When you return home from a trip abroad, you’ll likely find several loads of laundry, a stack of mail, and probably a handful of work emails you’ve been ignoring. One thing you won’t have to worry about is an astronomical cell phone bill full of international call charges.

Most phone companies charge a per-minute rate for international calls outside Mexico and Canada. The exact price varies by country.

Many phone companies also offer international plans as an add-on to your monthly service. Verizon, for example, offers a TravelPass for $10 a day for unlimited talk, text, and data in more than 210 countries, but you only pay for the days you use it. It’s similar with T-Mobile, where you can get an International Pass with unlimited calls and varying amounts of high-speed international data for $5 a day, $35 for 10 days, or $50 for 30 days.

If you’re away for long periods of time and call home frequently, these costs can quickly add up. But there’s a better solution.

With a simple trick, you can save money and still stay in touch with your friends, loved ones and colleagues. All you need is a smartphone and a communication app such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom or Facebook Messenger.

How does it work?

Instead of connecting to a cellular network, apps like FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom, and Facebook Messenger use Wi-Fi or mobile data. As long as you’re in an area with Wi-Fi and an active internet connection, you can use any of these apps to make voice or video calls to your friends and family. Some of these options also allow text chats.

Related Topics: Cruise or travel abroad this summer? Why these cell phone packages can be your best travel companion

To use these apps, both parties must install them, set up a free account, and have a stable internet connection. In terms of security, you’ll be happy to know that all of these apps use end-to-end encryption to keep your calls and messages safe and private.

For example, both parties must have an Apple device with FaceTime enabled to use FaceTime. The beauty of FaceTime is that you can use your iPad or MacBook in addition to your iPhone. If you have an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, you have the option to invite Android users to calls already in progress.

Daily newsletter

Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily newsletter

Join over 700,000 readers and receive breaking news, in-depth guides and exclusive offers from TPG experts

Related topics: 6 tips for preparing for longer trips abroad

The easiest way is to complete the setup process before you travel so you can make sure everything is in order before you leave. You should also let your friends and family know which app you plan to use for calling abroad so they can do the same.

Then, when you’re on your trip abroad, you can open your favorite app and either search for the person you want to call in your contact list or enter their phone number to stay in touch with the important people in your life, no matter where in the world you are.

Points to consider

Pay attention to your data usage

Although many plans include at least some amount of international data, you may still incur charges when using these apps if you are charged for international roaming or have an international data cap. To avoid this, you should turn off mobile data and data roaming so you can make sure you are connecting over Wi-Fi.

If you don’t have Wi-Fi access and want to use a certain international data allowance, you’ll need to monitor your data usage abroad to make sure you don’t exceed your allotted volume. Some providers will send alerts when you’re approaching the limit, but you should be able to log into your account and check your data usage at any time.

Alternatively, you can buy a travel SIM card, which may be cheaper than a temporary international plan with your phone provider. A travel SIM card allows travelers to use their mobile devices abroad without paying roaming charges by connecting to local networks.

Beware of open Wi-Fi networks

Although calls and messages in these apps are encrypted, you should still consider the security concerns of using a public Wi-Fi network. If you’re in an airport or in a hotel, you’ll need to connect to a public Wi-Fi network that may not be as secure as the one you use at home, especially if the network isn’t password protected.

Public Wi-Fi networks are more vulnerable to attacks, making it easier for hackers to access any information you send, including usernames, passwords and financial information.

You may want to use a virtual private network like those offered by NordVPN or Surfshark. VPNs protect your data from scammers by encrypting sensitive information. The VPN essentially hides your information as it is sent through a secure virtual “tunnel” from your phone or computer to the computers in the VPN’s data center and then to its final destination.

Conclusion

While it’s not quite as easy as picking up the phone and calling, these apps are an easy way to make free international calls. You’ll need to do a few things beforehand, like checking your cell phone plan details and setting up the app, but then when you’re traveling, you’ll be well on your way to staying connected with loved ones back home without paying international calling charges.

Further reading: