How NRIs Are Sending Money Home This Diwali: Best Apps for Fast & Safe Transfers

Panda AI

October 10, 2025

The festival of lights is around the corner, and millions of Indians living outside India are making preparations to celebrate Diwali with their families and friends in India—even if it is just virtually. For a lot of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), Diwali is not just a festival but a chance to spread happiness, share blessings, and send money to their relatives in India. The need to send money during Diwali has increased dramatically every year whether it’s support for family members, temple donations, or festive gifts.

The advent of digital banking and remittance applications has made the process of transferring money internationally quicker, safe, and less expensive. Let us see how NRIs all over the world are utilizing the send money to India during Diwali to ensure their good wishes reach home exactly on time.

Why Sending Money During Diwali Matters

Diwali is a festival that represents renewal, thankfulness, and sharing. Gold is frequently bought, houses are renovated, and big purchases are made by families as part of the festival preparation. A large number of NRIs, though, support the celebration by sending money for gifts, home repairs, charity, or festive expenses.

Nonetheless, standard bank transfers are often slow and costly because of high fees and unfavorable exchange rates. Thus, this year, there is a noticeable trend of Indian diaspora preferring trustworthy financial technology platforms that facilitate the instant send money to India during Diwali Diwali over traditional banking channels. Compare our transfer rates here.

The Rise of FinTech in Global Money Transfers

In the last five years, the world remittance sector has gone through a radical change. Nowadays, financial technology applications have taken over the traditional banking channels by providing quicker, clearer, and more convenient solutions. Firms such as Wise, Remitly, and Instarem are facilitating the users to send money instantly with real-time exchange rates and low costs to India during Diwali.

Moreover, this change has not only speeded up the process but also made it more secure – with sophisticated encryption and fraud detection tools making sure that every rupee goes through safekeeping.

Leading Apps for Festive Money Transfers

1. Get Panda Money

Get Panda Money is one of the up-and-coming fintech remittance platforms, providing instant transfers, real-time Google FX rates, and no hidden fees.

Why include it: It is a combination of speed, clarity, and bonuses. When the sender in the USA sends money to India during Diwali through Get Panda Money, the receiver knows the exact amount that has been transferred (there are no hidden markups).
Main traits:

• No fees charged on several transfers (the platform pays for it)

• Google FX rate is visible and is being updated in real-time

• In many corridors very fast or instant settlement

• User interface that is not misleading showing exactly how much the recipient gets

Things to verify: Being a newer or more focused provider, aspects such as coverage (of countries for sending or receiving money) might still be limited and thus need to be verified. Always check if your corridor (e.g. sending country → India) is available for support.

Using Get Panda Money service during Diwali for transferring money to India is one of the best choices, as it will be done with very little trouble and utmost transparency.

2. Remitly

Remitly no doubt still focuses on rapid remittances mainly for people sending smaller amounts home. As a result, It provides two options — Economy (low fee, 3–5 days) and Express (instant delivery).

Processing Time: Instant to 5 days, depending on the mode.
Best For: Speed and convenience.
Why It’s Great for Diwali: NRIs can send last-minute transfers to family before Diwali celebrations, ensuring no delay in festive shopping.

3. WorldRemit

WorldRemit allows users to send funds to bank accounts, mobile wallets, or for cash pickup across India. Its flexibility is what makes it stand out.

Processing Time: Usually under 1 hour.
Best For: Multiple transfer methods.
Why It’s Great for Diwali: Easy for families in smaller towns who might not have instant bank access — a smart way to send money to India during Diwali safely.

4. Instarem

Known for competitive exchange rates and low fees, Instarem is ideal for regular senders. Their loyalty points and promotions during festive seasons make it extra rewarding.

Processing Time: Within 24 hours.
Best For: Regular remittances and rewards.
Why It’s Great for Diwali: Festive offers make it cheaper to send money to India during Diwali and earn cashback.

5. Xoom (by PayPal)

Xoom combines PayPal’s trust with global reach. It allows NRIs to send money directly to Indian bank accounts or for cash pickup at partner locations like Punjab National Bank and Muthoot Finance.

Processing Time: Instantly to a few hours.
Best For: PayPal users and frequent senders.
Why It’s Great for Diwali: Ideal for PayPal users who want a quick, one-tap way to send money to India during Diwali securely.

Security Tips Before Sending Money

When picking an application for fund transfer, you should always check the following points:

Verify the rates of currency exchange: There are some apps that promote “zero fees,” but in fact, they are hiding their costs in very unprofitable exchange rates.
Two-factor authentication should be enabled: It adds an extra layer of security.
Public Wi-Fi should be avoided: Use only private, secure networks for entering financial information.
Regulations in that area should be checked: There are some countries that put up limits on the amounts of money that can be sent and that also require certain documents for large transactions.

If you adhere to these steps, you will be able to send money to India for Diwali without any concern for fraud or data breach.

Benefits of Using Digital Apps This Diwali

Instant Delivery: No waiting for banking hours or weekends.
Better Exchange Rates: Get the best rupee value for your dollar, euro, or pound.
Transparent Fees: Know exactly what you’re paying.
Mobile Convenience: Transfer funds anytime, anywhere.
Festive Discounts: Many apps run Diwali promos — cashback, fee waivers, or bonus points.

For many NRIs, these features make it easier than ever to send money to India during Diwali and stay connected with their families in meaningful ways.

Real Stories: How NRIs Are Celebrating from Afar

Rajesh from London uses Wise to send funds for his parents’ Diwali decorations in Hyderabad. “It takes just a few minutes, and I can see the money hit their account almost instantly,” he says.
Anita from New York relies on Remitly to support her younger brother’s college fees during the festive season. “Their express service ensures my family never misses a beat.”
Vikram from Dubai prefers Instarem for its loyalty points. “I use those points to make another transfer — it’s a win-win,” he adds.

These examples show how digital remittance apps are helping families bridge distances and celebrate together.

Future of Remittance for Indian Festivals

As India becomes more digital and UPI adoption spreads globally, sending money home will become even smoother. Soon, NRIs may directly link to UPI IDs abroad — making it effortless to send money to India during Diwali without third-party platforms.

The fintech revolution is only beginning, and Indian festivals like Diwali will continue to inspire innovation in the remittance space.

FAQs

1. What’s the cheapest way to send money to India during Diwali?

Apps like Wise and Instarem typically offer the best exchange rates and lowest fees. Always compare before confirming your transfer.

2. How long does it take to send money to India during Diwali?

Most digital transfers take from a few minutes to 24 hours, depending on the app and country of origin.

3. Can I send money directly to a UPI ID?

Some platforms now support UPI transfers, but availability depends on your country and bank. Expect this option to grow by next Diwali.

4. Are money transfer apps safe?

Yes. Reputed apps like Remitly, Wise, and Xoom use encrypted systems, licensed operations, and KYC verification to ensure safe transfers.

5. Do these apps offer Diwali discounts?

Yes! Many apps run festive campaigns offering lower fees or bonus rewards for those who send money to India during Diwali.

Conclusion

This Diwali, along with lighting diyas and celebrating with your loved ones across the globe, make your blessings the fastest to reach. A variety of safe, cheap, and efficient platforms for remittance have been opened up for NRIs who wish to send money to India during Diwali in just a few clicks — without any worries about exchange rates or delays.

Fintech applications such as Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit, Instarem, and Xoom have made huge changes in international money transfer services. They are providing both dependency and trust, guaranteeing that all the rupees sent to India are delivered to the destination quickly and securely.

Whatever your reason might be that includes festive shopping, family gifts, or temple donations, these platforms make it easier for you to stay both emotionally and financially attached to your roots. Therefore, do not suffer from long bank queues—just pick up the best app today, and send money to India during Diwali with confidence, speed, and the happiness of giving.