Xoom is a secure and simple service to send money, reload airtime, and pay bills for friends and relatives in 39 African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa from your computer or smartphone. Xoom was founded in 2001 and was acquired in 2015 by PayPal, which paid more than $890 million for the acquisition.
Advantages of Using Xoom Money Transfer
- Transparent fees. Xoom’s fees calculator enables you to know the exact amount you need to pay before finishing your transaction.
- Money-back guarantee. If your money does not reach the recipient, Xoom will refund you the full amount.
- Convenient receiving options. Your recipient can receive funds in a bank account, mobile money, and pick up cash. You can also send airtime and pay bills for them.
Disadvantages of Using Xoom Money Transfer
- Foreign currency exchange rate. Xoom makes money when it changes your send currency into a different currency.
- You can only send money online with a bank account or debit/credit card.
- Lengthy verification process. Xoom may require certain documents in some instances such as when raising your transfer limits.
How Xoom Money Transfer Works
Using Xoom to send money to African countries is quick and easy. If you have PayPal account, you can log in with your PayPal details. Alternatively, you can create a Xoom account for free on the website or download its Android or iOS app. Once your account is created, enter how much money to send, who it’s going to, and where they are located. Finally, pay for your transfer.
The table below show recipient information you need when using Xoom.
| Xoom service | Required information |
|---|---|
| Send money | Your recipient’s name as it appears on their ID, as well as their address and phone number. If you’re making a bank deposit, their bank name and account number |
| Reload phones | Your recipient’s phone number (we can identify the carrier for you) and their full name |
How Do I Pay for Xoom Money Transfer?
To send money to Africa with Xoom, you are able to pay with Paypal, bank account, credit card, or debit card. Being a PayPal company, you can also pay with the payment methods stored in your PayPal account. To connect a bank account, credit card, or debit card to your account, you must use that payment source in a transaction. Once a payment source is connected to your account through a transaction, you can manage it from your My Account page.
How to Receive Xoom Money Transfer
Xoom service allows you to send money to a bank account, mobile money, and cash for pickup at a local agent. You can also pay bills for your loved ones and buy airtime for them. Cash pick ups and mobile money are usually available within minutes while bank transfers can take up to 3 days. Airtime top-up is instant.
Transfer to mobile wallets in Africa is a new service available in Burundi, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The service was launched in December 2020 for customers in the US, UK, Canada, and Europe.
What is the Maximum Amount Can I Send With Xoom?
Like most money transfer services, Xoom has got transfer limits. The limits are on three levels. At each level, there is a maximum amount of money that you can send within a certain period of time. Transfer limits are based on:
- Where you live
- How the money is received
- Partner limits, which vary by country. Xoom partners include the banks, cash pick up locations and other services that enable your recipient to receive the money you send
How to Raise Xoom Transfer Limits
When you send an amount that exceeds your current sending level, you will be asked to upgrade your account by providing additional information and documents as shown in the tables below.
Residents of the United States
| Level | 24-hr limit | 30-day limit | 180-day limit | Required information and documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,999 USD | 6,000 USD | 9,999 USD | Sender profile information |
| 2 | 10,000 USD | 20,000 USD | 30,000 USD | Social Security number or passport |
| 3 | 50,000 USD | 60,000 USD | 100,000 USD | 1. Driver’s license, passport, or Green Card 2. Either a bank statement or a pay stub 3. Answer the security questions Xoom sends by email |
Residents of Canada
| Level | 24-hr limit | 30-day limit | 180-day limit | Required information and documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 999 CAD | 5,000 CAD | 9,999 CAD | Sender profile information |
| 2 | 12,500 CAD | 25,000 CAD | 40,000 CAD | We may require:Passport, driver’s license, or another government issued ID to verify your identity; andUtility bill or another proof of addressBank statement or another statement issued by your bank |
| 3 | 75,000 CAD | 90,000 CAD | 130,000 CAD | Passport, driver’s license, or another government issued ID to verify your identity;Utility bill or another proof of address;Either a bank statement or a pay stub; andAnswer the security questions Xoom sends by email |
Residents of Europe Economic Area (EEA) members where the Xoom service is available and the United Kingdom
| Level | 24-hr limit | 30-day limit | 180-day limit | Required information and documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1,000 EUR | 3,000 EUR | 6,000 EUR | Sender profile informationAdditional information may be required when sending cash pickup transactions above 500 EUR, or larger amounts over time |
| 2 | 10,000 EUR | 20,000 EUR | 30,000 EUR | We may require: 1. Passport, National ID card, driver’s license, or Residency Permit to verify your identity 2. Utility bill to verify your address |
| 3 | 25,000 EUR | 50,000 EUR | 100,000 EUR | 1. Passport, National ID card, driver’s license, or Residency Permit if not previously provided 2. Either a bank statement or a pay stub 3. Answer the security questions Xoom sends by email |
How Long Does It Take to Transfer Money With Xoom?
Airtime top-up and cash pickup are usually instant. However, when you send via a bank account over a certain amount of money in a single transaction or within a 24-hour period, Xoom will first wait to receive the funds from your bank. This may take 2-3 business days if you send before 4 PM PT. Xoom may also email you for any required information and documentation before proceeding with your transaction.
When sending USD and paying with your bank account, transactions above 10,000 USD add 2-3 business days. When sending CAD and paying with your bank account, transactions above 6,000 CAD may add 2-3 business days. Luckily, as you increase your sending level, Xoom may process larger amounts without this delay. When you send CAD and pay with your credit or debit card, your transactions will not be subject to this delay.
If your transaction requires additional time as discussed above and you send the transaction after 4:00 PM PT, Xoom will request funds from your bank on the next business day, followed by the additional 2-3 business days to receive funds from your bank.
Banks do have hours of operation. Any bank processing that Xoom requests during the weekend or a bank holiday will be delayed until the next business day.
What Are Xoom Money Transfer Fees?
Xoom fees vary depending on payment method, transaction type, what currency you pay with, amount, and country of destination. For example, if you send $500 to Nigeria using a bank account, you will pay $4.99, paying by debit/credit card will incur $25.99 transfer fee. Sending money to a mobile wallet will transaction fees of 2 to 4 percent.
Xoom Transaction Fees
Transaction Fee for Airtime
| Paying in USD | Paying in CAD | Paying in GBP | Paying in EUR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee per Reload transaction to any country | 0.00 USD | 0.00 CAD | 0.00 GBP | 0.00 EUR |
When using a credit card to pay for a Xoom service, your card provider may charge a cash advanced fee in addition to Xoom’s transaction fee.
In Which African Countries is Xoom Available?
Countries in Africa where you can send money with Xoom are Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, eSwatini, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Supported Languages
Xoom offers customer service in the following languages: English, Spanish, Filipino, French, Italian, German, Vietnamese, Chinese and Arabic. Xoom website is available in English, Portuguese, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Hungarian, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Is Xoom Safe and Secure?
Xoom is a service of PayPal and is regulated by both state and federal U.S. government agencies. The company uses 128-bit data security encryption to secure its data. Xoom servers are protected both physically and electronically and reside behind a firewall and are not directly connected to the Internet. All Xoom employees pass financial and criminal background checks as a condition of employment. The company has a money-back guarantee policy in instances where your money does not reach the recipient.
Xoom Reviews
Xoom has a score of 4.6/5 from over 21,000 reviews on Trustpilot. 89% of customers were satisfied with its service while 5% thought the services was bad.