How Algerians in France send money home to Algeria

The relationship between Algeria and France runs deep. Between 132 years of colonisation (1830–1962), a brutal war of independence, and continued cultural and linguistic ties, millions of people share Algerian-French heritage. So, it makes sense that France and Algeria share one of the world's most active remittance relationships.

With over a million Algerians living in France, money constantly flows between the two countries. Algerians in France send money home to support their families, invest in business, or build houses. While remittances contribute significantly to the Algerian economy, many Algerians in France don’t realise how much they are losing on every transfer. This article explores how Algerians in France send money home to Algeria.

Also read: Algeria’s remote tech talent and opportunities abroad

La Banque Postale

La Banque Postale is the primary bank for many Algerians in France. It is accessible, widely used among lower and middle-income households, and has historically been the path of least resistance for remittances to North Africa.

La Banque Postale offers two routes for sending money to Algeria:

• International wire transfer: Available online via the personal banking portal or in person at a branch. The sender initiates a transfer to an Algerian bank account using the recipient's IBAN or RIB details. Fees vary depending on whether the sender opts for SHA (shared fees) or OUR (sender covers all fees). The OUR option, where the sender pays all charges including correspondent bank fees, ensures the recipient receives the full transferred amount without deductions.
• Western Union via La Banque Postale: For CCP account holders with eligible Visa cards, Western Union transfers can be initiated online through La Banque Postale's personal banking area or via the LBP app. The maximum transfer limit is €5,000 over three days. The recipient can collect in cash at a Western Union agent location in Algeria upon presenting a valid ID. This is particularly helpful for recipients who don’t have a bank account.

La Banque Postale's international wire transfer is probably the cheapest option for bank-to-bank transfers if you are sending money from France to Algeria. It offers relatively low fees and a low markup on the mid-market exchange rate. than most commercial banks makes it worth checking before automatically switching to a specialist platform, particularly for holders who already bank there.

Remitly

Remitly is another low-cost payment platform supporting remittances from France to Algeria. It offers two payment speed options:

• Economy transfers: Lower fee, typically settled within three to five business days for bank account delivery.
• Express transfers: Higher fee, typically arriving the same day or within hours.

For most regular monthly remittances where timing is not critical, the Economy option offers the best cost-to-value ratio on this corridor. New users typically receive a promotional rate on their first transfer, which can make the initial experience meaningfully cheaper than the standard rate.

Payment methods for French senders include:

• Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards
• Apple Pay (available in the EU)
• Prepaid cards

Recipients in Algeria can receive via direct bank deposit to Algerian bank accounts. The app is available in French, and the interface is clear enough that less tech-comfortable users typically navigate it without difficulty.

Wise

Wise applies the mid-market rate on conversions and charges a clearly disclosed fee before you confirm the transfer. That transparency is its defining feature on any corridor, including France to Algeria.

How it works:

• You enter the amount in EUR.
• Wise shows you exactly how much DZD the recipient will receive, the fee being charged, and the exchange rate being applied, all before you confirm.
• Payment is made via bank transfer from your French bank account.
• Delivery to Algerian bank accounts typically takes one to two business days.

The fee on EUR-to-DZD transfers via Wise ranges from 0.4% to 1.5%, depending on the amount and method, applied at the mid-market rate with no additional markup built into the rate itself. On a €500 transfer, the total cost is €2 to €7.50.

Revolut

Revolut has been identified as among the cheapest options for bank account transfers to Algeria in recent comparisons, with a transfer fee and a small markup of approximately 0.2% on the DZD exchange rate. For Revolut users who are already on the platform for other purposes, adding Algeria transfers is a natural extension.

A few things worth knowing:

• On weekdays, conversions within the monthly fair usage limit on the Standard plan are processed at or near the mid-market rate.
• Weekend transfers attract an additional markup, which can make timing your transfer to a weekday worth the planning.
• Payment is made via bank transfer from a French bank account or card.
• The app is clean, the process is straightforward, and real-time tracking shows when the transfer has been received.

Revolut is available to French residents and is regulated across EU markets. Account opening requires identity verification and takes a few minutes online.

Grey

Grey allows you to transfer money from France (EUR) to Algeria (DZD) by converting funds in your account and sending them directly to an Algerian bank account. Grey lets Algerians living in France hold a EUR balance funded directly from any French bank account via SEPA. You then convert to DZD on the platform at competitive rates (1% conversion fee capped at $6) and send DZD straight to any Algerian bank account. Transfers are typically delivered within 5 business days, with a $2.50 fee and a maximum limit of 388,000 DZD per transaction.

Here is how you send money home with Grey:

• You add EUR from your French account to your Grey EUR balance (SEPA transfers are usually free or low-cost and arrive the same or next business day).
• In the app, you select your EUR balance, choose “send money,” then “Send via bank transfer.”
• Pick Algeria as the destination country and DZD as the payout currency.
• Enter the recipient’s full name, bank name, branch code and account number (RIB).
• Grey handles the conversion and routes the payment through its local banking partners in Algeria.
• The Algerian bank receives the funds.

Also read: How to open US, UK and Euro bank accounts in France

Western Union

Western Union's main selling points in when sending money from France to Algeria are speed and cash pickup reach. It has an extensive agent network and partners across Algeria with pickup stations in most cities and many smaller towns. For recipients who do not have a bank account or who need cash immediately, Western Union is consistently among the fastest options.

Key points:

• Cash pickup transfers can be available within minutes after the sender initiates the transfer online.
• The recipient collects in DZD at an agent location by presenting a valid ID and the transfer reference number (MTCN).
• Bank account delivery is also supported for recipients with Algerian bank accounts.
• Transfers can be initiated entirely online or via the WU app, without visiting an agent in France.

The cost structure includes a visible transfer fee and an exchange rate with a margin above the mid-market rate. The total cost varies by delivery method and transfer amount. For cash pickup specifically, Western Union has been competitive on this corridor in recent comparisons. For bank account delivery, comparing the total DZD amount against Remitly or Wise for the specific amount being sent is worth the sixty seconds it takes.

Sending money to Algeria with Grey

If you are sending money home from France, then you need a payment solution that ensures your loved ones receive more and lose less. And this is just what Grey hopes to achieve with multi-currency accounts offering low transfer fees, competitive exchange rates, and no hidden charges. Apart from EUR, you also get GBP and USD accounts on one platform.

Grey virtual cards are designed to simplify international payments with seamless integrations with Apple Pay and Google Pay. Whether you are shopping for your loved one on Amazon or renewing your subscriptions, you can spend directly from your foreign account balance without topping up manually.

Sign up on Grey  and download the app to start sending money home with ease.

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