You can send money to someone without a bank account using cash pickup services, money orders, or prepaid debit cards. The best method depends on whether the recipient is nearby or overseas, how fast you need the money to arrive, and how much you’re willing to pay in fees.
Cash Pickup Services
Cash pickup is the most popular way to send money to someone who doesn’t have a bank account. You initiate a transfer online or at a retail location, and the recipient walks into a nearby agent location, shows ID, and collects the cash. Western Union, MoneyGram, and Remitly all offer this option, with networks large enough to cover most of the world.
Western Union has more than 500,000 cash pickup locations across 200+ countries and territories, giving it the widest reach of any transfer service. Remitly operates over 350,000 pickup locations and offers two speed tiers: an express option that delivers within minutes and an economy option that takes three to five business days at a lower fee. MoneyGram also specializes in cash pickup and maintains over 30,000 agent locations in the U.S. alone.
Fees vary by provider, destination, amount sent, and how you pay. Funding a transfer with a debit card or bank account is usually cheaper than using a credit card. Express delivery costs more than economy. Before you send, compare the total cost on each provider’s website, which will show you the fee and the exchange rate (if sending internationally) for your specific transfer.
What the Recipient Needs to Collect Cash
The person picking up the money will need a valid government-issued ID such as a driver’s license or passport. They’ll also need the reference or transaction number you receive after sending, so plan to share that with them right away by text, email, or phone call. Some transfers also require a security question and answer that you set during the send process, which the recipient must answer correctly at pickup. Make sure you coordinate the exact spelling of their name as it appears on their ID, since mismatches can delay or block the payout.
Money Orders
A money order works like a prepaid check. You buy one at a post office, grocery store, convenience store, or retailer like Walmart, fill in the recipient’s name, and hand it or mail it to them. The recipient can then cash it without needing a bank account.
USPS money orders can be cashed for free at any post office. Check-cashing stores and some retail locations also cash money orders, though they may charge a flat fee or a small percentage of the amount. In general, cashing a money order at the same company that issued it is cheapest, and often free. Banks and credit unions will also cash money orders, typically at no charge for their own customers.
Money orders max out at $1,000 per order at the post office (or $500 for international money orders), so larger amounts require multiple orders. The purchase fee is low, usually a few dollars per order at most retailers. The main downside is speed: if the recipient isn’t local, you’ll need to mail the money order, which adds a few days of transit time and the small risk of mail loss. Keep the receipt stub until you confirm the recipient has cashed it, since you can use it to track or replace a lost money order.
Prepaid Debit Cards
If the recipient has a reloadable prepaid debit card, you can add money to it without them needing a bank account. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, prepaid cards can be loaded by transferring money from a checking account or another prepaid card, buying a reload pack at a participating retailer, or adding funds at certain retail locations. Some reload methods carry a fee while others don’t, so check the card’s terms.
If the recipient doesn’t already have a prepaid card, you can buy one at a drugstore, grocery store, or big-box retailer, load it with funds, and give or mail it to them. They can then use it anywhere that accepts debit cards, withdraw cash at ATMs, or pay bills online. Look for a reloadable card rather than a gift card, since reloadable cards let you add more money later and typically offer better consumer protections.
Peer-to-Peer Apps With Cash-Out Options
Apps like Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal let you send money to someone using just their email address or phone number. The recipient doesn’t need a bank account to receive the funds. They can spend the balance directly through the app, use an associated debit card at stores and ATMs, or in some cases transfer to a prepaid card.
Cash App, for example, offers a free debit card linked to the app balance. Venmo offers a similar card. This effectively gives the recipient access to their money at ATMs and retail terminals without a traditional bank account. The sender pays no fee when funding through a bank account or debit card, though credit card funding typically carries a 3% surcharge. Instant transfers to a card, when available, also come with a small fee.
Choosing the Right Method
For international transfers, cash pickup services are usually the best fit. Western Union and Remitly have the broadest global networks, and express transfers can arrive in minutes. For domestic transfers where the recipient is nearby, handing them a money order or a loaded prepaid card avoids transfer fees entirely. If both of you have smartphones, a peer-to-peer app paired with a free app-linked debit card is the most convenient ongoing solution, giving the recipient a way to spend, withdraw, and receive money repeatedly without ever opening a bank account.
Whatever method you choose, confirm the recipient’s full legal name, share any reference numbers promptly, and compare fees across at least two providers before sending. Small differences in fees and exchange rates can add up, especially on larger or recurring transfers.