The apps listed below are available in two forms:
App to phone: Makes free calls from a computer or mobile device to a real telephone number, sometimes vice versa, as well.App to app: Makes free calls between phones, tablets, and computers. Calls only work if the recipient has the same app installed. This method can not be used to call landlines or other devices that don’t have the proper software.
No matter how it works, it’s a free call, and these are the best apps for the job. You can call your contacts through the mobile app, or if you’re using the desktop version, start and join meetings via a meeting code or link. Google used to have a similar app called Duo, but it’s been updated and merged with Meet. It works through a desktop web browser as well as the mobile app for Android and iOS. Download For: Voice is much more than this, though. It’s primarily a way to manage the phone numbers in your life and can intelligently route incoming Voice calls to any other phone you have or send them directly to voicemail. You can also screen calls and create custom away messages for specific contacts, and make groups within your contact list to apply rules to, like for custom call forwarding. Other features include free SMS, free conference calls, and free voicemail services. Free calls you make with Voice must be to numbers in the United States or Canada, and they’re limited to three hours. However, you can continue to make a free call to the same number over and over again. The Voice app works from the web as well as iPhone, iPad, and Android devices. Download For: It also includes features like payments, stories, and self-destructing messages, which lets you set a timer for messages to automatically delete after a set time. Signal is available on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, and desktop. Download For: You just need to confirm your phone number to get started. Once you’re using the app, you can start a new conversation to clearly see which of your contacts are also using WhatsApp, then you can call them for free no matter where in the world they’re located. Group calls can include as many as eight people. WhatsApp also lets you send videos, photos, your location, and contacts to other users. Like Signal, end-to-end encryption is supported for all communication within the app. Because WhatsApp requires the app to make free phone calls, you can not use it to make free calls to phones that don’t have the app installed, nor to landlines. You can make calls with WhatsApp using an Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, or Mac. Download For: The interface is very straightforward. It keeps track of call history right within the message center, it’s quick and easy to start a phone call, and you can even send messages while actively in a call. In addition to sending text messages, TextNow lets you send photos, drawings, emoticons, and your location. You can also customize the voicemail greeting, get email alerts when you get messages, change the message screen background, use a different alert for different contacts, customize the overall theme, and use a signature with all your messages. You can log in to your TextNow account on a different device, and all your saved messages and phone numbers remain and can be used immediately. Because you don’t need an actual phone number to set up TextNow (just an email address), it works with devices that might not have a phone number, like the iPad, iPod touch, and Kindle. If you’re using TextNow on Windows or Mac, or from the web, you can both call and text from your computer. The app runs on Android, iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Windows. Download For: The texting feature can actually be used on non-app phones as well, which means you can use Textfree as another way to text your friends over the internet. Every Textfree user begins with a limited number of minutes for free calling to phones not using the app, like landlines. There are ways to get more free minutes like watching video advertisements and completing free offers. If you fail to use your Textfree phone number for 30 days, it’s returned to the “pool” of numbers for new Textfree users, and thus become inactive. You can always get another one if your current number expires. In addition to the web, Textfree is usable through the Android, iPhone, and iPad apps. Download For: To make free internet calls using Facebook Messenger, both recipients need to be “friends” on Facebook and have the correct application installed. Facebook Messenger doesn’t support calling real phone numbers like landlines. It works from any web browser, as well as through the Windows 11/10 or Mac program and the mobile app for Android, iPhone, and iPad. Download For: Enter the chat mode with one of your contacts by tapping the conversation once or opening a new chat window. Then, use the phone icon to instantly call them for free over Wi-Fi or your device’s data connection. Since you can only call other Snapchat users, you can’t use the app to call home phones or devices that aren’t also using Snapchat. Snapchat works with Android, iPhone, and iPad. You can also use Snapchat in a web browser. Download For: It scours your contact list on your mobile device to find other users, which makes it simple to know who you can call for free. Messages and video can also be sent through to any other device that has it installed, be it a mobile or desktop version. You can subscribe to Viber for a local number in various countries that you can use to receive calls and texts, but that feature isn’t free. The app runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac computers, as well as Android and iOS (iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch) mobile devices. Download For: After adding a contact to Telegram, you can call them through their app by opening the contact’s Info page and then choosing the phone icon. Telegram runs on lots of devices: Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, macOS, Windows, Linux, and the web. Download For: Since it works on both desktops and mobile devices, any variation of communication is allowed—PC to PC, app to PC, app to app, and PC to app. To create contacts requires recipients to already have an account; it’s easy to create a Skype account in Windows or other platforms. You can find a user in the public directory by their email address or phone number. You can also add contacts directly if you know their username. Not only is internet calling supported, but also video calls and text messages to any other user. Download For:
