How To Send Money To Someone Without A Bank Account [A Detailed 2026 Guide]

When you think of sending or transferring money to someone, the first thought that comes up in your mind is to transfer the money into his or her bank account, which could either be an online bank or an external bank. But what if the person you want to transfer money to does not have a bank account?

Since the year 2000, there has been a great advancement in digital technology, leading to the development of online money transfer platforms and online banks, which enables their users to send money to someone who doesn't have a bank account. Some of these platforms will be discussed below.

In this article, you are about to discover how to send money to a person who doesn't have a bank account.

How To Send Money To Someone Without A Bank Account

There are many options that can enable you to transfer money to someone instantly who doesn't have a bank account. Just like you can transfer money from one platform to another, like Venmo to a bank, you can also transfer money to someone without a bank account.

To send money to someone without a bank account, follow some of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest methods below:

Method 1: Send Money Through Western Union

This is one of the oldest methods of transferring money to someone who doesn't have a bank account. Today, there are still many people who use the Western Union's transferring services to send money.

To send money through Western Union services, you can go to any of their offices that is closer to you, do it online through their website, or better still, use their mobile app and order a transfer.

Western Union works with funds from your bank account, debit card, credit card, or physical cash. The recipient received or collected the money at the Western Union office that is closer to his/her location after identifying himself/herself.

The good thing about Western Union is that it is present in almost every country in the world. This makes it an accurate and reliable method of sending money to someone who doesn't have a bank account.

To send money to someone using the Western Union online services, log in to their website or mobile app and enter the details of the person you want to send money to as requested. Enter the amount of money you want to send and select the method of payment: that is, either through bank account, credit card, or debit card.

You can also call the Western Union office to set up a transfer for you if you have their office line. You just need to have a credit card or debit card. For security reasons this method is not the best.

To avoid any errors through online entries, simply go to any Western Union office and set up a money transfer. Make sure to enter all details correctly. Your recipient can pick up the money or a prepaid card at a Western Union location near his/her locality.

Note that Western Union charges fees depending on the zip code of the country where you are sending money from as well as the recipient location. For domestic transfer, it might cost from $1 to $2, and if the recipient is to pick up the money at an agent, then it might cost up to $25. Also, the Western Union website has a fee estimator tool you can use.

Method 2: Send Money Through Mobile Money Wallet

Due to the advancement in technology, many telecommunication companies, like MTN, Orange, and others, have come up with a mobile money wallet to aid in the difficulty of sending money to someone who doesn't have a bank account.

To create a mobile money account, you need to buy a SIM card from any internet service provider and register it using your national ID card; thereafter, you can create your money account by entering your phone number and password. But if you can't create it, go to any office of the SIM card provider, and it will be created for free.

With a mobile money account, it is easy to send money from one mobile money account to another and at a very fast rate. The limitation is that mobile money to mobile money transfers only work with national networks and not internationally.

That is to say that someone in the U.S. cannot send money to someone in Russia or Cameroon using his/her mobile money wallet, since countries' zip codes are different.

The above problem has been solved due to the development of online money transfer platforms such as BitSika, Taptap Send, PayPal, and many others, which enable someone to transfer money from a linked bank account directly into the app wallet and then to the mobile money account of the recipient.

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Method 3: Send Money Through Money Order

A money order is a secure way to send money or make a payment of up to $1,000 to someone who doesn't have a bank account.

Many recipients prefer money orders because they can't "bounce." Issued by a third-party distributor in direct exchange for the money order's cash value plus fees.

Money orders work almost like a check, but the difference is that they are not linked to any bank account. Money orders help you to send money to someone who doesn't have a bank account through their email.

When you buy a money order with the amount you plan to send to someone, you then sign it and mail it to the proper recipient, who can then exchange it for cash.

Money orders could be sold or bought at Walmart and CVS, as well as any post office and many grocery stores and gas stations. Their cost may be $1 to $2.

Money orders are a low-cost and secure alternative to sending cash. Because you receive a cash receipt for the money order, you have a paper trail to account for the funds you send.

Thus, you avoid the potential danger of having your cash lost in the mail or stolen. Also, you can cancel a money order in most cases as long as the recipient hasn't cashed it yet.

How to Fill a Money Order

Banks, credit unions, post offices, and some supermarkets are distributors of money orders.

To fill a money order, you need:

The recipient's name
Your address
Any applicable account number (if the money order is tied to a bill)
Your signature

Make sure you hold your money order receipt in case there are any issues or you need to cancel it. The recipient cashes the money order by simply printing and signing it back.

Method 4: Send Money Using PayPal

PayPal is a supreme online money transfer app that allows you to send money to people in more than 200 countries using only their email address and phone number. However, they have to sign up to free accounts to get their funds.

This service supports more than 20 currencies, but the dollar is the most used currency. You can either use your PayPal balance or a linked debit card to initiate a transfer, and this is usually free.

If you are sending money to someone outside the U.S., the fee can range from 0.5% to 2%. Fees can go up to 3.4% to 3.9% if you use a credit card or a non-linked debit card.

For recipients who are not based in the U.S., they need to log in to PayPal and request that a check be mailed. This check might arrive in one or two weeks. The recipient will also need to pay a fee of $1.50 in order to withdraw the check, which can be cashed at any bank.

Send money to someone without a bank account using PayPal:

Follow the steps below:

If you have been emailed an invoice or a money request, click on the 'Pay now' button to get started or log into your PayPal account and then click the 'Send and Request' button.
Select the type of payment. That is, personal or business payment.
Enter the details of the recipient, as requested.
Review and confirm the amount and currency you want to send.
Confirm all details above and choose the funding source.
Review all details and then confirm the transfer. At this point, you will receive an emailed receipt showing that payment has been processed.

If you received an email without a PayPal account, click on the 'Pay now' in the email you have received and follow by entering your credit or debit card details. Lastly, confirm the payment as seen in 6 above.

Method 5: Send Money Through Walmart to Walmart Transfer

This is mostly used in the U.S. and Canada, where it has over 3000 supercenters. Walmart is used for shopping, but beyond that, the retailer also allows individuals to send money from one store to another.

The recipient can pick up the money at that particular Walmart to which the sender directed it.

For amounts less than $50, Walmart charges a fee of $4.50; between $51 and $900, the fee is $9.50; and up to $2500, the fee is $18.

Method 6: Through a Prepaid Debit Card/Gift Card

When a debit card is linked to your account, it gives you the ability to opt for a prepaid debit card. Gift cards can be gotten at Walmart, several gas stations, and convenient stores.

You simply pay for the contents of the card. You can transfer funds and set up direct deposits with several prepaid cards.

You can also get apps that connect to these accounts. These provide many of the major features the best banking apps offer, including mobile check deposits.

Method 7: Send Money Through Google Pay

Google has a wallet that enables you to send money to someone who doesn't have a bank account. After you both have downloaded the Google Pay app and installed it on your mobile device, you can easily transfer money to someone using their phone number and email address.

Google Pay attaches a debit card to its wallet, which can be used to make transactions or withdrawals at ATMs. Transferring and receiving money is free.

Google Pay services are very secure, and all your payment details are also secured by one of the world's most advanced security infrastructures.

Method 8: Send Money Through MoneyGram

MoneyGram, the world's second largest money transfer company after PayPal, provides money transfer services, bill payments, and a variety of corporate products and services.

With MoneyGram, you can send money to someone without a bank account online, in-app, or through an agent and pay by cash, wire transfer, debit, or credit card.

Payments can be sent to your recipient's bank account (if any), or mobile wallet, or arranged for cash collection.

Other Methods of Sending Money Without a Bank Account

Apart from the above methods, we also can send money through:

Through the Venmo wallet, which is similar to PayPal.
Through Square Cash.
Using a third person to deliver physical cash to the recipient.

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Bottom Line On How To Send Money To Someone Without A Bank Account:

The great advancement in digital technology has led to the development of online platforms and online banks, which enables their users to send money to someone without a bank account.

You can transfer money to someone without a bank account using PayPal, Western Union, a mobile money account, Venmo, and many others.

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