How to Use WorldRemit: Send Money Step by Step
To use WorldRemit you create an account on the website or in the app, verify who you are, choose a receiving country, amount and payout method, enter your recipient's details, pay, and then track the transfer. This guide follows WorldRemit's own descriptions, with some notes from our checks.
What you need
WorldRemit's guide lists these essentials:
- an internet connection and a phone, tablet or computer,
- a WorldRemit account,
- your own bank account or a debit or credit card for payment, and
- your recipient's details.
Step 1: Create your account
You can register on the website or in the app, from the App Store or Google Play. WorldRemit's app guide describes five steps: enter your email address and choose a password, choose a PIN, optionally enable Face ID or a similar feature, verify your email address, and you are in.
If you are using the referral code REFERNNF57P9SAA1L, enter it in the referral code field during registration. Use the referral link to begin, and see where to enter the code if you cannot find the field.
Step 2: Verify your identity
WorldRemit is required by law to verify its customers. Usually it needs your name, address and date of birth, and sometimes a copy of a photo ID. Most checks finish within minutes, though WorldRemit says to allow up to 24 to 48 hours. How long ID verification takes lists what is accepted.
Step 3: Set up the transfer
Choose who you are sending to, then enter the amount. WorldRemit's guide says a pop-up shows exactly how much you will pay, including fees, and how much your recipient gets. That is also where you can add a promo code if you have one. Read the numbers before you confirm, and see WorldRemit fees for what to compare.
Step 4: Choose how your recipient gets the money
The options depend on the country. WorldRemit describes four, with figures from 2021 that it published at the time:
| Payout option | What it is | WorldRemit's 2021 figure |
|---|---|---|
| Cash pickup | Your recipient collects cash with a reference number and ID | 70% of cash pickup transfers instant |
| Bank transfer | Money goes into a bank account | Over 50% paid within 10 minutes |
| Mobile money | Credited to a mobile money account | Over 95% arrive within minutes |
| Airtime top up | Credit added to a phone | Instant |
Those percentages are WorldRemit's own, from a few years ago, so use them only as a guide. Speed and cost depend on the receiving country, the receive method and how you pay.
Step 5: Enter your recipient's details
What you need depends on the payout option, according to WorldRemit's list:
- Mobile money: the recipient's mobile money account number, phone number, the name on that account, and their address.
- Bank transfer: their bank details, full name, address and phone number.
- Cash pickup: their full name exactly as on the ID they will collect with, plus contact details and address.
- Airtime: the phone number to top up.
For cash pickup, a wrong name or ID can stop the recipient collecting the money, so check it carefully.
Step 6: Pay
WorldRemit says you can pay by debit or credit card, or by bank deposit where it is offered. Your options depend on where you send from. Here is WorldRemit's own short video on paying by debit card:
Credit card issuers can add a cash advance fee on transfers, so check with your provider.
Step 7: Track it
Once you pay, WorldRemit says both you and your recipient get an SMS or email when the transfer is complete. In the app you can follow the transfer, change payout details or cancel while it is still possible, and your transfer history is saved so you can repeat a transfer. You can also set up exchange rate notifications: tap Account, then Settings, then Notifications, add Exchange Rates, and choose a country.
Good to know
- You can send money to yourself, for example if you are travelling or working abroad.
- Keep your transfer reference and check the app if a transfer seems slow.
- If something looks wrong, use the in-app chat. WorldRemit says support is available around the clock.
- New to WorldRemit? Read Is WorldRemit safe? before your first transfer.
FAQ
How do I use WorldRemit for the first time?
Create an account, verify your identity, choose the receiving country and payout method, enter your recipient's details, pay, and track the transfer in the app.
What do I need to send money with WorldRemit?
An internet connection, a device, a WorldRemit account, a way to pay such as a debit card or bank account, and your recipient's details.
Where do I enter a promo code?
On the transfer screen for a promo or voucher code, and on the sign-up form for a referral code.
Can I track my transfer?
Yes. You can follow it in the app, and WorldRemit says you both get a message when it completes.
Can I send money to myself?
Yes. WorldRemit says you can send money or airtime to yourself.