Best International Calling Apps for iPhone

You may need to call internationally these days, but you're not sure of the best way to do it. Calling via your mobile carrier can be expensive. Most WiFi calling apps for iPhone don’t let you call mobiles or landlines. So, you may search the internet for the best iPhone apps for international calls, but there are over 1.5 million apps. It can be tough to find one that lets you call mobiles and landlines for free or low rates. What are your options? What are the pros and cons of each app and which is the best? I just had a look around the internet and compiled a list of the best iPhone apps for international calls for you.

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Here they are:

• Yolla
• WhatsApp
• Viber
• Telegram
• Your mobile carrier

Let's now discuss each one in detail, so you'll know which one to choose for yourself.

5 Best iPhone Apps for International Calls

If you’re an iPhone user, you may ask yourself, “Is there an app for international calls?”. We have good news - Yes. Here are the 5 best apps for international calls and their pros and cons. I’ll also share with you which one I believe is the best one.

1. Yolla

With Yolla, making cheap international calls on iPhone has never been easier. In our opinion, the Yolla app is the best iPhone app for international calls because of its simplicity, multiple convenient features, high-quality connections, reliability and low rates. It’s got everything you need in a calling app from free app-to-app calls to low rate calls to international landlines. With Yolla, you enjoy:

• Free, unlimited calls between phones that have Yolla installed.
• Cheap international calls to any cell phone or landline, even if they don’t have Yolla installed. 
• Cheap international texting
• Reliable, HD quality calls with no lag or interference
• 24/7 customer/technical support
• Easy-to-use interface

Where Yolla steps up the game is with caller ID preservation. Unlike other calling apps, Yolla preserves your original phone number, allowing it to appear on the recipient’s caller ID. People you call will know it’s you instead of seeing a long, strange number on their screen. What’s more, Yolla can also serve as a free international call app for iPhone. Here’s how you can make free international calls on iPhone with Yolla.

Yolla - Free International Call App for iPhone

Because of its unique referral program and many giveaways and promotions throughout the year, Yolla is also the best free international call app for iPhone - meaning, you can make free international calls to landlines and mobiles with the app.   Yolla’s referral program allows you to earn free credits to make calls to any landline or mobile in the world. Just get your link from within the app, share it with friends and once they top-up their account, both of you will receive $3 to your accounts to make free international calls. 

How to Make International Calls on iPhone for Free With Yolla

Here’s how to make a long-distance call for free with Yolla:

1. Get your referral link from within the Yolla app
2. Share it with friends and family members
3. Get $3 for each person that downloads the app and tops up their account
4. Use this credit to call any mobile or landline in the world for FREE

If you have several friends who can benefit from using Yolla, you all have the opportunity to earn a large amount of free credit to make free international calls on your iPhones (and Androids).

Yolla: All-in-one Solution

Yolla offers unprecedented global reach for all of your international calling needs. It is one of the cheapest international calling apps available and rates are transparent with no hidden fees or surprise surcharges. If you’re looking for the best iPhone app for international calls, Yolla offers the highest quality, cheapest all-in-one solution. Download Yolla and start calling friends and family anywhere in the world today. 

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2. WhatsApp - iPhone App for International Calls

Pros

WhatsApp is one of the best iPhone apps for international calls, which is why it’s so popular. Originally developed as a calling and texting app for iPhone, Android and other devices, it can now make voice calls using your phone’s internet connection as well… for free! It’s convenient, secure and has a pleasant user interface. The cost (or lack thereof) is the biggest highlight of WhatsApp and it’s a good option to consider for the price-conscious user. 

Cons

However, there is one major caveat: WhatsApp only supports “app-to-app” calling. This means that this international calling app for iPhone can only call other smartphones that have WhatsApp installed. No international calls to landlines or cell phones that do not have WhatsApp.  If all of your prospective contacts are smartphone users with WhatsApp installed, it might make an excellent option for you. However, if you need an app to make domestic and international calls on your iPhone to cells and landlines, you should consider Yolla.

3. Viber - iPhone App for International Calls

Pros

Viber, like WhatsApp, is also a great iPhone app for international calls. The free part of the Viber app is fairly similar to WhatsApp. It allows you to use your internet connection to send text messages and make free international calls to other Viber users. However, if you are looking for an iPhone app for international calls to a non-Viber cell phone or landline, Viber offers a paid service called Viber Out.  To use this international call app, you buy “minutes” (similar to international calling cards or prepaid phones) and Viber Out charges you a specific per/minute rate, depending on the country you call. There is also an option to pay a monthly subscription to get unlimited calling to a certain smaller set of countries. A major advantage of Viber Out is that you aren’t limited to Viber users for calls. You can call any cell phone or landline in a supported country. 

Cons

There is a downside, however, that makes this a less-than-ideal iPhone app for international calls.  Firstly, Viber Out does not preserve your caller ID. As a result, whoever you are calling sees a random phone number on their caller ID and has no way of knowing it’s you. Depending on who you’re calling, they might not mind (some people do not answer calls from unknown numbers due to the prevalence of telemarketing spam). The bigger issue occurs when you want to make domestic or international calls to landlines. Most people call landlines these days when trying to reach a business or an official number of some sort. Hotels, airlines, banks, government offices, stores, restaurants, etc. all use landlines. Some of those organizations (especially banks and credit card companies) use your caller ID to look up your account. Unfortunately, Viber Out will not preserve that caller ID, making calls to such numbers slightly more difficult. Secondly, the Viber Out international calling app for iPhone is restricted in some countries (such as Belgium and Austria). Their monthly plan also only lets you call to a limited set of countries. Always confirm where you are and which country you are calling before choosing this as your international call app for iPhone.

4. Telegram - iPhone App for International Calls

Pros

Telegram, like WhatsApp, is another useful and popular iPhone app for international calls. Like WhatsApp, you can use it to make free international calls on iPhone to any cell phone anywhere in the world that has the Telegram app installed.  What sets Telegram apart from other wifi calling apps for iPhone is its focus on privacy and encryption. Its security and free WiFi calling and texts, app-to-app, anywhere in the world make it a good option for many people.

Cons

Telegram shares the same caveat as most other wifi calling apps for iPhone: you can only call other smartphones that have Telegram installed.  If most of the people you contact abroad are smartphone users with Telegram installed, then this iPhone app for international calls might be an excellent option for you. However, if you need a calling app for domestic and international calls on your iPhone to cells and landlines, you should look elsewhere.

5. Your Mobile Carrier

This isn’t an iPhone app for international calls but we cannot talk about making international calls without touching on your actual cell phone plan. After all, an iPhone is a phone and you pay your carrier plenty of money each month to give you cellular service. Is that cellular service an option for making cheap international calls?

Pros

Yes. Most cell phone plans allow you to make international calls to any phone number in the world. Using your cell carrier to make international calls on iPhone is probably the simplest option in terms of steps (no international calling apps to download, etc.) 

Cons

It will almost certainly cost you many orders of magnitude more than any of the iPhone apps for international calls I mentioned earlier in this article. We’d recommend steering clear of this option for the sake of your wallet.

How to Make Cheap International Calls on iPhone

How does it work with these international calling apps for iPhone? For most of them, it’s quite simple.  Here’s how to make cheap international calls on iPhone with Yolla:

1. Download the Yolla app
2. Register your number in the app or on the Yolla website 
3. Top-up your account
4. Dial the international number you need to call or choose one from your contacts list

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It’s as simple as making a regular domestic call from your phone. 

What is the Best iPhone App for Free and Cheap International Calls?

What is the best iPhone app for free and cheap international calls? If you want absolute simplicity but are willing to pay extreme fees, you don’t need an iPhone app for international calls. Just use your cellular plan. If you want free text messaging and app-to-app calls but no other features, consider WhatsApp or Telegram. If you like WhatsApp but also want the ability to call landlines in some (but not all) countries, look at Viber.  For unlimited flexibility, low rates and more all in one iPhone app for international calls, check out Yolla.

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