Rates checked 7 November 2026 from FXMetrics, IdealRemit and Exiap. Exchange rates move daily — always compare the PKR received at the moment you send. Estimate only — not tax or financial advice.
UK → Pakistan: provider comparison (£500, early November 2026)
About 1.6 million people of Pakistani origin live in the UK (UK Census 2021), and the UK–Pakistan corridor is one of the busiest remittance routes in Europe. The good news: competition has pushed costs far below the global average of 6.2% that the World Bank reported for 2023. The bad news: the cheapest provider changes with the amount you send, so always compare the final PKR figure, not the headline fee.
Disclosure: This page contains an affiliate link to Wise. If you send money through it, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our comparison uses the PKR actually received, and Wise wins some amounts and loses others — the table below shows that honestly.
| Provider (£500 send) | Fee | PKR received | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | ~£3.75 | 184,663 PKR | Bank only |
| Revolut | ~£0–£3 | 184,570 PKR | Bank only |
| Remitly | £0 | 183,823 PKR | Bank, JazzCash, Easypaisa, cash |
| WorldRemit | £0 (on £5,000) | Rate 369.71 PKR/£ | Bank, wallets, cash |
| TapTap Send | Free on £125+ | Varies — check live | Bank, wallets |
| High-street bank wire | £15–£30 + 3–4% markup | ~176,000–179,000 PKR | Bank only |
PKR figures for Wise, Revolut and Remitly are from FXMetrics, 1 November 2026 (mid-market then about 369–372 PKR per £). A separate check on 7 November 2026 (IdealRemit) showed Remitly at 184,055 PKR and Wise at 183,298 PKR on £500 — the ranking flips day to day, which is exactly why you compare before every send. WorldRemit won the £5,000 comparison on Exiap with a £0 fee and a 369.71 rate. Bank-wire PKR is an estimate from the typical 3–4% markup.
Why bank wires lose (almost) every time
A high-street bank charges a sending fee (£15–£30) and then adds 3–4% to the exchange rate. On £500 that is £15–£20 lost to the rate alone, before the fee — roughly £30–£50 worse than Wise or Remitly. Banks also take 2–4 working days. There is one exception: if your employer or bank offers a fee-free international payment as part of a premium account, and the rate is close to mid-market, it can compete — but that is rare. For everyone else, a specialist provider wins.
Wise: cheapest for bank deposits
Wise delivered 184,663 PKR on £500 in the 1 November 2026 comparison — the best of the three named providers that day — with a fee of about £3.75 and the mid-market rate. Payout is bank-only: your family receives the money in an HBL, Meezan, MCB, UBL or Bank Alfalah account, usually the same day. Wise does not pay out to JazzCash or Easypaisa. If your family has a bank account, Wise is usually the right default.
Remitly: best for mobile money and cash
Remitly delivered 183,823 PKR on £500 on 1 November and 184,055 PKR on 7 November — slightly behind Wise on the first date, slightly ahead on the second. Its real advantage is payout choice: bank deposit, JazzCash, Easypaisa, and cash pickup. For families without a bank account, that flexibility is worth more than a few hundred rupees of rate difference. Remitly charges no fee on most UK–Pakistan sends.
ACE, Paysend and TapTap Send: the corridor specialists
ACE Money Transfer and Paysend both support JazzCash and Easypaisa wallets and are often cheapest on small sends under £200. TapTap Send is free on sends of £125 or more and is popular for quick wallet top-ups. None of the three publishes a fixed rate, so compare the live PKR figure at the moment you send — a 30-second check is worth more than any ranking.
How to compare properly: the 3-step check
- Enter the same amount (£500, or whatever you actually send) in two or three providers.
- Read the PKR received — not the fee, not the rate. That single number is the whole comparison.
- Check the payout method — bank, JazzCash, Easypaisa or cash — and the delivery time. A slightly worse rate that arrives today beats a better rate that arrives on Thursday.
Before you send: a 5-point checklist
- Your recipient's full name exactly as it appears on their CNIC or bank account.
- The correct payout method — bank account number (IBAN for Pakistan is 24 characters, starting PK), or the JazzCash/Easypaisa mobile number.
- Your ID ready — first sends and larger sends need a passport or driving licence photo.
- The purpose of the transfer (family support is the usual choice).
- A screenshot of the confirmation — keep it until the money is confirmed received.
Tax and paperwork notes
Sending your own after-tax UK salary to family in Pakistan is not taxed again in the UK — it is your money moving, not new income. Keep the transfer confirmations anyway: if you ever send large amounts (several thousand pounds), your provider will ask for the source of funds, and a payslip plus the confirmations answer it. Note that the State Bank of Pakistan's TT-Charges Incentive Scheme — which used to subsidise receiving-bank charges — ended on 1 July 2026, so Pakistani banks may now charge a small receiving fee where they did not before.
Xoom, PayPal and Western Union: why they usually lose
PayPal does not support sending money to Pakistan at all for personal transfers, and Xoom (PayPal's transfer arm) is typically 4–6% more expensive than Wise or Remitly on this corridor. Western Union and MoneyGram are useful only when the recipient needs cash immediately and has no wallet or bank account — their agent network is unmatched, but their rates are usually the worst of the major providers. Use them for emergencies, not for monthly sends.
Sending £5,000+: what changes
On larger amounts the rate matters more than the fee, and the ranking can flip: WorldRemit won the £5,000 comparison on Exiap with a £0 fee and a 369.71 PKR/£ rate. Above roughly £5,000–£10,000, providers will ask for proof of source of funds (payslips, bank statements) and may split the transfer. Never split a large send across providers to dodge ID checks — it looks like structuring and can freeze your account.
Our verdict: For bank deposits, Wise is usually cheapest — 184,663 PKR on £500 on 1 November 2026. For JazzCash, Easypaisa or cash, Remitly is the better pick. Either way, compare the PKR received on the day you send: the two swap places regularly, and the difference is a few hundred rupees, not a few thousand.
Related guides
- Free Best Bank Accounts in the UK for Expats (2026)
- Free UK Net Salary Calculator 2026/27
- Free Cheapest Way to Send Money from Germany to Pakistan
- Free Expat Finance Offers in Europe (2026)
Sources
- FXMetrics — £500 UK to Pakistan comparison, 1 November 2026 (checked 7 November 2026)
- IdealRemit — UK to Pakistan rates, 7 November 2026 (checked 7 November 2026)
- Exiap — £5,000 UK to Pakistan comparison (checked 7 November 2026)
- World Bank — remittance prices (global average cost 6.2%, 2023) (checked 7 November 2026)