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How to make WhatsApp international calls and are they free?
Learn how to make WhatsApp international calls for free. Plus, see the best way to save data while staying in touch with friends and family abroad.
WhatsApp lets you make free international calls to over 2 billion users worldwide—but you’ll still need mobile data or WiFi to connect. Here’s how WhatsApp calling works, how much data it uses, and the best ways to stay connected while traveling without racking up roaming charges.
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Is it free to make international calls with WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp international calls are free—but you’ll need internet access through mobile data or WiFi.
If you use WhatsApp calls when using data roaming solutions, you’ll have to pay per MB used or access an international daily pass to get unlimited data, which ranges from $10 to $15 USD for most providers in the US. You can use a Data Usage Calculator to see how much that contributes to your overall data usage and, consequently, your phone bill.
An alternative to roaming is to find an unlimited data service, such as the Holafly eSIM, which allows you to make phone calls and stay connected without worrying about how to use less data. Prices start at $6.90 USD!
How to make a call on WhatsApp
Are you wondering how to use WhatsApp voice or video calls? Let’s look at the step-by-step process of doing this while abroad or to an international number.
Remember, to make a WhatsApp call, you have to make sure the other person has a working account!
- If you haven’t added the contact’s phone number, go to the “Phone” app and add it.
- Enter the number and ensure it’s the same number your contact uses on WhatsApp.
- Name your contact and press “Save” to continue.
- Go to WhatsApp and look for the contact’s name.
- Press the “Phone” icon to make a voice call or the “Video camera” icon for video calls.
- Wait until the other person answers and you’ll be good to go!
How to make a WhatsApp call using WhatsApp Web
You can also use WhatsApp on your laptop or PC to make voice and video calls, but the process is slightly different.
- Add your contact’s number on your phone and use the WhatsApp search bar to access their chat.
- The “Video camera” and “Phone” icons will appear in the chat.
- Choose the voice calling option; a new window will appear while the call lasts.
How much data does an international WhatsApp call use?
You’ll use around 0.15-0.20 MB per minute on WhatsApp calls. WhatsApp data usage is currently quite low, as our original research on the apps that use the most mobile data in 2024 found.
Still, you can check the data usage of your WhatsApp calls while on your phone, which helps determine how much data you need when traveling.
Here’s the step-by-step process you need to follow:
- Open your WhatsApp app.
- Press on the “Calls” option.
- Choose one of your recent calls to check how much data you’ve used.
- Once you’ve selected the call, you’ll see the data usage below for how long the call lasted.
- Whether checking data usage on iPhone or Android, the process is the same!
One thing to keep in mind is that this option only works on your phone. On the web app, you can’t check the data usage for each call.
How to save data when making international WhatsApp calls
It’s easy to get carried away talking to your international contacts on WhatsApp, since the calls are so easy to make. This leaves us with one remaining question: what’s the best way to save data on WhatsApp?
Here are some ways for you to save data when making international WhatsApp calls:
- Use WiFi when calling: The best way to save data on WhatsApp is to stay connected to a WiFi hotspot. Since WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, even free WiFi is safe for calls.
- Make short calls: Keep calls brief to minimize data usage.
- Ring the person and talk with them on the chat: You can catch someone’s attention by calling them so they can check the chat. That way, you can continue the conversation on WhatsApp without spending lots of data!
- Avoid international video calls: Video calls spend much more than phone calls (up to 20 MB per minute), meaning you can quickly run out of data or receive high roaming charges for a quick call.
- Get unlimited data: A Holafly eSIM provides unlimited data for WhatsApp calls at no extra cost, starting at $6.90/day.
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FAQs
When using WhatsApp voice calls, both sides need to have the app. If they don’t have the app, you can still invite them to download it so you can call them!
You don’t need to add someone to WhatsApp; you must add them to your contact list. Once you’ve saved them on your mobile, they will immediately appear on WhatsApp.
Video calling on WhatsApp takes 5 to 20 MB per minute, depending on the quality of the video.
WhatsApp works in most countries, but some regions restrict or block the service. Check local regulations before traveling.
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I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.
