridors). Competitive for larger, less frequent transfers, where it's worth calling for a quote rather than using the online calculator, since larger amounts can often get a better rate.

TorFX. No transfer fees on any amount, with a minimum transfer of around £100 or the local equivalent. TorFX makes its margin on the exchange rate itself rather than through fees, and most major-currency transfers settle the same day or within two business days.

Currencies Direct. Also fee-free on the transfer itself, with money made through the wholesale-to-retail exchange rate spread rather than a flat charge. The margin narrows as the transfer amount increases, which makes it a reasonable option for larger, less frequent transfers. Note that SWIFT-network transfers can attract a separate intermediary-bank fee outside Currencies Direct's own pricing.

XE Money Transfer. No fee on most bank-funded transfers, with the cost sitting in the exchange rate margin instead, typically somewhere around 0.5-1% on major currency routes, narrowing further as the transfer amount goes up. Rates are decent though usually slightly behind Wise and OFX.

CurrencyFair. Markets itself as up to eight times cheaper than the banks, and supports GBP and CAD among its 20+ currencies. A reasonable alternative to Wise for regular transfers, particularly if you want to compare quotes across a couple of providers before committing.

Revolut. Useful if you're already using it as a multi-currency account rather than a dedicated transfer service. Currency exchange is fee-free up to a monthly allowance that depends on your plan (roughly £1,000 a month on the free Standard plan), with a 0.5% fee on amounts above that, and a weekend markup (1% on Standard, 0.5% on Plus, none on Premium/Metal/Ultra) applied between Friday 5pm and Sunday 6pm US Eastern time. Fine for smaller, ad hoc transfers; a dedicated provider works out cheaper for a large one-off settlement transfer.

Bank transfer margin

2-4%

built into the exchange rate, rarely shown as a separate line

Bank flat fee

£20-40

per outgoing SWIFT transfer, plus a possible receiving-bank fee

Specialist provider margin

0-1%

Wise, OFX, TorFX and Currencies Direct all price close to the mid-market rate for GBP to CAD

Typical settlement time

Same day - 2 business days

for a specialist transfer service, most major-currency routes

Which service for which situation

Day-to-day or smaller transfers (under £10,000): Wise is usually the easiest and cheapest. Setup takes about ten minutes, it's fully digital, and it's fast.

Larger one-off transfers (£10,000-£100,000): OFX, TorFX or Currencies Direct. Call for a rate quote rather than relying on the online calculator, since larger amounts can often be negotiated.

Very large transfers (£100,000+): Use a specialist broker and call directly. At this size, the rate difference between providers is significant enough to be worth shopping around. OFX, TorFX and Currencies Direct all handle transfers of this size routinely.

Timing your transfer

GBP to CAD exchange rates move, sometimes by a meaningful amount over a few weeks. A few percentage points of timing can genuinely matter on a large transfer, though it isn't worth obsessing over for smaller amounts.

Don't try to time the market for amounts under £20,000. The stress isn't worth the potential gain.
Set rate alerts with Wise or OFX so you're notified when the rate hits a target level, rather than checking manually.
Use a forward contract if you know you'll need to transfer a large amount in three to six months and want certainty. It locks in today's rate for a future transfer date. OFX, TorFX and Currencies Direct all offer these.

Managing money in both countries

During the transition you'll likely be handling money in both the UK and Canada at once. A few things help:

Keep your UK account open. Don't rush to close it. You may still receive income, refunds or final payments in GBP for some time after leaving.

Consider a multi-currency account. Wise and Revolut both let you hold GBP and CAD in one account with local-style account details in each, which cuts down on repeated transfer fees for smaller, ongoing payments.

Get advice on cross-border tax and reporting obligations. Holding financial accounts in both countries can trigger reporting requirements depending on your residency status in each. This is worth a conversation with a cross-border accountant rather than guessing.

The bottom line

Use Wise for regular and smaller transfers. Use OFX, TorFX or Currencies Direct for large one-off transfers, and call them for a personalised rate. Avoid bank-to-bank transfers for anything beyond a small, occasional amount. Keep your UK accounts open during the transition, and consider a multi-currency account early, it makes managing money across both countries considerably easier.

Move Between Guide helps people navigate international relocation between Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the UK. Browse our guides and checklists for the UK to Canada corridor to plan your move with confidence.