TD Bank international transfer: Fees and Rates Revealed [CA] 2024

You can set up a TD Bank international transfer online, or by visiting your local TD Bank branch. If you want to know more about how to transfer money internationally with TD Bank Canada, this guide has you covered. We’ll look at how to arrange a TD Bank international payment, the fees, limits and exchange rate.

TD Bank is the largest bank in Canada - but that doesn’t mean it’s the best available option for sending an overseas transfer. Specialist services like Wise and OFX may be able to offer a cheaper, faster and more convenient option.

TD Bank international money transfer comparison

You’ve got a few different options when you transfer money abroad with TD Bank. However, in each case there are a few different costs you’ll want to know about:

• Transfer fee - upfront fee, varies depending on how you arrange your payment

• Exchange rate markup - a percentage rolled up in the exchange rate

• SWIFT fees - third parties involved in processing your transfer may deduct charges as they pass it through the SWIFT network

To give an idea of how TD Bank compares with other payment services, let’s look at an example. Here’s what you’d pay if you were sending a standard online transfer of 1,000 CAD to a USD denominated account, with TD Bank and a few specialist services.

TD Bank international money transfers arranged online have a dynamic pricing system - which means you won’t actually know the upfront fee until you start to set up your payment. For online transfers the charge can run to 25 CAD per transaction. On top of the transfer fee you’ll also pay an exchange rate markup which is trickier to spot, and may be liable for intermediary charges which you won’t always know about in advance.

If it sounds complicated, it’s because it is. Instead of using TD Bank you might be better off with specialist services like Wise and OFX, which tend to have more transparent charges. They’re also easy to use with an intuitive online and in-app service.

TD Bank international transfer fees

TD Bank Canada offers the option to send money overseas using an international transfer which is then deposited directly into the recipient’s bank for convenience. You can also opt to send money for cash collection via TD Bank’s partnership with Western Union, or to send your money right to a Visa debit card in some cases. Fees for these services vary.

Here’s what you need to know about TD Bank international bank transfer fees:

TD Bank exchange rate

When you send a payment overseas with TD Bank you’ll be purchasing the currency at the prevailing TD Bank exchange rate. That is unlikely to be the same as the rate you’ll find if you use a currency converter tool or a Google search. Google will show you the mid-market exchange rate - but bank exchange rates tend to have a markup or margin added, to cover transaction costs and boost the bank’s profits.

Bank markups vary depending on the currency and the specific payment type. However, you’ll commonly find a markup of about 3%. To see the markup for your payment you’ll need to compare the TD Bank international transfer exchange rate against the Google rate yourself. To give a picture, here’s how a 3% markup woud mount up on a few different transfer values:

• Sending 1,000 CAD - the exchange rate markup adds 30 CAD to the total

• Sending 5,000 CAD - the exchange rate markup adds 150 CAD to the total

• Sending 50,000 CAD - the exchange rate markup adds 1,500 CAD to the total

Here’s a reminder of the total costs - including exchange rate markups - from the providers we looked at earlier. This is what you’ll pay with each if you set up your payment online and send 1,000 CAD to a USD denominated account:

• TD Bank: 25 CAD + exchange rate markup + any relevant intermediary fees

• Wise: 8.58 CAD

• OFX: 15 CAD + exchange rate markup

• WorldRemit: 3.99 CAD + exchange rate markup

TD Bank additional fees

In addition to TD Bank’s listed fees, you  may also need to pay third party charges as a result of the payment being processed through the SWIFT network. In SWIFT, your money is passed between 1 to 3 intermediary banks to reach the beneficiary account. Each intermediary can deduct a service fee as they process the money, which might mean your recipient gets less than you’re expecting in the end.

How long does a TD Bank international money transfer take

Like most traditional banks TD Bank processes international transfers through the SWIFT network. That’s reliable, but it’s not fast. In fact it can take 5 working days for your money to get where it needs to be. Here’s how that compares to the specialist services we profiled earlier:

• TD Bank: 1 - 5 working days 

• Wise: 80% of payments arrive in 24 hours

• OFX: most payments arrive within 24 hours

• WorldRemit: 90% of transfers are completed within the same day

Pros and cons of transferring money abroad with TD Bank

Pros:

• Online service available

• Several different types of payment, including transfers for cash collection

• Familiar and reliable

Cons:

• High fees which can vary depending on the payment type

• Exchange rate markups push up overall costs

• Can take up to 5 working days to arrive

TD Bank may not be the best option for your international money transfer. Check out specialist online services like Wise or OFX, which may be able to offer a faster service, with lower fees and a better exchange rate.

How to make an international transfer with TD Bank

You can transfer money overseas with TD Bank online, via your mobile device, or in a branch. If you’re in a branch you’ll benefit from a face to face service - but you’ll pay a higher charge as a result. Online it’s pretty easy to send a TD Bank international transfer. Here’s how:

1. Log into your online banking and register for TD Global Transfer

2. Enter the destination country and send amount

3. Choose Send to Account

4. Confirm your personal information, select an existing recipient or enter your new recipient details

5. Check everything over and confirm your transaction

What information do you need to make an international transfer with TD Bank?

To send a payment overseas with TD Bank you’ll first have to register your recipient by entering their personal and bank information. Here’s what you need:

• Beneficiary full name and address

• Beneficiary bank account number or IBAN

• Additional information based on the country - like a sort code for the UK or routing number for the US

When you set up your payment, you’ll simply need to select the recipient from your registered recipient list, and add a note to confirm the purpose of the transfer. Depending on the specific payment type you may be asked for more information about the transfer or the source of funds.

Transfer limits and available countries

TD Bank international transfer limits mean you can send up to 6,500 CAD online in every 24 hour period. If you’re unsure of the transfer limit for other payment types you’ll be able to find them by logging into your online banking, and selecting the option: What are my sending limits?

TD Bank international payments can be sent to 150+ countries and territories around the world.

Receiving money from abroad with TD Bank

To receive an international payment into your TD Bank account, give the sender:

• Your name and address

• Your account number

• Your branch transit number and full branch address

• TD Bank's Institution number: 004

• TD Bank's Swift Code

It also helps to know that you’ll need to provide US intermediary bank information if you’re expecting a transfer in USD:

• Bank of America, New York

• SWIFT: BOFAUS3NXXX

• Fedwire ABA# 026009593

TD Bank SWIFT code

SWIFT codes (also called SWIFT/BIC codes) are like postal codes for international payments. They’re assigned to banks to make sure money moves safely across borders and ends up in the right destination account. Give the TD Bank SWIFT code to anyone sending you money from overseas, to make sure the payment can be processed securely.

TheTD Bank SWIFT/BIC code is: TDOMCATTTOR

Conclusion

While sending TD Bank international money transfers shouldn’t be tricky, it can be expensive. That’s because TD Bank overseas payments can attract several different fees including an exchange rate markup and third party costs. As they’re processed through the SWIFT network they can also be pretty slow, taking about a week to arrive in some cases.

Instead of using TD Bank, why not check out alternative online and in app services like Wise and OFX. You might find you can get your money moving faster, and for a far lower overall fee.