Cheap International Calls: Phone Cards, Roaming and Internet Calling

A phone call to another country can cost cents or several euros per minute, depending on how you place it. The price is hard to predict because it combines your operator's tariff, the destination's termination fee and sometimes roaming. Here are the realistic options and when each makes sense, plus a few rules for comparing offers fairly.

1. Calling from your mobile plan

Convenient, but international minutes are usually excluded from "unlimited" plans. Roaming makes it worse: you can pay for both ends of a call. Within the EU, regulated roaming limits charges for travellers, but calls to non-EU countries are still charged at the operator's international rate.

2. Prepaid calling cards and access numbers

Cards give lower per-minute rates through a local access number. The catch is the small print: connection fees, minimum charges per call, rounding up to the next minute and rates that are much higher for mobiles than for landlines. Compare the effective price of a five-minute call, not the headline rate.

3. Calling apps

Apps such as messaging platforms offer free app-to-app voice and video calls, but both people need the same app and an internet connection. Calls to ordinary phone numbers are usually paid.

4. Browser calling to real phone numbers

Browser services let you call a normal mobile or landline number without installing anything. Globfone's free calling covers selected countries and is supported by advertising; it suits short calls. For frequent calls to many countries, Premium shows the exact rate before you dial and charges only from your prepaid balance.

Comparing the options

• Option: Mobile plan

  Strength

  No setup

  Watch out for

  Roaming and high international rates

• Option: Calling card

  Strength

  Low headline rate

  Watch out for

  Fees, minimum charges, expiry

• Option: Messaging app

  Strength

  Free between users

  Watch out for

  Both sides need the app

• Option: Browser calling

  Strength

  Reaches any number, nothing to install

  Watch out for

  Needs internet, limits on the free tier

How to compare offers fairly

• Ask for the price to a mobile number, not just the country average.
• Check connection fees and rounding units (per second, per 6 seconds, per minute).
• Look for minimum top-ups and expiry dates on balance.
• Test with a short call first.

If you only need to leave a quick message, a text is cheaper still: see how to send SMS abroad without roaming fees.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to call another country?

For short calls to a country in the list, browser calling with free Credits costs nothing; for regular calls, a prepaid Premium Credits balance with a rate shown before dialling is predictable.

Why is a mobile number more expensive than a landline?

Mobile networks charge higher termination fees to the calling operator, and that cost is passed on.