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1st Contact international transfer review

Hassle-free international transfers with low fees and good exchange rates

Last updated: 25 June 2019

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Make a quick, secure and cost-effective money transfer without setting foot in a bank. Complete your transaction online in three easy steps with excellent rates and low fees. 1st Contact also offers regular promotions, including “refer a friend” and getting your fifth transfer for free.

1st Contact is best for:

Frequent users. Your fifth transfer is free.
Large transfers. There is no maximum amount, and the more you transfer, the better the rate you’ll get. However, Individual transfers equal to or greater than £10,000 (or the equivalent in another currency) will need additional documentation.
Bank-to-bank transfers. Your recipient cannot pick up cash.

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How much does 1st Contact cost?

1st Contact’s transfer fee is determined by the amount of the transfer and the destination.

How are 1st Contact’s exchange rates?

1st Contact’s exchange rates fall between the interbank rate (the truest exchange rate) and the rate offered by big banks. They are able to undercut the big banks and pass the savings on to you in the form of great rates. While the rates on their site are updated throughout the day, they’re not guaranteed to be the final rate you pay.

Available currencies

AED – UAE dirham
AUD – Australian dollar
BGN – Bulgarian lev
CAD – Canadian dollar
CHF – Swiss franc
CZK – Czech koruna
EUR – European euro

GBP – Pound sterling
HKD – Hong Kong dollar
JPY – Japanese yen
LKR – Sri Lankan rupee
NOK – Norwegian krone
NZD – New Zealand dollar
PLN – Polish zloty

QAR – Qatari riyal
RON – Romanian leu
SEK – Swedish krona
SGD – Singapore dollar
THB – Thai baht
ZAR – South African rand

See how other services compare to 1st Contact Forex

I want to send

Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
USD 0	1 - 2 days	USD 0.00	0.903	EUR 4,514	Offering no maximum and no minimum limit transfers with $0 fees.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 0.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, ARS, AUD, AZN, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BND, BSD, CAD, CHF, CLP, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, ILS, INR, JOD, JPY, KRW, KWD, KZT, LKR, LSL, MGA, MKD, MUR, MWK, MXN, NAD, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RSD, RWF, SEK, SGD, SRD, THB, TJS, TND, TRY, TTD, UGX, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
USD 1	1 - 2 days	USD 40.00	0.906	EUR 4,496	Enjoy high maximum transfers into more than 20 currencies while saving up to 90% over local banks.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 1.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, ARS, AUD, BDT, BGN, BRL, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, GBP, GEL, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KES, KRW, LKR, MAD, MXN, MYR, NGN, NOK, NPR, NZD, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, RON, RUB, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, UAH, USD, VND, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
EUR 1,000	1 - 2 days	USD 10.00	0.897	EUR 4,478	Use TransferMate to help you send money to almost any country around the world for a small fee.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount EUR 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, AZN, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BWP, BZD, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LKR, LSL, MAD, MGA, MKD, MNT, MOP, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SRD, SZL, THB, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, XPF, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
USD 1	Within an hour	USD 3.99	0.903	EUR 4,510	Use promo code 3FREE to send your first 3 transfers with no fee. Send to 110+ countries for bank-to-bank deposit, cash pickup or mobile top-up.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PAB, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RUB, RWF, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SOS, SRD, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TRY, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, WST, XAF, XCD, XOF, ZAR, ZMW, BYN Go to site Read the full review
GBP 1,000	1 - 2 days	USD 0.00	0.897	EUR 4,487	Exclusive: Minimum transfer of $1,000 for Finder readers (normally $5,000). For larger transfers, get no transaction fees and no maximum send limits.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, RON, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
USD 1,000	1 day	USD 0.00	0.897	EUR 4,487	No-maximum limit transfers with competitive exchange rates for 100+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 1,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, AZN, BGN, BND, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, FJD, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JPY, KRW, KWD, LKR, MAD, MGA, MXN, MYR, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, RUB, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, THB, TOP, TRY, TWD, TZS, USD, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XOF, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
USD 5,000	1 day	USD 0.00	0.897	EUR 4,487	Venstar will support you through the entire process of your international transactions, from start to finish.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 5,000.00 Transfer methods Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, INR, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD, THB, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
USD 50	1 - 2 days	-	-		Simple, zero-margin exchange rates, plus earn loyalty points on sign up, referral and every transaction.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount USD 50.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options One off payments Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies ARS, AUD, BDT, CAD, COP, EUR, GBP, HKD, IDR, INR, KRW, LKR, MXN, MYR, NPR, PEN, PHP, SGD, THB, USD, VND Go to site Read the full review

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What types of transfers can I make?

You can make one-off transfers with 1st Contact. You also have the option to secure a rate in advance when transferring a large amount. But you must put down a 10% deposit.

Transfer limits

There is no minimum or maximum transfer amount. However, when transferring £10,000 (or foreign currency equivalent) or more in a single currency transaction, or £30,000 (or foreign currency equivalent) in a number of transactions over a 12 month rolling period, 1st Contact Forex requires proof of “source of funds” as prescribed by HMRC’s Money Laundering Regulations.

How do I use 1st Contact for money transfers?

Register. Register online in under two minutes. And there is no obligation to use the account once you have registered.
Activate. Once you register you will receive an email requesting scanned or photographed copies of your passport and proof of your physical address.
Transfer. Log into your account. Confirm the amount you want to transfer, the currency and the recipient’s details. Pay for your transfer, and once 1st Contact receives the funds, they’ll process your transfer.

Benefits and drawbacks of using 1st Contact

Pros

Great exchange rates. You can get better exchange rates when compared to most banks.
Free transfers. Every fifth transfer you make using 1st Contact Forex does not incur any fees.
No minimum. There is no minimum transfer amount.

Cons

No cash pickup. Your recipient cannot pick up the transfer as cash.
Slow speeds. 1st Contact is not the fastest method of making an international money transfer

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What is 1st Contact Forex?

1st Contact Forex is an arm of 1st Contact, a financial services company located in London that helps international citizens pursue their lives, careers and travel aspirations in the UK. 1st Contact Forex has been helping people send money around the world for more than 20 years.

Bottom line

Using 1st Contact Forex to send money overseas can lead to savings. However, it’s important to compare your options to find the best way to send money abroad.

Frequently asked questions about 1st Contact

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Shirley Liu

Shirley Liu is Finder's global program manager. She was previously the publisher for banking and investments and has also written comparisons for energy, money transfers, Uber Eats and many other topics. Shirley has a Master of Commerce and a Bachelor of Media, Journalism and Communications from the University of New South Wales. She is passionate about helping people find the best deal for their needs.

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1st Contact international transfer review

Hassle-free international transfers with low fees and good exchange rates

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