How to Make International Calls While Traveling (Cheap Options)
The cheapest way to make international calls while traveling is over Wi-Fi or mobile data using a VoIP app — WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Voice, or Skype — rather than dialing through your home carrier's roaming network, which is usually billed per minute and adds up fast. If you need a real, dialable phone number for banks, hotels, or people without smartphones, a travel eSIM or local SIM with voice minutes is the more reliable backup.
There isn't one "best" way to make international calls — there are four realistic options, and most travelers end up using two of them together. Here's how each one actually works, what it costs, and when to use it.
Option 1: VoIP and messaging apps over data or Wi-Fi (cheapest)
Apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Voice, Telegram, and Skype route your call as data instead of a traditional phone call. As long as you and the person you're calling both have the app (or you're calling into a Google Voice/Skype number), the call itself doesn't cost anything extra beyond the data it uses — and voice calls use very little data compared to video.
This is why VoIP is the default answer to "how to make international calls" for most trips: hotel Wi-Fi, café Wi-Fi, or a travel eSIM's mobile data all work identically for this purpose. The catch is that it only works well when you have a decent connection, and it can't reach someone who's only reachable at a landline or a number with no app installed.
For a closer look at when Wi-Fi calling is enough on its own versus when you actually need mobile data, see eSIM vs Wi-Fi calling abroad.
Option 2: A travel eSIM or local SIM with calling minutes
If you need a number that anyone can dial — a taxi driver, a hotel front desk, your bank's fraud line — you need actual cellular service, not just data. Some travel eSIM and local SIM plans include voice minutes and a local number alongside data; others are data-only and are meant purely to power VoIP apps.
Before you buy, check which type of plan you're getting:
- Data-only eSIM: gives you internet access for VoIP calls, maps, and messaging, but no dialable number of its own.
- eSIM/SIM with voice + a local number: works like a normal phone line in that country, so incoming calls and outbound calls to local numbers work without an app.
If you mainly need data to run WhatsApp or FaceTime, a data-only plan is usually cheaper and simpler — see what a data-only eSIM plan actually covers before deciding which type to buy.
Option 3: Calling cards and dedicated international calling apps
Prepaid calling cards and apps built specifically for cheap international dialing (rather than general messaging) let you call any phone number — including landlines — at a flat per-minute rate that's usually far below standard roaming rates. You buy credit, dial an access number or use the app, and it connects the call over the internet or a local gateway.
These are worth having as a backup for calling landlines, elderly relatives without smartphones, or businesses abroad, but they still need an internet connection or local access number to work, so they're not a total replacement for data.
Option 4: Your home carrier's international roaming (backup only)
Every phone can technically make a call abroad by staying on your home carrier's network and roaming onto a local partner network. The problem is cost: roaming voice calls are typically billed per minute and can range from noticeably marked-up to very expensive, depending on your carrier, your plan, and the country. Some carriers offer international day-pass add-ons that soften this, but the pricing and coverage vary enough by carrier and country that it's worth checking your specific plan before you rely on it.
Because of this, most travelers treat home-carrier roaming as an emergency fallback — useful for the one call you absolutely have to make with zero setup — rather than a primary way to stay in touch for a whole trip. For a fuller cost breakdown of roaming versus other options, see the cost of roaming vs. eSIM.
Quick comparison
| Method | Typical cost pattern | Needs data or Wi-Fi? | Can call any number (incl. landlines)? |
|---|---|---|---|
| VoIP/messaging apps (WhatsApp, FaceTime, Skype) | Free beyond data used | Yes | Only other app users, or via paid credit features |
| eSIM/SIM with voice minutes | Bundled into plan cost | No (uses cellular voice) | Yes |
| Calling cards/international calling apps | Low flat per-minute rate | Usually yes | Yes |
| Home carrier roaming | Per-minute, often high | No | Yes |
How to Make International Calls: A Simple 3-Step Approach
- Get a reliable data connection first. Whatever you choose for calls, you'll need data for maps, messaging, and most VoIP calling anyway — a travel eSIM activated before you land is one of the easiest ways to have data working the moment you touch down, without hunting for Wi-Fi.
- Default to VoIP apps for anyone who already has them. Family, friends, and most modern businesses can be reached over WhatsApp, FaceTime, or Google Voice at effectively no extra cost.
- Add voice minutes or a calling card only for people you can't reach through an app. If you'll need to call a landline, a local business, or someone without a smartphone, layer in an eSIM/SIM with voice minutes or keep a calling card as backup — don't default to your home carrier's roaming rates unless it's a true emergency.
For the data connection all of this depends on, Simnity's travel eSIMs activate from a QR code and give you mobile data in destinations worldwide without a home-carrier roaming bill — worth setting up before you fly, at simnity.com.
FAQ
Do I need Wi-Fi to make international calls, or does mobile data work too? Either works for VoIP calls — apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime use whichever internet connection is available, Wi-Fi or mobile data. Mobile data (from a local SIM or travel eSIM) is more convenient since you're not tied to a hotspot.
Can I make international calls without an internet connection at all? Yes, through your home carrier's roaming network or an eSIM/SIM plan that includes voice minutes — both use the cellular voice network rather than data. This is the only option that reliably reaches landlines and non-smartphone users.
Is it cheaper to use a calling app or buy calling minutes on an eSIM? VoIP apps are effectively free (beyond data) when the other person has the same app. Calling cards and eSIM voice minutes cost more but can reach any number, including landlines — so the "cheaper" choice depends on who you're calling.
Will my home carrier's international roaming work automatically when I land? Often yes, since most phones roam onto a local partner network automatically, but the per-minute call rates are usually significantly higher than VoIP or eSIM alternatives, so it's best treated as a backup rather than your main way to stay in touch.
Does a data-only travel eSIM let me make phone calls? Not through the regular dialer to any number — but it gives you the data connection needed for VoIP apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime, which covers most international calling needs for travelers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need Wi-Fi to make international calls, or does mobile data work too?
Either works for VoIP calls — apps like WhatsApp and FaceTime use whichever internet connection is available, Wi-Fi or mobile data. Mobile data (from a local SIM or travel eSIM) is more convenient since you're not tied to a hotspot.
Can I make international calls without an internet connection at all?
Yes, through your home carrier's roaming network or an eSIM/SIM plan that includes voice minutes — both use the cellular voice network rather than data. This is the only option that reliably reaches landlines and non-smartphone users.
Is it cheaper to use a calling app or buy calling minutes on an eSIM?
VoIP apps are effectively free (beyond data) when the other person has the same app. Calling cards and eSIM voice minutes cost more but can reach any number, including landlines — so the cheaper choice depends on who you're calling.
Will my home carrier's international roaming work automatically when I land?
Often yes, since most phones roam onto a local partner network automatically, but the per-minute call rates are usually significantly higher than VoIP or eSIM alternatives, so it's best treated as a backup rather than your main way to stay in touch.
Does a data-only travel eSIM let me make phone calls?
Not through the regular dialer to any number — but it gives you the data connection needed for VoIP apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime, which covers most international calling needs for travelers.