The transfer we put through each calculator
Ranked quotes use a personal bank transfer paid into the recipient's bank account. No introductory rate is allowed to win. New UK checks use £200 from 23 July 2026, while earlier records retain the amount tested at the time. A global route uses a round amount in the sender's currency and prints it clearly.
The visible provider fee comes out of the same total amount for every company.
The recipient amount settles the price order, rather than the rate chosen for the advert.
A bank deposit competes with another bank deposit. Cash belongs in its own comparison.
A short collection window reduces the chance that sterling, rather than the provider, decides the order.
Completed quotes and calculator evidence
A verified result shows the sending amount and what reaches the recipient, plus any visible fee, on a provider-controlled journey. An indicative converter may explain the price but cannot win. We also publish clearly labelled Wise comparison estimates when available. Wise says it models these from provider websites and normally refreshes them about hourly.
What the receipt stores
A successful check keeps a lossless image of the calculator or provider-controlled response. The source address and UTC collection time sit in the same record, alongside a SHA-256 file hash. A new result becomes current without erasing the older receipt.
When a provider fails
A failed collection does not overwrite a valid quote. Once the old result passes its freshness window, it becomes stale and leaves the winner calculation until another comparable quote completes.
Why unavailable companies stay in the table
Every route retains the companies we monitor, including UK banks and transfer specialists. Direct provider quotes take priority. Third-party estimates remain labelled, while an unavailable company provides market context rather than a fictional price.
Modelled UK bank prices
A bank may publish its fee and exchange-rate margin without revealing the final customer quote. When both figures can be reproduced, we apply them to the same £200 budget and mark the result indicative. The receipt shows the reference rate and our calculation rather than claiming the bank supplied it.
Introductory rates and plan allowances
A first-transfer offer is preserved but excluded from the standard winner. Plan-based services are tied to a named plan and usage assumption. Weekend charges are counted when the provider reveals them; otherwise the result stays indicative.