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How to compare international mobile recharge prices and FX markups

4 min read · Updated

Compare the total you pay with the credit your recipient receives. A worked example explains exchange-rate markups, fees and the details to check before recharging.

The amount charged to your card and the mobile credit delivered are different quantities, often in different currencies. Compare both before choosing a recharge service. A low advertised fee does not necessarily mean a low final price.

Start with the same recharge

Use the same destination country, operator and credit amount for every quote. Check whether the offer is ordinary airtime or a bundle with data, calls or an expiry date. Compare quotes collected at approximately the same time and record any promotion or eligibility restriction.

A worked example

The numbers below are hypothetical. They are not current exchange rates or observed competitor prices. Suppose you want to send 100 MAD and use a reference rate of 10.75 MAD per EUR. The reference value is 100 ÷ 10.75, or approximately €9.30.

Illustrative quotes for the same 100 MAD recharge
Total paidCredit receivedMarkup over reference value
€9.95100 MAD7.0%
€10.85100 MAD16.6%
€11.95100 MAD28.5%

Calculate the percentage as ((total paid × reference rate) ÷ credit received − 1) × 100. For the last row: ((11.95 × 10.75) ÷ 100 − 1) × 100 = 28.46%.

This is a markup against a reference conversion, not a measurement of the seller's profit. Payment processing, supplier costs, taxes, currency conversion and service charges may contribute to the difference. A reference rate is a comparison benchmark, not necessarily an exchange rate available to a retail customer.

Record the full cost

  • The final checkout total and its currency, including disclosed fees and taxes.
  • The exact credit or bundle delivered to the recipient.
  • Any separate foreign-transaction or conversion charge from your payment provider.
  • The reference exchange rate, its source and the time you checked it.
  • Whether the price depends on a new-customer promotion, subscription or coupon.

For repeated purchases, calculate savings from the actual difference per recharge. In this example, €11.95 minus €9.95 is €2.00 per purchase; twelve identical purchases would differ by €24.00. Prices may change between purchases.

Check delivery and support as well as price

Before paying, confirm the recipient number, operator and country. Ask what happens if the recharge fails, when support is available, and whether an incorrect number can be corrected. A completed recharge may be difficult to reverse.

Comparing a Parlo quote

Parlo topup pages show a recorded buyer price, recipient amount, source and verification date. Confirm the current total and availability in chat before paying. The page does not establish a supplier's wholesale margin or guarantee that Parlo is the cheapest option.

Browse Inwi recharge amounts and sending countries, or compare the Moroccan operators in the catalog.

How this guide was prepared

The Parlo team checked the arithmetic in the example and reviewed the explanation on 6 September 2026. Earlier unsupported market-wide price assertions have been replaced with clearly labeled illustrative figures. This guide contains no live competitor price survey.

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Written by the team at Parlo Labs Ltd, Companies House 17195213.

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