Choosing how to call abroad
Internet calling apps vs an international calling app.
Free internet calls only work when both sides are online with the same app. An international calling app like Kalum dials real phone numbers instead — so the other side just answers their phone.
The difference at a glance
| Kalum | Internet calling apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Who needs the app | Only you | Both of you, and it must be the same app |
| Internet on their end | Not needed | Required |
| Calls landlines | Yes | No — a landline can't install an app |
| Works on feature phones | Yes | No |
| Cost | Per-minute rate, shown before you dial | Free app-to-app (data charges may apply) |
When each one is the right choice
Use a free internet app when…
Both of you have smartphones, the same app installed, and reliable internet. App-to-app calls are free, and that's hard to beat. If that describes the person you're calling, use it.
Use Kalum when…
- • The number is a landline.
- • They carry a feature phone, not a smartphone.
- • Their internet is down, slow, or expensive.
- • Voice calls on internet apps are restricted where they live, as in the UAE.
- • They can't — or won't — install another app.
In all of those cases, Kalum dials the real phone number and it rings like any normal call. More on calling without internet →
Common questions
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Is Kalum an internet calling app?
Only on your side. The app uses your data or Wi-Fi to start the call, then routes it through real phone networks. The person you call needs no internet and no app — their phone rings like any normal call.
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Can internet calling apps call landlines?
Free app-to-app calls can't — a landline can't install an app. Kalum dials real phone numbers, so landlines and mobiles in 180+ countries ring like any other call.
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Why not just use a free internet app?
If both of you have smartphones with the same app and reliable internet, a free app-to-app call is a great choice. Kalum is for everyone else: landlines, feature phones, relatives who won't install apps, and places where the internet is down, expensive, or restricted.
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How much do calls cost with Kalum?
Rates are per-country, and you see the exact per-minute rate before you dial. You add prepaid credit starting from $2.99 — no subscription, and your credit never expires.
Curious what a call costs? See per-minute rates by destination →
Call any phone, not just apps.
Download Kalum, add $2.99 in credit, and dial landlines and mobiles in 180+ countries. Pay only for the minutes you use.