Best International Calling Apps and Services in 2026

The best international calling apps and services in 2026 are Kinvo (best for calling from a computer or any browser with no app), WhatsApp (best for free calls when both people have WhatsApp), Viber Out (best if you already use Viber), Rebtel (best for frequent calls to one country), and Google Voice (best for US residents who also want a US number). Talk360 and Yolla are pay-as-you-go calling apps worth comparing too.

The right one depends on two questions: do you need to reach a real phone number (a landline, a business, or someone without internet), and do you want to install an app? This guide answers both for each service, then shows how each one charges you.

Quick comparison

Per-minute prices change often and differ between landlines and mobiles, so check the current rate for the exact country before you buy credit anywhere. Kinvo's rates for every country are on the rates page.

1. Kinvo: best for calling from a computer with no app

Kinvo is a browser-based international calling service. You sign in on any web browser, add credit, and call landlines and mobiles in 218 countries. There is nothing to download, and the person you call does not need Kinvo, an app, or an internet connection: the call reaches their normal phone.

Good to know:

• Works on a laptop, desktop, tablet or phone, including a borrowed or work computer
• Pay as you go: credit starts at $5, never expires, and there is no subscription
• Rates from $0.04/min, plus a $0.05 connection fee only when a call is answered
• Show your own verified number as caller ID, so family recognise the call
• Team accounts with a shared wallet and spending limits for small businesses

Limits:

• Needs an internet connection, like every service on this list
• No free app-to-app calls: every call goes to a real phone number
• Not the cheapest per minute to every country. For long weekly calls to one country, compare a monthly plan such as Rebtel's against the Kinvo rate for that country

2. WhatsApp: best for free calls between WhatsApp users

WhatsApp voice and video calls are free when both people have WhatsApp and an internet connection. For many families it has replaced paid calling. It cannot call a regular phone number, so it will not reach a landline, a business, a bank, or a relative who does not use WhatsApp. That gap is where the paid services below come in.

3. Viber Out: best if you already use Viber

Viber Out is the paid calling feature inside the Viber app. It calls landlines and mobiles, and you pay with prepaid credit or a monthly plan for particular countries. It suits people who already message on Viber. You need the Viber app on your phone or desktop.

4. Rebtel: best for frequent calls to one country

Rebtel is a calling app with subscriptions, minute bundles and pay-as-you-go credit. If you make long calls to the same country every week, a Rebtel plan can cost less than paying by the minute. You need the Rebtel app.

5. Google Voice: best for US residents who want a US number

Google Voice gives US users a free US number and paid international calls at per-country rates. It works on the web from a computer and through the app on a phone. You need a US account to sign up, so it is not an option for most people living outside the US. More detail: Google Voice international calls: rates, limits and alternatives.

6. Talk360 and Yolla: pay-as-you-go calling apps

Talk360 and Yolla are app-based services for calling landlines and mobiles abroad with prepaid credit. They are worth comparing on rates for the countries you call most.

What about Skype?

Microsoft shut down Skype on May 5, 2025, and stopped selling Skype Credit. Microsoft Teams Free does not offer pay-as-you-go calls to phone numbers. See the Skype alternative comparison for replacements that do.

How to choose

• Both of you have WhatsApp? Use WhatsApp. It is free.
• Calling a landline, a business, or someone without internet? You need a paid service that calls phone numbers: Kinvo, Viber Out, Rebtel, Google Voice, Talk360 or Yolla.
• Don't want to install anything, or calling from a computer? Kinvo works in the browser.
• Calling one country for hours every week? Compare a monthly plan with per-minute pricing using the call cost calculator.
• Calling now and then, to several countries? Pick pay-as-you-go credit that does not expire.

FAQ

What is the cheapest international calling app?

It depends on the country and how much you call. WhatsApp is free if both people have it. For long weekly calls to one country, a monthly plan is often cheapest. For occasional calls to several countries, pay-as-you-go credit that never expires usually costs least. Always compare the rate for the exact country, landline or mobile.

Can I make international calls without downloading an app?

Yes. Kinvo works in any web browser: sign in, add credit and dial a landline or mobile in 218 countries. The person you call does not need any app.

Can WhatsApp call a regular phone number?

No. WhatsApp only calls other WhatsApp users. To reach a landline or a mobile that does not use WhatsApp, you need a service that calls phone numbers, such as Kinvo, Viber Out or Rebtel.

Do I need a subscription to call abroad?

No. Kinvo is pay-as-you-go with no subscription or monthly fee, and credit never expires. Some services, such as Rebtel and Viber Out, also sell monthly plans if you call one country a lot.

Ready to call? Call from your browser with Kinvo, or check the rate for your country first.