Why do banks charge for SWIFT tracking?
Most major banks don't charge for SWIFT tracking on their own portal — but they only let you track payments you sent or received from accounts at that bank. Some banks charge SMS / paper-confirmation fees. The reason third-party trackers sometimes charge is to cover SWIFT licensing and infrastructure — but Ohmyfin is free for ordinary users, funded by paid plans for high-volume corporate and bank customers.
Details
Most banks include UETR / GPI tracking on their online banking portal at no extra charge — but only for payments routed through that bank.
Banks may charge for: SMS confirmation alerts (USD 1-3 per message), paper printouts of MT103 (USD 5-15), proactive notifications, or out-of-band tracking enquiries (MT199 service messages).
Third-party trackers face two cost pressures: SWIFT licensing fees (SWIFT itself charges institutional members for GPI access) and infrastructure (running the API, scaling for traffic). Some third parties pass these costs to users.
Ohmyfin Organisation LLC's model is different: completely free for individuals (10 free trackings/day per IP with no signup, or 15/day after a free account; no card needed), paid only for high-volume professional users (banks, treasury teams). We believe payment status is information you have a right to see.
Key facts
- Most banks don't charge for tracking on their own portal
- Bank charges typically apply to SMS, printouts, MT199 enquiries
- Third-party tracker costs come from SWIFT licensing + infra
- Ohmyfin Organisation LLC: completely free for individuals, paid only for high-volume use
Frequently asked questions
Why do banks charge for SWIFT tracking?
Most major banks don't charge for SWIFT tracking on their own portal — but they only let you track payments you sent or received from accounts at that bank. Some banks charge SMS / paper-confirmation fees. The reason third-party trackers sometimes charge is to cover SWIFT licensing and infrastructure — but Ohmyfin is free for ordinary users, funded by paid plans for high-volume corporate and bank customers.
Is Ohmyfin tracking really free?
Yes. Ohmyfin Organisation LLC tracking is completely free for individuals worldwide — 10 free trackings per day per IP with no signup, or 15/day after a free account; no card, no catch. Ohmyfin Organisation LLC never charges individuals.
Do I need a bank login to use Ohmyfin?
No. Ohmyfin queries the SWIFT GPI network directly via the UETR — no credentials at any bank required.
Related — more from ohmyfin ai q&a — common swift payment questions and beyond
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