Mobile Top-Up Sites for Seafarers and Travelers

by | Last updated Nov 24, 2023 | Communication, Seaman's Life | 1 comment

Mobile top-up sites allow anyone to add credit to their phones on any network from anywhere in the world.

Travelers, for business, pleasure, and work, are using these top-up sites to keep credit on their international SIMs. This helps them stay connected to any country’s mobile network.

Depending on the user’s needs, some top-up sites may be better suited than others. 

What region the phone number is registered in, payment method, and currency exchange rates are just a few of the things that you may what to consider when choosing a top-up website.

Fees and Charges

While fees and charges exist across all platforms, some have better rates than others. Likewise, using certain types of payment methods may require banking fees or credit card fees.

On the same token, some top-up sites allow you to pay using cryptocurrency, bypassing some of these fees.

We will focus on the following mobile top-up websites, discussing their rates, some of the fees involved, and how you can access their platforms:

  • Mobiletopup.com
  • Ding.com
  • Recharge.com
  • Mobilerecharge.com
  • Bitrefill.com

What They All Have in Common

No matter where you decide to top up your mobile credit, fees, and mark-ups are to be expected. 

All sites will have a markup on the credit they provide and these markups are included to cover a variety of costs.

I normally use mobiletopup.co.uk for charging Three UK sim cards especially if the voyage is within Europe.

Credit cards, for example, charge 3% transaction fees that are covered in the markup. On the same note, there may be taxes that must be paid depending on what country the phone number is registered in.

Charging mark-ups is how mobile top-up sites make their money and it is to be expected. Various top-up sites charge different rates from one another depending on the site.

Best Mobile Top-Up Sites for Seafarers

1. Mobiletopup.com

Mobiletopup.com is the first international mobile credit refill service based in Thailand. Currently, they provide top-up credit in over 100 countries.

Mobiletopup.com has the most comprehensive payment options which include:

  • All major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Maestro)
  • PayPal
  • Alipay
  • JCB (Japan Credit Bureau)
  • Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dash, Monero, Litecoin, and more)
  • Coins.ph

They also specialize in charging for international Thai SIM cards which carry with them attractive rates.

MobileTopUp
MobileTopUp.

These are extremely popular with seafarers, international business travelers, or anyone who often changes mobile networks. 

Using SIM cards or eSIMs that work globally and can be topped up online is a huge advantage to anyone looking for easy, fast connectivity.

Mark Up

The average markup for all countries will be around 14%. However, since Mobiletopup.com is based in Thailand, the markup on international Thai SIM cards is only 5%.

As of now, users can charge credit through Mobiletopup.com’s website and they are currently working on an app to bring their top-up service to mobile devices. 

For international top-ups, you will need to make an account and be verified. However, you don’t need to create an account for any top-up within Thai networks.

2. Ding.com

Ding.com began charging mobile data in 2006 and has been one of the largest mobile reloading services. 

Currently, they offer top-up options in over 140 different countries on a multitude of mobile networks.

You can top off your mobile credit with Ding.com in a number of ways:

  • On the Ding.com website
  • Through their mobile app
  • In-store, over-the-counter at over 600,000 retailers worldwide

Mark Up

Ding.com on average charges an 18% mark-up for their top-up services.

So, for example, if you topped up your mobile phone with $25 USD you would receive $20.50 USD of phone credit.

Ding.com top up
Ding.com

Ding.com accepts all major credit cards and PayPal. They do not have an option for those wishing to top up with cryptocurrency.

Ding does require you to open an account and be verified. This may take 24-48 hours depending on your country and mobile network. 

Once you have a Ding account, charging your credit will become much more efficient.

3. Recharge.com

Recharge.com has recently joined forces with Rapido.com, a comprehensive prepaid digital code store, to provide an all-in-one top-up resource.

So in addition to topping up your mobile phone credit, you can also get prepaid digital codes for your favorite online entertainment and retail services.

As of now, Recharge.com supports Visa, MasterCard, Discover, Maestro, Diner’s Club International, and PayPal.

Recharge

Mark Up

On average, Recharge.com will cost you a 14% markup so a top-up for $25 USD will receive $21.50 USD in phone credit.

You will need to create an account with Recharge.com before you can top up but once your account has been verified you can easily recharge through their website.

Currently, you can top up on their website as well as on their apps.

4. Mobilerecharge.com

Mobilerecharge.com has been topping up phone credit since 2002. They have daily specials for top-ups around the globe in a number of different countries.

Their partnership with Tello.com and Keepcalling.com enables them to offer an even wider range for their customers.

MobileRecharge
MobileRecharge.

Mark Up

Mobilerecharge.com’s markup is around 10% meaning if you recharge with $25.00 USD you would receive $22.50 in mobile credit. Currently, they support all major credit cards and PayPal for payment options.

Before you recharge your credit with Mobilerecharge.com, you will need to create an account with them. 

Once it has been verified, you will be allowed to top up mobile credit on any phone with ease.

5. Bitrefill.com

Bitrefill.com is a multi-service top-up operator that allows users to load and reload a wide range of online credit. They can provide top-ups for services on game, travel, and eCommerce sites.

In addition to these, they also provide phone top-up services in countries around the world. Moreover, most major retail gift cards and wallets can be refilled through their system.

What sets Bitrefill.com apart from other top-up services is that they only accept cryptocurrencies. The currencies they accept are

  • Bitcoin
  • Litecoin
  • Dash
  • Ethereum
  • Dogecoin
  • Lightning

Bitrefill.com does not require you to open an account with them to reload credit on their service. 

However, if you do open an account with them you can store a balance on your own Bitrefill.com wallet.

BitRefill
BitRefill.

In turn, this will give you much more efficient top-ups with them. If you are a user of the Coinbase app, Bitrefill.com allows you to top up credit directly from your Coinbase account wallet.

Mark Up

Due to the comparatively small fees cryptocurrencies require for each transaction, Bitrefill.com doesn’t take much for their markup, which can be as little as 1%.

This is one of the lowest markups you can find, however, their usability for some is limited due to their crypto-only policy.

Short Comparison

Overall, the top-up site you choose really depends on your needs. Some have cheaper rates and more payment options.

Comparison of Rates and Mark ups of various Mobile top ups
Comparison of Rates and Markups of various Mobile top-ups.

Also, the country in which your phone number is registered may carry with it less or more fees through different top-up sites, so it’s important to look around and see what works best for you.

P.S.

This article is a guest post by Mitchell of Mobiletopup.com.

May the winds be in your favor.

Gibi

1 Comment

  1. Sherry

    Yeah, i todays world mobiles top up services are getting more popular, i know one service http://www.recharge-mobiles.com, there I can top up from anywhere in the world instantly

    Reply

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