Paysend fees, card-to-card and how it works (2026)
Paysend is the card-to-card network — its signature is sending straight to a recipient's Visa or Mastercard number, alongside bank and wallet payout, for a low flat fee plus a small FX margin. It has surprisingly broad African card-payout reach across ~38 countries. It fits when your recipient can receive on a card and you can fund from one, since transfers are card-funded; it's not a cash-agent network, and per-corridor payout methods shift, so verify yours.
Where Paysend sends: the routes we cover
Coverage is checked route by route from each provider's own site — see the "will Paysend work for your route?" check below.
How much does Paysend cost? The fee anatomy
Paysend charges a low flat per-transfer fee — indicatively around £1 / $2 / €2 (advertised "as low as $1.99 / £1", 2026) — plus a small FX margin of roughly 0.5–1%; a new-customer promotion waives the fee on a first transfer (2 April–31 July 2026). Treat these figures as indicative and dated, not corridor-exact — confirm your route's fee in-app. Margins move daily; compare the app's quote to the live mid-market rate above before sending — the gap is the real cost.
See what the recipient gets (🇬🇧 United Kingdom → 🇳🇬 Nigeria):
Paysend delivery & speed
Paysend's signature payout is card-to-card — money lands straight on a recipient's Visa or Mastercard card number, alongside bank deposit and mobile wallet. The per-corridor method matrix shifts (some routes are card-only), so verify the payout method for your corridor. Card-to-card transfers are often near-instant.
Paysend limits & KYC
Limits depend on your origin, verification tier and payout method, and larger sends may need extra checks. Check the cap for your exact route in the app.
Is Paysend safe? Regulation & trust
Is Paysend safe? In the UK, Paysend (Paysend CCY Ltd) is an FCA-authorised e-money institution; in the US, Paysend US LLC is a licensed money transmitter (NMLS 2048617); in the EU it is authorised via the Central Bank of Ireland. It is an Electronic Money Institution (EMI), not a bank: there is no deposit insurance (no FSCS), but customer funds are safeguarded in segregated accounts, held separately from the company's own money — the regulatory alternative to deposit protection.
Will Paysend work for your route?
Works if : you're sending FROM the UK, US, Canada, the EU, Australia and 40+ more TO a recipient's card, bank account or wallet in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal and 35+ African markets — via card-to-card, bank or mobile wallet. see the routes above →
- Recipient needs cash pickup? Paysend pays to cards, banks and wallets — it isn't a cash-agent network (2026). For cash pickup, try Western Union →
- Recipient is unbanked or you don't have their card details? Card-to-card needs a card (2026). For a wallet-first send, try Sendwave →
- Want to fund from your bank, not a card? Paysend transfers are card-funded (2026). To fund from a bank, try Wise →
Frequently asked questions
How does Paysend's card-to-card work?
You send to the recipient's Visa or Mastercard number and the money lands on their card — no bank details needed on card routes. It also supports bank and wallet payout; verify the method for your route.
How much does Paysend cost?
A low flat fee (indicatively ~£1 / $2 / €2, 2026) plus a small FX margin of about 0.5–1%. The figures are indicative and dated — check your corridor's fee in-app.
Can I fund a Paysend transfer from my bank?
Paysend transfers are funded by card. If you'd rather pay in from a bank account, a bank-funding provider suits you better.