PaySend Review

About Author: Hi, I’m Quinn Askeland. In 2014, I started Transumo after experiencing expensive, slow, and frustrating international money transfers and payments through banks. Once I discovered how to manage my own international currencies much better, I became driven to help others improve their transfers and payments. Fortunately, today, there are many excellent options. See My Full Bio.

PaySend is unique as it lets you send money from one card to another without any hassle. You don’t need to deal with a lot of bank details. Plus, it’s safe and secure. Overall, PaySend is a good option for easy and affordable international money transfers.

But this is not a regular “Paysend review” where everything is great. It’s about telling you the truth so you can make smart decisions. Here is the good, the bad, and even the ugly, including why people give a negative PaySend review.

Let’s dive in.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

1. Quick Take

On Trustpilot, PaySend is rated 4.4/5 with over 30,000 reviews, which is considered “Excellent.” According to the reviews, PaySend is a fast and affordable way to send money abroad.

PaySend (founded in 2017) is a money transfer service that was designed for simple card to card transfers – no bank account details required.

In some countries, you can use a bank account to fund the transaction and PaySend can also double up as a multi currency account (the UK and EEA) they call Global Account.

If speed and simplicity are important to you, PaySend is one of the be ways to send relatively small amounts fast.

They have a flat service fee for any amount (send $50 or £500 – the fee remains the same) but you do need to consider the exchange rate (See Real Fees).

With PaySend you can sign up from 49 countries and send money to 150+ countries worldwide.

PaySends’ rates and fees change based on the countries and currencies.

In the UK or EU the multi currency account is free to open and hold and comes with a Visa or MasterCard debit card, which is great for travelling and online shopping.

2. When PaySend Works (and When it Doesn’t)

USA

In the US, American residents (especially immigrants) are quickly realizing how good PaySend can be for sending money home quickly and easily. Many folks are already familiar with Venmo or Cash App or Zelle and know that sending money from your phone can be really easy, fast and inexpensive.

PaySend enables you to send money internationally with similar ease, excellent speeds and low fees.

For many immigrants in the US, PaySend enables them to send money to places like Latin America (over 100 countries).

UK / Europe

In the UK and Europe, immigrants, expats and foreign exchange students have a lot of options when it comes to sending money overseas.

PaySend is unique in the way it focuses on fast card-to-card transfers but you can also send money from a bank account. PaySend is also connected to the SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) system which means within Europe and the UK transfers are especially fast and inexpensive.

PaySend also comes with a multi-currency account that lets you hold 8 currencies (GBP, EUR, USD, CNY, CZK, RUB, CHF) and a MasterCard or Visa debit card that’s accepted worldwide.

You can withdraw any currency you hold in your multi-currency account with no fees from an ATM abroad and also use virtual cards for safe online shopping.

This makes the PaySend multi-currency card a great option for frequent travellers and students.

Go to Paysend UK

Canada

Paysend allows international transfer and domestic money transfers in Canada via Interac e-Transfer with no fee.

Australia

The top destinations for Australian money are China, India and Vietnam, closely followed by the UK and the Philippines. Australian residents are used to using mobile banking to make instant payments to others often through their bank online, mobile App often using the OSKO network.

For international money transfers, to keep costs low Aussies have been using services like Wise (review) for smaller transfers. And while Wise is an excellent choice to keep fees low there specialise in Card-to-Bank (extra fees) or Bank-to-Bank (slower) transfers.

PaySend focuses on Card-to-Card transfers which means countries that might take many other services days to transfer the money can be done almost instantly in most situations.

2.1 When it Works

Sending Small Transfers Fast

Most PaySend transfers are funded by credit or debit cards and they’re processed very fast.

You can easily send any amount below $1000 USD/£800 GBP/€900 EUR to your recipient’s card in a matter of minutes – making PaySend an excellent option for fast transfers.

2.2 When it Doesn’t Work

2.2.1 Large Transfers

PaySend has very low limits – In the US, this comes to $999 USD or 5 transfers, whichever happens first.

In the UK and Europe you can send £800 or €1,000 per 6-month period without providing any additional documentation with a verified account.

You can increase your limits, but you will need to provide additional documentation for approval first and we think there may be better options you should consider.

Above $1000 USD/£800 GBP/€900 EUR we recommend a service like Wise because of their combination of low fees, excellent customer service and extremely high transparency.

But even with Wise (review), we think above $7000 USD/£4000 GBP/€4500 EU/$9500 CAD/AUD you need a service that goes one step further and ideally has 24/7 phone support and is designed to handle larger amounts with little chance you will run into any issues.

Above $7000 USD/£4000 GBP/€4500 EU/$9500 CAD/AUD we recommend OFX (review) if you prefer to do things online, TorFX UK and Australia (review) or Currencies Direct USA, Canada and Europe (review).

2.2.2 Apps for International People, Expats and Digital Nomads

While you can hold up to 8 currencies with PaySend’s multi-currency account, it’s only available in the UK and EEA, which is quite limiting. Moreover, you can only hold up to £450/€500 per year. Although the limit can be increased it is much.

A strong alternative is the Wise account which is a great option for both frequent travellers and expats, letting you hold, manage, and convert between 50+ currencies as well as local accounts in 10 international currencies to get paid and spend like a local. For more about how it works check out our Wise multi currency account (review).

2.2.3 Cash Transfers

Currently PaySend doesn’t support cash transfers (card-to-card, bank-to-bank, or card-to-bank transfers only).

If you’re looking to send cash below $7000 USD/£4000 GBP/€4500 EU/$9500 CAD/AUD affordably, we recommend services like WorldRemit (review) or Remitly (review).

3. Real Fees (including Hidden Fees)

So is PaySend inexpensive?

Their “Fee” doesn’t change with the amount (however it varies by currency).

The flat fee by currency:

• From the USA: $2 USD
• From the UK: £1.00 GBP
• From Canada: $3 CAD
• From the Eurozone: €1.50 EUR
• From Australia: $3.00 AUD

But that is not all the fees.

They also charge a margin on the exchange rate – above the mid-market or interbank rate (which is very competitive compared to banks, who charge 3-5% of the amount)

Any Worries?

In general, PaySend can be considered very trustworthy especially given their excellent customer service and overall service.

It is common practice for money transfer services to use an exchange rate which includes a margin.

That said, there are a handful of competitors that fully disclose their fees and use the interbank rate.

Other Fees (UK/EU)

There are no costs to open and hold the multi-currency account. But there are some other fees involved:

• ATM withdrawals: First £200 free per month, then a 2% fee on amounts above the limit
• Card delivery: £4.99 / €5.99 for card delivery in the UK/EU
• Business payments: 1.4% of each payment received

4. Real Transfer Speeds

PaySend specializes in card-to-card and card-to-bank transfers and they’re designed for speed.

Card-to-card transfers are completed in a matter of minutes, while card-to-bank (or bank-to-bank if it’s available in your country) can take longer – up to 3 days.

Transfers may also be slower if you’re sending an exotic currency or set up your transfer over a holiday, after banking hours, or over the weekend.

5. How to Use PaySend

5.1 Signing Up and Getting Verified

Currently, PaySend supports 49 countries for registration and 150 countries for receiving money. Check if your country is on the list here.

After that, go to PaySend’s website or download the PaySend app to create an account (choose business or personal).

Enter your personal/business information (name, address, email, etc.) and upload copies of your documents for verification (driver’s license, utility bill etc.).

This process can take anywhere between a couple of hours to 3-4 days.

5.2 Sending Money

Once you’re verified, you can start sending and receiving money.

Navigate to “New Transfers” in the app or website portal and enter recipient details, amount, and target account (card or bank account).

Double check the details and confirm.

If your card supports 3D secure, you’ll be redirected to a secure page to complete the transfer.

Our suggestion: When setting up a new recipient, test with a small $1 transfer to keep your money safe.

5.3 Receiving Money

Go to the “Request money” tab in your app, enter your recipient’s phone number and the amount. They’ll receive a text with the link to send money via the PaySend app (they need to download the app if they don’t have it already).

You don’t need to share your card details – just receive money safely from friends and family from all over the world.

5.4 Adding Money to Multi-Currency Account

You can top up your multi-currency account with your MasterCard/Visa credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.

Make sure the name on the card is the same as the same on the account and the currency is the default currency of your home country.

You can hold up to £450/€500 per year and there are no fees to top up your account (although your bank may charge a fee).

5.5 Using the Card

You can use the MasterCard/Visa card to withdraw money from ATMs worldwide, pay in-store, or shop online safely.

You can withdraw the £200 GBP free per month, but a 2% fee is applicable above that limit.

5. What do PaySend Customers Say (including Negative Reviews)?

PaySend receives great reviews on most review sites.

Paysend is rated 4.4/5 on Trustpilot with over 30,000 reviews which is considered “Excellent”. An outstanding 91% of reviews are either 4 or 5 stars with just 7% considered to be “Bad” or 1 star reviews.

Even though only a small percentage of users were dissatisfied with the service, digging into 100s of reviews – including the negatives – can help to understand a service.

Here’s what we found:

6. Is PaySend Safe?

PaySend is regulated in the UK by the FCA, sponsored by the Central Bank of Kansas City as a licensed money transfer service in the US, regulated by FINTRAC in Canada, and they’re a member of The European Payments Council, which regulates payments in all EEA states.

They also have an integrated fraud detection system and leading security protocols like Level 1 PCI DSS certified card processing system with direct connection to Visa, Mastercard and UPI – which make sure your money is never debited from your account without your knowledge.

They also offer real-time notifications for all transfers and you can free or unfreeze your card if it’s lost or replaced.

The virtual cards for online shopping also add an extra level of security.

Overall, PaySend is a secure service that’s held to high regulatory standards – which means, your money and data are safe with them.

7. Paysend Multi Currency Account (UK and Europe)

The PaySend multi-currency account is available for both individuals and businesses.
Opening and holding an account is free, however, some fees like card delivery fees, ATM withdrawal fees, and service fees for payments received (for businesses) are applicable.

The personal multi-currency account is ideal for travellers and students who are studying abroad.

This helps you:

• Hold up to 8 currencies at any time, and instantly link them to your card
• Withdraw money from an ATM at home or abroad (£200 GBP free per month, but a 2% fee is applicable above that limit)
• Withdraw money with no conversion fees for a currency you hold
• Connect all your bank accounts to PaySend to keep an eye on all your money in one app
• Fund your account using your card, bank, Apple Pay or Google Pay
• Real time notification for all activities

The multi-currency account for businesses helps you:

• Accept payments in 30 currencies with global payment methods
• Convert between and spend those currencies
• Resolve issues with a personal account manager

Currently, we see the PaySend multi-currency account being used for very short trip because of the low amounts you can hold per year £450/€500. Moreover, the currencies supported are also limited.

While the business account supports more currencies, some crucial money management features are missing that may be helpful for growing global businesses like bulk payments, integrating with financial apps, etc.

If you’re looking for a more feature-rich multi-currency account, we recommend checking out the Wise Multi Currency Account (available for both personal and business). For more information on the good and bad check out our review.

Verdict

PaySend is a fast and affordable payment service for international card payments in small amounts. We gave them a very high 4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

PaySends’ rates and fees change based on the countries and currencies – See the current rate and fee here.

Essentially, PaySend is a digital wallet (like Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, etc.) that works internationally.

This is why the amounts you can send easily are quite low.

Check out When PaySend Works (and When it Doesn’t) above.

In the UK and Europe the multi currency account is a great perk, but it’s not as robust as others out there. For that we currently recommend Wise multi currency account for most people.

Finally, if you want to send card or bank transfers above $1000/£800 GBP/€900 EUR up to $7000 USD/£4000 GBP/€4500 EU/$9500 CAD/AUD, we recommend Wise (review).

And for large bank transfers above $7000 USD/£4000 GBP/€4500 EU/$9500 CAD/AUD, we recommend services like OFX (review).

Happy Money!

PaySend Review (2024) - 7 Must Knows with Pros and Cons

We rate PaySend 4.5/5. We sifted through 100s of real user reviews (both positive and negative) and 92% of reviews are either 4 or 5 stars with just 6% "Bad"

Application Category: FinanceApplication

Editor's Rating:
4.5