What Is WorldRemit and How Does It Work?

What is WorldRemit: a globe with a dotted path showing money sent from one country to another

WorldRemit is an online money transfer service. You use its app or website to send money to family or friends in another country, and they receive it as cash pickup, a bank deposit, mobile money or an airtime top up. WorldRemit says it was founded in 2010 and that its homepage reaches over 130 destinations.

It is an independent company, and this site is not official. This page is a plain-English guide to how it works. Facts below come from WorldRemit's own pages, read in October 2026, so check its site for the latest.

How sending money works

Create an account. You sign up with your email and a password, and you verify your details. WorldRemit must check your identity by law, and it asks for a government photo ID.
Pick the country and the amount. The screen shows what you pay, including fees, and what your recipient gets.
Choose how the money is paid out. The options depend on the country: cash pickup, bank transfer, mobile money or airtime.
Add your recipient's details and pay. Payment methods include debit cards, credit cards and, in some countries, bank deposit. The choices depend on the country you send from.
Track it. The app shows each step and notifies you. See how to track a WorldRemit transfer.

The full walk-through is in how to use WorldRemit.

How the money reaches the other person

WorldRemit lists four ways to receive money:

Cash pickup. The recipient collects cash at a partner location, with their ID.
Bank transfer. The money goes into the recipient's bank account.
Mobile money. It goes to a mobile wallet on a phone.
Airtime top up. Phone credit is added to a number.

Which ones you can use depends on the receiving country. WorldRemit says most transfers arrive within minutes and shows the expected time before you pay. Identity checks, partner hours or a wrong detail can make it longer.

Where can you send from and to?

WorldRemit's converter pages list 48 sending countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. When we checked the "They get" list with the UK selected, it showed 88 receiving countries. Other senders may see different lists, so check the available countries on WorldRemit before you plan a route.

What does it cost?

Cost and speed depend on the receiving country, how you pay and how the money is paid out. WorldRemit says it shows fees and the exchange rate before you send, and it says it makes money from the exchange rate. It also says rates can change. We never print a live rate here, because it would be out of date within hours. The WorldRemit fees guide shows how to check the total before you pay.

Is WorldRemit safe and regulated?

WorldRemit says its UK company is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as an Authorised Electronic Money Institution. It is not a bank, so your balance does not have the same protection as a UK bank deposit. Read Is WorldRemit safe? and Is WorldRemit legit? for the full checklist, and WorldRemit reviews for what customers say.

Is there a sign-up bonus?

This site promotes an offer for new customers: sign up with the referral code REFERNNF57P9SAA1L and send €30 / £30 / $30 or more on your first transfer to get a €20 / £20 / $20 bonus. Amounts can change or vary by country, so check what the app shows. Open the sign-up page or read the WorldRemit promo code guide.

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