Years ago if you wanted to send money from point A to point B you’d either have to go into a bank and make a deposit, post a cheque or send a money order. Some even may remember receiving a bank note in the mail on special occasions. For those born into the digital age this may seem ludicrous and somewhat crazy, but life has changed and so have the way we do things.

These days there are many ways to transfer money. Getting money from one place to another is as easier than posting a letter. (Do people still post letters?) There are a variety of ways to send money online, and a large number of service providers; some more reliable, efficient and affordable than others, so it is wise to do your homework first.

Here are four service providers whose popularity has grown extensively in recent years:

Neteller

‘Shop securely, transfer money anywhere in the world, access your funds instantly. Trusted by millions.’ These are the words which appear on the Neteller website. Offering online payments, Net+Cards (which allow you to access your funds anywhere in the world), money transfers and even rewards, Neteller have become one of the most trusted online payment systems in the world. It makes use of cutting-edge security and anti-fraud tools too. Having won the Best General Spend Prepaid Card, Best Gaming Prepaid Card and Best Privacy Prepaid Card in 2014, the company has grown its client base tremendously over the past decade.

PayPal

Probably one of the most well-known money transfer sites and currently hosting over 100 million active accounts in 25 different currencies, PayPal is fast, reliable and relatively simple. It also offers to reimburse your shipping costs should you buy something through them and the item isn’t up to scratch. The security is also top notch and, as with the others, the company gives the assurance that your credit card information will be kept private and safe.

Skrill 

Whether you’re shopping, trading, gaming or betting, Skrill allows you to make payments globally in a simple, safe and speedy way. The only thing required to send and receive money is an email address. Transfer fees of 1 per cent apply. Prepaid MasterCards are also available and can be used at millions of shops and ATMs worldwide.

Serve

Although this option isn’t really about transferring money electronically, it is a popular choice among those who may have limited internet access whilst away and would prefer the convenience of a card which they can keep with them. American Express has created this easy to use debit card with a whole host of features which one can use at any location which accepts American Express cards. One is able to shop online, pay bills, purchase goods etc. (One is also able to withdraw cash at no charge at anyone of the 24,000 MoneyPass ATMs; however, on the downside, these are only located in the US and Puerto Rico).

Needless to say, before you hand over important information, make sure that you are using a trusted service provider and that the connection is secure. Never click on a link, but rather take the few extra seconds to type in the URL yourself.