Free international calls? There’s an app for that

Which one you choose should be decided based on who you are calling and the app they use

A common question we hear all the time — how to make international calls for free?

There are so many viable options now, and you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to the wireless carriers. It’s another case of free apps to the rescue!

But which app to use? A good basic rule of thumb — use the app where your friends or family are. If they like to connect there, it will be the easiest place to find them.

Each app works differently, but, in a nutshell, look for the phone or video camera icon for guidance to where to make your free calls. Let’s take a closer look:

Skype has been the pioneer of free calls since it started in 2003. As it always has, calling “Skype to Skype” is free but making a call from your smartphone to someone’s landline or cellphone will cost you. Rates vary depending upon which country you call. Skype starts at 10 cents a minute to call mobile phones in the United Kingdom, for instance, or 2.3 cents per minute to call landlines. It also offers a monthly $6.99 subscription. Calls are easy to make, but the invite process is clunky. You can’t make calls until you both accept the request.

WhatsApp is probably the most popular app now among people in Europe for free calls, with more than 1 billion people using the service. Like Skype, the app works when your friends are there. Recently, WhatsApp expanded beyond basic free calls and messages to copy communications app Snapchat with a similar “Story” feature that lets members show off collections of photos and videos.

Apple’s Facetime couldn’t be any simpler to operate and should be your first choice if you have an iPhone, iPad or Apple computer. All you need is a phone number or Apple ID to begin making free calls.

But if your mom is on Android and you’re on Apple, you’re out of luck. You’ll want to consider one of the other options. Unlike the other apps, FaceTime isn’t a download. It comes installed on all new iPhones, iPads and Macs. Look for the green camera icon on your mobile screen or in the menu of your desktop.

The Line app dominates in Asia, but it’s starting to make inroads in the U.S. with a delicious offer. Free international calls to land lines — as long as you watch a short 15-second ad first. App-to-app calls don’t require the ads. Give it a try — it’s the most colorful and fun of the free phone apps. It’s best known for introducing “stickers,” instant messages to pretty up your texts, from the likes of Pokémon and Mickey Mouse, to Dragon Ball and Star Wars. Most are available for sale — starting at 99 cents.

Facebook Messenger. With nearly 1 billion users, the odds are your friends or loved ones are already there, which is why I’d recommend starting here first. Plus, the audio quality is generally excellent.

To make the call, remember to use the Messenger app for your smartphone or regular desktop Facebook. Look for the video camera and phone icons at the top of the screen, next to the name of your friend.