
Get exclusive money-saving offers and guides
Straight to your inbox
We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
Similar to a domestic money order, an international money order is used for making payments overseas without relying on digital services. International money orders are not the best way to send money abroad, so consider your other money transfer options before buying and sending one in the mail.
A money order is a paper document that is used as a method of payment, similar to a personal cheque. An international money order operates exactly the same way as a domestic money order, by letting you prepay an amount that will be used as a secure form of payment. The main difference is that international money orders are accepted by other countries instead of being limited to Australia.
No, an international money order is almost never the cheapest way to send money internationally. Because of the uncertainty involved in sending an international money order, your recipient may end up paying fees and suffering from poor exchange rates when cashing the money order at a bank or local post office.
International money orders are outdated and unnecessarily risky. Consider using a money transfer to benefit from lower fees, stronger exchange rates and faster delivery speeds.
To see what your transfer could cost, enter the country you want to send to and the amount you want to send, then click Calculate.
Let's say you need to send $2,000 to family in the US and want to know if sending an international money order is your best choice. Here's what you might face as far as fees, exchange rates and sending speeds are concerned as of 1 April 2020.
Digital money transfer service | Cash transfer | International money order | |
---|---|---|---|
Fee | $3.99 | $30 | $24 + additional fees to cash |
Exchange rate | 1 AUD = 0.60 USD | 1 AUD = 0.58 USD | 1 AUD = 0.57 USD |
Transfer speed | 1-3 days | Minutes | 2-4 days |
Amount received | US$1,198 | US$1,143 | US$1,126 |
Verdict |
|
|
|
The international money order is both the slowest and most expensive option. There may be additional fees charged when cashing the international money order, and the exchange rate featured in our table is based on bank rates – the exchange rate offered when cashing the money order may be weaker.
A cash transfer service could almost always have the money there faster and available for cash pick-up at hundreds of locations, while a digital service could deliver the money directly to your recipient's bank account if desired.
Because an international money order is physically sent to your recipient, make sure that everything is filled out correctly to avoid any delays. Because your recipient may have to pay fees to cash the money order, consider sending more than needed to help cover fees and exchange rates.
After filling out the money order you'll want to:
Money orders can be cashed in the same way as a cheque, but international money order cashing locations may be restricted depending on where you live. Follow these steps to cash an international money order:
As sending money shifts to online, money orders will become less common. There are many ways to send money internationally that can be done entirely online from the comfort of your home. To learn how to get started with these types of transfers, head over to our guide on transferring money and send your first transfer today.
Sometimes, depending on the provider. For example, WorldRemit limits daily transactions to $50,000.
Yes. Use your receipt to track your order by calling the company you sent it through or visiting the location from which you sent the money order.
It depends. If the money order has been cashed you may not be able to cancel it. If it is still in transit you may be able to call the company that issued the money order and cancel it for a refund, but chances are low.
A lost or stolen money order can be replaced, but you'll often face a fee to do so. You'll need to report the stolen money order to the company that issued it, provide details found on your receipt and then typically wait anywhere between 30 and 60 days for a resolution.
No. Never cash an international money order that you weren't expecting; it is a scam. To learn more about what to do in this situation, visit our money transfer scams page to learn more.
Learn how to trade futures contracts on Binance with this visual step-by-step guide.
Learn how to use DeFi aggregator Yearn Finance to earn interest on your cryptocurrency.
Get today’s best Australian to US dollar exchange rates before you send money overseas.
Beat the banks, find the best exchange rates and avoid fees when you send money abroad from Australia.
Learn about how TransferMate’s personal product works and what it can do for you.
Learn more about the DOT cryptocurrency in this beginner’s and buyer’s guide.
We compare two of the leading merchant services on the market: Square and Shopify.
Make simple and small transfers to the Philippines through the IREMITX app.
Learn more about the Filecoin cryptocurrency in this beginner’s and buyer’s guide.
Learn more about the Avalanche (AVAX) cryptocurrency in this beginner’s and buyer’s guide.