13 Best Apps for Free or Cheap International Calls from Mobile
Apps have become an integral part of our contemporary lifestyle. They are making our lives easier in countless ways. Apps are everywhere, from helping us wake up on time in the morning to reminding us of utility bills and easing connectivity with family and friends on social media. So, why not count on them for making cheap international calls from mobiles as well?
The above graph from Statista reflects an increase of about 7% in the total number of mobile app downloads in 2020 compared to 2019, jumping from 204 billion to 218 billion.
Getting back to our core subject here, you have the liberty to choose between free calling apps and paid apps, both with their distinct advantages and disadvantages. There is a catch, though, before you choose the one that best suits your needs. You need to be very clear on the critical criteria to consider while making this choice.
How Much Does it Cost?
You’re not doing yourself any favour if you’re stuck in “paid” and “free”. Of course, no one in the right mind should deny getting something for free, but sometimes this futile search can lead you astray from your main objective.
For instance, you don’t get access to call all destinations in free apps. Or, you might not have to pay for a certain number of minutes initially, getting charged for them later on. Most free apps are also very likely to bombard you with sponsored ads before getting started.
In short, free is not as simple as you would prefer for “free calling apps”. That’s why we recommend you search for cheap international calls from mobiles instead, which will give you the best value for a meagre amount.
Calling Quality
We don’t want anything but crystal clear sound in our search for cheap international calls. That’s why it is imperative to be involved in a bit of research, trying a few cheap international calling apps to draw a better conclusion. Though you may enjoy making free calls with apps for a while, it depends a lot on your internet connection and speed.
Moreover, you can enjoy free calls on most apps as long as you’re on a Wifi network. In the absence of one, there will be charges. So, it’s better to pay a few extra bucks on reliable and cheap international calling apps.
Convenience & Flexibility to Call
There is another serious issue with most of the free calling apps. Both parties require the app installed on their mobile devices for free international calling, limiting you to app-to-app calls only.
Oh, and there’s one more thing. A high-speed internet connection with both parties is an essential prerequisite for communicating through most free calling apps.
So, you’re good to go with free international calls if a reliable internet connection is not your issue. But if you’re unsure about your internet connection or the person at the receiving end doesn’t have the same app or a smartphone, you won’t be able to make that call.
15 Best Apps for Free or Cheap International Calls from Mobiles
With a better understanding of the aforementioned aspects, it’s about time we move to the actual list. By the way, the list is in no particular order of preference.
1. Google Hangouts & Google Voice
Supported Platforms: Android | iOS | Web
Best Suited for: Paid international calls for personal as well as business use
Google has introduced this platform for voice and video communication. You need to have a Google account to use it. Hangout supports video chat for individuals as well as groups over a Wifi connection.
So, if you have a Google account, you can make free international calls to anyone you want unless both of you have a reliable WiFi connection. If you don’t have WiFi, you can still chat with people through 3G or 4G networks, though data charges may incur you in this case.
Google Hangouts offers you great syncing with any device hosting it. So, you can start using it on one device and then switch to any other device to continue your chat.
There’s another free calling app designed to integrate well with Google Hangouts, Google Voice. But unfortunately, it is only available across the U.S right now.
Google Hangouts & Google Voice Pricing
Unfortunately, using Google Hangouts internationally is not free of cost, though the charges are pretty low.
2. WhatsApp
Supported Platforms: Android |iPhone | Mac or Windows PC
Best Suited for: Free international calls for personal users
Known popularly as a free online texting app, WhatsApp also serves as a viable free online calling app. You can use the app on all major platforms, including Android, iPhone, and Windows, to connect with your family and friends.
You can use WhatsApp to start a free voice call. You can also use your data allowance to do so if WiFi is not accessible to you.
WhatsApp Pricing
Currently, WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, and you can use it to make free international calls.
3. FaceTime
Supported Platforms: Apple
Best Suited for: Free international calling on iOS platform
You can find FaceTime as Apple’s default audio and video calling service in every iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Mac. You can contact anyone you want on Apple’s devices with the help of Facetime if you have access to free WiFi. Otherwise, you can also resort to the app using your data allowance, which will cost you ultimately.
FaceTime Pricing
You can use FaceTime without paying anything for it, but its availability is limited to the Apple platform, i.e., most generations of iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and Mac. So, you won’t be able to use it if you’re an Android user.
4. Talk Home
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android
Best Suited for: Top quality international calling on mobile & landline networks at cheapest rates
Talk Home is a free-to-download app. Available for both Android and Apple platforms, it is compatible with most mobile devices available. It is one of the fastest-growing apps, which can be used for international calling as well as texting.
Known for its top-quality international calls, it offers a host of other beneficial features. For instance, you can send international top-ups to almost anyone anywhere in the world, supported by 500+ global networks for 250+ destinations across the globe. On top, it gives a simple and convenient user interface, making sure people can use it without any issues.
Unlike most others, you can use it to call anyone on mobile as well as landline. One of its most distinguishing features is that the person on the receiving end of the call or text doesn’t need to have the app installed on their phone, not even for receiving an international top-up. In fact, they don’t even need to be on a mobile network. You can call anyone on their landline number using this app.
Talk Home Pricing
You can enjoy the finest quality international calling on mobile as well as landline networks on 250+ destinations around the world for the cheapest rates, as low as 1 cent/min. It is best for those who need a crystal clear voice, whether they have to pay a small amount for it.
5. Viber
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android | Windows | Mac
Best Suited for: Personal users on a budget
Viber allows you to make audio and video calls to other Viber users where both parties need to be connected to the internet through any available WiFi connection. In case no WiFi is available around, Viber connects using your 3G or 4G data connection, which means data charges may apply for that.
You can use Viber on Android, iPhone, Mac, Tablet, or Windows PC as long as you have a WiFi connection. This type of call is free if the other person is also using Viber. If you want to call someone not using Viber, you can do so with the “Viber Out” feature.
Viber Pricing
International calling through Viber is free if both parties have the Viber app and a WiFi connection. For calling people on their mobile or landline networks, you need to either buy credit or choose a plan. The rates vary from place to place and are not much high, considered budget-friendly in most cases.
6. Skype
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android | Windows | Mac | Linux | Tablet | Xbox | Alexa
Best Suited for: Business & corporate users
As a free-to-download app, you can use Skype to call other Skype users worldwide if connected to the internet via WiFi. It can be used on your mobile device, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. Available to download for Android, Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux.
In addition to Skype-to-Skype calls, you can use this app for sharing files, having multiuser conferences and voice chats, and a free texting app.
Skype Pricing
Calling is free with the Skype app as long as the other person is on Skype and both of you have WiFi internet connectivity. Data charges may apply if you don’t have wifi connectivity. You can also call people on their landline and mobile networks by buying credit for your Skype account or choosing a plan.
7. imo
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android | Windows
Best Suited for: Personal users and groups of friends
Another cheap international calling app. Not among the most renowned video chat apps, though, imo also offers you an effective way of international calling and texting. It makes the process more fun and straightforward with its convenient interface and a wide range of stickers, emojis, and other minor tweaks for texting and calling.
Just like FaceTime and WhatsApp, you can only call other users on the same app with this one. That’s why most people prefer it for personal communication rather than of corporate sorts. Moreover, it also lacks various features that other contemporary apps like Skype offer for corporate services.
imo Pricing
Pricing doesn’t turn out as an issue if you are making audio and video calls to other users on imo, as they are free.
8. Vonage
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android | Windows | Mac | Firefox | Chrome | Edge
Best Suited for: Business level communication
If you are in the corporate sector, requiring frequent communication with your business associates, Vonage might offer you a great solution. Rather than a simple chat application, Vonage is designed more like a comprehensive system, which is why its setup is a bit more complicated.
You need to sign up either for a home phone or business service account if you want to make international calls, accompanied by a variety of international pricing options. While the app offers home phone services, most people find it better designed to cater to the corporate needs of global communication.
Vonage Pricing
Two plans are available for international calling with Vonage apps, North America and World. Covering the US, Canada, and Mexico, the North America plan costs $14.99 per month for unlimited calling. You can get the World plan for $19.99/month, allowing you to call 60 countries on landline networks and ten countries on mobile. On a side note, the prices can surge up significantly if you don’t sign up for an annual contract.
9. Rebtel
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android
Best Suited for: Travellers and people on the move
Relying on landline networks rather than WiFi, Rebtel is designed to cater to international calling, offering much better call quality no matter wherever you are. It also comes with a convenient user interface, making it easy for people to figure it out for optimal use.
You get relevantly better quality services from this app. However, pricing is slightly expensive compared to close competitors like Talk Home, which ultimately gives you more value and quality at lower prices.
Rebtel is preferred mainly by avid travellers who like to stay connected to their loved ones even when away from them on the roads.
Rebtel Pricing
Rebtel offers a $10 per month unlimited plan, enabling you to call 51 countries on mobile and landline networks. It also has a by-the-minute rate structure for international calling.
10. WeChat
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android | Windows | Mac | Web
Best Suited for: Business communication for people in China & Hong Kong
With a selective user base, WeChat offers international calling and messaging services for people in the U.S, Hong Kong, China, and India. While the app primarily focuses on calling and texting services to other users with the same app, it also allows you to call mobiles and landlines numbers with a service dubbed as WeChat Out, something similar to the Viber Out feature.
With over-a-billion userbase, most of its users are from China. So, unless you’re around China, Hong Kong vicinity, or engaged in business activity with people in these areas, the app is mainly used for personal communication rather than professional.
WeChat Pricing
WeChat doesn’t charge you if you use it to call or text another user with the same app. However, you’ll incur some charges if you try to use the app to contact people on their mobile and landline numbers, which is a bit unfortunate because WeChat remains slightly vague about its pricing.
11. Slack
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android | Windows | Mac
Best Suited for: Corporate communication
Slack has gained considerable traction lately as an online platform designed to cater to the business’s communication needs primarily. You can use it on your computer, laptop, Android, iOS, and Windows phones to set up a “workspace” link, which you can share with other users if you want to.
Anyone else on the same platform can access the link provided by you to communicate with you one-on-one either via voice or video call. This type of communication is for free, not charging you anything. You cannot use Slack to call mobiles or landlines directly, but if you have WiFi access, you can use it to connect almost anyone in the world on this platform.
Slack Pricing
You get the basic plan on Slack for free, enabling you to have a one-on-one voice and video calls. However, if you want to engage with several people at once, you can choose from two different paid plans, each allowing you to engage with up to 15 people simultaneously in a group chat.
12. Boss Revolution
Supported Platforms:
Best Suited for:
Contributing as another convenient way of cheap international calls from mobiles, Boss Revolution offers you the ability to make calls to your loved ones all around the world. It also provides international top-up facilities like Talk Home but doesn’t support as many countries and networks as the latter.
For features it provides, with an easy-to-use interface, people prefer using it for personal purposes rather than professional.
Boss Revolution Pricing
It offers cheap plans to call many countries of the world and long-term plans with even better rates. You can call landlines and mobiles at some of the best rates to contact your loved ones in different countries of the world.
13. WhatsCalls
Supported Platforms: Apple | Android
Best Suited for: People who want US and Canada numbers to call from
Unlike most common calling apps, WhatsCalls is a novel international calling app, which gives you a free US or Canada local number. Then you need to win particular types of call coins to make calls to more than 230 countries worldwide. You can win the cons through various offers flashed daily.
WhatsCall Pricing
Available for Android and iOS platforms, this app doesn’t charge you for placing audio/video calls to other users on it. And if you want to call mobiles and landlines, you will have to use your coin credits. If you think you aren’t earning coins quickly enough, there is an option to buy call coins at a very reasonable rate.
Conclusion
There is no denying that free calling apps can be a great option when you and the one you’re calling have a stable internet connection, as this doesn’t cost you anything. However, if you want to make cheap international calls from your mobile to people with no or unreliable internet connectivity, VOIP services like Talk Home are the clear winners.
