Xoom money transfer review: all you need to know

Xoom is a PayPal company which offers international payments that can be made directly into a recipient’s bank account¹.

They also offer cash pick up or home delivery services in 70 countries around the world.

You can set up your transfers through their website or using the Xoom money transfer app.

In this Xoom review you’ll find all the pros and cons of using Xoom, as well as a bit more about how to receive money from Xoom, what it costs, and how competitive it is against other providers — such as Wise.

📑 Table of Contents
Xoom overview Xoom money transfer review xoom.com exchange rates Ways to transfer your money with Xoom Xoom customer service experience

Xoom overview

We’ll get on to questions like how much does Xoom charge to send money, and what are the Xoom monthly limits in just a moment. For now, some key pros and cons to consider.

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
Easy to use service, online and in app Send money to a bank account, for cash collection or to top up airtime Great global coverage	Fees can be on the high side Exchange rates may include a markup Not all services are available in all countries

How does Xoom work?

Xoom is a PayPal service, so if you already have a PayPal account there’s no need to register with Xoom before you can begin making payments.

You’ll be able to access Xoom from your PayPal account, or complete transactions online and on the go via the Xoom website and app.

🔢 To make a payment you’ll have to:

Log into your account and click the make a payment option. You then need to give the recipient’s details including bank account if you’d like to make a direct deposit into the recipient’s account Check you agree to the fees and exchange rate available, using the fees and exchange rate calculator, and make the payment Confirm how you want to pay. You can connect a payment source to your Xoom account — a linked bank account, credit or debit card — or use PayPal balance or any linked PayPal payment source You can then track the payment via the app or website, to see when it has been received

How does Xoom cash pickup work?

Depending on the country you’re sending money to, you may be offered the option to have your recipient pick up their money in cash at an agent near them.

In this case, when you set up the payment you’ll need to give the recipient’s full name as shown on their government issued ID document.

You simply find an agent that’s convenient for them, using Xoom’s agent network, and the recipient can pop in with their ID to get their money.

Where is Xoom available?

You can send money with Xoom to over 140 countries all around the world¹. Here are some of the countries you can send money to²:

Australia Canada China France Germany Hong Kong India Ireland Italy Japan Mexico New Zealand Singapore South Africa United Kingdom

Xoom money transfer review

Xoom international transfers cover over 140 countries, with an impressive array of options including direct bank deposits, cash pickup or home delivery, and airtime top up.

However, the charging structure used is fairly complex, and not all services are available in all destination countries. Compare Xoom against a range of other providers before you make your payment, to make sure you get the best deal on offer.

Xoom money transfer basics

Xoom’s money transfer services cover a good range of countries and payout options but aren’t necessarily the best value, depending on the type of transfer you need to make.

💡 Here are a few things to consider:

Check the service you want is available in the country you're sending to — coverage isn’t universal Fees and exchange rates vary depending on where you’re sending to, how you want to pay, and how your recipient will get their money Some credit and debit card payments can be instant but these come with higher fees than transfers made using an electronic bank transfer The exchange rate used includes a markup — remember to compare it to the mid-market rate so there are no surprises Payments funded by bank transfer can take a few business days to reach the recipient

Xoom money transfer fees and limits

Xoom’s money transfer fees vary based on the following factors³:

• Transaction type 
• Your payment method and what currency you pay with 
• The amount of the transaction
• Which country the transaction is going to
• Which currency you select for the other person to receive

It’s useful to know also that your credit card issuer may charge an extra fee if you choose to pay for your transfer with a card. You’ll see the costs and exchange rates that apply for your Xoom payment before you confirm it.

There are also limits to how much you can send with Xoom every day, month or 180 days, based on your account level and the payment type. From the US these are⁴:

Bank deposit maximums

Account Level	Daily Limit	Monthly limit	6 Month Limit
1	2,999 USD	6,000 USD	9,999 USD
2	10,000 USD	20,000 USD	30,000 USD
3	50,000 USD	60,000 USD	100,000 USD

Cash pickup maximums

Account Level	Daily Limit	Monthly limit	6 Month Limit
1	2,999 USD	6,000 USD	9,999 USD
2	10,000 USD	20,000 USD	30,000 USD
3	10,000 USD	20,000 USD	50,000 USD

Xoom money transfer time

Xoom says that most money transfers are received in minutes. However, some payments will take a few days, due to factors like the payment type, destination and verification requirements.

You can track your money using the Xoom app or website, to see when it should be received⁵.

Is Xoom safe to use?

Yes. Xoom is part of PayPal, one of the largest providers of money transfer services out there.

PayPal is licensed and regulated in the US and beyond, and as a digital technology company you can also rest assured that both PayPal and Xoom come with cutting edge technology to keep your money safe and secure.

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xoom.com exchange rates

It’s important to check the exchange rate that Xoom will use for your payment. That’s because Xoom makes money on the exchange rates they use, as well as the upfront fees they charge. Here’s what they say about it:

In addition to the transaction fee, Xoom also makes money when it changes your send currency into a different currency²

What that means is that Xoom takes the mid-market exchange rate — the one you’ll find if you google your currency or use an online currency converter — and add a markup.

Xoom then keeps the markup as profit, in addition to the upfront fees you’ve already paid. This isn’t a transparent charge — and it can mean you pay more than you have to for your international payment.

💡 Before you choose a provider for your international transfer, compare the exchange rate offered against the mid-market rate, to see the markup being applied. Or pick a service which uses the mid-market rate every time, like Wise.

An alternative to Xoom that uses the mid-market exchange rate: meet Wise

Although it is fairly common for banks and international payment services to add a markup to the exchange rates they pass to customers, you may find a better deal out there.

Try Wise, to see if you can get a cheaper transfer. All international payments are made using the mid-market exchange rate, and there is just a small upfront fee to pay for each transaction. It’s safe and convenient, and can work out much better value than services which hide a charge in the exchange rate used. To send money online with Wise, you will pay a small, flat fee and a percentage of the amount that’s converted. Also, the Wise money transfer app is available on both the App Store and Google Play.

If you make and receive international payments often, you might be even better off if you look at the multi-currency account from Wise, too.

This flexible new account lets you hold your money in any of over 40 different currencies, and make and receive international payments easily.

You can then switch between currencies using the real exchange rate, whenever you need to, for just a small transparent fee. You can also get the Wise multi-currency debit card, which you can use to pay for goods and services all over the world.

Send money abroad 🚀

Ways to transfer your money with Xoom

There are a few different options, if you want to send money with Xoom — and you can also choose how your recipient gets the payment⁶.

📤 Ways to send money	📥Ways to receive money
Send money online using your credit or debit card	Direct deposit into your recipient’s bank account
Send money online using a bank transfer	Have your recipient collect the payment in local cash from an agent near to them
Send money using your PayPal account	Home delivery service — available in some countries
Send money using any payment method linked to your PayPal account	Send money for airtime top up — available in some countries

Xoom customer service experience

You can get in touch with Xoom’s customer contact team by phone, in either English, Spanish, or Filipino:

Xoom customer support number: (877) 815-1531 (toll free) or +1 (415) 395-4225

There’s also an option to email a question if you need to. For common questions, there’s a large FAQ section available on the website, which might give you everything you need⁷.

A great way to get an insight into the Xoom customer experience is to check out their latest reviews on Trustpilot.

Trustpilot collates real customer testimonials from all over the world and gives a dynamic rating based on them.

At the time of writing, Xoom has a 3.6 out of 5 star rating — described as Average by Trustpilot. See more by clicking on the source link below.⁸

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Xoom is a convenient way to send money to people in over 140 countries — but has a fairly complex fee structure, including costs rolled into the exchange rate offered.

To get a good deal you’ll need to look carefully at what your transfer really costs before deciding to go ahead.

Compare the Xoom money transfer fees and exchange rates to the same transfer through Wise, to see if you can save.

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Sources:

1. Xoom - Send money
2. Xoom - About
3. Xoom Help - How much does it cost?
4. Xoom Help - Limits
5. Xoom Help - When will my money get there
6. Xoom Help - How can I pay
7. Xoom Customer Support Contact
8. Trustpilot - Xoom review

Sources checked on 06.02.2022