Your GBP → USD guide
Make your dollar payment add up.
If you are paying a US invoice from a UK account, compare quotes against the dollar amount owed. Check whether the provider deducts its fee from your sending amount or adds it on top. That distinction matters when you have a fixed sterling budget and the invoice must arrive in full.
Ask the recipient for the instructions appropriate to the selected payout method. Do not assume that details used for one type of US bank payment will work for another. Confirm whether the destination account accepts USD and whether any receiving or intermediary charge may apply.
What affects the total cost?
The exchange rate and the transfer fee work together. For the same total GBP spend, look at the final USD receipt rather than comparing the fee alone. Check whether funding by your chosen method changes the cost, and whether any bank or recipient charge is outside the quote.
Compare quotes close together in time. If you return later, refresh the figures before acting. A promotional quote may have conditions, including eligibility or an amount limit; read those conditions before building it into your budget.