Transfer cost calculator: what sending 1,000 zł abroad really costs in channels you can actually use
Updated: 2026-10-23 · ~6 min read
- A bank usually shows you one cost element (for example „fee: 0 zł”), while the largest part of the bill is the margin hidden in the rate. A 3–5% spread costs more than a whole year of account fees.
- For small amounts (roughly up to 1,200 zł) transfer services and online exchanges win; for large amounts the fixed fee matters less and the percentage and the rate matter more.
- If the receiver has a Polish account, the cheapest route is always a domestic transfer (ELIXR) or SEPA in euro — no foreign transfer is needed at all.
- Compare what the receiver gets, not what the fee is. Those are two different numbers and the fee is the one banks display.
Calculator
Scroll the table sideways →
| Channel | Fixed fee (zł) | Percentage fee (%) | Margin on the rate (%) | Total cost | Real cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polish bank — SWIFT transfer | — | — | |||
| Online exchange (convert + transfer) | — | — | |||
| Transfer service (Wise / Revolut type) | — | — | |||
| Domestic transfer to a Polish account of the receiver | — | — |
—
Enter an indicative rate to see how much the receiver actually gets in their own bank.
The three components that usually add up
| Component | Where you find it | What to look at |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed fee | the bank's fee table — line „foreign transfer / SWIFT” | whether the bank also charges for the message (MT103) and how costs are split between sender and receiver (the OUR / SHA / BEN fields) |
| Percentage fee | the price list of an exchange or transfer service | whether it is charged on the amount sent or on the amount after conversion; on large transfers it is often progressive with a cap |
| Margin on the rate (spread) | rate in your bank account vs a reference rate | the gap between the bank rate and a reference rate is a cost that never appears in the fee column; with „no fee” transfers a 3–5% spread is typical for banks |
On top of that comes a double conversion: zł → USD → UAH instead of zł → UAH. It happens when the bank has no direct currency pair, or when the receiving bank settles in dollars. Control: on the transfer confirmation and the statement check in which currency the money left and whether there was one conversion or two.
How to do the same calculation yourself
- Pick one test amount (for example 1,000 zł) and use it for every channel.
- Open the calculator of your bank, of an online exchange and of a transfer service — all three for the same amount and the same country.
- Write down the amount the receiver receives (or calculate it: amount × rate minus fees), not the fee.
- Compare the rate with the reference rate published by the central bank (NBP) — that is the anchor for the margin. A 3% gap on 1,000 zł is 30 zł, i.e. more than the typical fee of a transfer service.
- Repeat for the amount you actually send each month — with regular transfers, differences of tens of zloty per month are normal, not a rounding error.
Which channel wins in which situation
- Small amounts (up to roughly 1,200 zł): a transfer service or an online exchange — the bank's fixed fee (20–50 zł) eats up any advantage it has on the rate.
- Large amounts (above roughly 5,000 zł): the percentage fee of a service grows with the amount; check a bank with a multi-currency account and negotiate the rate for a one-off large transfer.
- Receiver with a Polish account: a domestic transfer (ELIXR) or SEPA in euro — 0 zł in most banks; see how to read a Polish fee schedule.
- Cash: a high-street exchange can be cheapest on the rate, but you add the cost of getting the money there, the lack of a paper trail and the risk — not recommended for larger sums.
Send and receive money only through supervised institutions (a bank, or a payment institution listed in the KNF register). Private intermediaries and informal hand-offs are the most common route to lost money and to problems under anti-money-laundering rules — the consequences are usually more expensive than the tens of zloty saved.
Frequently asked questions
Is a „no-fee transfer” really free?
No. No fee usually means the bank earned on the rate. Compare the rate with the reference rate of the day — if it is 3–5% worse, that is exactly what the „free” transfer costs.
What do OUR / SHA / BEN mean on the payment order?
They decide who pays the fees: OUR — the sender pays everything, so the receiver gets the full amount; SHA — costs are shared; BEN — costs are deducted from the receiver's amount. On transfers to Ukraine and further east, intermediary banks can take 10–30 USD if you do not choose OUR or ask for the full cost up front.
Can I send money to Ukraine with BLIK?
No — BLIK works inside Poland. A transfer to a Ukrainian bank is a foreign (SWIFT) transfer or an exchange-based transfer; comparing those two routes is exactly what this calculator is for.
How often should I re-check channels?
Margins move with the rate and with competition. For regular transfers it is sensible to compare two channels before each larger payment and to do a full comparison once a quarter.
Are the starting figures current prices?
They are typical ranges from Polish price lists (state: October 2026), not an offer from a specific bank. For a trustworthy result, copy your own numbers from the fee table or from the service's calculator — the fields are editable for that reason.
Basis: comparative practice based on public price lists of banks and transfer services for transfers sent from Poland (state: October 2026); reference rate — NBP; register of payment institutions — KNF. Related: sending money abroad from Poland, Revolut and Wise vs a Polish bank, how to read a Polish fee schedule.