Review: Kabayan Remit international money transfers

Kabayan Remit offers an efficient, cost-effective and convenient way to send money from the UK to the Philippines.

Posted Jun 24, 2020

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Good if you want flexible options for sending money to the Philippines

Not so good for sending really small amounts because of fees

What's in this guide?

Kabayan Remit exchange rates and fees
Available currencies
What types of transfers can you make with Kabayan Remit?
How long does a transfer with Kabayan Remit take?
What payment methods does Kabayan Remit accept?
Is Kabayan Remit safe to use?
How to register an account and send money through Kabayan Remit
What is Kabayan Remit?
In a nutshell
How does Kabayan Remit compare to other services?
Frequently asked questions

Kabayan Remit exchange rates and fees

Kabayan Remit’s transfer fees range from £2.99 to £6.99 and depend on the type of transfer you’re making and how much money you’re sending. The first transfer is free. Priding itself on its competitive exchange rate, you’ll often get a better rate with Kabayan Remit than with your bank.

Available currencies

Kabayan Remit is exclusively for sending money to the Philippines from the UK.

What types of transfers can you make with Kabayan Remit?

You can arrange the transfer online, via the free app or over the phone with the customer services team. You can choose for the money to be sent:

Directly to the recipient’s bank account (any bank in the Philippines)
For cash pick-up at various outlets
Straight to the recipient’s home (certain areas of the Philippines only)

There’s no limit on how much you can send, but you’ll need to carry out online verification for single transfers over £1,000, or frequent transfers that reach £3,000 in a 30-day period. If you want to send more than £2,000 in a single transfer it’s best to contact the customer services team.

How long does a transfer with Kabayan Remit take?

This depends on how you’re sending it.

Cash pick-up and a bank transfer to the bank BDO are within 24 hours. Bank transfers to all other major banks take within 1 to 2 working days. Home delivery takes between 1 and 2 working days within Manila city and between 3 and 4 working days outside the city.

What payment methods does Kabayan Remit accept?

You can pay using your debit card or by bank transfer.

Transfers typically take Clock icon for transfer speed

1 day

Is Kabayan Remit safe to use?

Regulation: Regulated by the FCA
Security: Encryption, Verified by Visa (3D Secure), 128-bit encryption
Established: 2012

Reviews: Kabayan Remit scores 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, but this is based on only 17 reviews. On Reviews.co.uk it scores 4.78 out of 5, out of more than 11,238 reviews.*

*According to Kabayan Remit, Trustpilot and Reviews.co.uk on 24 June 2020

For additional security Kabayan Remit claims it continually scans its systems for unusual transactions. It says that from time to time it may block a transfer and contact customers for additional security clearance, particularly when a transaction is large or unusual.

How does Kabayan Remit make money?

Kabayan Remit makes money by charging set transfer fees and by adding a small margin to the interbank exchange rate, which is why the exchange rate you might see on Google is slightly different to the one Kabayan Remit is quoting.

How to register an account and send money through Kabayan Remit

What is Kabayan Remit?

In Philippine languages, the expression “kababayan” refers to fellow Filipinos, countrymen or townmates. Kabayan Remit was set up in June 2012 to help “kababayan” working in the UK to send money to their loved ones in the Philippines.

Based in Bicester in the UK, it prides itself on offering various ways of delivering money to the Philippines depending on the needs and convenience of its customers.

In a nutshell

Pros

Various transfer options. Recipients can choose between direct bank transfer, cash pick-up and home delivery.
Competitive rates. Kabayan Remit prides itself on its ambitious exchange rates.
Free app. So you can send money on the go.
Cash pick-up. Recipients can collect money from selected outlets within 24 hours of the transfer.
Home delivery. Super convenient if the recipient has trouble getting to a bank or cash pick-up location.
No documents required. Most people just need to register, verify their ID online and then can send money automatically.
Friendly, 24/7 customer support. The bi-lingual team is highly rated and available to talk to every day of the week via phone and email.

Cons

Transfer fees. Fees range from £2.99 to £6.99 so if you’re only sending small amounts of money you should check how much you’ll be charged first using its calculator.
Some transfers aren’t the fastest. Home delivery to locations outside of Manila can take between 3 and 4 working days.
No cash or credit card. You can only pay via bank transfer or debit card.

How does Kabayan Remit compare to other services?

Table: sorted by a combination of service offering and the amount your recipient will receive

The table below shows the fees and exchange rates you can expect from other money transfer specialists compared with Kabayan Remit. Compare it with the other providers to see if it’s the best option for you to send money to the Philippines.

I want to send

Min. Transfer Amount	Transfer Speed	Online Transfer Fee	Rate	Amount Received	Description	CTA	Details
GBP 2,000	1 day	N/A	N/A	N/A	Get bank-beating exchange rates and no fees when you transfer with TorFX.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 2,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, JPY, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 5,000	Same day	N/A	N/A	N/A	Universal Partners FX offers competitive exchange rates and same-day transfers for 100+ currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 5,000.00 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, ALL, AMD, ANG, AOA, ARS, AUD, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BMD, BND, BOB, BRL, BSD, BWP, CAD, CDF, CHF, CLP, CNY, CRC, CVE, CZK, DJF, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, GYD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KRW, KWD, KYD, KZT, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MUR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SRD, STD, SZL, THB, TND, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, XAF, XCD, XOF, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 2,000	1 day	N/A	N/A	N/A	Make transferring money abroad as simple and safe as possible with bank-beating exchange rates - online, via the app or over the phone.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 2,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, JPY, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 5,000	1 day	N/A	N/A	N/A	Take advantage of fee lock-ins and live bookable rates, helping you save up to 85% in hidden bank fees.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 5,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AUD, BDT, BMD, CAD, CNY, DZD, EUR, GBP, HKD, ILS, INR, JMD, JPY, NZD, PHP, PLN, RUB, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 2,500	Same day	N/A	N/A	N/A	Central FX’s dedicated private client team will guide you through the money transfer process from first call to final payment.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 2,500.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Chat, Email, Branch Available currencies AED, AUD, BBD, BGN, BHD, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CNY, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, GHS, GMD, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, JOD, JPY, KES, KWD, KYD, LSL, MAD, MUR, MXN, NOK, NZD, OMR, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, SZL, THB, TND, TRY, UGX, USD, ZAR, ZMW Go to site Read the full review
GBP 1	Same day	GBP 0.00	1.097	EUR 1,097	Whatever amount you transfer, XE will not charge you a fee for using their service.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Bank Account to Bank Account Transfer options Regular payments, One off payments, Market orders, Forward contracts Customer service Phone, Email, Branch Available currencies AED, AMD, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BND, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HUF, IDR, ILS, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KRW, KWD, KZT, LKR, LSL, MAD, MKD, MUR, MWK, MXN, MYR, NAD, NOK, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SZL, THB, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UGX, USD, VUV, WST, XCD, XPF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 3,000	1 day	N/A	N/A	N/A	Get no fees as a Finder customer when you transfer your money overseas with Global Reach.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 3,000.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, BBD, BGN, BHD, BSD, BWP, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, GHS, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, ISK, JOD, JPY, KES, KWD, KYD, LKR, MAD, MUR, MXN, NOK, NZD, OMR, PKR, PLN, QAR, RON, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TND, TRY, TTD, UGX, USD, XCD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 1	1 - 2 days	GBP 1.99	1.088	EUR 1,086	Special offers like free transfers and better exchange rates available for new customers. Quick, affordable transfers around the world with both express and economy options.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 1.00 Transfer methods Online, Bank Account to Bank Account, Cash Transfer Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Chat, Email Available currencies ARS, BDT, BGN, BOB, BRL, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CZK, DOP, EGP, ETB, EUR, GBP, GHS, GTQ, GYD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, INR, JMD, KES, KMF, KRW, LKR, MAD, MXN, MYR, NGN, NIO, NPR, PEN, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, RON, RWF, THB, TND, TRY, TZS, UGX, USD, UYU, VND, XAF, XOF, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 5	2 days	EUR 3.00	1.097	EUR 1,097	Special offer: Zero fees on your first 10 transfers. Get bank-beating exchange rates and fast transfer times on 15+ popular currencies.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 5.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Email Available currencies AED, AUD, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, NOK, NZD, PHP, PLN, SEK, SGD, THB, USD, ZAR Go to site Read the full review
GBP 10	Within an hour	GBP 2.00	1.097	EUR 1,095	First two transfers free for new customers. Instant or 1 hour transfers to over 50 countries, send money directly to bank accounts or over 280,000 cash pickup points.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 10.00 Transfer methods Online, Phone, Agent, Cash Transfer Transfer options N/A Customer service Phone, Email, Branch Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, AZN, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BMD, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, CHF, CLP, CNY, COP, CRC, CVE, CZK, DKK, DOP, DZD, EGP, ETB, EUR, FJD, GBP, GEL, GHS, GMD, GNF, GTQ, HKD, HNL, HRK, HTG, HUF, IDR, ILS, INR, ISK, JMD, JOD, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, LAK, LBP, LKR, MAD, MDL, MGA, MNT, MRO, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, PEN, PGK, PHP, PKR, PLN, PYG, QAR, RON, RSD, RUB, RWF, SAR, SBD, SCR, SEK, SGD, SLL, SZL, THB, TJS, TND, TOP, TRY, TTD, TWD, TZS, UAH, UGX, USD, UYU, VEF, VND, VUV, WST, XAF, XOF, XPF, ZAR, ZMW, ZWD, BYN Go to site Read the full review
GBP 50	Same day	GBP 2.99	1.092	EUR 1,088	Use promo code 3FREE to send your first 3 transfers with no fee. Conditions apply. An online money transfer service with cash pick-up, bank account to bank account and airtime transfers available.	Go to site	Compare	Show details	Details Minimum transfer amount GBP 50.00 Transfer methods Online Transfer options N/A Customer service Chat, Email Available currencies AED, ALL, AMD, AOA, ARS, AUD, BAM, BBD, BDT, BGN, BHD, BIF, BOB, BRL, BWP, CAD, 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, JPY, KES, KGS, KHR, KMF, KRW, KWD, KYD, LAK, LBP, LKR, LRD, LSL, MAD, MDL, MGA, MRO, MUR, MVR, MWK, MXN, MYR, MZN, NAD, NGN, NIO, NOK, NPR, NZD, OMR, 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

Compare up to 4 providers

Disclaimer: Exchange rates change often. Confirm the total cost with the provider before transferring money.

Frequently asked questions

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Anna Kierstan

Anna Kierstan is an associate editor at Finder, specialising in money transfers and cryptocurrency. She has more than 15 years’ experience in publishing and journalism, working as an editor for brands including HSBC, Which?, NFU Mutual, Weight Watchers and AXA. She has a first-class degree in Linguistics and Philosophy from University College London and Masters degrees in Journalism and Translation. She likes to collect art and animals.

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Review: Kabayan Remit international money transfers

Kabayan Remit offers an efficient, cost-effective and convenient way to send money from the UK to the Philippines.

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