The fee that
isn't called
a fee.

Hi there — when you move money across borders, the biggest cost is usually the one nobody itemizes. Here's where it hides.

A spread this small feels like nothing on one transfer — then adds up fast once you total a year of sending.

Advertised fee

the headline

Real spread cost

the hidden part

01 · The spread

"Zero fee" can still cost you

The fact: the real cost of a currency conversion is often baked into the exchange rate, not the fee line. A "no-fee" transfer with a worse rate can cost more than a "$5 fee" transfer at a fair rate. Orbiq records the exact rate used on every cross-border transaction, so you can compare what you actually got against the market — spread and all.

02 · The mid-market rate

Know the "real" rate to judge yours

The fact: the mid-market rate — the midpoint banks trade at — is the honest reference point. The gap between it and the rate you were given is the true price of the conversion. Orbiq captures historical rates at the time of transfer, so you have a fair benchmark instead of taking the provider's word for it.

03 · Double conversion

Paying the toll twice

The fact: money that hops through an intermediate currency (say, home currency → USD → destination) can get converted twice, each hop taking a spread. Fewer conversions usually means more arrives. Because Orbiq tags original currency and rate per transaction, cross-border trips that quietly cost more become visible.

04 · The yearly total

Small spreads, many transfers

The fact: a 2% spread feels tiny on one transfer and adds up fast if you send money home every month. The cost is only obvious once you total the year. Orbiq's cross-border and remittance views pull those numbers together so you can see the annual bite — and decide if a better provider is worth switching to.

See your cross-border costs →

Tip

Before your next transfer, compare "amount received" — not the advertised fee — across two providers. The one that delivers more at the same send amount wins, spread included.

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Follow r/financial_orbiq for community updates — release notes, the reasoning behind changes, and somewhere to tell us when we get it wrong.

The fee thatisn't calleda fee.

"Zero fee" can still cost you

Know the "real" rate to judge yours

Paying the toll twice

Small spreads, many transfers

The fee that
isn't called
a fee.