Barclays International Transfer: Fees and Exchange Rates 2026

Planning to transfer money abroad with Barclays? This guide covers everything you need to know, 📝 including how much international transfers with Barclays cost, how long they take, and how to arrange your payment.

Despite being one of the biggest institutions in the UK, sending your international transfer through Barclays may not always be the best option available.

There are many alternatives which can be cheaper, faster and more convenient, like Wise, Xe money transfer, and OFX. 🏦

Key info on transferring money overseas with Barclays

Barclays international money transfer comparison 🔍

Let’s start with a comparison of Barclays international bank transfers against a few specialist providers.

Before we start it’s handy to know that you may pay several different fees when you send a payment overseas with a bank:

• Transfer fee - often a fixed cost paid to your own bank

• Exchange rate markup - a percentage fee added to the exchange rate used 💸

• Third party charges - paid to intermediaries and your recipient’s own bank

The easiest way to see the impact of these charges is to figure out what your recipient might get when you send your payment with different providers.

In this example, we’re sending an online payment to a friend in France. We’ll send 1,000 GBP, to be received into an account in euros:

*Fees and rates correct at time of research - 22nd June 2026

*The speed of transaction claims depends on individual circumstances and may not be available for all transactions

Barclays exchange rates include a markup on the mid-market rate, which varies by currency. Since banks frequently add markups of up to 3%, this can noticeably increase the total cost of your transfer.

You might also encounter unpredictable intermediary fees if your payment travels via the SWIFT network, making it difficult to calculate your exact upfront costs.

In contrast, international money transfer specialists like Wise, Xe Money Transfer, or OFX often provide better exchange rates and faster delivery times. 📲

More about the alternatives to Barclays 🌐

We’ve touched on a couple of Barclays alternatives already - bank alternatives can often offer fast transfers with low fees and great exchange rates. They’ve invested in new ways to process overseas payments which can keep down the costs of sending money.

*Information correct at time of writing - 22nd June 2026

*The speed of transaction claims depends on individual circumstances and may not be available for all transactions

💳 Barclays international transfer fees

Figuring out the total cost of an international transfer isn’t always as easy as it should be. The costs can include a few different things:

• Transfer fee

• Exchange rate markup

• Third party charges

The fees vary depending on the country you’re sending money to, and the currency in question. There’s a full country by country list available on the Barclays website and we’ve rounded up some of the most common costs below:

*Information correct at time of writing - 22nd June 2026

Barclays additional fees ⚠️

Aside from the transfer fee and any exchange rate costs, there are a couple of extra fees it’s worth being aware of whenever you send an international payment:

• Third party fees paid to intermediary or correspondent banks

• Fees imposed by your recipient’s own bank

These extra costs usually arise when banks transfer payments using the SWIFT network. This involves one or more correspondent banks passing along a payment until it reaches the right account. The correspondent banks can each deduct a fee as they process the payment. Then finally, your recipient’s own bank may also deduct a fee before the payment is deposited into their account. 👇

For some payments with Barclays you can choose to pay an extra fee to cover third party costs, so your recipient does not need to bear these charges.

📥 Barclays international transfer receiving fees

If you’re getting a payment to your Barclays account there may be a fee:

• SEPA and euro payments from the EEA are free 🇪🇺

• Payments under 100 GBP in value are free to receive

• Other payments over 100 GBP in value cost 6 GBP to receive

How to receive money with Barclays from abroad

If you’re expecting a payment from overseas into your Barclays account you’ll need to give the sender your account’s IBAN and the Barclays UK SWIFT/BIC code to make sure the money arrives safely.

It’s free to receive SEPA and euro payments from the EEA, and regular international transfers under the value of 100 GBP. If you’re expecting a larger payment you’ll pay a 6 GBP fee when it is deposited into your account.

📊 Barclays exchange rate

Although the Barclays website shows live mid-market exchange rates, these aren’t the rates offered to most customers making international transfers.

Banks and money transfer services frequently add a markup to their exchange rates, which hides the true cost and makes comparisons difficult. 📉

Because this markup is a percentage-based charge, it increases steeply when you transfer higher values, often becoming the single biggest expense of your transaction. While bank margins typically hover around 3%, alternative providers often offer much lower rates, helping you protect your balance on larger amounts.

Here’s how the exchange rate markup builds up with a 3% margin used for different transfer values:

• Sending 1,000 GBP - the exchange rate markup adds 30 GBP to the total

• Sending 5,000 GBP- the exchange rate markup adds 150 GBP to the total

• Sending 50,000 GBP - the exchange rate markup adds 1,500 GBP to the total

Need a cheaper alternative? 💸

How long does a Barclays international money transfer take? ⏳

Barclays international transfer times vary by country and currency being sent. For most popular transfer destinations, your payment will arrive the next day as long as it is arranged before the cut-off time. Cut-off times depend on how you’re sending your transfer, and the currency involved.

Need a faster alternative? 🚀⏳

*The speed of transaction claims depends on individual circumstances and may not be available for all transactions

⚖️ Pros and cons of transferring money abroad with Barclays

Sending your international transfer with Barclays may seem like an obvious solution - but the exchange rate markups can push up the costs against alternative providers. They also make it harder to calculate the total cost of sending your transfer, compared to a specialist which uses the mid-market exchange rate and a transparent charge.

➡️ Read also: Barclays foreign currency account

How to make an international transfer with Barclays 📲

You’ll be able to set up your payment with Barclays in a few ways:

• Transfer using your online or mobile banking service

• Send your money by phone 📞

• Visit a branch to arrange your transfer 🏛️

Sending non-SEPA payments by phone or in a branch does come with an upfront transfer cost. There are also a small handful of destination countries where Barclays will require you to arrange your transfer in branch. These include Algeria, Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands, Georgia, Nepal and Uruguay.

🗂️ What information do you need to make an international transfer with Barclays?

Here’s the information you’ll need to send a Barclays international money transfer:

How to track your Barclays transfer

Once your outbound international transfer is submitted, you can check its status using the bank's digital banking platforms. ⏱️

Check the Barclays app or via online banking by logging in and navigating to your transaction history on the homepage dashboard to see if your payment is listed as pending or completed. 📱

Barclays international transfer limits 🎯

The Barclays international transfer limit may vary depending on the destination country. There are also account limits which cap the maximum value of payments made each day. Usually these are 50,000 for personal customers, and 100,000 for Premier or business customers.

🌍 Supported countries

You can send Barclays international bank transfers to over 130 countries in a wide selection of major global currencies. You can easily complete SEPA transfers in Euros to destinations across Europe, or route global SWIFT payments to high-volume international locations, including the US, Australia, Canada and India.

The countries and currencies available are regularly updated but you can get the live Barclays A - Z country list here.

Need to send a larger transfer?

How to send a high amount transfer with Barclays internationally

If you need to send an amount that exceeds the daily digital caps, you can complete your transaction online or by visiting a local Barclays branch. 🏛️

Processing a high-value payment in person or over the telephone may be different to the standard £50,000 or £100,000 mobile and online restrictions, potentially allowing you to move larger balances smoothly. However, keep in mind that arranging your transaction through these offline methods adds an upfront staff handling fee of up to £25 per transaction. You will also need to bring a physical photo ID, such as a valid passport, along with a recent proof of address to clear the bank's internal safety and security protocols.  🗂️

📥 Receiving money from abroad with Barclays

It’s free to receive SEPA and euro payments from the EEA, and regular international transfers under the value of 100 GBP. If you’re expecting a larger payment you’ll pay a 6 GBP fee when it is deposited into your account.

You’ll need to give the sender:

Barclays SWIFT code

The Barclays SWIFT/BIC code is: BUKBGB22

A SWIFT code is a unique identifier issued to banks around the world. It’s used to make sure that payments arrive safely into the recipient’s account - a bit like giving a postcode when you’re writing your postal address.

Barclays bank address for incoming wires

Barclays contact information

If you need help setting up an international transaction or tracking an incoming payment, you can connect directly with the customer service team. 💬

🏁 Conclusion

Choosing to transfer money abroad with Barclays is a familiar and comfortable option - but it may not be the cheapest, fastest or most convenient. While the best choice for you will depend on the particular payment you’re making, and your own personal preferences, specialist providers can often offer an intuitive user experience, low costs and bank beating exchange rates. 📉

Shopping around and comparing a few different providers before you set up your international transfer is the best way to know you’re getting the right fit for your specific needs.

➡️ Interested in making international transfers with banks? Read our guides on HSBC, Lloyds, Santander, NatWest, RBS, Nationwide, Halifax

📝 Useful sources

• Barclays International Transfer Details: Barclays international payments guide

• Wise UK: Office page for Wise UK, with information on personal  and business accounts, fees and exchange rates

• OFX UK: OFX transfer features and currency specialist details

• Xe Money Transfer UK: Xe global money transfer UK page with information on international transfers, rates and fees