The era of using actual land line telephones have all but come to an end. These days if you don’t have a mobile phone then you are considered old school. However, we are getting closer and closer to a day when making phone calls won’t cost us any money and they take place solely on data connections instead of wireless phone signals. Some people are already researching how to do just that and that is likely why you’re here. So in this list we’ll take a look at the nine best free Android apps to make free calls on Android!
Facebook Messenger
[Price: Free]
First on list is Facebook Messenger. Facebook has only recently allowed free calls on its messenger service but so far it has been rather successful. Many people may not like Facebook these days and may be looking for ways to get rid of it. However, Facebook has one undeniable advantage of being as ubiquitous of a service as you can get. Since most of these apps require that both parties have the same application in order to make phone calls (i.e. both parties much have Facebook Messenger to make free calls), that makes Facebook Messenger an above average option since it’s more likely that your friends already use Facebook.
First on list is Facebook Messenger. Facebook has only recently allowed free calls on its messenger service but so far it has been rather successful. Many people may not like Facebook these days and may be looking for ways to get rid of it. However, Facebook has one undeniable advantage of being as ubiquitous of a service as you can get. Since most of these apps require that both parties have the same application in order to make phone calls (i.e. both parties much have Facebook Messenger to make free calls), that makes Facebook Messenger an above average option since it’s more likely that your friends already use Facebook.
KakaoTalk: Free Calls & Texts
[Price: Free]
KakaoTalk is very popular albeit mostly for people not in North America. Much like the others on this list, you can text and call people for free. KakaoTalk also includes group calls which can be a good option for those who frequently require calling multiple people at once. Another good feature of KakaoTalk is multi-platform support. So if you have friends with iOS devices, Blackberry devices, or Windows Phone, you can still make free calls as long as you both use KakaoTalk.
KakaoTalk is very popular albeit mostly for people not in North America. Much like the others on this list, you can text and call people for free. KakaoTalk also includes group calls which can be a good option for those who frequently require calling multiple people at once. Another good feature of KakaoTalk is multi-platform support. So if you have friends with iOS devices, Blackberry devices, or Windows Phone, you can still make free calls as long as you both use KakaoTalk.
LINE: Free Calls & Messages
[Price: Free]
Line is another popular option to make free calls on Android. It currently sports over 400 million users worldwide and contains a lot of nifty features. One of which is free phone calls to other Line users. You can call non-Line users but there is a small fee (which isn’t unusual for these apps). It also features text messaging and group texting. Like KakaoTalk, Line is also has multi-platform support for most mobile operating systems and PC which is always nice to have in case your friends or relatives don’t use Android.
Line is another popular option to make free calls on Android. It currently sports over 400 million users worldwide and contains a lot of nifty features. One of which is free phone calls to other Line users. You can call non-Line users but there is a small fee (which isn’t unusual for these apps). It also features text messaging and group texting. Like KakaoTalk, Line is also has multi-platform support for most mobile operating systems and PC which is always nice to have in case your friends or relatives don’t use Android.
magicApp by magicJack
[Price: Free]
This is one of the more unique apps on the list in that magicApp by magicJack actually does allow you call non-magicApp users for free. However, there are regional restrictions. If you live in the US or Canada, you can make free calls to just about anyone. If you’re outside of the US or Canada or you’re calling someone outside of the US or Canada without magicApp, then you must pay a fee like usual. The exception, of course, is that if both parties have magicApp, all calls are still free. Also unlike most apps on this list, magicApp can only be used for phone calls. So if you just need an app for calling, this is a good way to go. If you need something that includes texting too, then this won’t be a full solution.
This is one of the more unique apps on the list in that magicApp by magicJack actually does allow you call non-magicApp users for free. However, there are regional restrictions. If you live in the US or Canada, you can make free calls to just about anyone. If you’re outside of the US or Canada or you’re calling someone outside of the US or Canada without magicApp, then you must pay a fee like usual. The exception, of course, is that if both parties have magicApp, all calls are still free. Also unlike most apps on this list, magicApp can only be used for phone calls. So if you just need an app for calling, this is a good way to go. If you need something that includes texting too, then this won’t be a full solution.
Nimbuzz Messenger / Free Calls
[Price: Free]
Nimbuzz has been around for a long time and rightfully so. It has all of the features that most of these other apps have and it still works rather well. As per the norm you can voice call other Nimbuzz users free of charge and the service boasts HD calling service which is a plus since a lot of these apps do not have the best voice quality when calling. Of course, your mileage may very. You can also do the usual stuff like use stickers, group chat, text chat, and others.
Nimbuzz has been around for a long time and rightfully so. It has all of the features that most of these other apps have and it still works rather well. As per the norm you can voice call other Nimbuzz users free of charge and the service boasts HD calling service which is a plus since a lot of these apps do not have the best voice quality when calling. Of course, your mileage may very. You can also do the usual stuff like use stickers, group chat, text chat, and others.
Skype – free IM & video calls
[Price: Free]
The venerable Skype also fits into this category. Most people already know what Skype can do so we’ll keep this one short. You can make free Skype calls to anyone who has Skype and non-Skype numbers require a small fee. It’s on most mobile operating systems and computer operating systems (including Linux) so it’s one of the best solutions when it comes to cross platform use. Also included are free group, video, and text chats should you need those. It’s a reliable and highly popular service and much like Facebook Messenger, there’s a good chance people you know already use Skype or at least have it installed.
The venerable Skype also fits into this category. Most people already know what Skype can do so we’ll keep this one short. You can make free Skype calls to anyone who has Skype and non-Skype numbers require a small fee. It’s on most mobile operating systems and computer operating systems (including Linux) so it’s one of the best solutions when it comes to cross platform use. Also included are free group, video, and text chats should you need those. It’s a reliable and highly popular service and much like Facebook Messenger, there’s a good chance people you know already use Skype or at least have it installed.
Tango Messenger, Video & Calls
[Price: Free]Tango used to be a much more popular application a couple of years ago, but it remains a pretty decent option for free calls today. With Tango you can get free calls to other Tango users as well as the standard texting and group messages. It also has cross platform support and video chatting if you like those features. Tango also goes the extra mile with things like built in games that you can challenge friends to if you’re bored. Admittedly, it’s not an exciting addition but it’s definitely something you won’t find in other apps on this list.
Viber
[Price: Free]
When this list was first written, Viber was just coming out on Android and it has made quite the splash since then. With over 200 million users, Viber is one of the most widely used free call solutions on the list. As usual, you have to be calling other Viber users for it to be free. You can also use it for text and group messaging. Viber is a little more simple than many of the other apps but it gets the job done. There is also cross platform support should you need it!
When this list was first written, Viber was just coming out on Android and it has made quite the splash since then. With over 200 million users, Viber is one of the most widely used free call solutions on the list. As usual, you have to be calling other Viber users for it to be free. You can also use it for text and group messaging. Viber is a little more simple than many of the other apps but it gets the job done. There is also cross platform support should you need it!
Yahoo Messenger (and you’ll need this plugin)
[Price: Free]Last up is Yahoo Messenger. Yahoo Messenger is a weird case because it’s the only app that requires a plugin in order to make voice calls. However, with the plugin, it still does make voice calls. Without the plugin, Yahoo Messenger is just a text messaging service. With the plugin you’ll also get voice and video calling. It has a few more issues than most of these but given how Yahoo has been with updating and re-imagining their applications it’s only a matter of time before this becomes a top tier option. As it stands, it’s still a good option but beware of the bugs.
Wrap up
Unfortunately, most of these applications have the same issue in that they only deliver free calls if both parties are using the same app. So if you have Skype, you can make phone calls to anyone but it’s only free if the other person is using Skype as well. This presents a unique paradox in that these apps are all not technically 100% free but they are free if you follow the rules. For now, there aren't many reliable services that call landlines that are free. For now, your best bet is to use these and talk your friends and family into using them too. One day, we’ll all be doing it anyway! As usual if i missed a great app, let me know in the comments below.
Tc & Be Safe :)
#Android #Freecall
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