Some online payment sites are better than others. In this world of fast-paced, need-money-now spenders, sites like Moneybookers are just barely clinging on. Not that they don't have their good points, they're just not offering anything out of the ordinary to entice customers to make the switch from other e-commerce sites.

Moneybookers is a good site to join for the beginning, small-spending customer, however. With over 5-million account holders, Moneybookers caters to clientele from all over the planet. They accept MasterCard, Visa, JCB, AMEX, and bank transfers to load money into your account. Then once it's in, you can conduct your transactions safely and securely.

Moneybookers is fast, secure, professional, and reliable. Their service works better for merchants than other services such as 2Checkout, PayPal, Google Checkout, WorldPay, Linkpoint, and a few others. Buyers can easily transfer money directly and hassle-free from their bank accounts, thus eliminating large credit card fess charged by CC companies.

You don't need to own a credit card to open an account with Moneybookers, and it's always free to open your account. These are some of the good points when dealing with Moneybookers. But, like any site, they also have the bad.

You have to read the super-fine print with Moneybookers, or speak to a customer rep before fully setting up your account. Normally, setting up an account is easy, but if you skip some of Moneybooker's rules and regulations, you will run into issues when opening your account and funding it. Some of the complaints about Moneybookers are severe. Some complaints state that Moneybookers will detain your money, and not let you withdraw.

Other complaints state that Moneybookers will put a hold on your account funding, upward or a month at times. And the list of complaints goes on, ranging from moderate to severe. But there are also many who sing the praises of Moneybookers, stating that they're quick and reliable. This all depends on the particular user. If you sign up correctly with Moneybookers, then you'll experience no problems. Their biggest disadvantage is the fine print.

Other sites are more straight-forward with their transaction approach, but Moneybookers is actually one of the best around at dealing in live-time with internet merchants. Your payments are sent and received promptly once your account is up and running and there is very little worry about anyone seeing your personal information. Moneybookers uses some of the best security software available.

Thawte, one of the best online security companies in the business, lends their credibility to Moneybookers, ensuring customers that their money is always safe. Unfortunately, Moneybookers doesn't allow customers from the United States. But after weighing all the facts, their services are worth it if you're an occasional buyer who wants convenience and security, and you take the time to understand exactly how your signup process and account works.

They have a great support team who will answer all of your questions promptly and accurately. You can reach their support staff through a toll-free number, or send them a fax. If you have an issue that's not of the upmost importance, then their email is a great feature that is both prompt and thorough.