Best Ways to Send Money to Poland in 2025

Whether you’re supporting yourself, your family, or paying a contractor, sending money to Poland has never been easier or faster. But it can be tricky if you don’t choose the right method. This guide will break down the most efficient ways to send money and make sure it arrives quickly and safely.

Things to consider before sending money to Poland

Legal regulations

Poland is part of the European Union and, as such, has to follow strict financial regulations to prevent money laundering and ensure transparency in transactions. The country is supervised by the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (Komisja Nadzoru Finansowego, or KNF) and adheres to the EU’s Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2). Not following the rules can result in fines, so in 2024, the KNF issued 84 fines for 44.7 million PLN. The main regulations are:

• Know your customer (KYC): full disclosure of sender and recipient details, including proof of identity and address; 
• Transaction monitoring: money transfers above €15,000 (approximately 64,000 PLN) have to be reported to the General Inspector of Financial Information (GIIF).
• Authorization: all financial institutions that conduct international bank transfers have to be authorized by the KNF.

Tax Implications

Poland has a progressive tax system, which means that as you earn more, you pay more taxes. There’s a tax-free amount of 30,000 PLN (approximately €7,000) per year. 

There are also transactions that are considered gifts and do not constitute income. To see if you need to pay gift tax, you need to consider two things: how much the gift was and what tax group the person who sent the gift falls into. There are three: 

• Immediate family (spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings) can send up to 36,120 PLN  (approximately €8,400) in 5 years tax-free.
• Extended family (uncles, cousins, nephews) can give you up to 27,090 PLN (approximately €6,400) in 5 years tax-free.
• All other relatives can send up to 5,733 PLN  (approximately €1,300) in 5 years tax-free.

Best methods of sending money to Poland

Let's see which methods are safe and secure for sending money to Poland.

International bank transfers

Bank transfers are one of the most traditional and reliable ways to send money to Poland. It's ideal if you're sending large sums and want to ensure that they reach the recipient safely. To initiate the transfer, you’ll need the recipient’s full banking information, including their name, account number or IBAN, and the BIC/SWIFT code of their bank. Some banks may also require you to specify the purpose of the payment. Make sure to double-check all the information, especially the IBAN, as it can vary in length depending on the country. 

Being a member of the European Union also makes Poland part of SEPA (Single Euro Payment Area). This means that all transfers denominated in euros between EU countries are processed quickly (usually within one business day or less), and the bank is required to charge the same fee for all bank transfers as it does for national transactions. Let's say you're transferring €150 from one Polish bank to another, and the fee is €0.99. The same fee must apply if you're sending money from any EU bank outside of Poland, and usually, there is no fee at all. However, this only applies to transfers in euros. If you are sending money in zlotys, some currency conversion fees may apply, depending on your bank.

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SEPA transfers have to be made in EUR currency, they are usually quicker than from non European countries, they are very low cost or free (as in my bank). It works best with a currency account — because a typical bank account in PLN currency would force you to exchange EUR to PLN. It works similar to a usual bank transfer so full name, bank number, bank IBAN and SWIFT/BIC code are needed.

{{Kamila Stankiewicz}}

If you’re sending money from a country outside of the EU, things look a little different. Transfers can take up to five days to process, as the money often passes through several banks, and the fees associated with these transfers can be quite high. For example, the US banks may charge $50 or more for each transaction.

I most often and most willingly use my bank account in the appropriate currency to settle accounts with foreign customers.  It allows me to accept almost any currency without having to convert it to my native currency, which lets me decide when it will be beneficial to make the conversion. My currency account has a very low exchange rate, close to interbank rates (0,1-0,3%). SEPA transfers are free, also receiving foreign transfers is free, although it can take from 1-5 business days. 

{{Kamila Stankiewicz}}

Money transfer services

Gone are the days when bank transfers were the only option for sending money to Poland. Today, digital innovation is transforming the way to send money internationally. Thanks to a variety of services, international users can avoid high banking fees and long transaction times. However, as these are online transactions, there are some security concerns that need to be considered, like the risk of identity theft. Be very careful when sharing personal information, even if a platform seems trustworthy. It's better to be safe than sorry. 

Pros

• Fast transfer processing
• Low fees and commissions
• Competitive currency exchange rates
• Easy-to-use interface and mobile apps

Cons

• Limits on the amount of money transferred
• Possible hidden fees
• Less secure and reliable

Let's take a look at some of the most trusted and reliable services for sending money to Poland.

Western Union

Western Union is one of the longest-established money transfer services that offers both bank account receipt and cash pickup options. The latter is especially useful for older generations who may not have access to digital banking services. For security purposes, Western Union provides a unique tracking number (MTCN) to help you monitor the progress of your transfer. To send money to Poland, you will need to provide an IBAN number and indicate the purpose of the transfer. It usually takes about one banking day for funds to be transferred to Poland, but the initial transfer process may take up to five days due to verification. Since Western Union makes money from the currency exchange, the overall rates are usually lower than the market rate.

The service charges a fee for each transaction, which varies depending on the brand, channel, and location. You can always use the Western Union calculator to find out what fees will be applied, what the exchange rate will be, and how long the delivery will take in your specific situation. 

Wise

Wise is one of the most popular and trusted online platforms for international money transfers. It’s often recommended on forums like Reddit as a first alternative to Western Union for sending money to Poland, and for a good reason. Wise fees are transparent, and the interface is user-friendly. The exchange rate is also often more favorable. Wise offers a mid-market exchange rate, and you can lock it for up to 24 hours, ensuring the transfer amount is guaranteed regardless of market fluctuations. The service also offers discounts for sending amounts exceeding $25,000 or its equivalent.

You can send money directly to the recipient's Wise or bank account and receive notifications every step of the process until the funds are safely received. It usually takes one business day for the transfer to be processed and up to two business days for the conversion. The maximum amount for a PLN transfer is five million, and all you need to provide is the name of the recipient and their bank account number.

Revolut

Revolut is a financial technology solution offering a compelling alternative to traditional banking. It is also one of the most user-friendly and efficient options when it comes to sending money to Poland. To make a transfer, all you need to do is download the Revolut app, add funds to your account, and enter the details of the recipient or choose them from your contacts. Transfers to other Revolut users usually happen instantly.  

Revolut cards are available in Poland and are widely accepted. You can use PLN to pay for services and withdraw money from most ATMs. You can also open the Revolut app and connect a Revolut card to BLIK — the Polish mobile instant payment system. 

BLIK is a very popular method of payment in Poland, specifically, but we use it mostly to pay in shops, online shops. I have never used it as a source of payment for a contract so far.

{{Kamila Stankiewicz}}
The fees depend on your Revolut plan, the payment method you choose, and the country you are sending money from. However, they are generally quite low, and the exchange rate is close to the market rate. 

Note that additional fees for currency transfers may be applied during weekends, as the foreign exchange (forex) markets are closed. Some users have complained about unfavorable fees, unaware of this information.

PayPal

PayPal is one of the most popular payment platforms available in over 200 countries, including Poland. It can be used for both personal and business transactions, and the transfers are usually instant. However, there may be a delay of up to five business days for funds to be transferred from your bank account to PayPal and up to three business days for the funds to be withdrawn from PayPal to the recipient's bank account in some cases. 

PayPal is also not the cheapest option, especially when it comes to international transactions. The service offers free domestic transfers when you use your balance or a linked bank account, but there are fees for debit and credit card transfers. The fee is 5% for international transactions plus a flat fee, depending on the currency you're sending. For example, a fixed fee for receiving Polish złoty is 1.35 PLN. 

I like that PayPal transfers were really quick, and didn't need these additional codes like a bank number, BIC, SWIFT etc. just an email is enough. I still use it for smaller payments. But for bigger contracts, I feel the most secure with my currency bank account, also because of a better currency exchange rate. I do not feel secure with PayPal since I had trouble accessing my account and I couldn't contact any support in Poland, tried with American support, and finally after many hours and conversations I finally found a person who helped me with Canadian support. 
The clients protection program in PayPal is also used for scamming people by taking back a payment for the work. I have never had such issues, but hearing about them from time to time doesn't increase my trust.

{{Kamila Stankiewicz}}

Remitly

Remitly is another safe and efficient option to send money to Poland. The transfer speed depends on the destination and the type of service you choose. There are two options: Economy and Express. If you choose the Economy service, your transfer may take up to 5 business days, but you will get lower exchange rates. If you opt for Express service, the transfer will be immediate, but the rates may be less favorable. The maximum amount that can be sent to Poland in a single transaction is 120,000 PLN. The fee for all transfers to Poland in euros is between €1.99 and €2.90, depending on the origin country. If you're sending USD, the fees will depend on your plan as follows:

The service provides you with a unique tracking number and updates via email or SMS during each step of the transfer, so you are always informed about its status. 

Cryptocurrency 

Crypto is a legal option to send money to Poland and is quite a popular one. Many businesses accept it as a form of payment, and the number of users is expected to reach 7.67 million by 2026. It is mandatory for companies to obtain a CASP (Crypto-Asset Service Provider) license from the KNF in order to provide crypto-related services in Poland. They also must comply with the MiCA Act and the regulations on Polish crypto assets to prevent money laundering and suspicious transactions.

Cryptocurrency allows you to send digital assets such as USDT or Bitcoin using blockchain networks, bypassing the need for traditional banking systems. These transfers are often cheaper than traditional methods and usually take only a few hours.  However, it's not for beginners, even in the regulated market. If you’re new to using crypto, it's easy to fall victim to scams and unreliable platforms. Make sure to use licensed and reputable platforms such as Binance or Coinbase and stable cryptocurrencies such as USDT. You can learn more about crypto payments in our guide.

I have never received cryptocurrency payment, and I don't know much about it so it is probably a way of payment I would avoid. For me, it is still the currency bank account — full control on exchanging currencies, and money once sent can't be recalled, which is important since there are a lot of scam trials nowadays. 

{{Kamila Stankiewicz}}

Here is a comparison table of all the methods we discussed above, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs:

Conclusion

You can send money to Poland in 2025 in many ways — from official banking to crypto. If you’re sending from another EU country, use SEPA for a fast and free transfer or low fees. If you’re sending a big sum and want maximum security, use a bank wire transfer. You can also use online payment services. PayPal is one of the most popular but can be quite pricey. Wise, Revolut, and Remitly offer the best balance of speed, security, and fees. If you choose to send crypto, use reputable platforms like Binance and Coinbase. Always check the recipient’s IBAN before sending and compare exchange rates to get the best deal.