Send Money to Guatemala: Best Rate Q7.62/USD

Last updated: May 16, 2026, 08:38 Guatemala time · Full methodology · How we calculate scores · Data sources · How we update rates

This page is the primary USA → Guatemala remittance comparator. We compare five providers (Wise, Xoom by PayPal, Remitly, Western Union, MoneyGram) at five typical amounts ($100, $200, $300, $500, $1,000) using real rates scraped today. No estimates: data comes from the live Wise comparison API plus our Western Union and MoneyGram scrapers cross-checked against the published Banguat rate.

If you want the narrative guide to choosing a provider, see Sending money to Guatemala and Best ways from the USA. This page has the raw table and the proprietary ranking.

TL;DR — Today’s top 3 by amount

• $100: Xoom Q751 · Remitly Q731 · MoneyGram Q711 · WU Q708 · Wise Q654 — Xoom wins by Q43 over WU.
• $200: Xoom Q1,504 · Remitly Q1,478 · MoneyGram Q1,460 · WU Q1,431 · Wise Q1,410 — gap of Q94 between best and worst.
• $500: Xoom Q3,761 · Remitly Q3,728 · MoneyGram Q3,676 · Wise Q3,678 · WU Q3,638 — virtual tie MoneyGram/Wise; Xoom still on top.
• $1,000: Xoom Q7,542 · Remitly Q7,470 · MoneyGram Q7,396 · Wise Q7,457 · WU Q7,344 — Wise climbs; over $2,000 Wise begins winning consistently from lower rate markup.

Today’s key insight: Xoom currently owns the dominant combination of rate-fee-speed. This shifts: Xoom’s lead has been stable the last 2 weeks but 3 months ago Remitly led at $100-$300. Re-check before each large send.

Live comparison — today’s rates side by side

Data pulled from the Wise comparison API plus our WU/MG scrapers on May 16, 2026 at 08:38 Guatemala time. Banguat mid-market rate: Q7.62326 per USD. “Receives” is the net amount the recipient gets in quetzales after fee and conversion.

$100 USD sent

$200 USD sent

$300 USD sent

$500 USD sent

$1,000 USD sent

Reading the pattern across all 5 amounts: Xoom dominates today from $100 to $1,000. Wise becomes structurally competitive only as the amount climbs — $300 reaches break-even vs WU, $500 beats WU, $1,000 beats MG and competes with Xoom. The real Wise vs Xoom mathematical crossover happens around $2,500-$3,000 USD because Wise’s flat fee dilutes faster than the spread Xoom takes scales.

Best Effective Transfer Score — our proprietary ranking

The Best Effective Transfer Score (BETS) is our proprietary 0-100 index combining five critical dimensions of choosing a remittance provider. Methodology:

Today’s BETS ranking

Important caveat on Wise’s score: 73/100 is the average. If you only care about net rate on $2,000+ (bank deposit, no urgency, recipient with bank account), Wise jumps to #1. The BETS weights speed and cash-pickup convenience because the majority of remittances to Guatemala are $100-$500 with a recipient in a semi-rural area — where Wise structurally loses. See How we calculate scores for the full formula and edge cases.

Best for each scenario

“I want the best rate, speed doesn’t matter”

Winner: Wise over $2,000. Winner: Xoom under $2,000. Wise wins when the flat fee dilutes enough to outweigh its zero-spread advantage. Under $2,000 Xoom dominates from better combined effective rate.

“The money has to arrive TODAY”

Winner: Xoom (PayPal) or Remitly Express. Both deliver in minutes to Banrural, BAM, and WU/MG agents. Xoom has a slight rate edge today; Remitly has the $1.99 flat fee that dilutes faster over $300.

“I want the lowest fee in dollars”

Winner: Remitly at $1.99 flat. Xoom has $1.89-$15.49 tiered by amount. Wise has $14-$22 (highest). But careful: lowest fee doesn’t guarantee best delivery — the fee + rate combination decides. Use the “Receives” column as the final referee.

“My recipient needs CASH”

Winner: Xoom for rate, Western Union for rural coverage. Wise does NOT offer cash pickup — eliminate. If your recipient is in a municipality without a nearby Banrural, WU has 4,000+ agents (more than Banrural). If they’re near a Banrural or BAM, Xoom delivers more quetzales.

“Recipient in rural area with no bank nearby”

Winner: Western Union. It’s the only network with presence in remote municipalities like Chajul, Cuilco, San Mateo Ixtatán. The rate penalty (~Q40 less per $100 vs Xoom) is offset by the recipient not having to travel 2 hours to the departmental capital.

“Recipient has a bank account, no urgency”

Winner: Wise over $500, Xoom under $500. If you send $1,000+ monthly and the recipient has an account at BI, BAM, Banrural or G&T, Wise saves you $40-100/year in spread vs any alternative.

“It’s my first transfer, I’m new to this”

Winner: Remitly. Best mobile onboarding, predictable flat fee ($1.99), and first-transfer promos. After 2-3 sends you can switch to Wise if the math justifies it.

“Monthly recurring transfer of $300-500”

Winner: Wise over $500/month, Xoom over $300/month. Set up a recurring transfer. Wise has more stable rates month-to-month (mid-market follows the market); Xoom can vary more from its margin changes.

Calculator — exactly what your recipient gets

This section will be powered by a dynamic widget shortly. For now, use the worked examples in the tables above. Base formula:

Receives (GTQ) = (USD sent − Fee USD) × Provider rate

Worked example $250 USD via Xoom (interpolating): Interpolated fee $4.59 → $245.41 × 7.6612 = Q1,880.50.

Worked example $750 USD via Wise: Interpolated fee $19.49 → $730.51 × 7.6208 = Q5,567.10.

For amounts not listed ($150, $250, $400, $750, $2,000+), use Wise’s or Xoom’s official quote tool — both show the exact quote before you confirm. Always cross-check against today’s table here.

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Provider deep-dives

Wise (formerly TransferWise)

Rating 4.6/5 · Founded 2011 · 13M+ global customers · Regulated FinCEN + UK FCA.

Pros: Uses real mid-market rate (Q7.6208 today vs Q7.62326 Banguat = 0.03% spread). Transparent upfront fees. Free multi-currency account. Excellent mobile app. Refund guarantee if transfer takes longer than promised.

Cons: No cash pickup. Heavy fee on small amounts ($14 on $100 = 14%). Recipient needs a bank account at BI, BAM, Banrural, G&T, BAC or Promerica.

When to choose Wise: $500+ transfer to recipient with a bank account, no urgency. Recurring monthly transfers. When net rate matters above everything else.

Open a Wise account{rel=“nofollow sponsored” data-affiliate=“wise”} — the invite link gives a first-transfer bonus. If you sign up here, we get a small commission at no cost to you.

Xoom (PayPal)

Rating 4.3/5 · Acquired by PayPal in 2015 · Available in 160+ countries.

Pros: Cash pickup at Banrural, BAM, and WU agents. Door delivery in some areas. Minutes-fast. PayPal backing (consumer protection + dispute resolution). Best effective rate today across all amounts up to $1,000.

Cons: Rate includes a markup over mid-market (~0.5-0.8% today). Fees scale with amount ($1.89 → $15.49). Credit-card funding adds 3% surcharge.

When to choose Xoom: Urgent transfers $100-$1,000. Recipient who prefers cash or has an account at any major bank. If you already have a PayPal account — the flow is instant.

Remitly

Rating 4.5/5 · Founded 2011 · 5M+ US customers · 170+ countries served.

Pros: $1.99 flat fee (lowest in the market). Express delivery in minutes. Cash pickup at Banrural and BAM. Very intuitive app. First-transfer rate promo.

Cons: Rate includes margin (~2% below mid-market). Economy is slow (3-5 days). Agent coverage smaller than Xoom or WU.

When to choose Remitly: First transfer. Urgent send under $500 where the flat fee offsets the spread. When you want the simplest mobile app.

Compare Remitly rates today{rel=“nofollow sponsored” data-affiliate=“remitly”} — if you open an account via this link we get a small commission at no cost to you. The first-transfer bonus stays the same.

Western Union

Rating 3.8/5 · Founded 1851 · 200+ countries · 4,000+ agents in Guatemala.

Pros: Broadest Guatemala cash pickup network. 175 years of track record. Available in all 50 US states. Allows in-agent cash funding (subject to the 2026 tax if you don’t use a bank account). Brand recognition in rural areas.

Cons: Higher rate markup (~2.2% below mid-market). Higher fees across all ranges. Over $300 is structurally worse than Xoom/Remitly. Over $1,000 it’s the worst digital option.

When to choose Western Union: Recipient in rural area without bank or Banrural nearby. When brand/trust is a factor (older relative not using apps). When the sender prefers paying in person at an agent.

MoneyGram

Rating 3.9/5 · Founded 1940 · 200+ countries · 2,000+ agents in Guatemala.

Pros: Wide agent network (second after WU). Minutes cash pickup. Slightly cheaper than WU across all ranges (rate Q7.4860 vs WU Q7.4555). Partnerships with Guatemalan banks (Banrural, BAM).

Cons: Above Xoom/Remitly on total cost. Inferior mobile app. Smaller rural coverage than WU.

When to choose MoneyGram: As an alternative to WU if the recipient’s nearest agent is MG. When WU is saturated or down. As a backup if your primary provider has an issue.

How fees and rates actually work

Every remittance has two cost components the provider combines:

1. Flat fee: Explicit dollar amount charged per transaction. Wise: $14-22. Xoom: $1.89-$15.49. Remitly: $1.99 flat. WU: $5-15. MG: $4.99-$11.99.

2. FX spread (markup): The gap between the interbank (mid-market) rate and the rate the provider gives you. This is where most providers earn invisibly.

Today’s Banguat mid-market rate: Q7.62326 per USD.

Today’s spread by provider:

• Wise: Q7.6208 → 0.03% below mid-market (essentially no markup)
• Xoom: Q7.6612 → −0.5% (Xoom is actually giving slightly BETTER than mid-market in quetzales today — either a promo or a PayPal-side inverse pass-through)
• Remitly: Q7.4634 → 2.1% below mid-market
• MoneyGram: Q7.4860 → 1.8% below mid-market
• Western Union: Q7.4555 → 2.2% below mid-market

How to spot hidden cost: Multiply the provider’s rate by the net USD sent (after fee). Compare to (USD × Banguat rate) − fee. The gap is the hidden cost in spread.

Effective rate = (GTQ received) / (USD sent including fee). This is the number that actually matters, not the headline rate.

US state availability

Nationwide (50 states + DC): Western Union, MoneyGram, Wise, Xoom (PayPal), Remitly.

Regulatory notes:

• New York: All providers operate under BitLicense + NYDFS authority. Account opening may require additional verification.
• Hawaii: Wise has specific Money Transmitter License requirements; in rare cases new-account rejection — alternative: Xoom or Remitly.
• Texas, California, Florida: The three states with the largest Guatemalan diaspora; all providers fully active without restrictions.
• Puerto Rico: All major providers operate. Remittances from PR to Guatemala work exactly like from any US state.

If your service says it doesn’t operate in your state: try a different provider from this list — there’s always an alternative. Not a reason to delay your transfer.

Bank deposit vs cash pickup — decision tree

Use bank deposit when:

• Recipient has an account at BI, BAM, Banrural, G&T, BAC or Promerica
• No urgency (1-2 days is acceptable)
• Amount is $300+ (deposit gives better effective rate at that range)
• You want to spare the recipient a trip to the bank/agent

Use cash pickup when:

• Recipient does NOT have a bank account
• Recipient lives in a rural municipality without a bank branch but has a Banrural or WU/MG agent
• It’s urgent (money needed today)
• Amount is small ($100-$200) where the cash-pickup convenience premium is worth it

Hard rules:

• Wise is ONLY bank deposit (no cash).
• Cash pickup requires recipient DPI or CUI — driver’s license is not accepted at Banrural.
• In very remote rural areas (highland Quiché, northern Huehuetenango, interior Petén), WU has the best coverage.

Sending large amounts ($1,000+) — different math

Over $1,000 the math shifts: the flat fee dilutes and FX spread dominates.

$1,000: Xoom Q7,542 vs Wise Q7,456 → Xoom +Q86. $2,000 estimated: Wise ~Q15,170 vs Xoom ~Q15,090 → Wise +Q80 (because Wise’s fee barely grows while Xoom’s spread accumulates). $5,000 estimated: Wise ~Q37,900 vs Xoom ~Q37,470 → Wise +Q430. $10,000: Wise wins clearly; over $10K consider direct SWIFT wire via bank (BI, BAM, Banrural) with Q150-200 fee — math changes again.

Over USD 10,000 to Guatemala: Automatic trigger of the IVE-03 form (SIB anti-money-laundering) at any receiving bank. This adds 1-3 days of review. Wise has a $50K-per-transfer limit. For $50K+ it’s mandatory SWIFT wire — see SWIFT wire fee comparator by bank.

Time zones and timing — when to send for next-day GT receipt

Guatemala is on Central Standard Time (UTC−6), no daylight saving. The US is 1-3 hours ahead depending on coast.

For money to arrive by midday Guatemala the next day:

• Wise: Send before 17:00 US Eastern Time the prior day. ACH processing closes at 17:00 ET.
• Xoom and Remitly Express: Arrival in minutes regardless of hour; Banrural agents operate 09:00-17:00 GT Monday-Saturday.
• Western Union and MoneyGram: Cash pickup available immediately; agents operate 09:00-19:00 Mon-Sat, some Sundays.

Days Guatemalan banks do NOT operate: Sundays, Jan 1, Holy Thursday/Friday, May 1, June 30, Sep 15, Oct 20, Nov 1, Dec 24-25 and Dec 31. Wise and banks won’t process; WU/MG agents may.

For urgent Father’s Day (June 15-17, 2026): June 15 is a Monday. Send Friday the 12th via Wise, or Monday the 15th before 14:00 GT via Xoom/Remitly to ensure delivery before Monday close. Full Father’s Day Guatemala guide.

Methodology and sources

• Live data: Wise comparison API (Wise, Xoom, Remitly real-time quotes)
• Reference rate: Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) — official interbank rate publication
• Western Union and MoneyGram: daily scrapers on public quote pages, cross-checked against Banguat with known margin (~2.2% WU, ~1.8% MG)
• Update frequency: daily at 08:30-09:00 Guatemala time
• Full history: 80+ days of daily data since February 22, 2026

Full methodology · How we calculate scores · Data sources · How we update rates

Other corridors

This page covers USA → Guatemala. We have dedicated pages for other corridors:

• USA → Guatemala (parent page) — the main corridor with $20B/year
• Canada → Guatemala — Wise CAD, Remitly, Western Union
• Mexico → Guatemala — regional corridor, CAESA, Bancomer, casas de cambio
• Daily USD/GTQ exchange rate — live Banguat reference

Intent-specific deep dives

If your search is more specific:

• Cheapest way to send $500 to Guatemala — deep dive on the most common range
• Same-day transfer to Guatemala — express options with exact times
• Bank deposit vs cash pickup — full decision tree
• Best ways from the USA — narrative selection guide

Related trámites for diaspora

If you’re in the US and need Guatemalan paperwork while managing remittances:

• Guatemala consulate in NY
• Guatemala consulates in the USA — full directory
• Guatemalan passport from the USA
• Fe de Edad from the USA
• DPI from the USA — RENAP consulates

Key dates 2026 for sending remittances

• Guatemala Mother’s Day (May 10): already past. Historical average: +18% volume WoW. See guide
• Guatemala Father’s Day (June 15): next up. Send between June 12-14. See guide
• September 15 (Independence Day): +12% historical volume
• Christmas (Dec 15-24): largest annual peak, +35% volume

Transparency: If you open a new Wise or Remitly account through the referral links on this page, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The first-transfer bonus each provider offers is exactly the same. We don’t change the ranking for affiliates — Xoom (no affiliate of ours) is still today’s #1 based on the data.