Physical Paysend Mastercard

Level: Full KYC

• ✓Email verificationRequired
• ✓Phone verificationRequired
• ✓Identity documentRequired
• ✓Proof of addressRequired
• ✓Selfie verificationRequired

Community Score

4.7/10

Sourced from

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The key fact is that the plastic card is a legacy product. Paysend stopped issuing new plastic cards to UK and EEA users registering from 8 June 2023 and now only services cards already in circulation, steering demand to virtual issuance and to Paysend Libre, an SMS-delivered virtual Mastercard for US-to-Latin America transfers. Praise is consistent but narrow: flat upfront transfer fees (around GBP 1, EUR 1.50 or USD 2, with some zero-fee corridors), card-to-card transfers that settle in minutes using only a 16-digit card number across 170+ countries, payouts into wallets such as GCash, bKash and Alipay, and a clean app that shows the fee, live rate and delivery estimate before you confirm. Ratings are roughly 4.2 on Google Play across about 181,000 reviews, near 4.8 on iOS and 4.1 to 4.2 on Trustpilot from 41,000+ reviews. The economics are less generous than the marketing: a flat 2% FX markup outside held currencies, another 2% on ATM withdrawals beyond roughly GBP 200 or EUR 220 a month, a further 0.5% to 1.5% spread that reviewers find inside the quoted rate, and a past issuance fee near GBP 5. There are no rewards beyond a small referral bonus. The recurring complaint is compliance: automated AML monitoring freezes accounts and transfers without warning, with users describing eight-day pending transfers, repeated selfie and ID requests and month-long blocks. Balances are safeguarded at partner banks but not covered by FSCS, and an ombudsman decision confirms Paysend is not liable when a customer is tricked into sending funds. Support is the weakest area, with email-only tickets, waits beyond a week and scripted replies. Sources disagree on how transparent the FX spread is and on which regions can still obtain a card, so check in the app.

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