Technology has increased these days and it keeps on evolving, isn't that great?. And now, for a call, whether local or international call, is now quite easy to get to that. Getting an international call before was quite a great issue but with a lot of magic from tech experts, we now find ourselves discussing with people around the world without any problem. This is thanks to technology.
What is VoIP and How Does It Work
VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) is a telephone technology that enables you to make and receive calls over the internet rather than utilizing traditional phone lines.
A VoIP phone system uses your internet connection instead of a traditional landline or mobile network to make phone calls like our local sim cards do make calls. Over your broadband connection, a VoIP system turns analog speech impulses into digital signals.
Since VoIP uses the internet with an internet connection, it could be very costly for you to get to contact another person using VoIP whether locally or nationwide, or even internationally/worldwide. And so, you can check out some of these our free internet tricks below by clicking HERE to meet up and use your VoIP for free.
Best International Calling Apps
Now that you've got a basic idea of what these international calling apps offer as far as price and features, take a look at our in-depth reviews of each of these providers to make an informed decision. We'll explain price points, feature sets, and whether or not the app is better for business or personal use.
- Google Voice – best app for international calls
- WhatsApp – best for personal users
- FaceTime – best for iPhone users
- Rebtel – best for travelers
- WeChat – best for US, India, or Hong Kong users
- NobelApp – best for users that need money transfers
- Vonage – best for businesses
- imo – best for groups of friends
- Voxofon – best for clear pricing
- Viber – best for users on a budget
Check Out: Best Google Voice Alternatives
1. Google Voice
Google Voice is our top app when it comes to international calling. It offers competitive international rates and dual functionality for business and personal use. In addition, you get access to a lot of great features, like voicemail transcription, spam call protection, and call screening.
As is the case with most Google products, this app is of course easy to use and integrates well with most if not all of your existing platforms, particularly within the Google Workspace ecosystem. Additionally, unlike some of the apps on this list, you'll get an actual phone number to use on smartphones and computers, which is certainly easier than only app-to-app communication.
Read Also: How to Get a Google Voice Number out of US (Free US Calls)
Google Voice Pricing
The price of Google Voice depends on how you plan to use it. If you're just going for personal use, Google Voice is great, even though you will incur a few very small costs for international calls.
Rates can range anywhere from one penny to $2 per minute, although those higher prices are for countries that most people aren't calling, like Antarctica.
If you're looking for a business phone solution, on the other hand, Google Voice offers three different pricing plans: Starter, Standard, and Premier. The Starter plan is $10 per user per month and offers Google integrations, free calling in the US and Canada, and up to 10 users. The Standard plan is $20 per user per month and is for unlimited users, adding features like auto-attendant and desk phone support. The Premier plan is $30 per user per month and adds analytical tools to the platform.
Is Google Voice better for business or personal use?
One of the primary reasons that Google Voice is the top app for international calling is because it offers great functionality for both business and personal use. To be frank, you're good either way with Google Voice, just make sure you opt for the business plans if that's what you need.
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2. WhatsApp
As one of the top messaging apps, WhatsApp also offers some convenient international calling features that can make life a lot easier. By simply connecting with other WhatsApp users, you can start a call in an instant without incurring a single fee.
The limitation, however, is that you can only internationally call other WhatsApp users. Granted, that can be pretty convenient in some countries, as the app boasts nearly 2 billion users worldwide. Still, with limited usage in the US, you can run into some roadblocks for easy international calling. Plus, with a questionable future as far as security is concerned, the Facebook-owned app might not be the best move for your business.
WhatsApp Pricing
WhatsApp is absolutely, 100% free of charge at all times. Yes, it does use data when you're not connected to WiFi, so it could incur charges from your service provider, but as far as pricing plans go for WhatsApp, there are none.
Is WhatsApp better for business or personal use?
WhatsApp doesn't really offer any business options to speak of, although it could act as a basic, starter app for your team to stay in touch overseas. However, almost all of its 2 billion users take advantage of WhatsApp because of it's great functionality for personal use, so we'd stick to that.
Read Also: Free UK Number For WhatsApp Verification 2022 [Step By Step Guide]
3. FaceTime
If you have an iPhone, you've used FaceTime before. This video chat app also comes with calling functionality, so you can use it as a phone to contact people overseas. If you're an Apple user, you'll be able to call from any iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer.
Much like WhatsApp, FaceTime offers easy international calling at absolutely no cost, but it does come with the caveat of having to only call other Apple users. Particularly outside of the US, iPhones aren't nearly as universally popular — especially in Asia, where Android market share is approximately 83% — so this could create some obstacles in the long run. However, there are 728 million iPhone users out there, so it's certainly worth a try.
FaceTime Pricing
Again, much like WhatsApp, FaceTime is absolutely free no matter what. You may incur data charges if you use it without WiFi, but you will never have to pay for the app or the specific calls you make internationally.
Is FaceTime better for business or personal use?
FaceTime is certainly aimed at more personal than business use scenarios. Even with the built-in video capabilities, you wouldn't want to rely on the app to stay in touch with your team. For personal use though, FaceTime is a great option for free international calling, as long as you're talking to iPhone users.
4. Rebtel
Call reliability and quality are huge when it comes to international calling, and that's where Rebtel really shines. This app works through landlines rather than WiFi, so you get crystal clear audio no matter where you are.
Outside the obvious benefits of call quality, Rebtel offers a tradition phone service app that works great and isn't difficult to figure out. Plus with its unique Red Box feature, you'll be able to get a unique, catered experience based on your specific usage.
Rebtel Pricing
Rebtel is a bit more traditional when it comes to international calling. It offers a $10 per month unlimited plan, which allows for unlimited calling to 51 countries, mobile or landline. Additionally, Rebtel offers very competitive international by-the-minute rates for countries all around the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Is Rebtel better for business or personal use?
This kind of depends on how you run your personal life and your business life. If you're an avid traveler in your free time, Rebtel would make for a perfect lifeline to stay in touch with loved ones on the road. Additionally, if you travel a lot for business, Rebtel would be incredibly convenient for attending meetings without WiFi or cellular coverage. Otherwise, if you don't need the added connectivity and quality around the world, you could probably opt for something a bit less costly.
5. WeChat
While it's user base is a bit selective, offering only international calling for users in the US, India, and Hong Kong, WeChat represents a very popular option for messaging and calling, making it a great option for international calling as well.
Dubbed WeChat Out, this app works very similarly to the recently-discontinued Skype app, allowing users to call actual phone numbers and landlines through the app. The Chinese-based app is probably better suited to those in China, as its more than one billion users are primarily based there, but it's still an easy to use option for anyone.
WeChat Pricing
WeChat international calling is free to anyone, as long as your contacting another WeChat user. If you're hoping to call a landline, you are going to incur some costs, which unfortunately, WeChat is a bit vague about. The company says that a dollar will buy you approximately 100 minutes of call time.
Is WeChat better for business or personal use?
When it comes to WeChat, you're going to want to stick to personal use. Unless your business is based in China and primarily interacts with other Chinese businesses, you aren't going to have enough people familiar with the app to get a business account going.
6. NobelApp
NobelApp is a great international calling app that offers some seriously low rates and the ability to call anyone from anywhere. It's not free, but the simple credit system allows you make international calls easily without incurring too many fees.
That's not all though. NobelApp is filled with a whole bunch of extra features that are great for the average user. For one, you can transfer money anywhere in the world with ease. Additionally, NobelApp even has a small newsfeed, so you can stay up to date on what's happening in the world in between calls.
NobelApp Pricing
NobelApp doesn't offer any specific plans or business-focused prices. Instead, all calls are charged based on specific international rates, and paid for via credits through the app.
Is NobelApp better for business or personal use?
NobelApp is almost certainly better for personal use. For one, there are no pricing plans for businesses to get a coherent phone system up and running. Additionally, the money transfer feature is convenient for everyday people, but could certainly muddy the waters of a business environment if used incorrectly.
7. Vonage
Vonage is a well-known name in the phone business, which means you know its international calling options will more than suffice. Admittedly, the Vonage set up is a bit more complicated, as it's designed as a full on system, so bare with us while we try to explain how it works.
As simply as possible, Vonage requires you to sign up for the home phone or business service to make international calls, which has a variety of international pricing options. If you want to make international calls on your smartphone, you'll have to then download the Vonage Extensions app, which will give you control over your home or business phone service on your device. Then it's just a matter of how many minutes you have, or whether or not you signed up for the unlimited plan. See, not that complicated!
Vonage Pricing
Vonage offers two pricing plans for international calling: North America and World.
The North America plan covers the US, Mexico, and Canada and will cost you $14.99 per month for unlimited calling. The World plan will cost you $19.99 per month, and allows you to call 60 countries on landlines and 10 countries on mobile. Beware though; if you don't sign up for an annual contract, those prices can go up substantially.
Is Vonage better for business or personal use?
While Vonage does offer home phone service, the most likely use for an international calling app like this would be for business use. The Business Cloud plan offers some great value, and the ease with which you can start calling international at low rates is hard to pass up.
8. imo
As you can probably tell, imo is one of those lesser-known video chat apps that offers a effective means of calling internationally. The fun, simple interface allows for a wide range of stickers and other fun additions to messaging, along with the simple international calling functionality on any device to anyone in the world.
You may have also guessed that imo suffers the same drawback as WhatsApp and FaceTime in that you can only use the app to call other imo users. Subsequently, you're going to have trouble reaching landlines or other mobile devices without the free app installed.
imo Pricing
No worries on pricing here! imo is fortunately completely free no matter how you use it, so you can enjoy international calls at absolutely no cost, as long as you're calling another imo user.
Is imo better for business or personal use?
This one is easy, imo is clearly better suited for personal use. Yes, it allows for cheap international calling and offers great, high quality video calls built right in, but it's missing some of the more important features of a business service, and there's no price plan to fix that.
9.Voxofon
As we've mentioned, the price of international calling can get a bit convoluted. If you want to know exactly how much you're paying for calls and texts across the world, Voxofon is where you start. This app offers some of the clearest pricing on the list, offering a simple calculator that shows exactly how much you'll pay for landline and mobile calls, as well as text messages for every country.
From an interface standpoint, it is a quite easy to use, albeit a bit outdated and basic, so you won't have any trouble making calls. Plus, with country labels for your contact list, you'll be able to see how much your costs will call before you make them.
Voxofon Pricing
The pricing for Voxofon is extremely straightforward. No pricing plans, no unlimited deals, no nothing. Just simple, affordable rates clearly displayed before every call. You'll be able to make cheap calls and text to countries clearly labeled with pricing information ahead of time.
Is Voxofon better for business or personal use?
Voxofon could probably go either way, but it's more tailored to personal use. Again, there are no paid plans or business telephone system features, so you aren't going to get the same kind of functionality as a more robust option. Still, the clear pricing makes it easy to expense, so it could act as a great bare bones alternative.
10. Viber
If you're looking for a dual threat when it comes to international calling, Viber offers two distinct ways to contact people around the world. First, it allows for the standard practice of calling landlines and mobile devices in many countries for an affordable rate depending on the country. This service is called Viber Out, and does not require cellular data or WiFi to work.
Additionally, Viber offers a similar service as FaceTime and WhatsApp, in that you can call anyone internationally for free, as long as they are also using the Viber app. Granted, it's not as popular as WhatsApp or FaceTime, but it's free to download, which could make for an easy and affordable alternative.
Viber Pricing
Viber offers affordable international rates for a wide range of countries, although at first glance, they do look a bit more expensive than your average platform. Still, with international calling available for app users, you can get around those costs if you think it's too much.
Is Viber better for business or personal use?
Viber is probably best suited for personal use. Given the more expensive rates for international calling and the fact that most of your clients probably don't have the Viber app, it's safe to say it's not ideal to run a business on it. However, if you're trying to make personal calls, it's safe to say it would be much easier to get them to download the app to avoid the cost.
International Calling Apps Pricing
When it comes to the price of calling international, people can get pretty confused. From unlimited plans to per-minute rates, the industry is filled with a wide range of approaches that may not be immediately obvious to the average user.
Fortunately, we're here to help. Below, we're going to explain how you might need to pay for calling international, and whether or not your personal use or business needs are met by a particular provider.
Per-Minute Rates
In most cases, a phone system or app will offer per-minute rates when it comes to international calling. These rates can range anywhere from one penny to $2 depending on which country you're calling. For example, calling from the US to the UK on these plans are often free or extremely inexpensive. However, if you're trying to make call to Antarctica, you could end up paying a lot per minute.
Unlimited Plans
If you don't want to worry about paying by the minute, we wouldn't blame you. Fortunately, a lot of these services offer a variety of monthly plans that allow you to enjoy unlimited access to international calling. These plans often come with country restrictions, and you'll have to pay more to have access to unlimited calling in more counties.
Business Plans
While this doesn't apply to all the apps on this list, some of them offer specific business plans that are designed to act as your company's telephone system. Rather than investing in physical phone systems, you can get something like Google Voice for Business or Vonage to turn everyone's smartphones into a connected communications hub. This obviously costs a bit extra, but the overall savings could be a huge benefit for your business.
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Verdict: What is the best international calling app?
After all that, we can confidently say that Google Voice is the best international calling app. This app offers a whole bunch of features, competitive pricing in plans and rates, and functionality for personal use and business needs, so you can decide which option is most important to you.
However, all the apps on this list have their own perks and may be a better fit for your particular needs. For example FaceTime is a no brainer when making personal international calls between iPhone users, and Vonage would be our top pick for established businesses.