How It Works
How RiyalRate.com works
- Pick your destination with the country tabs at the top of the rates page: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka or the Philippines.
- Read the rate table. Each row is a remittance center, and the rate is how much of your home currency you receive for every 1 Saudi riyal. Rows run from the highest rate to the lowest, and the "Updated" column shows how recently each one was reported.
- Type an amount into the calculator and a new column shows what each center would give the recipient. The switch works it backwards: enter a target amount at home and see how many riyals you'd need to send.
- If you've seen a different rate recently, click "Update new rate" next to that center and submit it. We review reports before the displayed rates change.
Rates are user-reported and indicative only. Always confirm the exact rate and fees in the provider's own app or branch before you confirm a transfer.
How to compare remittance rates properly
The headline rate is only part of what you pay. Before you pick a remittance center, look at the whole picture.
The exchange rate
This is the number RiyalRate.com shows. A higher rate means the recipient gets more local currency for each riyal you send. A few paisa or fils per riyal sounds small, but it adds up on larger transfers, or when you send every month.
Transfer fees
Some centers advertise a strong rate and then add a fixed service fee. Others offer a lower rate with no fee. Add any fee to your riyal amount when you compare, so you see the total cost of the transfer instead of the rate alone.
Speed and delivery method
Money can arrive in a bank account, a mobile wallet or as cash pickup, and it can take anything from a few minutes to a couple of working days. A slightly lower rate can be worth it if the money lands when your family needs it.
Limits and requirements
Providers set minimum and maximum amounts per transfer and per month. You'll normally need to verify your identity with your Iqama or another valid ID. Check that the limits suit the amount you plan to send.
Whether the provider is licensed
Use only remittance providers that are licensed and supervised in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) licenses and supervises money transfer services in the Kingdom. If an offer looks too good to be true, or comes from an unofficial agent, be careful.
Steps to send money from Saudi Arabia
- Compare current rates for your country on RiyalRate.com and shortlist two or three centers.
- Open each provider's app or website and check the live rate and any fees for your exact amount.
- Register or sign in, and finish identity verification if you haven't already.
- Enter the recipient's details carefully: name, account or wallet number and bank, exactly as they appear on their account.
- Review the final rate, the fees and the amount the recipient will receive, then confirm and pay.
- Keep your transfer reference number until the recipient confirms the money has arrived.
Tips to get more for your money
Check rates just before you send, because they can change several times a day. Compare at least two or three centers for the amount you actually plan to send. Promotional offers are worth a look, but read the conditions. And don't share your one-time passwords or app PINs with anyone, including someone who says they're from a remittance company.
What the tables and the calculator show, and where they stop
- The numbers come from users, and our team compiles them from highest to lowest. Each row shows how long ago it was reported, using the freshness colours explained in our guide.
- The best rate is the highest rate among reports from the last 10 days. Only if no provider has been reported that recently does the page show the highest older rate, and its freshness label then shows how old it is.
- The calculator multiplies your amount by each reported rate to show roughly what your family would receive, or works backwards from a target amount. It leaves out transfer fees, taxes and intermediary charges, so subtract your provider's fee first.
- Reported rates aren't live quotes or guaranteed offers. They can change at any time and may differ by amount, payout method and promotion. Confirm the final rate and fee in the provider's own app. See our Disclaimer and About page.
Have a question this guide doesn't cover? Send us a message through the Contact page.