Best Way to Send Money from Italy to Romania
Because banks shouldn't hide your money in spreads.
We expose the real cost of every transfer — the spread, the fees, the delivery time — and rank providers by what actually lands in your recipient's account. No sponsored ordering. Ever.
Which provider is cheapest to send money from Italy to Romania in 2026?
Hover any card to see exactly what it costs you.
How has the EUR/RON exchange rate changed recently?
vs Traditional Banks
You save up to RON 385
on a EUR 900 transfer
Wise
BEST RATEBank of America
+5% markup + $35 wire fee
Wells Fargo
+4.5% markup + $25 wire fee
Sending euros from Italy to Romania? Digital providers like Wise, Revolut, and Remitly beat Italian banks by 3-8% on every transfer. This guide breaks down the cheapest, fastest options for the EU's busiest remittance corridor.
In Romania, recipients can access funds directly at Banca Transilvania, the country's largest financial institution. By using Wise instead of a traditional bank wire, your recipient gets approximately 220 RON more on a $1,000 transfer — because digital providers pass the real exchange rate directly. Worth knowing about the local currency: Romania's 500 lei note features poet Mihai Eminescu, considered the national poet; his image has appeared on Romanian currency since 1992.
Our verdict: Use Wise for the best mid-market exchange rate and Revolut for free instant transfers up to your monthly limit — both crush Italian banks on this corridor.
Why send money from Italy to Romania with a digital provider in 2026?
The Italy-to-Romania corridor is one of Europe's busiest remittance routes, and for good reason. Romania is the EU's largest remittance recipient in Eastern Europe — over 3.5 million Romanians work abroad, primarily in Italy, Germany, and Spain. That means millions of euros flow south to RON every month, mostly from workers in Milan, Rome, and Turin sending money back to family.
Here's the honest truth: Italian banks are not your friend on this corridor. UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, and BPER charge €10-25 per transfer plus a 2-4% exchange rate markup. Digital providers like Wise, Revolut, and Remitly do the same job for under €3 — and often in minutes. If you're sending more than €100 a month, the bank route is simply burning cash.
What are the transfer fees from Italy to Romania in 2026?
Fees come in two flavors, and one is sneakier than the other. The flat fee is the easy part — Wise charges around €1-3 for a €500 transfer, Revolut is free up to a monthly limit, and Remitly often waives the first transfer fee entirely. Banks, by contrast, hit you with €10-20 SEPA-equivalent fees, plus a "non-EUR conversion" surcharge.
The hidden cost is the exchange rate markup. Banks quote you a rate that's 2-4% worse than the mid-market rate. On €1,000, that's €20-40 vanishing silently. Always compare the RON amount your recipient actually gets — not the fee headline.
Which provider offers the best EUR to RON exchange rate?
Wise is the rate king. It uses the real mid-market rate and charges a transparent fee — typically 0.4-0.6% all-in. For salary-sized transfers (€500-€2,000), nothing beats it. Revolut Standard users get free interbank rates on weekdays but pay a 1% markup on weekends, which catches a lot of people off-guard.
Remitly leans on promotional first-transfer rates and is competitive for cash pickup. WorldRemit sits in the middle — decent rates, broader payout network. Versus Italian banks, you're saving 3-8% on every transfer with any of these. On €1,500, that's €45-120 staying in your pocket.
How long does it take to send money from Italy to Romania?
Speed depends on the rails. Wise's instant transfers to Romanian bank accounts land in under 20 minutes when funded by debit card, sometimes seconds. Revolut-to-Revolut is genuinely instant. Remitly Express is minutes; Remitly Economy is 3-5 business days but cheaper.
Pay by SEPA bank transfer from your Italian account and you'll wait 1-2 business days regardless of the provider. The rule of thumb: card-funded for emergencies, bank-funded for routine monthly sends to save on fees.
Where does the money land in Romania?
The two largest receiving banks in Romania are Banca Transilvania and BCR (Erste Group), and most digital providers can deliver directly to accounts at these banks via IBAN. Banca Transilvania in particular has aggressively modernized — transfers via Wise and Revolut typically credit within minutes during business hours.
Beyond bank deposits, you've got cash pickup through Western Union and MoneyGram agents, mobile wallets like Revolut RON accounts, and increasingly Apple Pay/Google Pay-linked debit cards. For elderly recipients without smartphones, cash pickup still wins. For everyone else, direct bank deposit is faster and cheaper.
What taxes or regulations apply to EUR to RON transfers?
Standard banking regulations apply for sending from Italy to Romania. Both countries are EU members, so AML and KYC checks are harmonized — you'll need to verify your ID with any provider, and transfers above €10,000 trigger automatic reporting under EU anti-money-laundering rules.
There's no transfer tax on personal remittances. Recipients in Romania don't pay income tax on family support transfers, though large or business-related sums may need declaration to ANAF, Romania's tax authority. Keep transaction receipts for anything over €5,000.
What is the best time to send EUR to Romania to get the best rate?
The EUR/RON pair is relatively stable — Romania's central bank manages a soft peg — but rates still drift 1-2% over weeks. Mid-week (Tuesday-Thursday) during European market hours typically gives tighter spreads than weekends, especially on Revolut.
Set rate alerts on Wise or Revolut for your target rate. For amounts above €2,000, consider splitting into two transfers a week apart to average your rate. And avoid month-end and holiday windows when banks slow down processing — you'll often get a better rate, but slower settlement.