Send Money from Canada to the Philippines: CAD to PHP Providers Compared

From Winnipeg to Toronto, Calgary to Vancouver, the Filipino community in Canada is one of the biggest in the world, and sending money home is part of the monthly budget. Canadian banks can wire money to the Philippines, but specialist remittance apps are usually much cheaper for CAD to PHP. Here's how to compare them.

CAD to PHP today

Use this mid-market reference as your benchmark. Every provider pays a bit less. The smaller the gap after fees, the better the deal.

Provider estimates

Providers that send from Canada to the Philippines

How they differ:

• Remitly operates in all Canadian provinces and territories, registered with FINTRAC (M15481516) and licensed by Revenu Québec. It pays to Philippine banks, GCash, Maya, cash pickup and home delivery in some areas, with Express and Economy speeds. You can pay from a Canadian bank account or with a card. See our Remitly review.
• Wise is run in Canada by Wise Payments Canada Inc., registered with FINTRAC as a money services business (M15193392) and with the Bank of Canada as a payment service provider. It converts at the mid-market rate with a separate fee and pays to banks and to GCash and Maya. See our Wise review.
• Xoom (PayPal) serves Canada and pays to GCash, banks, cash pickup and door to door.
• Sendwave and WorldRemit are both on GCash's Canada partner list. Sendwave's Philippines page covers GCash and bank deposits.
• Western Union, MoneyGram and Ria offer cash pickup across the Philippines plus bank and GCash payouts.

Best option by payout method

Bank deposit

For BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Landbank, PNB and others, compare Wise and Remitly Economy first. Bank-funded transfers are usually cheapest but can take a business day or two to clear on the Canadian side.

GCash and Maya

GCash's official Canada partner list (checked 21 Oct 2026) includes Remitly, Xoom, Sendwave, WorldRemit, Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Taptap Send and Viamericas. Wise also pays to GCash and Maya, up to 50,000 PHP per wallet transfer. The recipient's GCash must be fully verified and the name must match. See send money to GCash from abroad.

Cash pickup

Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria, Remitly, WorldRemit and Xoom pay cash through Philippine partners like Cebuana Lhuillier, M Lhuillier and Palawan Express. Your recipient needs valid ID and the reference number.

Canadian bank wire vs remittance app

Your Canadian bank can send an international wire to a Philippine bank account. It's familiar and feels safe, but for CAD to PHP it usually costs more:

• A sending fee charged by your bank.
• An exchange rate with a margin built in.
• Possible fees from intermediary banks and the receiving bank, deducted from the amount.

Remittance apps usually show one fee, one rate and the exact pesos received, which makes them easier to compare. For large amounts, it's still worth asking your bank for a quote and comparing the pesos received.

Worked example: comparing CAD quotes

Round numbers, not real quotes. If today's reference were 45.00 PHP per Canadian dollar and you send 500 CAD:

App B costs 3.99 CAD more in fees but delivers about 246 PHP more because its rate is closer to the reference. Compare the final pesos, every time.

How to send money from Canada to the Philippines

1. Pick the payout method your family prefers.
2. Compare two or three providers with the same CAD amount and payout method.
3. Sign up and verify. Canadian providers usually ask for a passport, driver's licence or PR card, plus a selfie. They may verify you through a credit bureau or bank login.
4. Add your recipient with their full name exactly as on their ID or GCash.
5. Pay from your bank account or with a debit card. Credit cards often cost more (see our credit card guide).
6. Confirm and keep your receipt. Share the tracking number with your recipient.

Paying for your transfer in Canada

How you fund the transfer changes both the price and the speed:

• Bank account (pre-authorized debit or online banking): usually the cheapest option and the one most providers reward with a better rate or lower fee. It can take a business day or two for your payment to clear before the money is sent.
• Debit card (Visa Debit or Mastercard Debit): fast, sometimes with a small extra fee. Good for urgent transfers.
• Credit card: often the most expensive. Your card issuer may treat the transfer as a cash advance, which usually means a separate fee and interest from the day of the transaction, with no grace period.
• Paying in person: Western Union, MoneyGram and Ria have agent locations across Canada, including in many Filipino stores. Walk-in prices can differ from the same provider's app, so ask for the pesos received first.

Emergencies: getting money home fast

When a family member is in hospital or a typhoon hits, speed matters more than a few pesos. The fastest options are usually a debit card-funded transfer to GCash or to a major bank like BDO or BPI, or a cash pickup transfer your relative can collect within the hour. Before you send:

1. Confirm the recipient's name and number by phone, not by message alone. Emergency scams often use a "new number".
2. Pick a provider you've already used, so you skip first-time verification delays.
3. Keep the tracking number and share it only with the person collecting the money.

Is it safe? Checking FINTRAC

In Canada, businesses that transfer money must register with FINTRAC (the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) as money services businesses. In Québec, they also need a licence from Revenu Québec. Since the Retail Payment Activities Act took effect, many payment service providers also register with the Bank of Canada.

Before using a provider you don't know, search it on FINTRAC's MSB registry. Remitly and Wise both publish their FINTRAC numbers on their websites, as noted above.

Limits and documents

• New accounts start with lower limits that rise as you verify.
• Larger transfers may require proof of source of funds (pay stubs, bank statements) and the purpose of the transfer.
• FINTRAC rules require providers to keep records for larger transfers, so you may be asked for more details on big amounts. That's normal.
• On the Philippine side, wallets have their own receiving limits. Use bank deposit for large sums.

Tips for Filipinos in Canada

• Time difference: the Philippines is 12 to 16 hours ahead of Canada depending on your province and daylight saving time. An evening transfer from Canada arrives on a Philippine morning, which is good for bank deposits.
• Canadian and Philippine holidays both affect bank deposits. GCash usually credits on any day.
• Save two recipients: one GCash for the monthly budget, one bank account for savings and tuition.
• Watch for first transfer promos if you're trying a new app. See our first transfer promos.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to send money from Canada to the Philippines?

The provider that delivers the most pesos for your amount after the fee and the rate margin. Wise and Remitly are good first checks for bank deposits; for GCash and cash pickup, also compare Xoom, Sendwave, WorldRemit and Western Union.

Can I send money from Canada to GCash?

Yes. Remitly, Xoom, Sendwave, WorldRemit, Western Union and others are on GCash's official Canada partner list, and Wise pays to GCash too. Pick GCash or mobile wallet as the delivery method.

How long does it take?

Card-funded transfers to GCash and major banks often arrive within minutes. Bank-funded transfers usually take one to three business days because the provider waits for your payment to clear.

Is Wise or Remitly better from Canada?

It depends on the amount and payout. Wise is often strong for bank deposits because of the mid-market rate with a separate fee. Remitly has more payout options and often a new customer offer. See Remitly vs Wise.

Do I pay tax on money I send to family in the Philippines?

Sending your own after-tax income to family isn't taxed as a transfer in Canada. If you have income or property in the Philippines, ask a tax professional about your situation.

Can I send money from Canada to the Philippines with PayPal?

PayPal's international remittance service is Xoom, which serves Canadian senders and pays to GCash, Philippine banks, cash pickup and door to door. A regular PayPal payment to a Philippine PayPal account is a different product with its own conversion fees, so compare before using it.

Is there a limit on how much I can send from Canada?

Yes, and it depends on the provider and how much you've verified. Limits usually rise after you upload ID and confirm your address. Wallet payouts like GCash also have receiving caps, so send large amounts to a bank account.

What does my family need to receive the money?

For bank deposits and GCash, nothing extra. For cash pickup, valid government ID and the reference number, with a name that matches the transfer.