Staying connected with family and friends across borders is one of the most important things you can do when living abroad. International calling should feel simple, affordable, and reliable—yet for many people, figuring out how to set it all up can feel overwhelming.
This guide answers the most common questions about international calling on your phone—from what it actually means to how you can avoid paying too much. Read on for clear, practical answers that help you call the people who matter most.
What does international calling on your phone actually mean?
International calling means making a phone call from one country to a recipient in another country. Your phone connects to a network that routes the call across borders, allowing you to speak in real time with someone thousands of kilometers away. The call can reach a mobile phone or a landline, and the recipient does not need any special equipment to answer.
What makes international calling different from a regular local call is how the connection is routed and who charges you for it. Traditional international calls travel through carrier networks and often include country-specific fees. Modern internet-based international calls, on the other hand, use your Wi-Fi or mobile data connection to carry the voice signal, which is why they can be significantly more affordable.
It is worth knowing that international calling is not limited to voice alone. Many services today bundle features such as call quality monitoring, per-second billing, and multilingual support, making the experience much closer to a local call than it used to be.
What are the different ways to make international calls from your phone?
There are three main ways to make international calls from your phone: through your mobile carrier’s international plan, through a calling app that uses the internet, or by purchasing an international SIM card. Each option has different costs, requirements, and levels of convenience.
- Mobile carrier international plans: Your existing provider may offer international calling as an add-on. You dial a country code before the number, and the call routes through the carrier network. This is convenient but often the most expensive option.
- Internet-based calling apps: Apps that use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology route your call through your internet connection. They are typically much cheaper and work on any smartphone with Wi-Fi or mobile data.
- International SIM cards: A physical SIM card designed for international use can reduce roaming costs, but it usually requires you to change your phone number and manage a separate account.
For people who call Africa regularly—whether a parent in Nigeria, a sibling in Eritrea, or a friend in Ethiopia—internet-based calling apps have become the most practical choice. They allow you to call any phone number abroad without the recipient needing the app, and they often offer transparent, low per-minute rates that make long conversations genuinely affordable.
What’s the difference between calling apps and regular carrier international plans?
The key difference is how the call travels and who sets the price. Carrier international plans route calls through traditional telephone networks and charge fees set by your provider, which often include connection charges and per-minute rates that add up quickly. Calling apps use your internet connection to carry the voice signal, cutting out the middleman and reducing costs significantly.
Cost and transparency
Carrier plans frequently include hidden fees such as connection charges that apply even if the call does not connect, or they round up call duration to the nearest minute. Calling apps, especially those built for diaspora communities, tend to offer per-second billing with no hidden fees, so you only pay for the time you actually spend talking.
Accessibility and flexibility
With a carrier plan, you are tied to your provider’s rates and coverage. A calling app works wherever you have internet access, whether that is your home Wi-Fi, a coffee shop, or mobile data while commuting. The recipient does not need the app or an internet connection on their side, which makes it far more practical for calling family members who may be using basic mobile phones in countries across Africa.
The bottom line is that for frequent international callers, especially those who call specific destinations regularly, a calling app almost always delivers more minutes for your money than a standard carrier plan.
How do you set up international calling on your phone in a few steps?
Setting up international calling on your phone is straightforward and takes only a few minutes. The exact process depends on which method you choose, but the general steps are consistent across most options.
- Choose your calling method: Decide whether you want to use your carrier’s international plan or download a calling app. For regular calls to Africa, an app is usually the better starting point.
- Download and install the app: Search for your chosen calling app in the App Store or Google Play and install it on your phone.
- Create an account: Register with your email address or phone number. Many apps support multiple languages, so you can set up your account in the language you are most comfortable with.
- Add credit to your account: Top up your balance using your preferred currency and payment method. Look for weekly deals that give you more calling minutes for a fixed amount.
- Dial the number: Enter the full international number, including the country code, then make your call. The recipient answers on their regular phone—no app required.
Once you have set everything up, making a call is as simple as dialing any other number. The key is choosing a service that offers clear rates so you always know how many minutes your credit will give you before you dial.
Why are some international calls so expensive—and how can you avoid high costs?
International calls can be expensive because carriers charge fees at multiple points in the connection: your home provider, the international routing network, and the destination country’s network can all add their own costs. These layered fees are why a single call to certain countries can cost many times more than a local call.
Why certain destinations cost more
The cost of calling a specific country depends on the infrastructure available there, the agreements between carriers, and local regulations. Countries with less developed telecommunications infrastructure or limited competition between providers tend to have higher per-minute rates. This is why calling some African countries can feel disproportionately expensive compared to calling within Europe.
How to reduce your international calling costs
The most effective ways to keep costs down include switching to an internet-based calling app, taking advantage of weekly calling deals, and choosing a service that bills per second rather than per minute. Per-second billing means a two-minute call costs exactly what two minutes of talk time should cost, not three minutes rounded up.
Weekly deals are particularly useful. For example, calling Nigeria can cost as little as €0.08 per minute on a Saturday deal, giving you a full two hours of talk time for around €10. Calls to Eritrea or Ethiopia on a Sunday deal cost €0.17 per minute, offering close to an hour of conversation for the same amount. Checking which deals are available for your destination before you top up can make a real difference in how many minutes you get for your money.
You can check the latest international calling rates to see current deals for your destination before adding credit.
Which countries can you call internationally using a calling app?
Most calling apps cover a wide range of countries, but rates and call quality vary significantly depending on the destination. Apps built specifically for diaspora communities often offer better rates and more reliable connections to the countries their users call most frequently.
For African diaspora communities in Europe, key destinations include Nigeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Niger, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, and many others. A good calling app will offer affordable international calling to all of these destinations, with transparent per-minute rates so you know exactly what you are getting.
It is also worth checking whether the app supports calls to both mobile and landline numbers in your destination country, as some services only connect to one type of number. The recipient should be able to answer on any phone, without needing to install anything or have an internet connection.
How FroggyTalk helps with international calling
We built FroggyTalk specifically for African diaspora communities in Europe who want to stay connected with family and friends back home without paying unfair prices. Here is what makes our approach different:
- Calls use your internet connection, so recipients can answer on any regular phone with no app needed
- Per-second billing with no hidden fees or connection charges, so you only pay for what you use
- Weekly calling deals for destinations including Nigeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe
- The entire app can be used in your preferred language, including Tigrinya, Arabic, Hausa, Amharic, French, and more
- Transparent rates so you always know how many minutes you get before you top up
We want you to feel heard, seen, and valued, because staying connected to the people you love should never feel like a luxury. Download FroggyTalk and start calling today, or get in touch with our team if you have any questions about getting started.
Related Articles
- How can I make an international call from my iPhone for free?
- What is the difference between a calling plan and pay-as-you-go international calling?
- What is the difference between calling and messaging for staying in touch internationally?
- Why is international calling so expensive?
- What do you need to make an international money transfer?