Best Calling Apps for PC, Android, and iOS

It used to be that you could only make a phone call the old-fashioned way—with a telephone. But with the internet, WiFi, and an array of devices at our disposal, why limit your options?

There are a variety of ways to communicate today that you may not have considered. In fact, you can make free phone calls using calling apps for PC, Android, and iOS devices. With so many possibilities, there’s never been a better time to give it a try.

Internet calling has a lot of advantages over making calls from traditional landlines or even cell phones. Here are a few to consider:

There are times when you need to make a call, but your phone’s battery is dead, you damaged your device, or the cell signal is weak. That’s when it makes sense to call from your computer.

Not only can you make or receive calls on your computer, but you can also route incoming calls from another device to your PC with VoIP software.

Using a virtual phone number to make and receive business calls from your computer over the internet enables you to protect your privacy. It means you no longer need to share your personal mobile phone number with customers and business associates. This also makes it easier for you to relax in off-hours since it differentiates business and personal calls. No more answering a phone call after hours to find out it is a business call.

Internet calling can be more cost effective than other calling options, especially if you have a toll-free number or need to make a lot of phone calls.

Making calls from your PC gives you portability. If you have your computer and internet access, you can make and receive calls from anywhere, so there’s no need to stay in one place.

Using software on your computer for internet calling offers you more features than a regular mobile device. Instead of only being able to reject, mute, or hold calls on your cell phone, calling from a pc allows you to forward calls, enjoy transcribed voicemails, call notifications to multiple devices, and unlimited SMS messaging. Of course, features vary depending on the calling software.

There are a few options to choose from when you want to make a phone call online. These include VoIP, app to phone, and app to app calling.

To make a phone call online using your computer’s internet connection uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This protocol captures your voice and transmits it over the internet to deliver it to your recipient. This is similar to calls between two land or mobile telephones except the transmission is over the internet instead of a carrier network.

VoIP calls can be used to make calls over the internet and traditional phone lines.

These calling apps allow you to make calls to traditional phone numbers. Although the call recipient doesn’t need to be connected to the internet to receive your call, you must have an active internet connection to make the call.

In this case, your call is transmitted over the internet and transferred to a traditional phone network to complete the call.

Since app to phone solutions involve a phone network, there may be a cost associated with these calls.

Some internet calling apps require the call recipient to not only have an active internet connection, but to also have the same software app as the caller. In this case you’re not calling a traditional phone number, you’re calling within the same application. Calls through these apps are typically free and unlimited.

Making phone calls online or via smartphone calling apps is easier than ever these days. Just use the following simple steps:

A stable internet connection ensures your calls will be clear, making communication easier from your laptop or computer. WiFi is most often used for PC calls, but a mobile hotspot, ethernet connection, or even cellular data can also work.

Although our PC most likely has a built-in mic and speakers, the sound quality can be improved by using a headset. This can give you clearer audio and offer noise-cancelling for a better sound experience for your call recipient as well. Using a headset also facilitates making calls from your office or a noisy public place like a coffee shop while maintaining privacy and call quality.

Once you have a good internet connection and you’ve set up your sound equipment and settings, all you need to do is launch your calling app to start a call from your PC. Make sure you’ve downloaded the correct software, such as Zoom, before the time scheduled for your call, so that you’re 100% ready when it’s time to start talking.

There are three main ways to place WiFi calls on iPhone or Android devices:

WiFi calling on iPhone or Android historically required an app to complete the call, but carriers have now started offering “WiFi calling” as a feature. All you need to do is activate this feature in your phone’s settings so you can make WiFi phone calls when you’re in an area where your carrier’s signal is too weak to complete the call. The downside to this is that you are using your personal phone number to complete the call.

As described above, app to phone is an option available for mobile devices in addition to PCs so you can call a traditional phone number by initiating the call through the app. You can also receive calls through the app from traditional phone numbers.

You can also make a free internet call with an iPhone or android device as well as a tablet. App to app calls only work if the call recipient has the same app installed on their device. This internet calling option does not support calls to landlines or other devices that don’t have the specific app installed.

We’ve put together this helpful list of the top 10 calling apps for the different platforms to help you find the best one to meet your needs, along with the top features, pros & cons of each option.

LinkedPhone’s mission is to empower the small business community to work from anywhere, by providing the tools you need to streamline communications and grow your business. Their mobile app adds a second number to your mobile phone that is uniquely designed for work or business. It’s your work phone in an app.

Professional features in LinkedPhone’s plans include:

Although this popular app offers a free personal line, Google Voice does not offer a free business phone number.

Top features on a basic plan include:

The Nextiva VoIP app is geared more for larger teams and individuals, or smaller teams must pay higher rates to access additional features like conference calling, auto attendant, SMS, and additional integrations.

Top features included in Nextiva’s basic plan include:

CallCentric no longer offers free business phone lines. But they are an economical option for individuals who only want no-frills internet calling capabilities.

Economy features include:

RingCentral is a popular phone service provider whose service can become costly if you want a full range of features.

Features included in RingCentral’s Essentials package are:

Skype is a video calling service that offers app to phone calls and app to app calls as well as free local phone numbers so you can make and receive calls from anywhere.

Skype features include:

Grasshopper is a full-featured internet calling app focused on small businesses.

Grasshopper plans include the following features:

Globfone offers browser-based software for internet calling with the ability to make a limited number of free app to phone calls. They do not offer a paid subscription service, phone numbers, or the ability to call from Android or iOS.

Globfone features include:

TextNow is a mobile app that facilitates app to phone calls for free within the US and Canada. The app includes advertisements that can be eliminated with a paid subscription.

TextNow features include:

WhatsApp is an instant messaging platform that enables video and audio calling.

WhatsApp features include:

We think you’ll agree that LinkedPhone is the best calling app available for PC. LinkedPhone has all the features you need, service you can trust, and a quality virtual phone system that’s easy to manage and navigate at a budget-friendly cost.

Get started with the best calling app for PC, Android, and iOS, and sign up for a 7-day free trial of LinkedPhone and start using internet calling on all your devices today!