How to make free or cheap international phone calls
Got family and friends abroad to keep in touch with, or travelling overseas and looking for ways to call home on the cheap? We've got you covered.
Credit: Ka4an, Comaniciu Dan – Shutterstock
Having loved ones abroad doesn't mean you're doomed to a life of expensive calls and scary phone bills.
To prove just how easy it is to stay in touch without making a serious dent in your monthly budget, we've compiled our top tips on making free or cheap international phone calls.
No more excuses not to call mum and dad.
Ways to make cheap international calls from the UK
Cheap international SIMs and tariffs
If you're looking for cheap international calls on a regular basis, it might be worth getting yourself a special mobile bundle to accommodate this.
You can pick up international SIM cards cheaply (often for free) and you just top up as you go. Alternatively, you can speak to your mobile contract provider to find out the cost of a bundle to call home.
These are some of the best international SIM providers:
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Lebara
Lebara has a range of PAYG options with free SIMs that are worth checking out. With prices starting from £5, they're a cheap option for budget-conscious individuals.
They're also a great option for those who make frequent overseas calls. At around £30 a month for unlimited minutes, you can call family and friends often without worrying about the cost.
Just keep in mind that not all countries are included in their plans, so double-check before making a purchase.
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Lycamobile
One of the biggest names in international SIMs, Lycamobile will dish you out a SIM free of charge. You can then choose to go PAYG, topping up credit when necessary, or go for one of their international bundles.
Their plans range from around £5 – £20 per month. Have a look at their site to find the best deal for you.
When choosing your plan, make sure the region you're calling is on their list. Otherwise, this would be a waste of money.
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O2
O2's PAYG SIM offers pretty cheap international calls.
Again, you'll be able to get your hands on a free SIM. You can then choose to buy a Big Bundle (for £15, £20 or £30), which will give you a certain amount of free international minutes, plus discounted international calls starting at 1p per minute.
As the bundles only last one month, you're able to renew or cancel whenever is suitable.
Alternatively, you can pay £2 a month for their International Monthly Bolt On. This allows you to get discounted UK calls and texts to international phone numbers.
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EE
Similarly to the providers above, you can get a free SIM card from EE. You can then use their international add-on options as and when you need them.The good thing about these is that you don’t need to sign up for an additional monthly cost, as they can be cancelled at any time.
You can choose between the International add-on, offering 250 international calls to 50 countries for £14.05 a month, or the International Extra add-on for £28.15 a month, which offers more countries with 250 minutes free.
EE also offers a more flexible International Pass add-on for just £2.16 a month, which gives access to discounted rates.
To get the best deal, work out how many minutes you’ll need for international calls and go from there. You'll also need to check that the countries you'll call are included in the plan.
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Three
Calling abroad can be expensive, but Three offers a monthly Call Abroad Add-on.
Their PAYG option starts at just £5 and gives you 200 minutes to call certain overseas countries, including Australia, India and the USA.
Or, on their pay monthly deals, you can call mobile numbers and standard landlines in up to 55 countries. Their cheapest option is £7 a month for 100 minutes, but you could also opt for unlimited minutes for just £12. It's a great option if you'll be calling international numbers often.
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Vodafone
For Vodafone PAYG customers, you can add an international call extra for just £5 a month, which gives you 50 minutes of international calls to 65 destinations.
But if 50 minutes just isn't going to be enough to stay in touch with loved ones, you may be better off getting Pay as You Go Plus. This works the same as PAYG, except the plan will automatically renew every 30 days unless you cancel it.
With the Pay as You Go Plus Extra deals from Vodafone, you can pay £7 and get 200 minutes to call up to 200 global destinations for 90 days.
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giffgaff
Giffgaff makes staying in touch with loved ones easy with their affordable international rates. All you need to do is order a free SIM, activate it and top up your account.
They charge different rates for each country, but they have a handy drop-down menu on their website so you know exactly what to expect.
Best free online calling apps
Here are the top apps for free online calls:
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FaceTime
Any Apple device – whether it be an iPhone, iPad or iMac – has FaceTime built in, allowing you to call any other FaceTime user for free.
Of course, this relies on both parties being Apple-ed up to the eyeballs, but if you are, it's a really good shout as it comes pre-installed and the line quality is generally pretty decent.
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WhatsApp
Pretty much everyone is on WhatsApp nowadays, and, unlike FaceTime, it's available to Apple and Android users alike.
You can do video and voice calling (including conference calls) through WhatsApp. We're sure you don't need us to tell you that you can use it for day-to-day messages, too (including roasting your mates in the group chat).
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Google Meet
Previously known as Google Duo, Google Meet is an excellent (and, frankly, underrated) option for free online calls.
Other providers have their occasional glitchy lines, but Google Meet is really reliable when it comes to the quality of audio and video calls.
The app is available on all mobile devices (Apple and Android) and has its fair share of cool features. For example, it lets you leave a video message if your friend doesn't pick up and see a video preview of your caller before you answer.
Also, if you're worried about an online call using up too much of your mobile data, Google Meet will drop your connection to 1Mbps if you can't connect to WiFi.
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Facebook Messenger
You'd be forgiven for forgetting that audio calls and video calls are also available via Facebook Messenger. Just look out for the phone or camera symbol next to their name in your chat box, and click to make a free call.
Facebook Messenger calling is available on the desktop website as well as the mobile apps. There are a couple of fun little touches, like ridiculous filters where you wear a cat on your head. Nice.
Using an online call app is by far the cheapest way to make international calls. It doesn't matter whether you're both in the UK, one's abroad, or you're both in a far-flung corner of the globe. As long as you and whoever you're calling have access to the internet, you can chat to your heart's content at no extra cost.
Note that both you and the person you're calling need to be signed up for each app. Some of the online call apps offer "real-world calls" to landlines and mobile phones if you buy credit, but this isn't cost-effective. If you want to call someone on their phone number from an online service, read the next section.
Paid online calling providers
A few of the free online call services above let you call real-world phone numbers, but at a cost. In other words, you could pay to use your account to call your mate's actual phone number, and it'd be just like a normal phone call. This is ideal if they're not signed up for any online calling services or can't access the internet.
However, while some of the big-name brands have this functionality, there are plenty of lesser-known companies that will let you do this for much, much less.
Examples of providers with cheap international call rates
Here are some companies that let you call phone numbers at a fraction of the cost:
Different companies will be cheaper depending on where you're calling from and to. It's worth comparing the costs from a few providers before signing up. Fortunately, most of them list their prices and make them pretty easy to find!
These providers all have mobile apps, too. Many of them can access your contact list, making the process of calling abroad about as seamless as it gets.
Regardless of who you go with, you'll be paying broadly the same way. You can either top up your account with credit or, if you reckon you'll be making regular calls to a specific country, you could go for a monthly plan (this may work out cheaper in the long run).
Once you're on a call, you'll pay a certain amount per minute (often as little as 1p), while some services will also charge a connection fee.
Override providers
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Override providers allow you to call abroad from any phone by dialling what's known as an 'access number', followed by the actual phone number you'd like to call. Since an Ofcom ruling back in 2015, most override providers are pretty pricey – except for one.
18185 is more expensive than paid online calls and free online calls (obviously), but it should still be cheaper than calling an international number straight from your phone.
Rather than having to add credit to your account (which can sometimes mean you'll spend too much and never use it), you simply set up a Direct Debit and get charged at the end of each month based on your usage.
To get started, you just need to create an account with 18185, register your number and set up a Direct Debit. To make a call from a mobile, you'll need to dial the access number (0808 1 703 703) for free and then enter the actual phone number you'd like to call.
While these calls aren't free, the savings are often pretty significant. You could be looking at knocking an expensive call down to as little as 1p/min!
Note that you can still use 18185 if you're calling from a landline – it's just that the process is a little different. You'll need to set up an account and Direct Debit, but to make a call, you'll have to dial 18185 and then the number you want to call.
Cheap international calling cards
If you prefer to keep things simple and don't want to risk spending money you don't have, an international calling card is definitely a goer.
You can buy an international calling card online or in some shops. You'll usually have the option to buy one with a preset value (like £5, £10, £20, etc.), and depending on where you buy your card, you'll either have to scratch the back of the card to reveal a unique access number to call or have it emailed to you instead.
Again, once you've dialled the access number, you'll then need to enter the actual number you'd like to call. Rates will differ depending on where you're calling to/from, but typically, you'll only pay a rate per minute with no access charges.
One of the most popular international calling cards comes from Tesco. To get started, download the Tesco International Calling App.
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