Small World Review: Exchange Rates, Transfer Fees & Alternatives
Author: April Summers
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As it currently stands, Small World has entered administration.
This means, Small World is not operational and can’t be used to send money abroad.
Instead, we suggest using Wise the best alternative to Small World.
For example, if you were to send £1000 to the US with Wise, it would only cost you £4.66.
Important: Small World Enters Administration
Small World is no longer accepting new customers or transactions. The business has been placed into Special Administration.
As it stands, many customers who made transfers in early June 2024 have lost access to their money.
We await further news on how the administrators plan to handle the next steps.
Read more on The Guardian.
Alternatives to Small World
"Over 15 million customers use Wise, mostly for their excellent mobile app, transparent fee structure & use of mid-market rates. Now increasingly used for larger transfers."
Please share your experience with Wise
Would you recommend Wise?
Russell Pinkes
I can’t send money to Belize
Katsiaryna
Once trying to open sire, was automatically blocked for no reason
Alan
Unable to transfer money from Philippines to any other country. Philippines Wise does not work
Anonymous
Retiro de dinero en transferencia
Uwe
great rates and service - unfortunately for some countries not yet available
Martin Premprakash Anantharaman
On the first transfer to a hospital in NY they were already screaming that this was a sure scam and the same on my next transfer to a fried in Nigeria. They then summarily closed my account TERMINATING THE RUNNING TRANSFER TO NIGERIA, claiming that, hold on, I was being scammed🤦♂️ Sure, I could have appealed but immediately found that I would have had to provide so much intrusive detail that I desisted.
Martin Premprakash Anantharaman
Setting up is a bit unwieldy if you want to make a one-off transfer, as you have to create an account with complete identification - but it works and the process as well as charges are great.
Anonymous
My brother wants to send me money from India to Nigeria but he's finding it difficult how can he do it
Mohammed
WARNING : Wise was Great until main office decided to ruin WISE By letting the TW India office control handling Random verifications and do what ever they want by insane replies and no replies etc. If you want to waste your time and enjoy a journey into Black Hole of Insane then go ahead and try WISE !
Anonymous
Can't receive money from php to idr so far
sudheir
They don't allow transfer to Brokerage firms from India
Anonymous
Good app to transfer money
Anonymous
I didn't find Cuba on your list.
Anonymous
cuba not work
Nina
I made a transfer to a Canadian company 1.5 months ago, and the funds have not yet been received. After multiple emails, Wise insists that the money was paid out. However, I have received an official statement from the recipient’s bank confirming that the money has not been received. Wise's complaints department sent me a final letter stating that, according to their records, the funds were paid out. Additionally, Wise states the following in their Customer Agreement regarding their responsibility for losses: Quote from Wise's Terms: "Our Customer Agreement also explains our responsibility for losses in Section 29: 29.1 Unforeseeable loss or damage. We are not responsible for any loss or damage that is not foreseeable. Loss or damage is foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made, both we and you knew it might happen, for example, if you discussed it with us during your sign-up process. 29.9 We are not liable for things which are outside of our control. We (and our affiliates) cannot be liable for our inability to deliver or delay because of things which are outside our control." Despite these terms, Wise has not been able to resolve this issue, and the money has still not been delivered as promised. I find it irresponsible that Wise does not conduct any investigations into the matter. The Canadian bank associated with Wise is unable to provide any information, as everything goes through Wise. Wise must be capable of tracking the funds and providing precise details about where exactly the money is, who received it, and to which bank account it was deposited. I would advise everyone to be cautious when transferring large sums of money with Wise. They are not capable of executing a secure money transfer!
Shengjie Yin
good and perfect
Tristan
Beware: Wise's Unethical Policies and Unresponsive Support Cost My Business I am sharing my experience with Wise to warn fellow business owners about the serious risks and unacceptable practices you may encounter if you choose to use their services. My business, is a legally registered travel agency in the UK, and I relied on Wise to manage payments for my photography and cultural tours, primarily in South America. Things took a turn for the worse when Wise froze my account and accused my business of violating their Acceptable Use Policy, citing my once-a-year humanitarian trip to Cuba. Despite explaining multiple times that: No Cuba-related transactions were ever processed through Wise (I use a separate European bank for this purpose), My tours comply with the “Support for Cuban People” category authorized by OFAC, designed to help Cuban citizens outside state control, Wise completely ignored the facts. Their customer support team responded with automated messages, refused to engage in any meaningful dialogue, and even lied, claiming they didn't monitor my emails—despite clear evidence to the contrary. After days of chasing them and providing thorough documentation, they chose to close my account without justification. The Consequences: Wise left my business in chaos, disrupting essential transactions and client arrangements. Their rigid policies align with sanctions widely condemned by the global community, and in doing so, they indirectly support humanitarian suffering. The Bottom Line: Wise is unreliable, unresponsive, and unethical. If your business has any complexity or humanitarian focus, beware: Wise will shut you down without notice or explanation, and customer support will abandon you. Their actions have serious real-world consequences. Avoid Wise if you value your business stability or require ethical and accountable financial services. There are far better alternatives out there that won’t put your livelihood at risk Beware: Wise's Unethical Policies and Unresponsive Support Cost My Business
Anonymous
I have been a customer for a few years. Yes I love the instant deposits as I make around $1K. However as many non US entities Wise uses a bank out of New York. Therefore the TRANSFER and DEPOSIT from an account transfer can take 4 to 6 days. What this means is that you will not able to make another ACH transfer during this time. This is frustrating if you have to make a follow up transfer in a few days. All in all don't plan to make more than 4 transfer in a month because it may not fo through, Not sure if other transfer companies operate the same way but I am about to find out as I will try Revolute. Bottom linw will require you to use ANOTHER payment method like credit card or some other method. Understand this: YOU MAY HAVE THE MONEY IN YOUR ACCOUNT but they WILL NOT TRY TO VERIFY IT WITHIN THE THE PERIOD IT WILL TAKE THEM TO DEPOSIT IT IN YOUR ACCOUNT. To add insult to injury I called in and the agent siad that they can see that they got paid but the computer takes time to update/reconcille I guess! It is a slow system!
Anonymous
There is a lot of advice on RECEIVING INHERITANCE in the UK from overseas but nothing on the rules for SENDING money gifts to grandchildren living OVERSEAS and the rules on Inheritance Tax in that case.
Anonymous
The service is decent, nothing more. I have had security issues that are not quickly resolved. Call center personnel are average. The app is not, in general, user friendly. You should definitely do research on a variety of service providers before making a choice. Do not take the reviews at face value. I chose Wise based on positive reviews but now regret not doing more research on other companies.
Anonymous
So far so good
Daniel
I checked to see if Wise even sends money to Colombia. Colombia is not even in their list of countries. Why is it even advertising for Colombia?
Bill Sanders
I have used Wise for several years. They once rejected a large transfer because it was to a coal company. Apparently, they are a woke company! But they refused to tell me why. More recently, they required verification of my identity using a smart phone. I am 69 and never owned a cell phone because I don't need one. But they forced me to buy one, which I did last week. Getting the phone updates ate up all my data, so i got 1 GB more. I took 12 different pics of my passport and another 12 of my face for them. They rejected them - and are holding up my transfer. Now my phone ate up that gig of data and I must buy another gig (thru Tracfone) just to use the phone. What a hassle. This is not a photo studio! They know who i am already. Note: This comment has been edited by the MoneyTransfers.com team to align with our content guidelines.
Ziggy Meilus
It used to be always instant, now it may come right away or it can take 5 even 7 days to get the money.
Anonymous
i've heard of people having issues with accounts being locked/restricted, but i think that was mostly for business accounts, maybe they were locked for good reason. for me, i've had no issue with my account though i've only used it for small transfers and not very often, over the past 5+ years
"Zing is a new money transfer app, offering a best-in-class mobile app & member perks. Fee structure is competitive, especially for smaller, regular payments."
Please share your experience with Zing
Would you recommend Zing?
Anonymous
I used Zing to pay at bars and restaurants in Portugal. I didnt bring the physical card with me, so relied on the Apple Pay integration. It worked perfectly, with the exception of one time when the transfer was declined. However, the Zing app didn't notify it was declined until after I had left the restaurant. A bit of a pain, as I had to return later that day. I'm not sure the cause of this, as the card continued to work fine after. I contacted Zing's live chat support on the app, which was pretty fast to respond, however did not really give an adeqate explanation of why the transaction was declined or why I was not notified by the app about this. That one instance aside, it worked fine for around 15 other transactions totalling over 1,000 EUR. The conversion process from GBP to EUR was very easy (the app is excellent btw). It takes a bit of attention to figure out exactly how the fees work and how much you will be charged. Some of my conversions from GBP were done for a discount, as Zing does offer a certain amount of free conversions per month. I converted £800 to EUR, which cost £0.60, and a further £250 which cost £0.50. Both conversions were done at mid market rate. Overall, it cost me £1.10 to convert £1,050 to euro, which is around 0.1%. Pretty happy with that, negligible costs on the conversion and a solid overall experience. I will probably use again next time.
"Remitly focuses on sending money to friends and family in Asia, Africa and South America. Wide coverage and well-suited to regular transfers home."
Please share your experience with Remitly
Would you recommend Remitly?
Anonymous
The Exchange rates are Terrible. Lost £150.00 by sending £5000 That is a huge amount. When other companies have much better rates. costing about £25-£35 for the same amount of funds transferred
Anonymous
Was told the money would be there same day, transferred money for an emergency 3 days later and they keep saying something different each time we call. It’s not a small amount of money and the money is no longer in our bank account.
Andrew Lippert
Too convoluted - Not worth the time
Anonymous
MY BANK REFUSE TO DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY
Anonymous
I am not currently a customer, having an experience of delivery to the wrong account and slow resolution with MoneyGram .
Jymmy François
Okkkkkkkkkkk
Ray
After 14hours of waiting & 6 phone calls by me, recipient never received currency, was told overseas bank problem. Used another currency operator, money arrived in seconds. Poor Show, now waiting for full refund!
Anonymous
Can't send to Russia
Anonymous
Good service
Anonymous
Not possible to send money to a bank account
Kenneth Thomas
The funds I needed arrived in minutes and saved me. It was an easy and straight forward process. Thanks Remitly
Anonymous
Good option
Anonymous
good and easy
Anonymous
First time user. So far is fast and easy.
Anonymous
Currently unavailable to send money from USA to Russia
"Xe has over 30 years of currency exchange experience, and is one of the most reputable names on the market. 200 countries, 100 currencies, & funds often received in seconds."
Please share your experience with Xe
Would you recommend Xe?
Anonymous
The transfer rate was way lower than displayed on the comparison site.
Anonymous
Great for large transfers.
Anonymous
Fast, great rates, easy to use. Good for large transfers.
Paul Ansems
XE money transfer scam -stay away-WARNING Don't use this company! After several successful transfers. This time, I sent the money and they received it. After 7 days with no reason that they would cancel it. I sent their compliance team everything they asked. I found my privacy threatened but sent them anyway. I asked for a supervisor or manager but was denied. They obviously hang onto your money as long as possible and after making money from it like interest. If the exchange rate amount is too high and drops after holding it then they cancel it. WARNING Don't use this company!
"Most transfers are instant or same-day. Customers can earn rewards on every transaction."
Please share your experience with Instarem
Would you recommend Instarem?
Anonymous
To hard to sign up
Anonymous
my country is not listed(swaziland)
Ashish Jain
I transferred money from UK to USA on 05th June. However, until now the money has not reached the recipient account. I have been trying to contact Instarem by logging in to my account but I can't log in as I have been banned temporarily by instarem as per the error message . There is no other way of contacting instarem as they send dontreply emails. The recent email I have received today is that there is delay in your money transfer and we will get back to you asap. After I wrote review on Trustpilot and Monito, Instarem contacted me - "We acknowledge receipt of your complaint dated 8th June 2025 and have assigned a ticket to it. We would like to inform you that we have received the bank statement shared by you. However, we also request you to please share a selfie with proof of identity (Passport/Driving License), so that we can process the transaction for you." It's a ridiculous response as firstly I had already provided my passport image before money transfer and now if I want to provide my passport and selfie (as requested) I can't do it as I can't log in to their website and there is no email address to write to. I am wondering whether I have been scammed? Can you please help me in contacting Instarem as I can't contact them.
warren
I dont use phone verification
Anonymous
Expensive rate of charge
Jaime A
Excellent online service, so far
Anonymous
Reliable fast trustworthy
"Revolut has 70+ million customers globally. You can hold up to 25+ currencies in the app and send money quickly in 25+ currencies to 140+ countries."
US Disclaimer: Revolut is not a bank. Banking services are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC. Fees may apply. See revolut.com/en-US/ for details.
Please share your experience with Revolut
Would you recommend Revolut?
Anonymous
Family purpose
Anonymous
Our family and in-laws use revolut for when they come to the UK, when we're in Germany, France or Portugal to pay each other back for holiday expenses for our families such as shopping, meals, petrol, gifts etc. It's great.
Anonymous
not competitive
Anonymous
Yes i recommend
Malek
Does not support transactions for people resident in algeria
Gigani
Excellent service
Eric
Does not support transactions for people resident in Indonesia
Anonymous
Excellent
František
I have had Revolut for a long time and I can recommend, the best app for me Note: Translated from "Revolut už mám dlouho a můžu doporučit za mě nejlepší aplikace"
Anonymous
I haven't been able to set up. it won't resend the codes
"24/7 live chat support provided in six languages. Special first transfer rates available, with airtime topup supported to many countries in Africa, Asia and South America."
Please share your experience with WorldRemit
Would you recommend WorldRemit?
Andrew Judd
My account was deactivated. No reason given. I don’t have multiple accounts. One recipient was a scammer and I deleted them. I’ve helped out many friends with medical expenses. Wisdom tooth extracted 2500 and 1000 for some food. That’s all Motorcycle accident 5000 that’s all Flight home and medicine for grandfather 6000 That’s all. The scammer offered a video. I don’t buy any videos I’m visiting a friend who is a teacher and offered to pay 2600 for a flight and 16000 for luggage, swimsuit and rent on her place while she is off work and holidaying. Now I have to go to a post office and use western union
Terry Twala
Very efficient.
Anonymous
Very misleading, live exchange rate does not match with their app is showing. Fast and seems to be secure, I use them when I'm in need to send fund ASAP.
Anonymous
different price from shown here
Anonymous
exchange rates on comparison website are quite high
Anonymous
Only phone app.
Stanley Davidson
After setting up a valid account with all true and real identity, the system blocked me without any valid reason. Upon calling Customer Service & requesting a reconsideration & a valid reason why I was blocked, Customer Service said that I "violated some TOUs" (Terms Of Use) without stating exactly what I did. My ONLY action was an ATTEMPT to do a normal wire transfer. One can't do anything but to do a wire transfer, & it WAS NOT completed. How do they block my account for something, whatever it was, that I supposedly committed? When I requested the reason for the block they'd said that "it's Company policy to not provide reason(s) why an account is blocked", so exactly how am I supposed to not do something if I re-read their Policy against such action when I can't find why I was blocked? It was asked repeatedly why/what Policy(ices) was/were broken enough to cause the account to be blocked, but they'd completely refused to answer or acknowledge the question, they'd just kept completely silent. That ended the conversation because anything further would remain in total silence, so it was useless to ask anymore questions. I will be 💯% posting this exact statement on www.trustpilot.com for the world to see how undeserving this company is when mistreating a customer for no valid reason. Please enjoy the review!!!
Anonymous
Awesome service
Anonymous
I cannot figure out how to fund my transfer with my bank account instead of a debit card. The Chat service took way to long to answer my questions. Frustrating experience.
Robert Myles
Hi All a good place to send money to ghana
Jake Reynolds
Is this company an app? Or does it run a proper website? Who knows? Customer service is only through their app so I am guessing that if you dont do 100% of your transactions through your phone, forget WorldRemit. I dont use my phone because after all the extra strong passwords, and bio id, and 2 step verify, and whatever comes next they are STILL UNSECURE.
Anonymous
The money I sent got stuck without a return because I couldn't provide a bank statement as proof. The bank account I was having didn't have that privilege. All requirements should be stated beforehand.
Anonymous
app not working. tried to use on my smart phone and woudnt sign up.
Alternatively, use the button below to find the best service for your needs.
Small World had many users in the past. Below is our original review of the service, and how it compares to similar services.
Scoring Small World
The key areas of our Small World review are focused on the fees & exchange rates, transfer limits & speed, product offering, ease of use, safety, and customer feedback.
Whether you are sending money to a bank, cash pickup location, cash card, mobile airtime top-up, or mobile wallet, Small World offers its customers a seamless transfer experience. However, as with any service, there are some downsides. Here are some pros and cons of using Small World:
- Fast transfers: Small World delivers instant or same-day transfers to more than 90 countries around the world.
- Several payout options: You can transfer money to bank accounts, cash cards, pickup locations, or mobile wallets, or have it delivered to recipients’ doorsteps.
- Mobile app: You can make transfers on the go using a mobile app available on both Android and iOS platforms.
- Real-time payment tracking: You can track your transfer to establish where it is for peace of mind.
- Secure and trusted: Over 15 million customers use the service and more than 1 million transactions are processed on the platform monthly.
- Fixed fees: Transfer fees are fixed irrespective of the amount. While this is advantageous for people making large transfers, fees on small transfers can add up quickly.
- Customer support: There is an online chat service, but it can take about 25 minutes or even more for you to be attended to.
- Limited sending network: You can sign up for an account and send money from only 21 countries. This limits people from other countries from using the service to send money.
Small World fees and exchange rates
Fees and rates
Unlike banks and other money transfer companies that charge hefty international transfer fees, Small World charges small fees and exchange rate margins in order to ensure more of your money gets to your intended recipient.
Exchange rates
The exchange rate you will get from Small World includes a markup from the mid-market rate. The rates vary based on your currency pairing and transfer payout method. To give you an indication of the margins typically charged by Small World, here are 2 examples using rates as of 9th August 2022:
Sending GBP 1,000 to Kenya:
Bank Deposit: The provider gives a KES/GBP rate of 141.6902 KES against the interbank rate of 142.30. This translates to a margin of 0.43%. These are also the same rates that you would pay for the cash pick-up option.
Mobile Wallet: You will get a KES/GBP rate of 142.3120 compared to the interbank rate of 142.30. The margin here is 0.008%.
Sending GBP 1,000 to India:
Bank Deposit: If you deposit directly into a bank account, you will get an INR/GBP rate of 95.8818 against the market rate of 96.20. This gives you a margin of 0.33%
Mobile Wallet: Small World does not offer mobile wallet payouts to India.
Cash Pickup: If you choose this pay-out method, you will get an INR/GBP rate of 95.9391 against the mid-market rate of 96.20 This translates to a margin of 0.27%.
From this we can see that exchange rate margins with Small World are usually less than 1% below the interbank, which makes them extremely competitive. They may be higher for specific transfer corridors and currencies, so be sure to double-check the exchange rate you’re being charged before making a transfer.
International transfer fees
In addition to a small markup on the exchange rate, Small World charges flat fees for making transfers, which depend on your transfer destination. Below are some simulations to give you an idea of the fees to think about:
Sending £1,000 to the Philippines: The fee you will pay is £4.99
Sending £1,000 to Spain: You will pay fees of £1.50
Sending £1,000 to Brazil: You will be charged £2.99 in fees
If you pay using a credit card, you may be charged a cash advance fee on top of Small World’s fees and margins. Small World is not in control of these fees, so check with your bank before making a transfer.
Transfer speed
Transfer speed
Transfer speeds depend on the destination and payout methods. Cash pickup, mobile wallet deposits, and cash-to-card transfers are delivered instantly or on the same day. A typical Small World bank deposit or home delivery takes about 1-3 days to be delivered.
Transfer limits
Fees and rates
There is no minimum or maximum transfer amount overall, but there are limits for certain payment types and destinations. For instance, if you pay using a debit or credit card, the maximum you can send at a time is $2,000. Restrictions on how much you can send to certain countries vary so it is important to check the Small World website to see if it can facilitate the size of transfer you wish to make.
Product offering
Product offering
Supported currencies & destinations
Small World allows transfers to over 190 countries, with some of the most popular being:
When you transfer money to Bangladesh with Small World, the Government of Bangladesh adds an extra 2.5%.
There are 2,587 Small World pick-up locations situated within Colombia, which include many of the country’s top banks.
When you transfer money to Nigeria with Small World your pay-out will be in US Dollars. This is because, in 2020, the Central Bank of Nigeria introduced regulations that money transfers could only be paid in US dollars and not Nigerian Naira.
Payment methods
You can pay for your transfer using the following two options:
Bank Transfer
You can transfer money from your bank to Small World’s client account to pay for your transfer.
Card Payments
You can use your debit or credit card to pay for your transfer. However, ensure you factor in the cash advance fee that some card issuers charge.
Receiving methods
Beneficiaries can receive funds in one of the following ways:
Bank deposit
The money is transferred directly into the recipient’s account.
Cash pick-up
There are over 253,000 locations worldwide that recipients can get their money from.
Mobile wallet
For countries that support this payout method, you can send directly to your recipient’s mobile wallet
Home delivery
If your recipient is in the Philippines, Vietnam, or any other country that supports home delivery, transfers can be delivered at your recipient’s doorstep.
Cash-card reload
You can load your beneficiary’s prepaid cash card directly from Small World’s platform.
Mobile top-up
If you want to send mobile airtime to your loved ones, you can top-up their prepaid phones directly.
Mobile app
Small World has a mobile app available as a free download on both the Play Store and App Store. The app has several functions including:
Sign up: You can sign up for an account using the app.
Manage beneficiaries: You can add, delete, and change beneficiary details.
Money transfer: You can make your transfer in simple steps right from the palm of your hand.
Track your transfer: Using the app, you can check the status of your transfer and browse through your transfer history
The app has a 3.8/5 rating on the Play Store with 6.48k reviews. On the App Store, it has a rating of 4.6/5 with 5.4k reviews.
Ease of use
Ease of use
Customer service
If you need help with a transfer or any other query, you can reach out to the customer helpdesk through the following channels.
Email: You can email them through the website or at info@smallworldfs.com.
Live chat: The online chat service is available during office hours.
Telephone: Choose your country on the ‘Contact Us’ page and call the number available. For the U.K., it is +44 2031980387, available from Monday to Friday from 9 am - 7 pm and on Saturday from 9 am - 4 pm.
Physical visit: You can also visit a Small World agent or branch near you for additional assistance.
Safety and trust
Safety and trust
Small World has attracted lots of positive reviews and its customer base keeps on growing. Here are some of the trust factors worth looking at as you consider using them for your next transfer.
Legitimacy of Small World
Small World is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK reference number 504482. It is also independently regulated in the different countries in which it operates.
The company was founded in 2005 and headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Initially, it was incorporated as Hexagon Partners Limited company number 5405279. Later, in 2008, it changed its name to Small World Financial Services Group Limited.
For the 15 years, the company has been in business, Small World has grown its client base to over 15 million and now processes more than 1 million transactions to more than 190 countries monthly. Other than the UK, the company operates in different countries under the following entities:
LCC- Transcending Ltd
LCC Trans-Envio SPRL
Swiss Transfers GmBH
Small World FS, Ireland Ltd.
Small world Fs Norway AS
Small World FS, Spain SAU
Small World FS, Sweden AB
Small World Financial Services Spain S.A.
Small World Exchange Services, SLU
Trans-Envio Agencia de Cambios Unipessoal LDA
Small World Financial Services Bulgaria Ltd EOOD
Key industry partnerships
To better its services and expand its sending and disbursing reach, the company has entered partnerships with the following industry players.
Mi-Pay: This 2009 partnership helped in creating and expanding the company’s mobile money distribution network.
Ingenico Group: Ingenico is a payment processing partner that linked up with Small World in 2018 to expand the provider’s global footprint.
Kumari Bank Ltd: In 2019, Kumari Bank Ltd, a leading commercial bank in Nepal signed an agreement with Small World to expand remittance services throughout the country.
Investors
Small World has had 5 funding rounds led by investors such as MMC Ventures, Future Fifty, FF&P Private Equity, FPE Capital, and Equistone Partners Europe. In 2018, Equistone Partners Europe acquired Small World Financial Services Group and made it a subsidiary.
Customer feedback
Customer feedback
On Trustpilot, Small World has a total of 22,012 reviews with 85% of them rated 4 and 5 stars. This is what customers had to say.
- Great exchange rate: The exchange rate offered almost mirrors the mid-market rate in some transfer routes.
- Fast: Transfers are delivered instantly or same day in over 90 countries.
- Simple: The platform is easy to use, and transfers take a few steps to initiate.
- Delayed customer service: Emails take a long to be answered making transfer disputes hard to resolve.
Making international transfers
Sending money online with Small World is simple and, once you’ve registered, it should take less than 10 minutes to send your first transfer. Just follow these four simple steps:
Sending money online
Sign up for an account
Register online for an account with Small World. Once your account has been approved, you’re good to go.
Select destination and amount
Choose the country that you’re sending money to, and the amount that you’d like to send.
Enter recipient's details
Enter the details of your recipient and decide on the pay-out method.
Track your transfer
You can download the mobile app if you wish to track your transfer.
Sending money through the app
The Small World app works in much the same way as the website but conveniently allows you to make transfers whilst on the move. To get started, follow these simple steps and you’ll find your first transfer can be sent in minutes.
Register for an account
Download the Small World app from Google Play or the iOS Apple Store and register for an account.
Choose destination
On the screen choose the country that you wish to send money to.
Enter your recipient's details
Enter the details of your recipient, the amount you wish to send, and the pay-out method.
Track your transfer
Once you’ve confirmed the transaction, you can track your transfer through the app.
Sending money through the agent
With over 5,000 agent locations worldwide, it’s not hard to find a Small World agent if you’d rather make your transfer in person or by cash. Once you’ve found and arrived at your agent, the process is straightforward and should take less than 15 minutes. Our simple steps break it down for you.
Search for the nearest agent
Visit the Find Us section of the Small World website to find the interactive map. You can search via city on the left-hand side or simply zoom in to discover your nearest agent.
Provide a government-issued ID
You will need to bring a form of government-issued ID such as a driver's license with you.
Go to the agent's location
Once you arrive at the branch, one of the friendly agents will talk you through the process.
Sending money through the phone
Small World is one of the few money transfer companies that still facilitate remittances by phone, and this is ideal if you’d like to be guided through the process. You’ll find that it takes just under 10 minutes to complete the transfer – just follow these easy steps:
Provide a copy of your government-issued ID
Email a copy of your government-issued ID to lcc.callcentre.uk@smallworldfs.com
Send the transfer
Make a transfer from your personal bank account to the Small World bank account listed on their website.
Confirm your transaction
Call the call center to confirm, set up, and review where your transaction is being sent to.
Depending on where you’re sending money to, you may need a SWIFT code.
Canceling transfer
You can cancel your order if it has not been paid out. Simply, get in touch with the customer support team by phone, chat, or email.
Receive international transfers
Small World has a variety of different pay-out methods, with something to suit all circumstances. While some methods are instant, others can take up to three days to arrive, depending on your location.
Receiving money via bank transfer
Small World facilitates bank wire transfers in 90 different countries and whilst it is usually instant, getting transferred digitally to the account, in some instances a bank transfer can take up to three business days to arrive. To get started follow these simple steps:
Provide the sender with your bank account details
Provide the sender with your bank account details, which should include your bank account number, bank name, bank address, home address, and preferred currency.
Receive funds
Wait for the funds to arrive.
Receiving money via cash pick-up
If you’d rather receive your money transfer in cash, Small World has over 523,000 locations in which you can pick up a transfer. In most cases, your cash should be ready within 24 hours, although this can vary with location. Simply follow our helpful steps:
Search for the nearest agent location
Let your payee know if you have a preferred pick-up location. You can find your nearest agent location by visiting the Find Us page of the Small World website and using the interactive map.
Receive order number
Once the payee has completed the transaction, they will be given a 12-digit order number that they should pass on to you. Take this number and a form of government-issued ID to your chosen location.
Fill in a money transfer form
The agent may ask you a series of questions about the nature of the transfer and have you with details of the sender.
Present your ID then receive the funds
Once the form and your ID have been checked the funds will be released to you.
Receiving money via home delivery
It isn’t always easy to leave your house and if you’re located in Vietnam or the Philippines, home delivery is one of the options available to you. Transfers can take up to three days to arrive. Simply follow these steps:
Inform the sender of your details
Ensure the person making the transfer knows your full home address as it appears on your government-issued ID.
Receive the order number
Once the payee has completed the transaction, they will be given a 12-digit order number that they should pass on to you.
Present your government-issued ID to the courier
Make sure you have a form of government-issued ID ready for when the courier arrives. He will need to check this, as well as the order number.
Receive funds
Once your ID has been approved, the funds will be released to you.
Receiving mobile top-ups
In certain countries, Small World allows users to send mobile airtime to a phone. This can be used for a host of different mobile activities. In most instances, the mobile top-up is instant. Follow these steps to receive your remittance:
Inform your sender of your mobile phone number
Ensure the person making the transfer has your correct mobile phone number.
Receive funds
Wait for your funds to arrive!
Receiving cash reloads
A cash card reload simply involves loading money onto a prepaid cash card and it is ideal if you don’t have a bank account but want the convenience of a fast transfer. Most remittances arrive instantaneously. These steps will help take the hassle out of receiving your remittance.
Inform the sender of your details
Ensure the person making the transfer has your details, including your full name and the long number on the front of your cash card.
Receive funds
Wait for your funds to arrive.
How Small World compares to other transfer services
Other Alternatives
Alternatively, consider using one of these neobanks for international transfers.
Small World: Is it good for transfers abroad?
Small World is a cross-border money transfer service supporting transfers to over 190 countries (but only from a list of 21 countries). Over 15 million customers use the platform to move more than 1 million transactions monthly.
Customers can initiate their transactions through the online platform, mobile app, over the phone, or by visiting a Small World agent - and Small World can facilitate transactions made with bank transfers and debit or credit cards.
On the payout end, recipients can get their funds deposited into their bank accounts, sent to mobile wallets or prepaid cash cards, sent to cash pickup locations, and even delivered at their homes in some countries. Beneficiaries can also have their phone airtime topped up, giving Small World a great range of different delivery options.
Before using Small World to make a payment, however, it is important to check around for alternatives to see if you’re getting the best possible deal. Through our money transfer comparison tool, we can help you make simple and quick comparisons on who is cheaper and faster.
Small World often features at or near the top of our recommendations, but every transfer is unique so there’s always a chance you can save money by using another service.
A bit more about Small World
Are there any promotional discounts available for Small World?
Small World regularly runs promotional discounts and the best way to find them is via the News section of their website. They also offer no transfer fees on your first transaction.
How can I find my nearest Small World agent location?
Visit the Find Us section of the Small World website to find an interactive map. You can use the zoom-in function or search by city to find your nearest agent location.
Can I send money to a company or business?
Yes, you can do this online or through the Small World app by selecting your beneficiary type as ‘business’ when setting up the payment. If completing the transaction at an agent location, you should specify it is to a business or company.
Help & FAQ
Get answers to the most common questions asked when sending money abroad. Covers costs, fees and the best way to compare.
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