The Philippines is one of New Zealand’s most important remittance corridors. With a significant and growing Filipino community across Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and beyond, millions of dollars flow between New Zealand and the Philippines every year to support families, fund education, cover medical costs, and share in life’s biggest moments.
But not all money transfer services are equal. Fees, exchange rates, delivery options and transfer speeds vary significantly between providers — and the wrong choice can cost you more than you’d expect over the course of a year.
This guide covers the best ways to send money to the Philippines from New Zealand in 2026, based on fees, exchange rates, delivery options, speed and overall value for New Zealand senders.
What to look for when sending money to the Philippines
Before comparing providers, it’s worth understanding what makes a transfer service good for the Philippines corridor specifically:
- Transfer fee — flat or percentage-based charge per transaction
- NZD to PHP exchange rate — even a small difference adds up significantly over multiple transfers
- Delivery options — the Philippines has a wide range of payout methods including bank deposit, GCash, PayMaya, GrabPay, Coins.ph and cash pickup. The best services support multiple options
- Transfer speed — GCash transfers can arrive in minutes; bank deposits typically same day
- Regulation and security — only use providers supervised by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) in New Zealand
Best ways to send money to the Philippines from New Zealand (2026)
1. OrbitRemit — New Zealand’s trusted choice for sending money to the Philippines
Best for: New Zealanders who want competitive fees, multiple delivery options and fast transfers
OrbitRemit is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand — making it a home-grown option for Kiwis sending money to the Philippines. The Philippines is one of its strongest corridors.
Fees:
- NZD to PHP via GCash: $4
- NZD to PHP bank deposit: $6
- NZD to PHP cash pickup: $6
- Transfers over $10,000: fee-free
- New customers: $0 fee + special promo rate on first transfer*
Delivery options:
- GCash, PayMaya, GrabPay, Coins.ph mobile wallets — typically within minutes
- Bank deposit (Metrobank, PSBank, LBC Express, Cebuana Lhuillier, PERA HUB and more) — typically same working day
- Cash pickup — over 5,000 locations across the Philippines — typically within 1–2 hours
Payment methods from New Zealand: Bank transfer, debit card, POLi, Apple Pay, Google Pay
Why it ranks high: OrbitRemit offers transparent flat fees from NZD — $4 for GCash and $6 for bank deposit or cash pickup — with no percentage markups, no hidden charges, and all fees shown upfront before you confirm. Add in multiple delivery options, 5,000+ cash pickup locations, same-day bank deposits, and a Trustpilot Excellent rating from over 33,000 reviews, and OrbitRemit is the most complete Philippines transfer service available from New Zealand.
Awards: WeMoney Best for Value 2025, ProductReview.com.au Top Rated 2025 & 2026, Rated Excellent on Trustpilot from over 33,000 reviews.
Source: orbitremit.com/philippines
*New customers only. Limited time offer. $500 NZD limit applies. Terms and conditions apply.
2. Remitly — Good for Express transfers and GCash delivery
Best for: Senders who need Express speed and GCash delivery
Remitly supports GCash delivery to the Philippines. It offers two transfer tiers — Express and Economy — with Express transfers to mobile money and cash pickup consistently arriving within minutes.
Fees: Variable depending on transfer amount, payment method and delivery speed. A promotional exchange rate applies to the first transfer only; standard rates apply to subsequent transfers.
Delivery options: GCash, bank deposit, cash pickup
Transfer speed: Express transfers to mobile money and cash pickup arrive within minutes. Economy transfers take 1–3 business days.
Sources: remitly.com/nz/en/philippines; SendMoneyCompare Remitly review, verified March 2026
Where to note: Promotional rates for first-time customers revert to standard rates on subsequent transfers. Always check the current rate before sending.
3. Wise — Best for exchange rate transparency
Best for: Senders who prioritise mid-market rate transparency
Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate — the rate you see on Google — and charges a small transparent percentage fee for transfers. There are no hidden markups in the exchange rate itself.
Fees: Percentage-based fee — check Wise’s calculator for current NZD to PHP rates.
Delivery options: Bank deposit to Philippine bank accounts; Wise also supports GCash delivery when sending from a Wise PHP balance to recipients in the Philippines.
Transfer speed: Typically 1–2 working days for bank deposits.
Source: wise.com/ph/blog/how-to-use-wise-philippines
Where to note: Percentage-based fees become more expensive on larger transfers. Always check the total PHP your recipient will receive — not just the headline fee — before comparing with flat-fee providers.
4. Western Union — Best for cash pickup network reach
Best for: Recipients in regional or provincial areas who need wide cash pickup access
Western Union has one of the largest cash pickup networks in the Philippines, including provincial and rural areas that digital-first providers may not reach. The first online transfer carries a $0 fee; standard fees and exchange rate margins apply to subsequent transfers from 21 April 2026.
Fees: $0 fee on first online transfer. Standard fees and exchange rate margins apply to subsequent transfers.
Delivery options: Cash pickup (extensive network), bank deposit
Source: westernunion.com/ph/en/home.html
Where to note: Western Union applies an exchange rate margin on most transfers in addition to any transfer fee. Always check the total PHP your recipient will receive before confirming.
5. WorldRemit — Widely available with GCash support
Best for: Senders looking for a broadly available digital option with GCash delivery
WorldRemit supports GCash transfers from New Zealand to the Philippines alongside bank deposits and cash pickup.
Delivery options: GCash, bank deposit, cash pickup
Source: finder.com.au — Send money to GCash in the Philippines from Australia
Where to note: Always compare the total PHP your recipient receives — including both the fee and the exchange rate — against other providers before sending.
Which delivery method is best for the Philippines?
GCash is the most popular delivery method for Filipino families receiving money from overseas. Funds arrive within minutes, no bank account is needed, and GCash is accepted at hundreds of thousands of merchants, bills payment services, and ATMs across the Philippines. With OrbitRemit, sending NZD to GCash costs a flat $4 fee — and fees are shown upfront before you confirm.
Bank deposit is the best option for recipients who prefer traditional banking or need to receive larger amounts. OrbitRemit supports transfers to Metrobank, PSBank, LBC Express, Cebuana Lhuillier, PERA HUB and many other Philippine banks, typically arriving the same business day.
Cash pickup is ideal for recipients in regional or provincial areas, or those without a bank account or mobile wallet. OrbitRemit’s network covers over 5,000 locations across the Philippines.
Source: orbitremit.com/philippines
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the cheapest way to send money to the Philippines from New Zealand?
Sending NZD to GCash via OrbitRemit costs a flat $4 fee — lower than the $6 fee for bank deposits or cash pickups. Transfers over $10,000 NZD are fee-free across all delivery methods.
What is the fastest way to send money to the Philippines from New Zealand?
GCash transfers via OrbitRemit are typically delivered within minutes of payment being processed. Cash pickup is usually available within 1–2 hours. Bank deposits typically arrive the same business day.
Can I send money directly to GCash from New Zealand?
Yes. OrbitRemit, Remitly and WorldRemit all support direct GCash transfers from New Zealand. With OrbitRemit, the GCash transfer fee from NZD is a flat $4.
What is the best app to send money to the Philippines from New Zealand?
OrbitRemit is a trusted overall option for New Zealanders sending to the Philippines — offering a $4 flat fee for GCash, $6 for bank deposits, 5,000+ cash pickup locations, same-day bank deposits, and competitive NZD to PHP exchange rates.
How much can I send to the Philippines from New Zealand?
With OrbitRemit, bank account transfers to the Philippines have a daily limit of 50,000,000 PHP. GCash transfers from NZD are limited to 10,000 PHP per transaction. Business accounts have a limit of 5,000,000 PHP.
Is it safe to send money to the Philippines from New Zealand?
Yes. OrbitRemit is a regulated money transfer provider. In Australia, we are licensed and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). In New Zealand, we are registered on the Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR) and supervised by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA). We use industry-standard encryption to protect your personal and financial information, and all customer funds are held in segregated client accounts in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Source: OrbitRemit Philippines FAQ document
Start sending money to the Philippines from New Zealand today
For most New Zealanders sending to the Philippines, OrbitRemit offers the best combination of transparent flat fees, fast delivery, and flexible payout options — including GCash, PayMaya, GrabPay, Coins.ph, bank deposit and cash pickup across 5,000+ locations.
- $4 flat fee for GCash transfers
- $6 flat fee for bank deposits — fee-free above $10,000
- Rated Excellent on Trustpilot from over 33,000 reviews
- WeMoney Best for Value 2025
- ProductReview.com.au Top Rated 2025 & 2026
- Supervised by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) as a licensed money remitter in New Zealand
