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WorldRemit Money Transfers

Discover if WorldRemit is the best option for your money transfer.

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, updated on August 18th, 2023       

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WorldRemit was one of the first mobile-to-mobile online money transfer providers and is still amongst the most well-known international money transfer companies in the world.

Find out more about it to help you decide whether it’s the best option to use for your money transfer. You can compare a range of services right here with Savvy to help you choose the best transfer company for your needs with more confidence.

*All product information is correct as of August, 2022.

WorldRemit money transfer review

About WorldRemit

WorldRemit was founded in London, UK, in 2010, with the aim of making international money transfers easier and cheaper. It now has over 5.7 million customers worldwide, operates in 130 different countries using 70 different currencies, and employs over 1,000 people around the globe. In 2020, it bought the African-based remittance app Sendwave. In August 2021, the company undertook another capital raising of US $292 million, changing its name to Zepz in the process to include WorldRemit and Sendwave as its brands.

Services offered by WorldRemit

Online international money transfers

From the comfort of your home, you can send money overseas online either via the WorldRemit website or mobile app. Send the money either to a bank account, a debit or credit card, a mobile money account or a digital wallet.

WorldRemit has recently partnered with UnionPay debit cards in China, so they’re one of only a handful of companies in the world able to send money almost instantly to a debit card there through one of 14 linked Chinese banks.

Mobile money

Mobile money is money sent to a mobile app linked to a mobile phone account. It can arrive at its destination almost instantly. Once the recipient has received the funds, they can be used to pay other people or pay bills. Alternatively, with some mobile money accounts, the funds can be withdrawn in cash through an agency or, in some cases, an ATM.

Cash pickups

WorldRemit also offers cash pickups from one of its many agencies around the world. When you book and pay for a cash pickup, you’ll have to supply the recipient’s exact name as it appears on their government ID, as they will have to show this ID before collecting their money. You’ll be given a transaction reference number which you can supply to your recipient as they go to pick up their money.

Home deliveries

WorldRemit is also able to offer home deliveries of cash to many countries across the world, including in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. Cash deliveries will be carried out within 12 to 24 hours.

Phone airtime top-ups

Phone top-ups (also known as mobile phone recharges) are also available through WorldRemit. This system sends money to a pre-paid account on a mobile phone, which can be received almost instantly.

How does WorldRemit compare?

Speed of transfers

The speed at which your transfer will be delivered will depend on the service you choose, the country you wish to send money to, and the time of day and day of the week you send the transfer.

Some services, such as mobile money transfers and phone top-ups, are almost instant. Other standard money transfers which use the international banking system (such as a bank-to-bank transfer) can take from two to five business days.

Fees charged

WorldRemit offers the first three transfers you make free. After you’ve used up your free transfers, they charge a set fee of between $1.99 and $3.99 depending on the destination. They also charge a percentage markup on the exchange rate, which also depends on destination and currency but is usually between 1.5% and 3% above the mid-market rate.

Transfer limits

A cap of $5,000 applies to a single transfer, and there’s a cap of $50,000 which applies to all transfers in any one 24-hour period. There’s no minimum transfer amount.

How do I send money with WorldRemit?

You can open an account with WorldRemit either through their website or on their mobile app. The process involved is as follows:

  • follow the prompts to register a new account
  • you'll need either your passport or driver’s licence handy, which you’ll need to photograph or scan in when requested
  • when you’ve completed all the registration information, you’ll have to wait to be notified that your account has been verified and has passed security checks
  • once you’ve received notification that your account has been verified (which can take up to 12 hours), you’re ready to start transferring money
  • enter the amount of money you wish to transfer and how you wish to send it. You'll be given four options: bank deposit, cash pickup, mobile money transfer or airtime top-up
  • enter the details of the person you wish to send money to. You’ll be prompted to enter their name, address, city and country
  • confirm that all the details displayed are correct and confirm the transfer
  • once your transfer has been sent, you’ll be given a tracking number which will enable you to track your transfer’s progress

The pros and cons of using WorldRemit to send your transfer

PROS

First three transfers free

WorldRemit will offer your first three transfers free of charge when you sign up to send money with them, saving you on fees in the process.

Low-cost transfers

The fees and markups charged by WorldRemit compare very favourably with other similar companies such as Western Union, and they offer low-cost transfers to many African nations.

Cash remits to debit cards in China

If you want to make an instant transfer to a debit card in China, WorldRemit may be your very best option, as it is partnered with UnionPay debit cards which are linked to 14 of the major banks in China.

CONS

Transfer limits

WorldRemit has a $5,000 limit per transfer and a $50,000 daily limit, which precludes them from being used to make larger transfers should you need to.

No business services

As WorldRemit is focused on the retail international money transfer market, they don’t offer currency tools or assistance for business transfers.

May not be the cheapest to popular destinations

For more remote destinations, such as some of the smaller African nations, WorldRemit may prove to be one of the cheapest transfer options, but their service may prove to be more expensive than some competitors for more popular destinations such as the UK and USA.

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Disclaimer: Savvy is not advising or recommending any particular product to you. We provide general information on products for the purposes of comparison, but your personal situation or goals are not considered here. Although we try to make our comparisons as thorough as possible, we do not have information on all products on the market on our site.

If you decide to initiate a money transfer with one of the providers listed above via our website, you will not be dealing with Savvy; any applications or enquiries will be conducted directly with the provider offering that product.

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