These apps offer free international calls to at least one, if not many, countries. Most of them also have chat features so you can stay in touch with quick messages in between calls and share photos and videos. Here are our five favorite apps to make international calls. In 2016, WhatsApp added end-to-end encryption that applies to all messages and calls using the app. However, if you’re chatting with someone who has an older version, none of your communications are encrypted. There are also web and desktop versions of WhatsApp. You can’t use it to call emergency services such as 911 in the U.S. Charges apply if you contact someone outside of Skype, but the company is upfront about the rates, and unlimited monthly packages are available. Like WhatsApp and other services that use data, you can’t use Skype to contact emergency services, since they can’t accurately pinpoint your location. In addition to Android and iOS, you can also make international calls from your PC or Mac computer, web browser, and even Xbox. To contact friends, you need the phone number or email associated with their Apple ID. You can also switch to a FaceTime call during a regular phone call as long as you both have accounts. If you’re running iOS 15 or later, you can also invite Android users to calls already in progress with a special join link. If you’re in the U.S., most calls to people in the U.S and Canada are free. Rates for calls to other parts of the world vary. Google lists the pricing by country on the Google Voice website. Download For: While Viber isn’t as popular as WhatsApp and Skype are in the U.S., it’s popular in other parts of the world, such as Eastern Europe. Like its competitors, it can also send messages, and you can also share photos and other media through the app.
