Looking for a quick, secure and cost effective way to transfer money to the United Arab Emirates? Then get started with our handy exchange rate calculator below, which will instantly reveal the top deals for exchanging Australian dollars for Dirhams. Simply compare the forex providers listed here based on who’s offering the best exchange rates at the lowest fee, click on the blue ‘go to site’ button for your preferred provider and kick off the money transfer!
$6,526 USD
$0.6526 USD
1-2 days
$200 minimum
$6,513 USD
$0.6513 USD
1-3 days
none
$6,479 USD
$0.6479 USD
1-2 days
$250 minimum
$500 monthly minimum for regular transfers
$6,503 USD
$0.6503 USD
Within minutes
$0 minimum
^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice International money transfers Awards
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Want a little clarity around sending money overseas, before you start with the process? Here’s a useful guide that’ll help you pick a good provider and transfer money on the cheap.
Let’s start off by taking a look at the different kinds of IMT providers you can choose from. Here are your main options with their pros and cons.
Banks.
Most major banks offer to send money to UAE. If you’ve already got an account set up with one of them, all you need to do is register an IMT request online, over the phone or in person and the money can be transferred directly from your bank account.
While transferring through a bank is convenient, if you’re looking for the cheapest deal, you may want to consider other options, as banks generally apply a bigger margin on the exchange rate and charge a higher transfer fee compared to forex specialists.
Foreign exchange specialists.
Looking for bank beating exchange rates? Then take a look at forex agencies. These are companies that focus solely on overseas money transactions and are known to offer competitive exchange rates at a low fee. Just remember that they generally operate online or over the phone, so you can’t go to a branch for that face-to-face service.
Peer-to-peer platforms.
You know how peer-to-peer platforms like Airbnb offer cheaper accommodation solutions by bringing homeowners and travellers in contact directly? Peer-to-peer companies for overseas currency transfers work in a similar way by connecting peers through an online marketplace to exchange money. Generally speaking the P2P provider will transfer your money at a rate close to or at the actual mid-market rate instead of applying a huge profit margin to it. You might be wondering how do peer to peer platforms make a profit then? Well, they do have a transfer fee but it’s usually lower than what a bank would charge.
When you’re comparing IMT providers, it’s important to pay attention to a combination of features based on your specific needs, before you can decide which one’s the best for you. Here are the top things you should consider when you’re looking at the forex offers listed in the exchange rate calculator above:
Exchange rates.
This is one of the biggest deciding factors when it comes to international money transfers. A competitive exchange rate is what will ultimately get you the best deal for your money. And even a small difference in rates can lead to a major saving!
Consider this scenario - Sanya’s invested in property in Abu Dhabi and needs to make her first major installment of $40,000. She looks up her options using Mozo’s exchange rate calculator and finds that while an independent provider like TorFX will get her 109,722 AED, a big bank would only cough up 103,655 AED.
Transfer fees.
This is another important factor to think about, especially if you’re making a small transfer. After all, you don’t want to pay a fee of $32 for sending a one off birthday present of $150 to your cousin in Dubai! It’s also an unnecessary dollar drain if you’re making regular money transfers.
That’s why, it’s a good idea to look for providers that charge a low fee and keep your eyes open for any special offers. Many providers come up with deals like ‘first transfers free’ or ‘no transfer fees for transactions over $10,000’!
Transfer limits.
If you’re looking to send a very small or large amount of money to UAE, you’ll need to check if the provider you’re interested in has any limits on the minimum and maximum amount of money they can transfer at a time. Many banks for instance, have restrictions based on your daily withdrawal limit. On the other hand, peer-to-peer providers like TransferWise don’t have a cap on the minimum amount you can send and IMT specialists like 1st Contract don’t have any limits at all!
Now that you’re familiar with IMT providers and their key features, let’s move on to how you can find the best exchange rates for your transfer.
Spot deal.
This is what you should do when you’re looking to transfer money urgently - compare forex providers using an exchange rate calculator like the one above, shortlist the best offer and make a ‘spot deal’ right away. If you wait around to make the decision, you could lose the competitive rate you’ve spotted.
Forward contract.
Browsing the foreign currency market for a transfer down the line? Don’t miss a good deal just because you’re not planning to send the money now. Instead, lock in the rate with a ‘forward contract’ so you can save yourself from worrying about unpredictable currency fluctuations.
Limit order.
This is the best option if you’re not on a set schedule for making the transfer and are only after the best value for your Aussie coin. How this works is, you make a ‘limit order’ with the provider and tell them the ideal AED exchange rate that you’re looking for. The provider then tracks the currency market and as soon as the exchange rate reaches your desired mark, they make the transfer on your behalf. Pretty convenient, right?
If you choose an international money provider listed on Mozo’s exchange rate calculator, you don’t have to worry about the provider handling your money safely, as we only deal with providers that are authorised and regulated by ASIC.
But don’t forget that it’s also your responsibility to make sure that the information you’ve provided about the recipient’s bank account is accurate. Forex providers can’t be blamed if you give out incorrect details, which results in the money being sent to the wrong account.
Finally, here’s what you need to know about the actual process of transferring money from one account to the other.
Step 1: Go to the provider’s website
After you’ve picked the offer that suits your needs best, hit the ‘go to site’ button to reach the provider’s website directly. Double check the exchange rate and transfer fee for the amount that you’re transferring to make sure you’re happy with the final value.
Step 2: Provide necessary details
Next up, register an account with the provider and provide all the necessary information required to carry out the transfer. Here’s a list of details the provider may ask for:
1. Proof of identity, for example, your driver’s licence, medicare card or passport number
2. Full name and address of the recipient's bank
3. Recipient's name, address and account number
4. SWIFT/BIC Code of the recipient’s bank
Step 3: Book the deal!
And the last thing you need to do is transfer the money to the provider’s account so they can then send the money to the recipient’s bank account in UAE. This usually takes around 2-5 days.
All set to find the best deal for exchanging your Aussie dollars for Dirhams? Then scroll up to the top of this page to get started!
