June 28, 2019

WorldRemit – fast growing online money transfer operator for Africa!

by Jens Ischebeck

Background of WorldRemit

This international online money transfer service was founded in 2010 by Ismail Ahmed. He was born in Ethiopia and struggled heavily to send money to his family in East Africa, losing a lot of time and a lot of money.

The headquarter of the company is in London, UK.

The primary function is remit money to and from foreign expatriates and those interested in international money transfer.

The creation was partly due to the developer’s experiences, suffering the difficulties of conventional offline money transfer media.

Worldremit Home Africa

Worldremit Reviews

Online reviewers have rated WorldRemit as excellent in its services. It would be left to the public to decide on whether WorldRemit is considerable in serving their international money transfer needs. WorldRemit is a trusted service provider that does over half a million transactions monthly, translating into millions of dollars.

If WorldRemit reviews on Trustpilot, an independent online review platform, are anything to go by, then it is convenient for people in Africa and The Middle East to adopt this mode of funds transfer. Many customers with the experience of its services have given WorldRemit quite a commendation. They are in full praise of the system and the WorldRemit app.

Trustpilot’s rating of the money transfer service as excellent could not be further from the truth. Such a review if anything, adds confidence in the system. The review comments range from being the best from the rest, fast and secure to fantastic services.

Worldremit review on Trustpilot

I definitely enjoy using Worldremit sending money outside the US. It makes it easier and faster to send money anywhere in the world.

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Frank Mugambage
Student

With WorldRemit, I’m able to receive my payment instantly. No delays no hidden costs. Similarly, unlike other methods I have been using before like PayPal, WorldRemit does not hold money at any time. The sender is to verify that he or she is sending to the right address and that’s all, I get the cash direct to my phone.This has been so great since even when I have any emergency, I don’t have to wait hours or days before receiving payments, the process is instant and I am able to get the money.

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Nicholas Kariuki
Copywriter in Kenya

I like it because it is easy to send money

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Francisco Hassane Mtaya

I normally use WorldRemit or Xoom to send money home to Kenya.They often offer promotion codes that reduce the cost charges and to have more options on how my family should receive the money (e.g. on their mobile phone).

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Hellen Wairegi
Digital Marketer

What you should know about WorldRemit

About WorldRemit

WorldRemit is one of the most sophisticated, yet easy to use online money transfer service providers (Money Transfer Operator, MTO), similar to Azimo.

One can send money from their mobile phones, tablets, and computers in a matter of minutes. It presents a mutiny of transfer options at cheaper rates.

Acording to WorldRemit itself, 90% of the transactions are authorised within minutes and 70% of the mobile-to-mobile transactions take less than three minutes.

With such figures in mind, WordRemit is growing fast in many African countries because of the openess and the good experience of many African customers towards mobile money usage (famous example: MPesa).

WorldRemit News

WorldRemit is fast growing. To follow the increasing opportunities for customers, you can check the "News"-page. It allows you to follow up on the rapid development of this money transfer service and remittance provider.

WorldRemit Options

Just to mention but a few, one can send money to a bank account, for cash pickup, to a Mobile Money service, and as a mobile airtime top-up. Users of this service enjoy the convenience of choosing the mode to use.

With advancement in technology and introduction of mobile money, WorldRemit is indeed convenient. This service has made it possible for people to receive money on their mobile phones from overseas in a matter of minutes.

For customers, WorldRemit is one of the best money transfer apps for Africa!

Why WorldRemit

To add to the top cream services being offered at WorldRemit, the use of the internet money transfer is cheap, fast and secure. Unlike traditional physical money transfer systems, one does not have to carry liquid cash and entrust it to an unscrupulous agent for exchange and transfer.

Cash is prone to theft, but at WorldRemit, money is kept secure from loss through state of the art protection mechanism.

In addition to money safety, the WorldRemit software is kept secure by Norton Technologies.

The systems have been set to only communicate with users upon authentication. Internet security providers contracted must also satisfy statutory safety requirements; all in ensuring that the clients are protected and the safety of their money is guaranteed.

See also my Quora answer: How does WorldRemit protect my money?

WorldRemit Pricing

The pricing model is easy to understand: 

It doesn't matter, how much money you want to send, WorldRemit charges always 0.99 USD fee (respectively 0.99 EUR fee)

WorldRemit Country Coverage

WorldRemit has a presence in over 140 countries, also containing countries in Africa.

The receiving options vary from bank to cash point pickups, depending on the country. Efforts are being put to increase coverage, sending and receiving options.

WorldRemit covers many countries in Africa. Because of the East African origins of its founder, African countries play a major role in the remittance world of WorldRemit.

Full list of African countries to which you can send money: Send money to Africa

Full list of African countries from which you can send money: Send money from Africa

How to send money on WorldRemit

The procedure of sending money on this platform begins with signing up as a member. Once a transfer profile has been created on the WorldRemit app, one is on the course to send money.

Worldremit send money to kenya
  • Login to the application
  • Select recipient country from the 140 available on the platform
  • Choose to send options These include cash pickup, mobile money, bank deposit or airtime top up.
  • Select amount to send; low fees and exchange rates appear.
  • Enter recipient’s details This may be a new person or from a list of former recipients.
  • Choose the mode of payment Either the bank account or credit card.

In the last years I have used WorldRemit very often, because it's so easy to use.

If you send money to your family or if you send money abroad to pay a freelancer, you just need a few clicks to start the transfer.

Watch the video and you'll see:

Choose how to send money with WorldRemit:

Choose the amount and the recipient for the money transfer:

send money to Ghana with Worldremit 1
send money to Ghana with Worldremit 2
send money to Ghana with Worldremit 3
send money to Ghana with Worldremit 4

Once money has been sent to the recipient through this platform, it is received instantly. With operations in over 140 countries, WorldRemit has cash balances in different currencies, meaning that upon confirmation of transfer, cash is readily available for the recipient to pick. Confirmation SMS/ emails are sent to the parties involved instantly.

You can also watch this explanatory video on the "How it works" page of WorldRemit.

Send money to Nigeria:

If you want to send money to Nigeria (USD to NGN, GBP to NGN or EUR to NGN), you can choose between the following methods:

  • Bank transfer
  • Cash pickup (FCMB or Fidelity)
  • Mobile money (Paga) [partially]
  • Airtime top up (Airtel, 9mobile, GLO, MTN, Visafone)

Send money to Ghana:

If you want to send money to Ghana (USD to GHS, GBP to GHS or EUR to GHS), you can choose between the following methods:

  • Bank transfer
  • Cash pickup (FCMB or Fidelity)
  • Mobile money (MTN, Airtel, Vodafone and Tigo)
  • Airtime top up (Expresso, Glo, MTN, Airtel, Vodafone and Tigo)

Send money to Kenya:

If you want to send money to Kenya (USD to KES, GBP to KES or EUR to KES), you can choose between the following methods:

  • Bank transfer (one working day)
  • Cash pickup (many partners)
  • Mobile money (M-Pesa and Equitel)
  • Airtime top up (Safaricom, Orange and Airtel)

Send money to Egypt:

If you want to send money to Egypt (USD to EGP, GBP to EGP or EUR to EGP), you can choose between the following methods:

  • Bank transfer (one working day)
  • Cash pickup (Al Baraka Bank)
  • Mobile money (M-Pesa and Equitel)
  • Airtime top up (Etisalat, Orange and Vodafone)

Mobile money transfer: WorldRemit is the benchmark

WorldRemit is the leader for sending mobile money to the respective wallets of the recipients in African countries. In addition, they are permanently extending their services.

WorldRemit offers mobile money transfers to the following countries in Africa:

  • Benin
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Congo DRC
  • Congo Brazzaville
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Ivory Coast
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • Somaliland
  • Tanzania
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

WorldRemit South Africa

Just like other countries in Africa, South Africa is covered by WorldRemit. There are some WorldRemit pickup locations in South Africa.

For instance, cash pickup is available for instant collection at all Mukuru branches countrywide. The procedure for sending the money is pretty much the same in South Africa as the rest of the world.

Moreover, there are options for bank transfer (FNB, Nedbank, Standard Bank, Capitec Bank and ABSA), which takes at most three days. 

Instant airtime top-ups are available on 8ta, CellC, MTN and Vodacom mobile networks. The bank deposit is delayed by the need for physical contact between the agent and recipient in compliance with the South Africa Exchange Control Regulations.

What makes South Africa special for WorldRemit: It's besides Somaliland the only country from which you can send money! This opportunity gives the South African customers the possibility to use WorldRemit also for outward remittances or money transfers.

WorldRemit Promotion and Offers

To attract more subscribers to its services, WorldRemit gives offers to first-time users as well as existing ones. The WorldRemit promo code gives senders free services when they redeem it. It may also mean much lower fees charged on money transfer. Sometimes, the first transfer is done freely then one can enjoy discounts on subsequent transfers.

With its low cost, simple usage, fast speed and trust by millions of its users, WorldRemit is arguably top-tier when it comes to international online money transfer service providers. Users are only required to pay small transfer fees, which could be further reduced by the utilization of promo codes that yield discounts.

Instant services enhance convenience. Transfer of money across borders in a short span of time, instant or almost distant. The ease with which money is received promotes businesses, as well as livelihoods of the recipients. The expatriates in Africa and the Middle East can send money to their loved ones at their convenient times.

As mentioned earlier, the attractiveness of this model of money transfer is enshrined in its simplicity. With simple steps to follow, one does not need to be a rocket scientist to understand its operations. Merely with a mobile phone or any internet device, money be easily transferred across borders.

Questions and inquiries

For inquiries, WorldRemit uses its online presence as a tool of help. Questions regarding their services are answered on their FAQ-Page (Frequently Asked Questions).

Additionally, a chat platform is provided to assist customers in getting quality services from WorldRemit. Other inquiries can be made through cell phone calls using contacts provided on the Contact page.

Disabled Account

If a WorldRemit account is disabled, one may need to get in touch with the support team to have it reactivated upon satisfying the stipulated terms and conditions.

An account may be disabled if a user is liable for contravention of the terms and conditions of the contract.

Money Transfer with WorldRemit

WorldRemit has convinced me for money transfers to and from African countries: online and as app

Pros

  • Fast money transfer within minutes  
  • Cheap, low fee structure
  • Secure money transfer
  • Available sending countries: USA, Canada, UK, Europe
  • Available receiving countries in Africa: 39 No.
  • Easy account creation
  • Excellent Rating and Reviews

Cons

  • Not available in all African countries
  • Outward transfers restricted or not possible

Conclusion:

WorldRemit is the fast growing money transfer operator for African countries. It offers many possibilities for sending and receiving money. With these possibilities, it matches very good the needs of many African based consumers.

For me, WorldRemit offers a really good product!