This is a directory of licensed providers and general guidance on who tends to be competitive per corridor, not a live price quote, so always compare the final "recipient gets" figure in each app on the day you send.
The main licensed exchange houses and money-transfer apps residents use to send money out of the UAE. Open a provider's own site for live pricing.
Sends at the mid-market rate with a clear upfront fee. Often the most transparent choice for currencies like GBP.
wise.comLarge UAE branch network plus the LuLu Money app. Strong for the big Asian corridors and frequent promo rates.
luluexchange.comOne of the largest UAE branch networks, with an app and eExchange. A reliable in-branch and online option across most corridors.
alansariexchange.comLong-established exchange house with branches across the emirates and the AlfaPay app for online transfers.
alfardanexchange.comVery wide reach and cash pickup almost everywhere. Handy when the recipient has no bank account, though the rate can carry a wider margin.
westernunion.comThe e& (etisalat) super-app wallet, with international transfers to 200+ countries from your phone. Convenient for app-based senders.
eandmoney.comSends internationally to 170+ countries from a UAE number after Emirates ID verification. Useful if you already use the app.
botim.meApp-only transfers to many African and Asian destinations, licensed in the UAE. Often no fee, with the cost sitting in the rate.
taptapsend.comPart of the Nium group, with rates close to mid-market and low fees to 60+ countries. Worth a quote for larger transfers.
instarem.comBanks such as Emirates NBD and FAB also offer international transfers from their apps, which is convenient if the money is already in your account, but they usually give a worse exchange rate than a dedicated exchange house or transfer app.
General patterns, not a ranking. Promotions shift these every week, so treat each note as a starting point and confirm with a live quote.
A fiercely competitive corridor. The big exchange houses (Lulu Exchange, Al Ansari) and app players like Instarem often run competitive promo rates, and Botim and e& money push zero-fee offers. The gap usually sits in the rate, not the fee.
Another high-volume corridor where the large exchange houses (Lulu Exchange, Al Ansari) and apps such as Instarem tend to be competitive. Western Union is worth checking when the recipient wants cash pickup rather than a bank deposit.
The exchange houses (Lulu Exchange, Al Ansari, Al Fardan) are the usual go-to. EGP has been volatile, so the offered rate can swing sharply between providers and even within a day.
A major corridor for the exchange houses (Lulu Exchange, Al Ansari) and app players, which frequently run promo rates. As with Egypt, PKR can be volatile, so the rate matters more than a small fee.
Wise tends to shine here: it sends at the mid-market GBP rate with a clear upfront fee, which is usually hard to beat for a major currency. Instarem is worth a comparison quote too.
As of 2 July 2026. This directory lists licensed UAE exchange houses and money-transfer providers supervised by the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), with a link to each provider's own site for live pricing; payment apps operate under the CBUAE's Retail Payment Services and Card Schemes Regulation. The corridor guidance describes general, seasonal patterns of which providers tend to be competitive by destination, not a live comparison, and daily promotions can change it at any time. For typical corridor costs as a reference, see the World Bank's Remittance Prices Worldwide database. Always compare the final "recipient gets" figure in each provider's own app on the day you send.
Fit rent, remittances and savings into one salary, and see where every dirham goes.
Work backwards from your lifestyle (including what you send home) to the salary that funds it.
Money you don't remit should still work: compare what UAE banks pay on savings.