Interchange Financial vs Remitbee: Which currency exchange is best? (2021)

    

If you are looking for a digital currency exchange, you’re not alone. Many people have realised that there’s no need to join a line or put themselves at risk by trading currency in person.

Online currency exchange is a less expensive, more reliable, straightforward, and simple way to exchange money.

In Canada, banks are no longer the cheapest way to purchase foreign currency. There are numerous businesses that specialize exclusively in currency exchange, whether you need it for a holiday, a big purchase, or any other purpose.

This is why we've put together a series of articles that compare some of your digital currency exchange choices. Today, we'll see how Remitbee compares to Interchange Financial.

There are twelve things to consider when choosing a currency exchange service:

  • Background of each company
  • Exchange rates and Fees
  • Transparency
  • Ease of use
  • Customers reviews
  • Payment methods
  • Credibility and security
  • Physical Stores & Coverage
  • Customer Support
  • Promotions
  • Background

    What’s Interchange Financial’s Background?


    According to its website, Interchange Financial has been in business for two decades. The company’s founder was often disappointed that his Canadian bank did not deliver globally favorable rates on currency exchange transactions, and he discovered that this had an effect on his business plans. He could only find forex trading companies that were geared for electronic trading and speculation and were incapable of solving real business problems. He saw a need in Canada for a currency exchange company that could meet the needs of real people and real businesses.

    What’s Remitbee’s Background?

               

    Remitbee is a Canadian company, which was founded by immigrants. It was created in 2015. To provide its services to Canadians, the company formed partnerships with some of the world's leading banks. While its primary business was international money transfers, it started offering currency exchange services in late 2020. Currently serving customers who want to exchange USD to CAD and CAD to USD, Remitbee has announced plans to add more currencies in the future.

    Wondering how much you can get? Try our currency exchange calculator!

    Exchange Rates & Fees

    When comparing Interchange Financial and Remitbee, in general, Remitbee has a more favourable exchange rate. Typically, Canadian banks charge a percentage that is a higher premium over the interbank rate. This is the rate that appears when you check for the latest rate online. It is usually an average of the buy and sell exchange rates for large sums between banks. This rate is normally not available to the general public or small businesses.

    As of 14 May 2021, the interbank rate was 1.00 USD → 1.2139 CAD. Here’s what the rate was for on both companies’ websites.

    Interchange Financial’s exchange rate for CAD/USD

    Account to account transfer: 1.00 USD → 1.220 CAD

    Cash: 1.00 USD → 1.2407 CAD

    Remitbee’s exchange rate for CAD/USD

    1.00 USD → 1.204 CAD

    So, between the two, Remitbee was closer to the mid-market rate, which means you, the consumer, got a better deal.

    Let's dive deeper by comparing fees.

    Fees

    Interchange Financial’s Fees

    There are no fees to exchange with Interchange Financial.

    Remitbee’s Fees

    There are no fees to exchange with Remitbee.

    In this category it looks like both services are equally good as they offer a no-fee exchange. It’s important to note though, that your bank may charge you to send money, so check the terms of your account.

    Transparency

    Currency trading websites have historically been rife with hidden fees and fine print. It has become less of an issue as digital transfer platforms gained prominence and people gained the ability to easily compare their options. Transparency should be a consideration when selecting a provider.

    Let’s examine how transparent both services are.

    Interchange Financial

    Current exchange rates are available as quotes on the Interchange Financial website. The company says it charges no fees and clearly shows before a transaction what the amount is that the customer will receive.

    Remitbee

    With Remitbee, you have to do is visit the site www.remitbee.com and enter the sum you'd like to exchange. The most recent exchange rate and fee will be shown. There are no hidden fees or charges.

    Ease of use

    Interchange Financial

    According to Interchange Financial, the pricing and rates you see are exactly what you get with their currency exchange. You book exchange rates at your leisure and complete the transaction in person or online at one of their locations. The price you book is the price you get. Reviews online mention their extended working hours at their branches as one of the highlights of their service. Interchange Financial also makes it simple to check a rate on the phone or online and to get it in person. For signup, it asks for identity information, as well as the source of your funds and the reason you want to exchange money.

    Remitbee

    Remitbee has excellent reviews for its currency exchange service, with many users liking the convenience of their website and apps for iPhone and Android. Remitbee's 3-part method for currency exchange includes these steps: The service process includes completing a sign up, a verification process, and then the actual exchange, which happens by transferring money to the Remitbee bank account. The choices they have include three different levels of verification. In practice, the minimum standard of verification takes no longer than 24 hours.

    Customers reviews

    Interchange Financial

    Review platforms such as Google show that Interchange has mostly favourable reviews from its customers. Many are repeat customers, showing that they trust the company to exchange their money more than one time. On Yelp, they are rated 3.5 out of 5 stars. On Trustpilot, they are rated a lower 2.9 out of 5 stars.

    Remitbee

    Remitbee is viewed as a highly reputable organization by its customers, as seen by its ratings on the BBB. On that site it has an overall rating of 4.89. The Remitbee apps are also highly rated. Remitbee’s applications have earned 4.7 stars in the Google Play Store and 4.6 stars in the iTunes Store.

    In terms of reviews and scores, both companies seem to be tied. Both have had a lot of positive reviews.

    Payment Methods

    Interchange Financial

  • Bank account transfer
  • Cash
  • Remitbee

    Remitbee’s payment methods include:

  • Direct deposit
  • Transfer to bank account
  • Credibility and security

    Interchange Financial

    How secure is Interchange Financial? The Canadian monitoring body FINTRAC regulates the company, which means it must follow certain financial standards. The company says it uses the latest encryption technology to ensure that any information submitted through its website is secure.

    Remitbee

    Remitbee also employs stringent security measures. To keep customers’ money safe, it collaborates with major trusted banks all over the world. Remitbee is also registered with and monitored by FINTRAC.

    Remitbee hosts and manages customer data using cutting-edge protection tools to keep it safe. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure are two examples.

    Both businesses look to be safe and secure enough to entrust your money with.

    Physical Stores & Coverage

    Interchange Financial has five locations in the Greater Toronto Area

    Toronto – Downtown

    Address:
    20 Dundas Street West, Toronto ON M5G 2C2

    Toronto – Downtown

    Address:
    1 Yonge Street, Suite 109, Toronto ON M5E 1E5

    Toronto – North York

    Address:
    5617 Yonge Street, Toronto ON M2M 3S9

    Markham

    Address:
    3621 Highway 7 Unit 101, Markham ON L3R 0G6

    Brampton

    Address:
    10545 Bramalea Road, Brampton ON L6R 3P4

    Remitbee

    Remitbee operates solely online through their website www.remitbee.com. Currency exchange can be done 24 hours a day.

    Customer support

    Interchange Financial

    Among other things, reviews of Interchange Financial’s customer support say things like “ The staff have been very responsive over email and the service is easy to use. Lock in a quote, tell them the amount, and the money is transferred.”

  • Call 1 888 972-7799 OR 1 416 227-0963
  • Email at [email protected] or [email protected]
  • Remitbee

    Customer service is one of Remitbee's strongest assets. As a promise to their clients, they back up their customer service with a 100% Money Back Guarantee (including any fees paid).

    Remitbee has also received positive feedback via Google, Google Play, the Apple App Store, and Trust Pilot.

    You can contact Remitbee in the following ways:

  • Live chat at remitbee.com
  • Email at [email protected]
  • Call 1-647-689-2323 during customer service hours (10 am - 8 pm EST)
  • Promotions

    referral info

    Putting it all together

    While both Interchange Financial and Remitbee are trustworthy currency exchange services. Both have received a lot of positive reviews and received high ratings.
    Overall, because of its competitive exchange rates, Remitbee is the superior service for online currency trading. If it is important to get cash or go in person to a branch, Interchange Financial is the better choice.

    To check rates and get a quote, see Remitbee’s service for yourself, whether you’re exchanging CAD to USD or USD to CAD.

    Disclaimer: All third-party trademarks (including logos) referenced by Remitbee Inc. in this article remain the property of their respective owners. Unless specifically identified as such, Remitbee's use of third-party trademarks does not indicate any relationship, sponsorship, or endorsement between Remitbee and the owners of these trademarks. Any reference by Remitbee to third-party trademarks is to identify the corresponding third-party goods and/or services and shall be considered nominative fair use under the trademark law. Furthermore, we are not responsible for any inaccuracies identified in the article's content, and that information can be verified by contacting the respective third parties directly mentioned in the article.

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