Currencies Direct Review - Money Transfer Costs and FXcompared’s rating

Currencies Direct Transfer Fees and Costs

Customer reviews were overwhelmingly positive for the company’s transaction fees and the exchange rates they secured for client transfers. Currencies Direct’s ability to find competitive currency rates, as well as their practice of charging lower fees than a bank, were mentioned in many reviews as the reason for choosing Currencies Direct for international money transfers.

Many commenters noted that Currencies Direct rates were more competitive than rates they had been offered by high street banks, and that they were able to save significantly by using Currencies Direct. Several reviewers mentioned the ability to lock in favorable exchange rates as a benefit to using the company’s international money transfers service.

Usability

The points above are added to calculate the “Ease of Use” score of Currencies Direct, who scores 4 points on a maximum of 5 points.

The Currencies Direct website is popular with customers, with no negative reviews. Most found it easy to use and liked the ability to schedule money transfers or overseas payments from the comfort of their homes. Some reviews mentioned that it was fast and easy to set up a free account and begin placing transfer orders.

Customers can open an account in minutes online, or over the phone with the support of their personal account manager.

Reviews were overall favourable regarding the ease of opening an account and setting up a transfer. The majority of reviewers said that the staff were polite and helpful and that they were easy to contact by phone. Reviews also mentioned Currencies Direct’s online platform and its ease of use for setting up payments and transfers.

You can make a currency transfer with Currencies Direct in three simple steps:

1) Open an account

2) Pick the currency you want to buy, and tell Currencies Direct where you want to send it

3)  Send Currencies Direct your funds via card or bank transfer and it’ll do the rest (you will receive email notifications of the status of your transaction)

Currencies Direct makes sending money to a number of worldwide destinations easier for individuals and offers its customers some of the best foreign exchange rates. Customers can choose from a spot contract, which allows them to send a money transfer immediately at the best rate available; a forward contract, which allows them to lock in a favourable exchange rate for future transfers; or they can place a limit order, which allows them to secure a guaranteed rate for a future transaction.

Currencies Direct also provides customers with the ability to set up automatic payments. Individuals can establish a payment plan and convert the payment at the exchange rate offered on the payment date, or they can lock in a rate ahead of time to secure the best exchange rate. Currencies Direct can set a favourable exchange rate for up to one year’s worth of payments.

Currencies Direct also gives users the option to manage transfers over the phone, online or through its award-winning app. Users can track the progress of their transfer through their online account or the app.

Mobile product

The Currencies Direct website is highly intuitive on mobile. Its features are neatly arranged to allow easy navigation. The company does provide an Android and iOS mobile application with additional features to help users manage their accounts from their smartphones.

The app is available on Google Play for Android users and the App Store for iOS users. It is free and does not come with in-app purchases. Furthermore, the app has a rating of 4.5/5 on Google Play and 4.0/5 on App Store. Most reviewers report that it is easy to use, secure and highly responsive.

Currencies Direct app users can access all the functionalities found in the web platform at a click of button. Consequently, they can initiate and manage all transactions from a smartphone.

Trustworthiness & Reliability

Currencies Direct holds the highest level of creditworthiness with Dun & Bradstreet and is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). 

It has more than 20 offices worldwide, teams of currency experts and a range of specialist services, claiming to have helped over 210,000 personal and business customers move money abroad. 

Reviews were consistently favourable for Currencies Direct’s ability to ensure that funds were delivered and received on schedule. Some customers mentioned the company’s fast delivery time, especially when compared to traditional banks. Other customers noted that the transfer of money happened faster than they expected, with the funds available for withdrawal the next business day at the receiving bank.

Business product offering

Currencies Direct provides a variety of services for businesses, including finding the most favourable exchange rates, customised plans, and risk management tools to help businesses manage their currency exchange risk exposure. Businesses can choose spot or forward contracts, or limit order options to help lock in the best currency transfer rates for future transactions. Market research, market monitoring services, and access to currency specialists are also provided to business customers to help them make the most informed decisions about their currency transactions.

Currencies Direct offers automated payment plans that can make it easier for businesses making regular and ongoing payments for things such as employee payroll, paying suppliers, or for managing multiple payments.

Currencies Direct has helped thousands of businesses and online sellers streamline their international payments and maximise their profits with:

·        Competitive exchange rates

·        Risk management solutions

·        Secure, reliable payments

·        Regular market analysis and currency forecasts

Whether a business needs to pay a single invoice or manage multiple payments, Currencies Direct can help it minimise costs and maximise opportunities.

For online sellers who need dependable access to competitive exchange rates, flexible accounts in a variety of global markets, the ability to convert payments into their local currency, or to pay overseas suppliers, Currencies Direct provides business services tailored to online sellers, at lower fees than those offered at a bank, and is able to send the money to the online seller at much faster rates than standard marketplace payment solutions. Currencies Direct focuses this service on marketplace e-tailers and companies involved in cross-border trade.

Product Coverage & Service

Currencies Direct Transfer provides transfers to over 200 countries in over 40 currencies. The company has offices in nine countries, including the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, China, Spain, Portugal, South Africa, and the Republic of Ireland. Its services are available in nine languages, namely English, French, German, Korean, Chinese, Italian, Swedish, Portuguese, Norwegian and Spanish.

The minimum online transfer amount with Currencies Direct is £100 and the maximum is £25,000. It is possible to make transfers above £25,000 but under special terms and conditions. Currencies Direct accepts payments through debit card, bank transfer and cheques.

Normally, transfers with this provider take between 24 and 48 hours. However, transfers to Europe can take less than 12 hours. A confirmation email is sent to the sender once the transfer has been facilitated. Users can contact Currencies Direct’s customer service for a definite answer on how long it will take to facilitate specific transactions.

Currencies Direct provides three types of accounts, namely Personal, Business, and Online Seller. Each account type comes with special features suited for its purpose.

Customer Feedback & Satisfaction

Currencies Direct customer service gets high marks from nearly everyone. The majority of reviews mentioned the company’s customer service for its superb customer support. Most found the service friendly, helpful and readily available by phone or through its online customer service support centre. One reviewer mentioned that a personal interaction with a consultant led to a good exchange rate, and others wrote that working directly with a Currencies Direct customer service representative made them feel more secure and confident about their transaction. Others commented on the company’s policy of providing top-notch communications throughout the entire transfer process, making them feel that they knew where their money was every step of the way.

Customers mentioned being able to talk to Currencies Direct agents on the phone and receiving free market advice, and accessing the Currencies Direct daily newsletter, which contains market and currency information, as well as exchange rates. Several reviews mentioned Currencies Direct providing help and guidance when they were in the process of purchasing a home abroad, and that this was invaluable guidance throughout the home-buying process.

Customer Help & Assistance

A lot of online reviews show that Currencies Direct has excellent customer services. The agents are reachable through live chat, email and phone. It takes a few seconds to get connected to an agent through live chat and phone. Emails, on the other hand, can take up to 24 hours to get a response and are therefore not suitable for urgent enquiries.

Users’ feedback on consumer review sites also shows that the agents are knowledgeable. Most users report getting help from one phone call or live chat. Currencies Direct does provide a dedicated account manager to help users get the most out of their accounts.

We find their FAQs page not to be comprehensive enough. Also, it does not come with a search bar to help users navigate through. Currencies Direct does provide the latest forex news to help its users stay up to date with industry developments. News updates happen several times per day. 

Pricing Transparency

Several reviews mentioned that Currencies Direct customer service agents were always clear and up front about transaction costs compared to some other money transfer companies and that they would continue using Currencies Direct for this reason alone.

The company categorically states that it does not charge fees or commissions for most transactions. Moreover, users are notified up front if there is a charge on any of its services. As mentioned earlier, Currencies Direct makes money by providing an exchange rate that is slightly higher than the mid-market rate. The company does make full disclosures on its spreads.

Users must register with Currencies Direct to receive a free real-time quote. The registration process involves submitting a phone number and email. It takes less than 15 minutes to get a call back from the company’s currency experts.