Statistically, Google Voice is the best app for international phone calls overall, as it provides plenty of helpful features and offers competitive pricing while providing both business and personal use functionality. However, if you are searching for alternatives, there are plenty of other options that might suit your particular needs.
International calls in the past were expensive and complicated, however, now with VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) apps like the ones listed in the article can cheaply as well as effectively allow you to call and connect with the rest of the world.
These services limit the number of fees you pay while simplifying the arduous processes usually involved with calling internationally.
The Best International Phone Call Apps
Now that you have a basic idea of what the international calling apps offer as far as price as well as features, scroll down further to take a look at our in-depth review of each of the providers.
- Google Voice – The best app for international calls
- WhatsApp – The best app for personal users
- FaceTime – The best app for iPhone users
- Rebtel – The best app for travelers
- WeChat – The best app for US, India, or Hong Kong users
- NobelApp – The best app for users that need money transfers
- Vonage – The best app for businesses
- IMO – The best app for groups of friends
- Voxofon – The best app for clear pricing
- Viber – The best app for users on a budget
Google Voice
Google Voice is the top app when it comes to international calling, it offers competitive international rates as well as dual functionality for business/personal use. On top of that, you can access a lot of great features, for example, voicemail transcription, spam call protection, along with call screening.
As with most Google products, this app as well is easy to use and integrates well with most if not existing platforms, particularly within the Google Workspace ecosystem. Additionally, unlike a few apps on this list, you will get an actual phone number to use on smartphones/computers, which makes it certainly easier than just app-to-app communication.
Google Voice Pricing
The price of Google Voice depends on how you are going to use it. If you want to use this for personal use, Google Voice is one of the best options, though you will incur very small costs for international calls.
If you are looking for a business phone, Google Voice provides three different pricing plans: Starter, Standard, and Premier. The Starter plan will cost you $10 per user per month it comes with Google integrations, free calling in the US and Canada, and up to 10 users. The Standard plan costs $20 per user per month, it is for unlimited users, plus features like auto-attendant as well as desk phone support. The Premier plan costs $30 per user per month it comes with adds analytical tools to the platform.
One of the primary reasons that Google Voice is the top app for international calling is the great functionality it provides for both businesses as well as personal use.
WhatsApp is one of the top messaging apps, on top of that it also offers some convenient international calling features that make life a lot easier. You can simply connect with other WhatsApp users; you can start a call in an instant without a fee.
The only limitation is that you can only internationally call other WhatsApp users. It is true, that can be pretty convenient in some countries, as the app has nearly 2 billion users worldwide. Yet, with limited usage in the US, you may run into some roadblocks for easy international calling. Add on to that a questionable future as far as security is concerned, the Facebook-owned app might not be the best option for business.
WhatsApp Pricing
WhatsApp is absolute, 100% free of charge, with no ifs and buts. It only uses data when you’re not connected to Wi-Fi so it could incur charges from your service provider.
FaceTime
If you are an iPhone user, you would’ve surely used FaceTime before. This video chat app comes with calling functionality, so it can be used as a phone to contact people overseas. If you’re an Apple user, you will be able to call from any iPhone, iPad, or Mac computer.
Like WhatsApp, FaceTime offers international calling at absolutely zero cost. Recently Apple has made Facetime accessible for Android and Microsoft users as well. But there is a catch. An iOS user should send a link to the Android or Microsoft user and by clicking that link they can join a facetime call. Also, the person with the apple device should at least have iOS 15. But particularly outside of the US, iPhones are not nearly as universally popular, especially in Asia, where the Android market share is approximately 83%. Which could create some obstacles. However, there are 728 million iPhone users out there, so you can most certainly give it a try.
FaceTime Pricing
Like WhatsApp, FaceTime is free. You might incur data charges if used without Wi-Fi.
Rebtel
Rebtel shines in the sector of call reliability and quality to international calling. The app works through landlines rather than Wi-Fi, so you will be able to hear crystal clear audio no matter where you are.
Besides the obvious benefits of call quality, Rebtel also offers a traditional phone service app that works great and is easy to figure out. Additionally, with its unique Red Box feature, you will be able to get a unique, catered experience based on your usage.
Rebtel Pricing
Rebtel is a little more traditional when it comes to international calling. It provides a $10 per month unlimited plan, this allows for unlimited calling to 51 countries, for either mobile or landline. Additionally, it also offers very competitive international by-the-minute rates for countries all around the world.
Though the user base is a bit selective, it does offer only international calling for users in the US, India, and Hong Kong, WeChat represents a very popular option for messaging as well as calling, thus, making it a great option for international calling.
Dubbed WeChat Out, this app operates very similarly to the recently-discontinued Skype app. It allows users to call actual phone numbers as well as landlines through the app. The Chinese-based app is probably best suited for users in China, as its more than one billion users primarily reside there. It is basically an easy-to-use option for anyone.
WeChat Pricing
WeChat international calling is free for everyone, as long as you are contacting another WeChat user. If you are hoping to call a landline, you will incur some costs. Regarding which, unfortunately, WeChat is a bit vague. According to the company, a dollar buys you around 100 minutes of call time.
NobelApp
NobelApp is a great international calling app that offers seriously low rates along with the ability to call anyone from anywhere. It is not free; however, the simple credit system allows you to make international calls easily without incurring a lot of fees.
NobelApp is filled with a whole bunch of extra features that are great for you as an average user. For example, you have the ability to transfer money anywhere in the world with ease. Additionally, NobelApp even hosts a small newsfeed, so that the users can stay up to date on what’s happening in the world in between calls.
NobelApp Pricing
NobelApp does not offer any specific plans or business-focused prices, instead, all of the calls are charged based on specific international rates. They can be paid for via credits through the app.
Vonage
Vonage is a well-known name in the phone industry, it has international calling options that will more than suffice. Admittedly, the Vonage setup is a bit complicated, as it is designed as a full-on system. So, you need to bear with us while we try to explain how it works.
To keep it concise, Vonage requires you to sign up for the home phone or from the business service to make international calls. It has a variety of international pricing options. If you wish to make international calls on your smartphone, you will need to download the Vonage Extensions app. This app will give you control over your home or your business phone service on the device. After you do so, it is just a matter of how many minutes you can spare, or whether or not you signed up for the unlimited plan.
Vonage Pricing
Vonage provides two consumer pricing plans for international calling. North America, then the World. The North America plan covers the US, Mexico, Canada, along with Puerto Rico, it costs you $9.99 per month for unlimited calling for the first six months. Then it will cost you $26.99 a month after that.
The World plan, the second option provided, costs you $9.99 per month for the first six months, then it costs $29.99 after the six months. It allows you to call 60 countries on landlines as well as 10 countries on mobile. Note – if you do not sign up for an annual contract, the prices can vary and go up substantially.
Well, Vonage has plans geared towards businesses, as well. The Mobile plan is available for $19.99 per line per month. This includes mobile and desktop apps, unlimited calls and SMS, along with unlimited team messaging.
The Premium plan can be subscribed for $29.99 per line per month. This includes all mobile plan features, combined with unlimited meetings for up to 100 participants, multi-level auto attendance, CRM integration, as well as IP desk phone capabilities. The Advanced plan can be subscribed for $39.99 per month. This includes everything in the Premium plan, call recording on-demand, visual voicemail among many more features.
IMO
You might not have heard of it, it is one of those lesser-known video chat apps that offers an effective means of calling internationally. It has a fun, simple interface that allows for a wide range of stickers as well as other fun additions to messaging, along with the international calling functionality on any device to anyone around the world.
Yes, IMO does suffer the same drawback as WhatsApp as well as FaceTime, that is you can only use the app to call other IMO users. In turn, you are going to have trouble reaching landlines or other mobile devices which do not have the free app installed.
IMO Pricing
You don’t need to worry about the pricing here! IMO is completely free just like WhatsApp and FaceTime, 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. Yes, there’s a catch, it does show ads within the app.
Voxofon
If you wish to know exactly how much you are paying for calls as well as texts around the world, Voxofon is where you can begin This app offers some of the clearest pricing on the list, it offers a simple calculator that shows exactly how much you will be paying for landline/mobile calls, along with text messages for every country.
It has a quite easy interface to use, albeit a bit outdated and basic, so you will not have any trouble making calls. Additionally, with the country labels for your contact list, you will be able to see how much it will cost you to call before you make them.
Voxofon Pricing
The pricing for Voxofon is straightforward, no pricing plans, no unlimited deals, no nothing. Simple, affordable rates are displayed before you make any call. You will be able to make cheap calls and text to countries with pricing information.
Viber
Viber offers two distinct ways for you to contact people around the world. First, it allows the standard mode of calling landlines as well as mobile devices in many countries at an affordable rate based on the country. This standard service is called Viber Out, it does not require cellular data or Wi-Fi to operate.
Additionally, Viber offers a similar service as FaceTime/WhatsApp, through which you can call anyone internationally for free, as long as they are using the Viber app. Yes, it is not as popular as WhatsApp or FaceTime, however, it is free to download, thus making it an easy and affordable alternative.
Viber Pricing
Viber provides affordable international rates for a wide range of countries. Although at first glance, they look a bit more expensive than your average platform. Still, as international calling is available for app users one can get around the costs if they think it is too much.
International Calling Apps Pricing
When the price of calling international is concerned, people could get confused. The prices come in different forms, from unlimited plans to per-minute rates, that may not be immediately obvious to the average user.
Well don’t worry, we are here to help. Below, we will explain how you might need to pay for calling international. Also, whether or not your personal use or business needs are met by the particular provider.
Per-Minute Rates
In most cases, a phone system/app offers per-minute rates for international calling. These rates can range from a penny to $2 depending on the country you’re calling. For example, if you are calling from the US to the UK on these plans it will often be free or inexpensive. However, say you are trying to make a call to Antarctica, you would end up paying a lot for a minute.
Unlimited Plans
If you do not want to worry about paying by the minute, you don’t have to, fortunately, a lot of the services offer a variety of monthly plans that allow users to enjoy unlimited access to international calling. These plans often are accompanied by country restrictions. You will also have to pay more to have access to unlimited calling in more counties.
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