WorldFirst review
Updated September 28, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
WorldFirst suits businesses and freelancers paid in several currencies who want holding accounts with no monthly charge and a set exchange rate. The FX conversion charge runs 0.3% to 0.5% and the account fee is £0, so costs stay low for international money movement.
Key facts
- Best for
- Businesses and freelancers who receive and send money across currencies.
- Monthly fee
- £0↗
- Deposit protection
- FSCS up to GBP 85,000↗
- Currency conversion fee
- 0.3% to 0.5%↗
- Currencies
- 20↗
- Free ATM withdrawals
- £0↗
- Transfer fee
- Local payments in GBP, EUR or USD from GBP 0.30; international payments GBP 4.00; free between World Accounts↗
- Legal entity
- World First UK Limited↗
- Headquarters
- United Kingdom↗
- Founded
- 2004↗
- Support channels
- Chat, Email, Phone, Help-centre↗
- Audience
- Business, Freelancers
- Pricing model
- No monthly fee, Low FX fees
- Official website
- worldfirst.com
Money transfer
- Exchange rate markup
- 0.3% to 0.5%↗
- Delivery time
- Usually within one business day on major currency-country corridors; 1-2 additional business days for other combinations; payments between World Accounts are instant↗
- Payout methods
- Bank, Card↗
- Fee to send 1,000
- £4↗
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 5 sources
Apps and profiles
- Elsewhere
- TrustpilotLinkedInXyoutube.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- A monthly fee of £0 on the account, and the model is no monthly fee
- Conversion charges of 0.3% to 0.5% sit below the site median of 0.5%
- Deposit protection of FSCS up to GBP 85,000 under the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK
- Payouts go to bank and card, with chat, email and phone support channels listed
Cons
- Currencies total 20, below the everyday accounts median of 9
- A transfer fee of £4 applies to international payments
- The exchange rate markup is listed at 0.3% to 0.5%
Who it suits
- Businesses that invoice abroad and collect in several currencies
- Freelancers paid by clients in different countries
- Anyone who wants a UK regulated account with local details and multi currency balances
Who should look elsewhere
- PayPal Colombia, if you want a wallet rather than a set rate account
- Skrill, if card payouts matter more than holding balances
- Plazo ES, if a local euro account matters most
How WorldFirst compares
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 8.6
9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.0A monthly fee of €0 and a simpler wallet model without a set conversion charge.
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 9.5
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.9- 9.1 vs 8.9
9.1 vs 8.7
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 8.4
9.1 vs 8.3
9.1 vs 8.2
9.1 vs 8.1- 9.1 vs 8.1
9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 8.0
9.1 vs 9.1
Where WorldFirst is available
- Available
- Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Vietnam
- Licence in United Kingdom
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) (900508), checked September 26, 2026
- Licence in Netherlands
- De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) (R161090), checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to open and keep a WorldFirst account?+
The account runs a monthly fee of £0 in GBP, and the stated model is no monthly fee. Conversion charges sit at 0.3% to 0.5%, with an exchange rate markup listed at 0.3% to 0.5%. Payments to and from your own World Accounts carry no fee.
How much does it cost to send money out?+
Fees scale with the kind of payment. Local transfers in GBP, EUR or USD are charged below the rate that applies to sending money abroad, and the international charge is listed at £4. Shifting funds between your own World Accounts costs nothing, which helps businesses paying suppliers from held balances.
Is my money protected and who regulates it?+
The UK entity holds a licence from the Financial Conduct Authority, reference 900508, and the operator is World First UK Limited. Deposits are covered at FSCS up to GBP 85,000. European activity is regulated by De Nederlandsche Bank under R161090.
How long do payments take to arrive?+
Most payments on major currency and country corridors arrive within a business day, with a short delay for other currency pairs. Payments between World Accounts are instant. Payouts can go to a bank account or a card through bank and card.
How many currencies can I hold and receive?+
You can hold and receive 20 currencies, well above the everyday accounts median of 9. You also get local account details so clients can pay you like a local business, which is the main draw for international freelancers.
Who does WorldFirst suit?+
The stated audience covers business and freelancer. It suits companies invoicing overseas and freelancers billing clients in other countries, since the account keeps balances in each currency instead of converting everything on arrival. Support runs on chat, email and phone.
How old is the company and where is it based?+
The business was founded in 2004 and its head office is in the UK, with World First UK Limited as the UK entity. That long history matters for businesses that want an established counterparty to hold balances with.
Is there any free spending money on the account?+
The ATM withdrawal allowance is £0, so it is a transfer and holding account rather than a cash spending one. The card payout option listed in bank and card sits alongside bank payouts for receiving money, not for everyday withdrawals.
Sources
- register.fca.org.uk/s checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Deposit protection, Licences
- worldfirst.com/uk/help-support/contact-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Contact us by phone, email or live chat; In the UK 020 7801 1065, Outside the UK +44 20 7801 1065; you can use our live chat to speak with one of our dedicated account managers directly”
- worldfirst.com/uk/legal checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Legal entity
“The registered address for World First UK Limited is 2nd Floor, International House, 1 St Katharine's Way, London, E1W 1UN.”
- worldfirst.com/uk/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free ATM withdrawals, Currencies, Founded, Currency conversion fee, Exchange rate markup, Pricing model, Monthly fee, Transfer fee, Fee to send 1,000
“ATM Withdrawal: The ATM withdrawal fee is 2% of the withdrawal amount, with a minimum fee of GBP 1 (or equivalent in local currency)”
- worldfirst.com/uk/product/collect checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience
“Collect business payments from around the world in 20+ currencies for free; Freelancer platforms, including Upwork, Malt, etc. (If you are a freelancer)”
- worldfirst.com/uk/product/pay checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Delivery time, Payout methods
“The following currency and country combinations are usually processed within one business day... For currency/country combinations other than the above list, please allow 1-2 additional business days”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Licence type.
Related by the facts
Guides
WorldFirst
Businesses and freelancers who receive and send money across currencies.