To send money to India from Canada, first decide where the money should land: an Indian bank account, a UPI ID, an NRE or NRO account, or cash pickup. Then compare how many rupees arrive for the same CAD amount on the same day. Wise converts CAD to INR and pays bank accounts, NRE and NRO accounts and UPI IDs.
Disclosure: links marked “(affiliate link)” go to Wise, and Earn From Home India may earn a commission from them. Fees and rates change daily, so this page shows how to compare them.
Where should the money land in India?
The delivery method decides which details you need, which services can handle it and how fast it arrives.
| Where the money lands | What you need from the recipient | Services that list it for India (checked 27 Oct 2026) | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary bank account | Full name in Latin letters, account number, IFSC | Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit, Western Union; ask your bank about a wire | Wise: usually 1 working day after the money is converted |
| UPI ID | UPI ID (format name@bank) and the recipient’s name | Wise, Remitly, Western Union (as a mobile wallet “like a UPI ID”) | Wise: up to INR 200,000 instantly per UPI transfer |
| Your own NRE account | Account number, IFSC, name as on the account | Wise lists NRE accounts | RBI: credits are inward remittances from outside India; the balance is repatriable |
| Your own NRO account | Account number, IFSC, name as on the account | Wise lists NRO accounts | RBI: balances can be remitted abroad up to USD 1 million per financial year |
| Cash pickup | Ask the provider what the recipient must bring | Remitly, WorldRemit, Western Union (Wise lists no cash option) | RBI MTSS FAQ (updated January 2017): cash payouts up to INR 50,000 |
For a family member who lives in India, use their own bank account or UPI ID. RBI describes NRE and NRO accounts as accounts for people resident outside India, so those rows fit when you move your own money.
What do you need from the person in India?
Ask for the details in writing, copied from their banking app, not read out over a call. For a bank account, including NRE and NRO accounts, Wise asks for:
- Full name: first name and surname in Latin characters (a to z) only.
- Account number: 5 to 20 digits.
- IFSC: 11 characters, both letters and numbers, usually starting with 4 letters.
- Purpose of the payment: chosen from a list. Wise says a wrong choice can lead to requests for more information.
For UPI, you need the UPI ID in the name@bank format (Wise’s example is yourname@bankname) and the recipient’s name. Wise’s Canada UPI page says no full bank details are needed.
For a new recipient, send a small first transfer, confirm it arrived, then send the rest.
How do you send money from Canada to India with Wise?
- Open an account with WiseAd (affiliate link). Wise Payments Canada Inc. is registered as a money service business with FINTRAC (Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada).
- Enter the CAD amount and choose INR. Wise says it uses the mid-market exchange rate and shows its fees upfront.
- Add the recipient: bank details or a UPI ID, plus the purpose of the payment.
- Choose how to pay. Wise’s Canada page lists methods including bank transfer, INTERAC e-Transfer, debit card and credit card, each with its own fee. Wise says bank transfers are usually the cheapest way to fund a transfer.
- Track it. For transfers to India, Wise emails a unique transaction reference (UTR) number for tracking. After Wise receives and converts the money, it usually takes 1 working day to reach the bank account; conversion can take up to 3 working days.
More detail: Wise and UPI transfers, the Wise review for India, and how to open a Wise account in India if the person in India wants an account of their own.
How do you compare the cost of sending money to India from Canada?
The cheapest option changes with the amount, the day, the delivery method and the way you pay. A fair comparison:
- Same amount, same delivery method. Enter one CAD amount and one delivery method (bank account or UPI) with every provider, at about the same time.
- Compare rupees received, not the fee. The INR amount that arrives includes both the fee and the exchange rate. Western Union’s Canada page states that it makes money from currency exchange.
- Check the rate against the mid-market rate. The gap is part of the cost.
- Use the payment method you will really use. On Wise’s Canada page the fee differs by method.
- Set first-transfer offers aside. Wise and Remitly both advertise first-transfer offers; for regular monthly support, compare the standard price.
Wise, a bank or a remittance app: which type of service fits?
| Service | Delivery options listed for India (checked 27 Oct 2026) | How the price is shown |
|---|---|---|
| Wise | Bank account (including NRE and NRO), UPI ID | Mid-market rate; fees shown upfront |
| Remitly | Bank deposit, cash pickup, UPI | Rates “subject to change”; exact pricing in the app or website |
| WorldRemit | Bank transfer, cash pickup, mobile money | Fee depends on the receive method; final amount and fees shown upfront |
| Western Union | Bank account, cash pickup, mobile wallet such as a UPI ID | States that it makes money from currency exchange |
| Your Canadian bank | Ask whether it wires money to bank accounts in India | Ask for the fee, the exchange rate and any charges taken before the money reaches India |
Cash needed? Pick an app that lists cash pickup. Otherwise, compare Wise with at least one remittance app, plus your bank if you want a third quote.
Should you send to an NRE or an NRO account?
This applies when you are a non-resident Indian moving your own money. The Reserve Bank of India FAQ on accounts in India by non-residents (as on 16 January 2025) says:
- NRE account: a rupee account that NRIs and PIOs can open. Credits allowed are inward remittances from outside India, and the balance is repatriable. It can be held jointly with a resident relative on a “former or survivor” basis.
- NRO account: a rupee account any person resident outside India can hold for bona fide rupee transactions. It can receive inward remittances and legitimate dues in India. Balances can be remitted abroad up to USD 1 million per financial year.
Wise lists both as recipients. Interest rates and tax treatment are outside this page; ask the bank before choosing.
Can the person in India collect cash?
Wise’s India guide lists bank accounts and UPI IDs, not cash. Remitly, WorldRemit and Western Union list cash pickup in India; Western Union mentions hundreds of thousands of agent locations there.
Under RBI’s Money Transfer Service Scheme (MTSS), money transfer companies abroad work with agents in India who pay beneficiaries. RBI’s FAQ on it (updated 18 January 2017) says amounts up to INR 50,000 may be paid in cash; larger amounts go by cheque, demand draft or payment order, or into the beneficiary’s bank account. Confirm the current limit in the provider’s app.
What should you avoid when sending money to India?
- Names in another script. A name in Devanagari or any other script has to be typed in Latin letters for Wise.
- Retyped details. Copy the account number and IFSC from the recipient’s bank app.
- Investment or donations through Wise. Wise says it does not allow transfers to India for investment or charitable donation.
- Offers from individuals in social media groups. FINTRAC says a money services business must register before it begins to operate in Canada, so ask for the business name and its FINTRAC registration first.
- Losing the paper trail. Keep the UTR number of each Wise transfer. Wise notes that a Foreign Inward Remittance Certificate (FIRC) may be needed for transfers to India; the recipient can ask their bank.
What is the next step?
If the person in India has a bank account or a UPI ID, get a quote from WiseAd (affiliate link) and from one remittance app for the same CAD amount, then send with whichever delivers more rupees that day.
Earn From Home India Editorial. Sources: Wise Help Centre and Wise Canada pages, Reserve Bank of India FAQs, FINTRAC, and the India pages of Remitly, WorldRemit and Western Union, checked on 27 October 2026.