Best apps to call landlines abroad in 2026: the buyer's shortlist

By the RobinPhone team

Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

Looking for the best way to call a landline abroad? We compared six options on cost, sign-up and whether they can actually ring a landline. Our pick is RobinPhone for calling banks, hotels and offices from a browser with no app or subscription. Here's the shortlist, and who each option suits.

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Key takeaways

1RobinPhone is our pick for calling landlines, banks and offices abroad from a browser, with no app or subscription.
2Monthly plans from Viber Out, Rebtel and PopTox only pay off if you call one country for many hours a month.
3Google Voice is a strong option, but Google says personal accounts are only available in the US.
4WhatsApp can't ring a landline over the internet; calls to non-WhatsApp numbers go through your mobile carrier.
5Skype was retired in May 2025, so former Skype Credit users need a replacement.

What a landline-calling app is (and what it isn't)

A landline-calling app connects your internet connection to the ordinary phone network, so the person you call answers on a normal landline or mobile. They don't need the app, a smartphone or a data plan. This is how you reach a bank's phone line, a hotel front desk, a government office, or a parent who only uses the home phone.

It isn't the same as a chat app. WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal calls only travel between people who have the same app, so they can't reach a landline at all. Connecting to the phone network costs money, because a real carrier carries the last part of the call. That's why every option that can ring a landline charges either per minute or through a monthly plan.

How we ranked these apps

We looked at what matters when you need to reach an ordinary phone number abroad, often a landline at a bank, hotel or government office.

1Can it ring a landline?

Over its own service, not just to other app users.

2What you install

An app, a browser, or nothing.

3How you pay

Per minute, or a monthly plan you need to remember to cancel.

4Sign-up

Phone verification, ID checks, or just an email.

The best apps to call landlines abroad in 2026

1. RobinPhone, best for calling landlines and offices without an app

From $0.02/min
175+ countries
No app
No subscription
Credit never expires

RobinPhone runs in your browser. You open a tab, type the number, and it rings like a normal call on the other person's landline or mobile. There's nothing to install and no SIM to swap, so it works on a laptop or phone over any Wi-Fi.

You pay per minute from prepaid credit, starting at $5, and the credit never expires. Many destinations include a free 1-minute test call, and you can show your own verified number as caller ID so the person you call recognises you. Every country's rate is published before you call.

The trade-offs: calls are outbound only, so nobody can call you back on RobinPhone, and some destinations cost more than on Viber Out or Rebtel. For example, Viber and Rebtel both show a lower Philippines rate than RobinPhone's.

Best suited for

People who need to call a bank, hotel or office abroad now and then, without installing an app or signing up for a plan.

See all RobinPhone rates

2. Viber Out, best if you already use Viber

Credit or monthly plans
App needed
Phone-number sign-up

Viber Out is Viber's paid add-on that, in Viber's words, “allows you to call any phone number in the world”. You buy World Credit or a calling plan and call from the Viber app on your phone or desktop.

Plans can be good value for heavy use, but Viber says they are “automatically renewed every month until you cancel”. Credit has its own rules: unused credit can freeze after six months, and you need the Viber app registered with your phone number to use it.

Best suited for

Existing Viber users who call one or two countries often enough for a plan to pay off.

Source: Viber: Learn how Viber Out works, Viber Out plans and credit FAQ. RobinPhone vs Viber

3. Rebtel, best for frequent calls to one country

Credit or unlimited plans
App needed
Phone-number sign-up

Rebtel is an app for calling family abroad. It offers pay-as-you-go Rebtel Credits and unlimited subscriptions, for example “unlimited minutes to 50 countries for only $12/month”.

You sign up with your phone number and an SMS code, and call from the mobile app. Subscriptions renew automatically, so they suit regular callers better than someone making one urgent call.

Best suited for

People who call family in one country many times a month.

Source: Rebtel rates, Rebtel Global Unlimited, Rebtel: How do I sign up

4. Google Voice, best for people living in the US

Free US calls
International per minute
Browser or app
US only

Google Voice gives you a US number with free calls within the US and published per-minute rates for international calls, from voice.google.com or the app.

The catch for everyone else: Google says personal Google Voice is “only available in the US”. Setup needs another phone number, and new numbers need identity verification. Businesses can get Voice in 14 countries through a paid Google Workspace add-on.

Best suited for

People based in the US who already have a US phone number.

Source: Google Voice plans compared, Google Voice calling rates. RobinPhone vs Google Voice

5. PopTox, best for heavy monthly callers

$10 to $50 a month
No app
49 to 129 countries

PopTox is browser-based calling on a monthly subscription: $10, $20 or $50 a month covering 49, 72 or 129 countries. It also offers free calls, but its terms say “you can only call the same number upto 5 times a day for free”.

A fixed monthly price makes sense if you call a lot. If you only call now and then, you still pay the monthly fee.

Best suited for

People who make many hours of calls every month and want a fixed bill.

Source: PopTox plans, PopTox terms. RobinPhone vs PopTox

6. WhatsApp, best for free calls to people who use WhatsApp

Free to WhatsApp users
App needed
Can't ring landlines itself

WhatsApp calls are free between WhatsApp users anywhere in the world. For a number that isn't on WhatsApp, WhatsApp's own help says the call goes “through mobile carrier”, so it becomes a normal phone call billed by your carrier, including roaming if you're abroad.

Best suited for

Free calls to friends and family who also use WhatsApp.

Source: WhatsApp: How to make a 1:1 voice call. Why WhatsApp can't call a landline

Not included: Skype, which Microsoft retired in May 2025. See Skype alternatives.

Side-by-side comparison

App	Rings landlines	App needed	Pricing model	Sign-up	Free option
RobinPhone	Yes, 175+ countries	No, browser	Per minute from $0.02	Email	1-minute test call to many destinations
Viber Out	Yes	Yes	Credit or monthly plans	Phone number + SMS	Plan trial where offered
Rebtel	Yes	Yes	Credit or unlimited plans	Phone number + SMS	Subscription trial
Google Voice	Yes	No, browser or app	Free US, per minute abroad	US only, ID check	Free US calls
PopTox	Yes	No, browser	$10 to $50 a month	Account	5 free calls a day per number
WhatsApp	Only via your carrier	Yes	Free to WhatsApp users	Phone number	Free app-to-app calls

Scroll sideways on a phone to see every column.

Which app fits your situation

If you need to…	How often	Our pick
Call a bank, hotel or office abroad	Now and then	RobinPhone
Call a parent's landline back home	A few times a month	RobinPhone
Call family in one country for hours	Every week	Rebtel or Viber Out
Call from the US with a US number	Any	Google Voice
Make many hours of calls on a fixed bill	Every day	PopTox
Talk to friends who have WhatsApp	Any	WhatsApp

Frequently asked questions

What's the best app to call a landline abroad without installing anything?

A browser-based service such as RobinPhone, which rings ordinary landlines and mobiles from a browser tab and charges per minute, with no app and no subscription.

What's the cheapest way to call a landline abroad?

It depends on how often you call. For occasional calls, pay-as-you-go per minute is usually cheapest because you pay nothing between calls. For many hours a month to one country, a monthly plan can cost less.

Can WhatsApp call a landline?

Not over the internet. WhatsApp calls are free between WhatsApp users; for other numbers it hands the call to your mobile carrier, which charges its normal rates.

Can I use Google Voice outside the US?

Personal Google Voice is only available in the US, according to Google. Google Workspace offers business Voice in 14 countries as a paid add-on.

Do I need a subscription to call abroad?

No. Pay-as-you-go services like RobinPhone charge only for the minutes you use. Subscriptions from Viber Out, Rebtel and PopTox renew each month until you cancel them.

What happened to Skype?

Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025. People who used Skype Credit for landline calls now use browser services or apps such as the ones above.

Try RobinPhone free, no app needed

Many destinations include a free 1-minute test call. After that, pay only for the minutes you talk, with credit from $5 that never expires.

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