5 Best Ways to Send Money to France from the UK (2025 Comparison)

If you’re in the United Kingdom and need to send money to France—whether for family, business, or personal expenses—you’ve probably already known that finding the best way to send money without losing too much on hidden fees or exchange rates is no easy task.

Having navigated the complexities of international payment myself, I’ve created this guide to simplify the process for you. 

In this post, I’ll discuss the five best services for sending money to France in 2025, covering everything from costs and speed to limitations. I’ll also be answering common pitfalls and frequently asked questions at the end of the article.

Let’s dive in!

• Recipient’s Details: The full name (matching their government-issued ID) and their address.
• IBAN (International Bank Account Number): IBAN is a standardised account number required for transfers within Europe. If you're sending a SEPA payment to an EU/EEA country, only the recipient’s IBAN is needed.
• BIC/SWIFT Code: A unique identifier for a bank, used in international payments to ensure the money is sent to the correct recipient's bank.
• Transfer Amount & Currency: Specify the exact amount and currency. You could send GBP to EUR with automatic conversion, or EUR to EUR using a UK service that allows you to hold euros, avoiding conversion when sending money to a recipient in France. However, there may still be conversion fees when topping up your EUR account with GBP, and not all providers offer this option.
• Payment Method: You can fund the transfer via a bank deposit, credit/debit card, cash, or other options.
• Purpose of Transfer: Some banks may require you to state the reason for the transfer, such as personal remittance, business payment, or investment.
• Identity verification: For very large transfers, you may need to provide an ID or additional documents to comply with security and regulatory requirements.

Revolut, initially a neobank offering digital financial services, is a restricted licensed bank in the UK. With its banking license recently acquired in 2024, it now provides a wider range of banking services, albeit with some limitations, while continuing to prioritise its digital-first approach. The bank offers services to both personal and business clients.

A key advantage of using Revolut to send money from the UK to France is that, in addition to sending GBP to EUR, you can also get local EUR account details. This allows you to send euros, reducing conversion fees. [1] 

Step 1: Download the Revolut app. Revolut personal and Revolut Business use different apps, with the personal one having a white background and Revolut Business having a black background. You cannot sign up from a website. 

Step 2: Sign up with your phone number and verify with a six-digit code.

Step 3: Enter your details:

• Personal Account: Full name, birthdate, residential address, and email.
• Business Account: Business name, registration number, tax address, and personal details.

Step 4: Upload required verification documents:

• Personal Account: A live photo of a government-issued ID, such as a passport, and a real-time selfie.
• Business Account: Business registration documents, proof of business activity, and a live selfie of the account holder.

Step 5: Wait for approval (usually within 24 hours).

Step 6: Once approved, you can access your account and start using Revolut.

Monzo is a fully licensed online UK bank headquartered in London. Instead of traditional branches, Monzo operates entirely through its app. The bank offers a variety of services, including current accounts, savings accounts, and lending products, catering to both personal and business customers. 

Since 2018, Monzo has collaborated with Wise (formerly TransferWise) to offer international money transfers directly through the Monzo app, allowing users to send money to friends, and family, and for business purposes. [2] 

Step 1: Download the Monzo app on the App Store or Play Store. Alternatively, visit https://monzo.com.

Step 2: Provide your email, choose whether you want a personal or business account and fill in your details. 

• For a personal account, provide your address, email, phone number, occupation, and intended account use.
• For a business account, provide your full name, date of birth, proof of business address, business details, registered company number (if applicable), and unique tax reference number.

Step 3: Provide a valid form of ID. Monzo accepts a passport, driving licence, national ID card, or biometric residency permit.

Step 4: Confirm your identity by uploading a picture of your ID and taking a selfie video.

Step 5: Choose your account options, whether free or premium accounts and Monzo will send your new card, which usually arrives within a few days. Once the card arrives, activate it by following the instructions in the Monzo app.

Wise, formerly known as TransferWise, is a global technology company offering multi-currency accounts and international money transfers for both individuals (Wise) and businesses (Wise Business). 

While Wise is not a bank, it holds licenses in various locations and is authorised as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). [3]

Step 1: Go to https://wise.com/register or download the Wise app on App Store or Google Play

Step 2: Click on the "Register" button and enter your email address. For convenience, you can also sign up using your Google, Facebook, or Apple account.

Step 3: Fill in your details:

• Personal: Your full name, address, and date of birth.
• Business: Business details, business registration, registered and trading addresses, and personal information of all stakeholders. [4] 
  

Step 4: Complete the verification process.

• Personal: Submit a photo ID, such as a passport, national ID card, or driver’s license, along with proof of address and a photo of you holding your ID. 
• Business: Documents required to confirm who controls the business. Wise will notify you of the necessary documents. 
  

Step 5: Once verified, your account will be ready to use. 

Western Union (WU) is a US financial services company based in Denver, Colorado. It operates in over 200 countries, mainly for personal money transfers. Business transactions are limited to cases where a company accepts WU for bill payments or sends money to individuals.

WU is well known for its broad cash pickup network, with hundreds of thousands of agent locations worldwide. Notably, they have a partnership with the UK post office, allowing you to send money from there. [5]

Step 1: Visit https://www.westernunion.com or download the Western Union mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store

Step 2: Click on "Register" and fill in the required details, including your full name, information, address, phone number, country of birth, date of birth, nationality, and occupation. Ensure your name matches your ID.

Step 3: Provide your ID. For the Western Union UK, acceptable ID includes a valid signed passport, a valid full EU driving licence, a UK provisional driving licence, an EU national identity card (non-UK), an EU residency card, a passport, emergency travel documents, and a ship’s passport. [6]

Step 4: Provide a valid email address. This will be used to notify you of your application status. Additionally, each transfer you make will result in a receipt being sent to this registered email. 

Step 5: You will receive a confirmation email once your registration is complete.

Starling Bank is the UK's first fully digital bank, stands out with its innovative and modern approach to banking.

One of its key features is the multi-currency account, which includes support for euros. By opening a multi-currency account with Starling, you gain the ability to hold, send, and receive euro payments —an essential advantage for those who frequently transact with European countries like France. [7] 

Step 1: Visit the Starling website at https://www.starlingbank.com/apply/ or download the Starling app from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei AppGallery.

Step 2: Complete the required information and submit a valid government-issued photo ID, including a passport or driving license, along with a video selfie. 

Step 3: For business accounts, additional documents are needed to verify the nature of your business and confirm trading activity. These may include signed contracts, registrations, business plans, or links to your company website.

Step 4: Applicants undergo standard Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Know Your Customer (KYC), fraud, and credit checks.

Step 5: Once your account is verified, you will receive a notification.

When sending money from the UK to France, there are a few key details to keep in mind to avoid unexpected costs or delays. In this section, I'll highlight some common pitfalls and offer practical tips to help ensure your transfer is smooth, efficient, and cost-effective. By being aware of these factors, you can save time and money while ensuring your funds reach their destination without any surprises.

France is part of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), which enables low-cost and efficient euro transfers within Europe. If your provider offers SEPA transfers—whether by allowing you to send EUR directly from a euro currency account or by converting GBP into EUR automatically before transferring via SEPA—then opting for a SEPA transfer instead of a standard SWIFT transfer could save both time and money.

Additionally, some providers offer SEPA Instant Credit Transfers, enabling near-instant transfers (typically within seconds) up to a certain limit. [8] This is especially useful for urgent payments, but availability depends on the recipient’s bank and the transfer service you use.

Some French banks may impose fees for receiving international money transfers. It's important to check with the recipient about their bank to confirm whether any charges will be deducted from the transferred amount, charged to you, or applied to the recipient. Knowing this beforehand can help you manage expectations and avoid surprises. 

If such fees do apply and you transfer money frequently, it may be beneficial for the recipient to set up an account with a money transfer service that offers fee-free transfers between accounts or switch to a provider that doesn't charge for incoming international transfers. 

While you can transfer money to France and convert pounds to euros through your high-street bank, their exchange rate is often less favourable than what a money transfer service would provide. 

It’s recommended to use a specialised money transfer service, as they often offer competitive rates based on interbank rates and use currency exchange risk management tools to attract customers. Alternatively, consider using a foreign currency account or multi-currency account that allows you to hold and send euros directly.

Bank transfers can be delayed because of weekends and public holidays in both the sending and receiving countries. The UK and France share holidays like Easter Monday and Christmas Day, but France banks also have additional holidays like Bastille Day (14 July) and Armistice Day (11 November). [9] [10]

This means France holidays need to be taken into account when planning international transfers, as they affect banking operations and can potentially extend processing times.

When choosing the best way to send money to France from the UK, it ultimately comes down to your personal needs—whether it’s lower fees, faster transfers, or better exchange rates. Revolut, Monzo, Wise, Western Union, and Starling each offer unique benefits. Select the one that aligns with your priorities and preferences for a smoother experience.