Remitly Review for the Philippines: Rates, Fees, GCash Speed

Remitly is a remittance app built for people sending money to family, and the Philippines is one of its biggest destinations. If you've searched "send money to GCash" from the US or the UAE, you've probably seen it. This review covers what it does well, where it costs more, and who should look elsewhere.

Disclosure: we have applied to Remitly's affiliate program. If you sign up through our links we may earn a commission. That doesn't change what we write, and we point out where a competitor may be cheaper. See how we earn.

Our verdict

Scores are our editorial judgment using the criteria on our how we compare page. They are not based on a price test, because prices change daily. Always compare the live quote.

How Remitly works

1. You create an account in the app or on the website with your email and verify your identity.
2. You choose the Philippines, the amount and the delivery speed.
3. You add your recipient and how they'll receive the money: bank account, mobile wallet (GCash or Maya), cash pickup, or home delivery where offered.
4. You pay with one of the methods available in your country.
5. You track the transfer in the app; your recipient gets a notification.

Your recipient doesn't need a Remitly account. Remitly's FAQ says recipients can receive as cash pickup, mobile money, home delivery or bank deposit, depending on what's available where they live.

Payout options in the Philippines

• Bank deposit: to major banks including BDO Unibank and Bank of the Philippine Islands, plus many others.
• GCash and Maya: Remitly lists both as delivery options and is on GCash's official remittance partner list for the US, UAE, UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and much of Europe.
• Cash pickup: at partners including Cebuana Lhuillier and M Lhuillier, according to Remitly's Philippines page.
• Home delivery: Remitly's home delivery page says this option is limited to recipients in a few countries, and the Philippines is one of them. Coverage within the Philippines depends on the area. Useful for elderly relatives who can't easily get to a pickup point, but check the price, because it's usually not the cheapest option.

Express vs Economy

Remitly offers two speeds in many countries:

• Express: usually paid by debit or credit card. Remitly says many transfers arrive quickly and that Express with a card is the fastest option. Often costs a bit more.
• Economy: usually paid from your bank account. Slower, because Remitly waits for your bank payment, but often a better rate or lower fee.

Remitly also has what its US user agreement calls a Perfect Delivery Promise: before you send, and on your receipt, it shows an exact delivery date and time. If the money arrives later than that, you can ask for a refund of the service fee. It covers the fee, not the exchange rate.

Fees and exchange rates

Remitly shows the fee, the exchange rate and the amount your recipient gets before you confirm. Two things to understand:

1. The exchange rate includes a margin. Remitly's rate is below the mid-market reference rate. That's normal for remittance apps, but it means the "fee" isn't the full cost.
2. Price depends on the details. Remitly's own FAQ says the cost varies with the amount, the payment method and the delivery option.

To judge a quote, compare the rate shown with today's reference rate on our send money to the Philippines page, or simply compare the pesos received against another provider for the same amount.

New customer offer

Remitly often offers new customers a special first transfer. On 21 Oct 2026, its US Philippines page advertised a welcome rate and no fees on the first transfer, with the promotional rate applying to the first 1,000 USD sent. Offers differ by country and change often. See our dated first transfer promos page.

How you can pay

Remitly's Philippines page lists these payment methods, which vary by sending country:

• Visa and Mastercard debit cards in all sending countries.
• Visa and Mastercard credit cards in all sending countries except Japan.
• Bank account in the US, Canada, Australia and Japan.
• Apple Pay in the EU, UK and Singapore; Easy Bank Transfers in the UK and parts of the EEA; iDEAL in the Netherlands, and others.
• In the US, Remitly also mentions Remitly Pay Later and the Remitly Wallet.

About credit cards: Remitly may charge its own fee for credit card payments, and your card issuer may treat the payment as a cash advance with extra fees and interest. Read our credit card guide first.

Where Remitly serves Filipinos (and where it doesn't)

Remitly serves senders in the US, Canada, the UK, the UAE, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and many European countries. It does not list Saudi Arabia as a sending country, so OFWs in the Kingdom need another option; see our Saudi Arabia page.

Corridor guides where Remitly appears: USA, USA to GCash, UAE, UK, Canada and Japan.

Is Remitly safe and licensed?

Remitly publishes its licences per country. The ones we checked on 21 Oct 2026:

You can verify these on FinCEN's MSB search, FINTRAC's MSB registry and the FCA Register. In the Philippines, Remitly pays out through banks, GCash and established cash pickup partners.

Cancellations, errors and refunds

Mistakes happen, especially with account numbers and wallet names. What Remitly's US user agreement says, in short:

• You can try to cancel any time before the transfer is completed. Completed means the cash has been picked up or the money has landed in the bank account or wallet. If Remitly can cancel, it refunds the amount, taxes and fees.
• If a transfer can't be delivered because of a detail you entered, Remitly asks you to fix it. If you don't act within 72 hours, it may cancel and refund in full.
• Errors can be disputed within 180 days of sending, through Remitly's complaints channels in the app or on its website.

Rules differ by sending country, so check the user agreement for yours. Tip: before your first GCash transfer, ask your recipient to confirm the exact name on their fully verified GCash account and the mobile number linked to it.

Limits

Remitly's sending limits depend on your sending country, how much identity verification you've completed, the delivery method and the destination. The app shows your current limit, and you can raise it by providing more information. For the Philippines, GCash and other wallets also apply their own receiving limits, so large amounts are better sent to a bank account.

Who Remitly suits

Good fit if you:

• want GCash, Maya or cash pickup, not only bank deposit,
• need money to arrive fast (Express with a debit card),
• send from the US, UAE, UK, Canada or Japan and like a simple app,
• are new to Remitly and can use the first transfer offer.

Look elsewhere if you:

• live in Saudi Arabia,
• only need bank deposits and want the smallest margin (compare with Wise, see Remitly vs Wise),
• want to pay by credit card from Japan.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Wide payout network in the Philippines, including GCash, Maya, cash pickup and home delivery.
• Express and Economy options.
• Clear disclosure of rate, fee and amount received before you pay.
• Delivery promise with fee refund if late.
• Licences published per country.

Cons

• Exchange rate includes a margin; bank deposits may be cheaper elsewhere.
• Card payments can cost more, and credit cards may trigger cash advance charges.
• Not available to senders in Saudi Arabia.

Frequently asked questions

Is Remitly good for sending money to the Philippines?

Yes, for most Filipinos abroad it's one of the most complete options, especially for GCash, Maya and cash pickup. For bank deposits, compare with a low-margin service like Wise, because the cheapest option depends on the amount.

How long does Remitly take to send to GCash?

Express transfers to GCash paid by debit card often arrive within minutes. Economy transfers paid from a bank account take longer because Remitly waits for your payment to clear. The app shows an estimate before you confirm.

Does Remitly charge fees to the Philippines?

It depends on the amount, payment method and speed. Some transfers have no fee, especially first transfers for new customers, but the exchange rate includes a margin. Compare the pesos received.

Can I use Remitly in Saudi Arabia?

No. Remitly doesn't list Saudi Arabia as a sending country.

Does my recipient need a Remitly account?

No. Only the sender needs an account. The recipient receives into their bank, GCash or Maya, or collects cash with valid ID.

Is Remitly regulated?

Yes. Remitly, Inc. is registered with FinCEN and holds US state money transmitter licences; its UK entity is regulated by the FCA; Remitly is registered with FINTRAC in Canada and with the Kanto Local Finance Bureau in Japan; and its UAE service is regulated by the DFSA.