There are no hidden fees when you send money to El Salvador with MAJORITY: a flat $3.00 network fee per transfer, shown in the app before you confirm.
Quick answer
When people ask about hidden fees on a money transfer, they usually mean two things: surprise charges added at the end, and a marked-up exchange rate buried in the math. With MAJORITY, neither happens on an El Salvador transfer. The cost is a flat $3.00 network fee per transaction, the same on both bank transfer and cash pickup, and it is shown in the app before you confirm. Because El Salvador uses the US dollar as legal tender, the transfer is dollar to dollar, so there is no exchange-rate margin to hide. The only other cost is the $5.99 monthly membership, which you already know about.
What you need to know
- The fee to send money to El Salvador is a flat $3.00 network fee per transaction, the same every time.
- The $3.00 network fee is identical on both delivery methods, bank transfer and cash pickup, so the method you choose does not change the price.
- The fee is shown in the app before you confirm, so there is nothing added at the end and nothing hidden in the rate.
- El Salvador uses the US dollar as legal tender, so transfers are dollar to dollar and no exchange-rate margin applies on top of the $3.00 fee.
- The $5.99 monthly membership is the only other cost, and most El Salvador transfers arrive instantly.
What "no hidden fees" actually means
Hidden fees on a money transfer usually show up in two places. The first is a surprise charge that appears only at the final confirmation screen, after you have already entered the amount. The second is a marked-up exchange rate, where the provider quotes a "no fee" transfer but builds its margin into the rate you receive, so the recipient gets fewer local-currency units than the mid-market rate would give.
MAJORITY handles both of these plainly on the El Salvador route:
- The fee is flat and shown upfront. The network fee is $3.00 per transaction, the same every time, and it is visible in the app before you confirm. There is no charge that appears only at the end.
- There is no rate to mark up. El Salvador is dollarized, so the transfer is dollar to dollar. There is no US-dollar-to-local-currency conversion, which means there is no exchange-rate spread for a margin to hide inside.
So the full cost of sending money to El Salvador is the $3.00 network fee per transfer plus the $5.99 monthly membership. That is the whole picture, with nothing held back for the confirmation screen.
Why the flat fee is the same every time
A flat fee is easier to plan around than a percentage or a sliding charge. On the El Salvador route, the $3.00 network fee does not move with the amount you send or the delivery method you pick.
- Same fee regardless of amount. Whether you send a small amount or a larger one, the network fee stays at $3.00 per transaction. A percentage-based fee would grow with the amount; this one does not.
- Same fee on both delivery methods. Bank transfer and cash pickup both carry the same $3.00 network fee, so you can choose the method that is most convenient for your recipient without it changing the cost.
Because the figure is fixed, you can do the math before you open the app. One transfer costs $3.00 in network fee. Two transfers in a month cost $6.00 in network fees. Add the $5.99 membership, and you have your total for the month.
El Salvador delivery methods compared
You have supported ways to deliver money to a recipient in El Salvador. The table below summarizes what your recipient needs for each, the typical speed, and the network fee per transfer.
| Delivery method | What your recipient needs | Typical speed | Network fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to a Salvadoran bank | An account at Banco Agrícola, Banco Promerica, Davivienda El Salvador, Banco Cuscatlán, Banco de América Central, Banco Hipotecario de El Salvador, Banco de Fomento Agropecuario, Banco Atlántida El Salvador, or Banco Azul de El Salvador | Most transfers are instant; some bank transfers across providers can take 30 minutes to a few business days | Flat $3.00 per transaction |
| Mobile wallet deposit to Tigo Money | A Tigo Money account on a Salvadoran mobile number | Typically within minutes | Flat $3.00 per transaction |
| Cash pickup | A government-issued ID at a participating partner location, including Banco Agrícola, Banco Promerica, Davivienda El Salvador, Fedecrédito, and Fedecaces branches | Same day at participating locations | Flat $3.00 per transaction |
The right delivery method depends on what your recipient can use most easily, and the network fee is the same flat $3.00 either way. A relative with a Banco Cuscatlán account will usually prefer a direct bank transfer. A recipient who uses Tigo Money on their phone may prefer the mobile wallet deposit. A relative outside a city center may find a Fedecrédito or Fedecaces branch closer than a bank, in which case cash pickup is the better option.
How the cost adds up
A common question is how the $5.99 monthly membership and the flat $3.00 network fee combine across a month of sends. The answer depends on how often you send to El Salvador.
- One transfer a month. If you send once a month, the total is $5.99 for the membership plus $3.00 for that single network fee. Compare that against a pay-per-transfer provider's fee for the same amount and delivery method.
- Two to four transfers a month. The membership stays flat at $5.99 no matter how many times you send, and each transfer adds a flat $3.00 network fee. Two sends are $6.00 in network fees, three are $9.00, and so on, on top of the one membership.
- Higher-frequency senders. If you send weekly or more, the membership effectively flattens your fixed cost relative to a per-transfer provider, while each send still carries the same predictable $3.00 network fee.
Run the math against your own monthly send count. Add the $5.99 membership, the $3.00 network fee on each send, and any receive-side handling, then compare the total against a pay-per-transfer provider's total for the same set of sends.
A few clarifications worth keeping in mind
"No hidden fees" describes how the cost is shown, not a claim that the transfer is free. A few points worth keeping in mind:
- The $5.99 monthly membership applies regardless. It covers your access along with other included services, and it is a real cost to factor into your total.
- The flat $3.00 network fee applies on every El Salvador transfer, on both bank transfer and cash pickup. It is disclosed in the app before you confirm, not added at the end.
- Receive-side handling can occasionally apply if your recipient's bank or pickup partner has its own handling step. On the El Salvador route this is usually small or zero, but it is worth confirming with your recipient.
- Promotional or limited-time language is not used here. The cost described is the standard member tier, not a first-transfer promo.
The transparency is the point: the cost is the membership plus the disclosed flat $3.00 network fee, the delivery method determines the convenience, and the exact amount and estimated delivery time are visible in the app before you confirm.
What to do next
- Decide which delivery method works best for your recipient (a Salvadoran bank account at one of the named banks, a Tigo Money mobile wallet, or cash pickup at a Fedecrédito or Fedecaces branch).
- Confirm with your recipient that the chosen method is convenient on their side (a nearby branch, a working Tigo Money account on their phone, or an active account at one of the supported banks).
- Open the app, enter the USD amount, and review the flat $3.00 network fee and estimated delivery time before you confirm.
- If you are comparing to a pay-per-transfer provider, total your typical monthly send count against the $5.99 membership plus the $3.00 network fee per send to see which model is lower-cost at your volume.
How MAJORITY can help
MAJORITY is a financial membership for migrants in the US, and El Salvador is one of the more than 30 destinations supported. At the member tier, you can send to Salvadoran bank accounts at Banco Agrícola, Banco Promerica, Davivienda El Salvador, Banco Cuscatlán, Banco de América Central, Banco Hipotecario de El Salvador, Banco de Fomento Agropecuario, Banco Atlántida El Salvador, and Banco Azul de El Salvador; deposit to Tigo Money for mobile wallet delivery; or send for cash pickup at Banco Agrícola, Banco Promerica, Davivienda El Salvador, Fedecrédito, and Fedecaces. The membership is $5.99 per month, the network fee to El Salvador is a flat $3.00 per transaction on both bank transfer and cash pickup, and most transfers arrive instantly.
To learn more or get started:
Frequently asked questions
Are there hidden fees when you send money to El Salvador with MAJORITY?
No. The cost is a flat $3.00 network fee per transaction, the same on both bank transfer and cash pickup, and it is shown in the app before you confirm. Because El Salvador is dollar to dollar, there is also no exchange-rate margin to hide, and the only other cost is the $5.99 monthly membership.
How much is the fee to send money to El Salvador?
The network fee is a flat $3.00 per transaction, the same every time and the same on both delivery methods. The exact figure is shown in the app before you confirm, on top of the $5.99 monthly membership.
Does the fee change with the amount or the delivery method?
No. The $3.00 network fee is flat. It does not grow with the amount you send, and it is the same whether you use bank transfer or cash pickup, so you can pick the method that is most convenient for your recipient without it changing the price.
Why is there no exchange-rate margin on an El Salvador transfer?
El Salvador adopted the US dollar as legal tender in 2001 and added Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021. Because the dollar is the local currency, there is no US-dollar-to-local-currency conversion on a transfer from the US, so there is no exchange-rate spread where a margin could be hidden.
How long does a money transfer to El Salvador take?
Most El Salvador transfers arrive instantly, with the exact estimated delivery time shown in the app before you confirm. Across providers in general, bank transfers can take from 30 minutes to a few business days, mobile wallet deposits typically arrive within minutes, and cash pickup is usually available the same day at participating locations.
Do I need a US Social Security number to open an account and send money to El Salvador?
No. The account can be opened with an international government-issued ID such as a passport, driver's license, or matrícula consular, without a US Social Security number. Once your account is open, you can send money to El Salvador on the three supported delivery methods.
Disclosures
The MAJORITY app facilitates banking services through Axiom Bank, N.A. ("Axiom"), Member FDIC. The funds deposited in the account held at Axiom, Member FDIC, are FDIC-insured on a pass-through basis up to $250,000 per depositor in the event Axiom fails and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. Non-deposit products or services such as money transfers and telecom services are not FDIC-insured.
MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card is issued by Axiom Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.