The verdict: XE Money for cost, Western Union for speed.
On the headline measure that matters most — how much your recipient actually receives — XE Money comes out ahead in our reference $1,000 USD → INR comparison, by ₹1,867 (2.26%). On larger transfers the gap widens proportionally, so the right choice for someone sending $200 a month and someone sending $20,000 once a quarter can be different — always compare for your specific amount.
Western Union. Western Union's unmatched physical agent network — over 550,000 locations across 200 countries — is what you're paying for. For emergency cash pickup in remote corridors it's often the only realistic option. For everything else, you're paying a premium of ~3% over the mid-market rate, on top of a $5 upfront fee. Read the full Western Union review →
XE Money. XE built its reputation on the world's most-used currency-conversion website before entering the consumer transfer market. Their rates are competitive — typically under 1% markup — and they're a safe choice for transfers above $5,000 thanks to their corporate FX desk. The trade-off is delivery speed: most transfers take 1 business day. Read the full XE Money review →