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Scoring Kabayan Remit
Kabayan Remit is dedicated to offering innovative international money transfer solutions for the Filipino community in the UK, Canada, and the US.
With competitive rates and a dynamic fee structure, the provider continues to appeal to a growing customer base. Here’s what to expect when using the platform.
- Kabayan Remit clearly displays the rates and fees it charges on its website-based transfer widget, mobile app, and social media.
- The 0.61% exchange rate margin is fairly good compared to banks (which charge 4% - 6% markup) and is generally in line with other money transfer companies. However, Wise, for example, offers transfers at the mid-market rate.
- The provider has a support team that speaks fluent Filipino and English.
- Kabayan Remit only accepts transfers from the UK, US, and Canada. Even services like iRemit offer bigger coverage while specializing in transfers to the Philippines.
- You can only transfer up to £3,000 per transaction and up to £7,000 per month. Large transfers have to be split into several months.
- Kabayan Remit doesn’t accept credit cards, prepaid cards, or business debit cards, only personal debit cards or bank accounts.
Kabayan Remit fees and exchange rates
Fees and rates
Kabayan Remit charges a markup and a fee, just like most other money transfer companies and banks.
Exchange rates
On average, Kabayan Remit adds a 0.61% markup on money transfers to the Philippines.
This means, that when you send money, your recipient will get 0.61% less per every unit of currency you send (for example, per every pound).
Kabayan Remit has set exchange rates, regardless of the payment method you use, which indicates there must be additional fees involved (more on this below).
Here’s a summary of their exchange rates:
Country | Delivery Method | Deposit Method | Kabayan Remit Rate | Mid-Market Rate | Markup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GBP | Credit to Account | Bank Transfer | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Credit to Account | Debit Card | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Bank Transfer | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Debit Card | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Bills Payment | Bank Transfer | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Bills Payment | Debit Card | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Cash Collection | Bank Transfer | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
GBP | Cash Collection | Debit Card | 74.3 | 74.5284 | -0.31% |
CAD | Bills Payment | Bank Transfer | 41.7 | 42.0732 | -0.89% |
CAD | Cash Collection | Bank Transfer | 41.7 | 42.0732 | -0.89% |
CAD | Credit to Account | Bank Transfer | 41.7 | 42.0732 | -0.89% |
CAD | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Bank Transfer | 41.7 | 42.0732 | -0.89% |
USD | Bills Payment | Bank Transfer | 58.4 | 58.9490 | -0.94% |
USD | Cash Collection | Bank Transfer | 58.4 | 58.9490 | -0.94% |
USD | Credit to Account | Bank Transfer | 58.4 | 58.9490 | -0.94% |
USD | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Bank Transfer | 58.4 | 58.9490 | -0.94% |
*Kabayan Remit rates collected in November 2024. Negative values mean below the mid-market rate.
International transfer fees
When it comes to the fees, Kabayan Remit charges a fixed fee instead of percentage-based fees.
This is usually good for making large transfers, however they have a maximum cap of 3,000 per transfer.
All the fees are paid in the currency you are sending and are added on top of the transfer amount.
For example, if you’re sending £3,000, you will need to deposit £3004.49.
Their fees also depend on the transfer and delivery method used.
Here’s a breakdown of all their fees:
Country | Delivery Method | Deposit Method | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
GBP | Credit to Account | Bank Transfer | 4.49 GBP |
GBP | Credit to Account | Debit Card | 5.49 GBP |
GBP | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Bank Transfer | 4.99 GBP |
GBP | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Debit Card | 5.49 GBP |
GBP | Bills Payment | Bank Transfer | 2.99 GBP |
GBP | Bills Payment | Debit Card | 2.99 GBP |
GBP | Cash Collection | Bank Transfer | 4.49 GBP |
GBP | Cash Collection | Debit Card | 5.49 GBP |
CAD | Bills Payment | Bank Transfer | 3.99 CAD |
CAD | Cash Collection | Bank Transfer | 5.99 CAD |
CAD | Credit to Account | Bank Transfer | 4.99 CAD |
CAD | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Bank Transfer | 3.99 CAD |
USD | Bills Payment | Bank Transfer | 2.99 USD |
USD | Cash Collection | Bank Transfer | 4.99 USD |
USD | Credit to Account | Bank Transfer | 2.99 USD |
USD | Mobile Wallet Top-Up | Bank Transfer | 2.99 USD |
As you can see, making deposits with a debit card is the most expensive in the UK, while cash transfers are the most expensive in the US and Canada.
In addition, depending on your issuing bank and card network (e.g. Visa or Mastercard), you may be charged some fees such as interchange fees.
As well as, some banks utilize the SWIFT network for transfers, which can lead to additional fees outside of Kabayan Remit control.
To put these numbers into perspective, let’s assume you’re making a $1000 transfer from the US to a bank via bank transfer to a bank account in the following countries:
Country | Kabayan Remit fees | Wise fees | iRemit fees |
|---|---|---|---|
$12.39 | $9.46 | $19.91 |
Transfer speed
Transfer speed
The transfer speed depends on the payment method you choose.
Bank transfers: These take 1-2 days to be delivered.
Cash pickups and virtual wallet top-ups: These are delivered in minutes.
Home deliveries: Recipients in Metro Manila can get their transfers in 1-2 working days while those in ‘out-of-service’ areas take about 3-4 working days to get their funds.
Transfer limits
Transfer limits
There is a limit per transaction and a monthly transfer ceiling.
The maximum you can send per month is £7,000 and the ceiling per transaction is £3,000.
Having said that, if you’re making a single transfer that exceeds £1,000 or a regular transfer that exceeds £3,000 within 30 days, this can only be processed if you get verified online.
When sending large amounts (above £2,000 per transaction) you must also get in touch with the customer support team on 020 3474 0999 for special arrangements.
When paying using a debit card, the limit is £999. Transfers beyond this value can only be paid through online bank transfers.
Product offering
Product offering
Supported currencies & destinations
The only destination for Kabayan Remit is the Philippines.
You can only send money from the UK, Canada, and the US.
This is a very limited offering compared to many other companies such as Wise, iRemit, and WorldRemit.
Payment methods
You can pay for your transfer on Kabayan Remit using either of the following methods:
Debit cards
They only accept personal debit cards. Prepaid cards, credit cards, and business debit cards are not accepted on Kabayan Remit.
In addition, there is £999 limit on the deposit, anything higher needs to be deposited using a bank transfer.
Bank transfer
Here you will need to deposit money using your bank details instead of card details. This option is a bit slower but is cheaper, and has higher limits (up to 3,000).
Receiving methods
You can choose any of the transfer delivery methods below depending on the cost and speed.
Credit to account
The transfer is credited directly to the recipient's bank account. Currently, they support 28 banks you can send to in the Philippines.
Cash collection
Your recipient can collect the transfer in cash from any of the following pickup partners: LBC Express, Metrobank, Palawan Pawnshop, Cebuana Lhuillier, and M Lhuillier Financial Services.
In total, there are over 10,000 cash pickup locations in the Philippines for transfers made with Kabayan Remit.
Cash delivery
The provider can deliver transfers to your recipient’s doorstep in Metro Manila and the following ‘out-of-service’ areas: Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, La Union, Laguna, Ilocos Sur/Norte, Nueva Vizcaya, and Batangas (except for Ibaan, Lobo and Laurel).
Virtual wallets
You can send money to your recipient through GCash or PayMaya virtual wallets.
However, your recipient must be registered with the respective service providers: Globe or TM for GCash, and Smart or Talk ‘n Text for PayMaya.
Bill payments
Finally, you can make transfers to pay for the bills in the Philippines.
Mobile app
Kabayan Remit has a mobile application available both on Android and iOS platforms as a free download.
With the app, you can:
Check exchange rates
Make money transfers
Manage your recipients
Check history and transfer status
On the Play Store, the Kabayan Remit app has a 4.0/5 rating and a total of 2,594 reviews. On the App Store, it has a 4.8/5 score with 1,076 ratings.
Ease of use
Ease of use
Customer service
If you need assistance with anything related to Kabayan Remit, they have a bilingual team speaking English and Filipino. You can get in touch with the customer support team using any of the following:
Telephone: Call the support team on toll number 020 3474 0999 for help. You can also request a callback by filling in a request form on the website. Customer service lines are open 24/7 including on bank holidays.
Email: You can email your query to info@kabayanremit.com.
Online chat: The provider has a 24/7 online chat service linked to the Facebook messenger app.
In writing: You can write to Kabayan Remit at the following address: Kabayan Remit, Murdock House, 30 Murdock Road, Bicester, OX26 4PP.
Social media: You can also get support through their social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Safety and trust
Safety & trust
Kabayan Remit has been in the money transfer business for 8 years and has operated in the financial services industry for longer, so yes you can trust this company.
Legitimacy of Kabayan Remit
They are authorized, and their activities are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
It operates under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, as an Authorised Payment Institution (API) number 710792.
It is also licensed and regulated as a Money Services Business (MSB) by Her Majesty Revenue and Customs under license number 12689111.
Kabayan Remit is also registered by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) registration number ZA031287.
The ICO is an independent body in the United Kingdom established to uphold public information rights.
Key industry partnerships
Protection of customer data
Investors
Customer feedback
Customer feedback
The brand doesn’t have as many reviews on Trustpilot but on Reviews.io it has a total of 21,542 reviews and an overall rating of 4.8/5. As well as 97% of users would recommend using them.
Here is what the customers have to say:
- Transfer deliveries were fulfilled within the given timeframe.
- Most transfer tickets raised are resolved in less than an hour.
- The rates offered are excellent and compare closely to the mid-market rates.
- In a few cases, users pointed out delayed transfer deliveries.
Making international transfers
Kabayan Remit is a highly specialized platform that is simple to use when sending money to your family and friends in the Philippines.
Here are the processes involved when making your transfer.
Sign Up for an Account
You can register for an account on the website, mobile app, or through the telephone. All you need is to provide your email and password, personal information, contact details, and your occupation. Then click on the ‘Register’ tab.
Select Beneficiary
Once your account is set up and verified you can log in and start sending money by selecting your beneficiary. If you haven’t previously entered your recipient into the system, you can add them as a new beneficiary and proceed with your transfer.
Choose the Transfer Type
You can choose account transfer, cash collection, or home delivery depending on your preferences.
Add Your Transfer Details
These include the purpose of your transfer and the beneficiary’s account information if you’ve chosen this payout method.
Choose How You Want to Pay
You can pay using your debit card or make a transfer from your bank account.
Amount to Send
Choose the amount you want to send in British sterling pounds or the amount you want the recipient to get in Philippine pesos. Input a discount code if you have one, tick the ‘Confirmation SMS to remitter’ checkbox, and provide your mobile number if you want to get notifications.
Transfer Confirmation
Check that all the transfer details are correct and click on ‘Confirm transfer.’
Pay for Your Transfer
Select the correct payment type, Visa Electron, V Pay, or Mastercard, and enter your details. Once you’ve made the payment, you’ll receive an SMS and email confirmation with the transfer reference number, transfer amount, and the name of the recipient. The recipient will also receive the same information.
Most transfers are normally sent within minutes, making it difficult if not impossible to recall them.
However, if you do need to cancel a transaction, get in touch with the support team on 020 3474 0999 or through info@kabayanremit.com for assistance.
Receive international transfers
How your recipient receives the funds depends on the transfer payout method you choose.
For virtual wallets and direct bank deposits, your recipient gets the money without having to provide any documentation unless making a withdrawal.
Cash collection and home delivery require that the recipient provide proof of ID and a transaction reference, which they will have to provide when collecting the money.
You can always check the status of your transfer from the Kabayan Remit’s dashboard.
How Kabayan Remit compares to other transfer services
Fees & Rates9.4Transfer Speed9.0Safety & Trust9.2Product Offering8.8Transfer Limits9.5Ease of Use10.0Customer Feedback8.5Overall
Fees & Rates9.8Transfer Speed9.0Safety & Trust9.0Product Offering8.0Transfer Limits9.0Ease of Use9.0Customer Feedback8.4Overall
Fees & Rates9.3Transfer Speed9.0Safety & Trust9.0Product Offering8.0Transfer Limits9.0Ease of Use9.0Customer Feedback8.7Overall
Fees & Rates9.1Transfer Speed8.0Safety & Trust9.0Product Offering9.0Transfer Limits8.0Ease of Use9.0Customer Feedback9.0Overall
Fees & Rates9.4Transfer Speed8.0Safety & Trust8.5Product Offering8.8Transfer Limits9.5Ease of Use8.2Customer Feedback8.3Overall
Other Alternatives
Alternatively, consider using one of these neobanks for international transfers.
Kabayan Remit: Is it good for transfers abroad?
Kabayan Remit is the go-to platform for many Kabayans looking for a cheap, fast, and efficient way to send money to their families and friends in the Philippines.
Sending and receiving money using the platform is simple. Recipients have the option of direct bank deposits, virtual wallet top-ups, cash pickups, and door-to-door deliveries for their transfers.
Overall, their fees are fairly low but not lower than many competitors such as Wise or WorldRemit.
If you need to send up to 3,000 from accepted countries, want to have support on hand, and need to send money for cash collection, I would say it’s a good choice.
However, for anything else, I would recommend comparing your options using our form below to get a better deal on transfers to the Philippines.
Help & FAQ
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Kabayan Remit user feedback
Comments
Anonymous
It took so long to claim your money. We waited for the text confirmation for almost 1 week but still iwe didn't received one. Sobrang tagal.
