Makeba Money review
Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Our verdict
Makeba Money is a digital only money transfer service built for expats who want the fee and the exchange rate on screen before sending. The monthly fee is $0, transfers arrive in minutes, and payouts run by cash pickup, so it suits anyone who needs cash collected in person.
Key facts
- Best for
- People sending money home who want the fee and rate shown up front, no monthly fee and cash pickup on the other side.
- Transfer fee
- No hidden fees; fee and exchange rate shown upfront↗
- Delivery time
- in minutes↗
- Payout methods
- Cash-pickup↗
- Legal entity
- Makeba, Inc.↗
- Headquarters
- United States↗
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Help-centre↗
- Official website
- makeba.money
Everyday accounts
- Monthly fee
- $0↗
- Audience
- Expats
- Pricing model
- No monthly fee
- Features
- Digital-only
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 4 sources
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
- Elsewhere
- LinkedInfacebook.cominstagram.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- The transfer fee and the exchange rate are both shown before you confirm, so the cost of a payment is clear at the quote stage with no hidden fees added later.
- Transfers arrive in minutes, which suits people who need cash quickly rather than a scheduled payment.
- A monthly fee of $0 on a no monthly fee model, so there is nothing to pay to keep the account open.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, while 79.5% of the services on the site run a phone line.
- Payout runs by cash pickup, and 83.2% of the money transfer services here pay out to a bank account.
- As a digital only service, there is no counter for anyone who wants to deal with a person in person.
Who it suits
- People sending money to expats who need it collected in cash on arrival rather than paid into a bank account.
- Users who want the full cost of a transfer visible before they confirm it.
- Anyone comfortable running the whole service through an app, since it is digital only.
Who should look elsewhere
- PayPal Colombia, which takes a percentage plus a fixed fee on international sends and adds a card fee when a transfer is paid for by card.
- Skrill, whose fee rises when a transfer is funded by a debit or credit card.
- Paysera, which adds a fixed charge on transfers in other currencies and on SWIFT payments.
Who runs it
Makeba Money is operated by Makeba, Inc., a company based in the US. It works as a digital only provider, so the service runs through the app with no branch counter to visit. Help comes through email, chat and help centre, covering email, chat and a help centre rather than a phone line. For anyone weighing the provider, the operator name and country of operation are both stated clearly.
How Makeba Money compares
Where Makeba Money is available
- Available
- Cabo Verde, United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does a Makeba Money transfer cost?+
Makeba Money shows the transfer fee and the exchange rate before you confirm a payment, with no hidden fees added later. The account itself carries a monthly fee of $0, and the service runs a no monthly fee model, so there is no annual charge to weigh up.
How long does a transfer take to reach the recipient?+
Transfers arrive in minutes. The recipient collects the money in person once the transfer lands, which suits anyone who needs cash in hand quickly rather than waiting for a bank to post a payment to an account.
How is the money paid out to the recipient?+
Payout runs by cash pickup, so the money is collected in cash rather than paid into a bank account. That works well for recipients who do not hold a bank account or who would rather hold the cash directly. Questions about arranging collection go through email, chat and help centre.
Is there a monthly account fee?+
The monthly fee is $0 and the service runs a no monthly fee model, so there is nothing to pay to keep the account open. Fees elsewhere in this category do vary, with €449 the highest monthly fee across the accounts listed here.
Who is Makeba Money built for?+
The service is aimed at expats, and it is run by Makeba, Inc., a company based in the US. It is a digital only provider, so sending and receiving both run through the app, and payout by cash pickup suits people whose recipient prefers cash.
Can I reach a person if a transfer goes wrong?+
Help is available through email, chat and help centre, which covers email, chat and a help centre, so there is no phone line to call. Phone support is the more common setup, with 79.5% of the services on the site offering it, so have your transfer details ready when you write in.
How does the cost compare with PayPal and Skrill?+
Makeba Money shows the fee and the exchange rate before a transfer is confirmed, so the cost is set at the quote stage. The other two charge by funding method: PayPal Colombia takes a percentage plus a fixed fee on international sends, and Skrill charges more when a transfer is funded by a card.
Sources
- play.google.com/store/apps/details checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“Makeba is the money transfer app built for the Cape Verdean diaspora. Send money from the United States to Cabo Verde, for every reason you have.”
- makeba.money checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Headquarters, Pricing model, Monthly fee, Payout methods, Transfer fee
“Open your account. Verify your ID once. Send forever.”
- makeba.money/contact-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Chat with us Start a secure chat and get answers from our team in real time. FAQs Quick answers to common questions.”
- makeba.money/invite checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Delivery time
“SEND MONEY Fast & secure. Dollars to Cabo Verde in minutes.”
- makeba.money/v02/terms-of-service checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“This User Agreement, which is effective as of 2017-09-21 is a contract between you and Makeba, Inc.”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Exchange rate markup, Licence type.
Related by the facts
Makeba Money
People sending money home who want the fee and rate shown up front, no monthly fee and cash pickup on the other side.