7 Best Services for VoIP International Calls in 2023
This article is part of a larger series on VoIP.
The best solutions for voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP) international calls cater to different call volumes, offering businesses the option to have metered and unlimited plans. They have affordable per-minute charges and monthly subscription rates. With wide country coverage, they allow teams to connect easily with clients from various parts of the world. Moreover, they provide local phone numbers in multiple locations overseas, benefiting companies establishing a strong presence abroad.
Based on our research, these are the best VoIP for international calls:
- Zoom Phone: Best for reducing globally distributed teams’ call costs
- RingCentral: Top pick for securing hardware devices for international companies
- 8×8: Solid choice for establishing a virtual presence in various locations
- Ooma: Great option for solopreneurs calling abroad
- GoTo Connect: Best for calling multiple clients overseas
- Phone.com: Top pick for expanding global presence on a budget
- Nextiva: Solid choice for the United States (U.S.)-based teams managing low international call volumes
Best Services for VoIP International Calls at a Glance
Best Services for VoIP International Calls | Monthly Starting Price per User | Key Features | Metered or Unlimited International Calling | FSB Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
$10 |
| Metered and unlimited | 4.54 out of 5 | |
$30 |
| Metered | 4.50 out of 5 | |
$28 |
| Unlimited | 4.45 out of 5 | |
$9.99* |
| Metered and unlimited | 4.43 out of 5 | |
$32 |
| Metered and unlimited | 4.34 out of 5 | |
$14.99 |
| Metered and unlimited | 4.31 out of 5 | |
$30.95 |
| Metered | 4.17 out of 5 | |
*Ooma’s home phone plan offers a free version with the purchase of its Telo device and follows a flat-rate pricing scheme.
Take our quiz to find out which international VoIP calling provider is best for you.
Which international VoIP calling provider is right for you?
Zoom Phone: Best for Reducing Globally Distributed Teams’ Call Costs
What We Liked
- Almost all VoIP features are included in all subscription plans
- Allows companies to call and text over 150 countries, charging per minute
- Supports hardware devices, such as desk phones, conference phones, and analog telephone adapters (ATA)
Where It Falls Behind
- Unlimited calling feature is limited to less than 20 countries
- Fewer integrations compared to RingCentral
- Doesn't offer discounts for annual billing and bulk purchases
Zoom Phone Monthly Pricing
- Metered: $10 per user for metered outbound calling
- Unlimited: $15 per user for unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada and an optional add-on of unlimited calling to 19 countries and territories
- Select: $20 per user for unlimited domestic calling within one of the 40-plus countries and territories and an optional add-on of unlimited calling to 19 countries and territories
All plans include toll-free numbers, unlimited auto-attendants, automatic call distribution (ACD) with call queueing, integration with Gmail, Microsoft, Slack, and Salesforce, and call monitoring
International calling add-on: Starts at $10 a month for unlimited global calling to 19 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Austria
Zoom Phone is our overall best solution for VoIP international calls—ideal for companies with multiple offices overseas, as it provides robust domestic and global calling support at an affordable price. Its Select plan allows businesses outside the U.S. to pay $20 per user for unlimited calls within a specific territory.
The countries where Zoom Phone offers local Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) services include Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico, and Germany. For offices placing frequent calls outside their location, the Select plan offers an international calling add-on, which comes with unlimited calls to 19 countries for only $10 a month. Regardless of your package, you’ll access almost all the VoIP features Zoom offers.
While this provider is an excellent option for companies managing communication costs for several offices overseas, its country coverage for unlimited calls is not as robust as other providers. It’s limited to only 19 overseas locations. The best VoIP for international calls to multiple countries is GoTo Connect, allowing businesses to place unlimited calls to 50-plus territories.
Zoom Phone Features
Elevate a call to a Zoom meeting for a more in-depth discussion of customer concerns. (Source: Zoom)
- Call monitoring: Observe live calls between agents and customers. Use the whisper feature to coach service representatives without the clients knowing. If you need to directly address the customer, select the barge button.
- Elevate to meeting: Provide a more detailed explanation when addressing a customer query by converting a phone call to a video meeting. Select the “Meet” button from the in-call control options to start a session.
- Lock and unlock a call: Keep other team members in a shared line group from accessing a live conversation. Use this feature when you’re dealing with a highly confidential customer concern.
To learn more about this provider’s notable features, check out our comprehensive Zoom Phone review. Use the guide as a reference for deciding whether or not the solution meets your needs.
RingCentral: Best for Securing Hardware Devices for International Companies
What We Liked
- Allows users to create up to 250 auto-attendant menus
- Generous toll-free minute allowance
- All subscription plans feature call queues
Where It Falls Behind
- Internet fax isn't available in the base-level plan
- International toll-free numbers are expensive, priced at $14.99 and require a $25 one-time fee
- Live reports for real-time call queue management are available as an add-on
RingCentral Monthly Pricing*
- Core: $30 per user for a maximum of 100 toll-free minutes, multi-level auto-attendant, basic call queues, and on-demand call recording
- Advanced: $35 per user for a maximum of 1,000 toll-free minutes, advanced call queues, automatic and on-demand call recording, and call monitoring
- Ultimate: $45 per user for a maximum of 10,000 toll-free minutes, unlimited storage for files, messaging, and recordings, and device analytics and alerts
- Free trial: 14 days
*Save up to 33% with annual billing; volume discounts are available for 50-plus users.
RingCentral is among the best solutions for VoIP international calls, as it provides an extensive list of hardware devices for global teams. The supported phones include popular brands companies use: Poly, Cisco, Yealink, Avaya, Mitel, and Unify. The business phone system provider oversees the local shipment of phones with region-compliant power supplies.
On top of this, RingCentral Global MVP offers public switched telephone network (PSTN) services in over 45 countries, helping companies strengthen their local presence overseas. Access 1,000 minutes of monthly regional calling per user. Through global Quality of Service reports, identify call quality problems in different countries or regions.
Before subscribing to RingCentral for managing VoIP international calls, note that its internet fax feature isn’t available in the entry-level plan, which already costs $30 per user. If you don’t want to pay more for this service, consider Ooma Office, as its $19.99 subscription package covers virtual fax.
RingCentral Features
Park a call on RingCentral and let colleagues address a customer inquiry.
(Source: RingCentral)
- Virtual extensions: Facilitate faster customer service by allowing callers to connect to the person or department they need. Assign specific phone lines to different business locations. RingCentral allows up to eight-digit phone extensions.
- Hot desking: Let team members use any phone in your system and have their unique profile settings logged into that device. This is especially useful for employees who travel to and from various company branches.
- Call park: Put a call on hold and place it in a communal parking spot to let colleagues take over and address the customer’s concern. The system sends a notification about a parked call left unanswered for five minutes.
Our RingCentral review outlines the platform’s advantages, disadvantages, and best use cases. Read it before buying a subscription plan.
8×8: Best for Establishing a Virtual Presence in Various Overseas Locations
What We Liked
- PSTN services in over 55 countries
- Features unified communications tools, namely team messaging and video conferencing
- Offers 24/7 customer support across all plans
Where It Falls Behind
- Doesn’t offer a metered subscription option
- Base-level plan only allows 30-day call recording retention
- Users must upgrade to the X4 plan to unlock 8x8 Frontdesk
8x8 Monthly Pricing*
- X2: $28 per user for unlimited voice calling to 14 countries, multi-level auto-attendant, hot desking, and third-party integrations
- X4: $57 per user for unlimited voice calling to 48 countries, 8×8 Frontdesk, call monitoring, and supervisor analytics
*Save up to 23% with annual billing. The provider allows businesses to mix and match plans.
8×8 is the best international VoIP platform for companies wanting to establish a presence in different overseas locations, as it provides local phone numbers in over a hundred countries. Its coverage includes key regional markets, namely Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and North and Latin America. An international number helps businesses build a local presence while letting customers pay local rates instead of sky-high fees when calling the company.
Complementing the robust international phone number support, unlimited overseas calls to select countries are part of 8×8’s subscription plans. The most expensive package covers 48 territories, which include Australia, Brazil, Greece, Mexico, Norway, and Russia.
One disadvantage of using 8×8 is that it keeps call recordings for 30 days only when you choose the entry-level plan. Meanwhile, the international calling VoIP platform Zoom Phone offers the option of setting the retention period to unlimited, even in its base-level subscription package.
8×8 Features
Create call queues on 8×8 to manage calls more efficiently. (Source: 8×8)
- Call queue: Put customers in a virtual line as they wait for an available agent. 8×8’s queues have voicemail boxes, giving clients the option to leave a message when they don’t want to wait for a long period in the queue.
- Three-way calling: Hop on a quick huddle with team members or clients through three-way calling. If you need to include more participants, convert the call into a video meeting by clicking the “Meet Now” button in the in-call control menu.
- Conversation IQ: Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), this feature generates trend reports and analysis, giving businesses a peek into customer engagement. As you identify the most common client concerns and sentiments, create better communication strategies that improve customer service quality.
If you plan to adopt this business phone system in your operations, read our expert 8×8 review first. See how we rated its pricing, ease of use, and features.
Ooma: Best for Solopreneurs Calling Abroad
What We Liked
- Unlimited domestic calling extends beyond U.S. and Canada to Mexico and Puerto Rico
- Ooma Premier offers access to Google Voice's voicemail, listen-in, and call presentation features
- Ooma Office subscription plans include 500 minutes of inbound calls a month
Where It Falls Behind
- Limited third-party integrations
- Lacks discounts for bulk purchases
- Doesn’t offer international virtual phone numbers
Ooma Monthly Pricing
Home Phone Plans:
- Ooma Basic: Free for calls within the U.S., answering machine, and online call log
- Ooma Premier: $9.99 for instant second line, call forwarding, free calling to Canada and Mexico, and Ooma Telo White for an additional one-time fee of $99.99
- World Plan: $17.99 for unlimited calling to landlines in over 60 countries and to mobile phones in over 10 countries
- World Plus Plan: $25.99 for unlimited calling to landlines in over 70 countries and to mobile phones in over 40 countries
Business Phone Plans:
- Essentials: $19.95 per user for a virtual receptionist, ring groups, seven-digit dialing, and unlimited calling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico
- Pro: $24.95 per user for desktop app, video conferencing for up to 25 participants, enhanced call blocking, and call recording
- Pro Plus: $29.95 per user for call queueing, integration with customer relationship management (CRM) apps, and hot desking
Free trial: 60 days for Ooma Premier and a 30-day money-back guarantee for Ooma Office
If you’re looking for the best VoIP service for international calls in home office operations, Ooma is the ideal solution, as its residential plans provide access to unlimited calls to landlines and mobile phones in select countries. For only $17.99, connect with clients in 60-plus countries via landline. These locations include Australia, Bahrain, Denmark, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Switzerland.
When you upgrade to the $25.99 plan, you’re free to call customers from 70-plus countries. Ooma lets users make and accept VoIP calls via existing landline systems through its ATA Ooma Telo White. The device connects to the modem or router via the Ethernet cable and to the landline phone via the FXS port, allowing traditional phones to place and receive calls over the internet.
Unfortunately, Ooma doesn’t offer global phone number support. Explore other VoIP for international calls if you need to establish a local presence overseas. 8×8 supports local numbers in over a hundred countries.
Ooma Features
Use custom call blocking on Ooma to prevent certain callers from reaching your business. (Source: Ooma)
- Backup number: When the internet connection is down or the power goes out, Ooma automatically forwards calls to an alternate phone number you set. In times of emergencies, your business remains available for customers needing assistance.
- Call forwarding: Redirect calls to another device or phone number and ensure you don’t miss any customer queries. Ooma alerts the ATA device Telo, your mobile app, or a colleague’s phone number, depending on your configuration.
- Expanded call blocking: Select among various call blocking modes on Ooma Premier: anonymous callers, suspected spammers, or specific contacts. With this feature, you’ll allow agents to be focused on important calls.
Refer to our Ooma review if you’re interested in its business phone system plans. The platform benefits those looking for an affordable VoIP solution.
GoTo Connect: Best for Calling Multiple Clients Overseas
What We Liked
- Local, toll-free, and vanity numbers are available across all subscription plans
- Includes 1,000 toll-free minutes pooled across the account
- Offers round-the-clock customer support
Where It Falls Behind
- Call recording isn’t available in the base-level plan
- Only offers a maximum of 80 SMS credits, fewer than RingCentral and Nextiva
- Integrates with only 30 third-party apps
GoTo Connect Monthly Pricing*
- Basic: $32 per user for metered international calling and one auto-attendant recorded greeting, ring group, and call queue
- Standard: $43 per user for unlimited international calling to 50-plus countries and unlimited auto-attendant recorded greetings, ring groups, and call queues
*Save up to 11% with annual billing.
GoTo Connect is the best international VoIP calls platform when you frequently call several clients from different parts of the world. It has the most countries included in its unlimited global calling feature—a total of 52. The locations include Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
While supporting large volumes of outbound international calls, the provider has robust VoIP features for efficient inbound call management, including unlimited, customizable dial plans, ring groups, and call queues. It has unlimited phone extensions, letting you assign as many phone numbers as possible to different teams or agents.
GoTo Connect also caters to companies with low international call volumes, offering a metered option in its base-level plan. The VoIP international rates depend on the destination country. Unfortunately, the package doesn’t include call recording. You must upgrade to the $32 plan to access the feature. In contrast, our best overall international VoIP calls provider, Zoom Phone, has this capability in its base-level subscription package, which costs just $10.
GoTo Connect Features
Send a text message to customers when you miss a call on GoTo Connect. (Source: GoTo Connect)
- Intelligent call routing: Distribute phone calls to the most skilled agent to answer a particular customer concern. This helps increase the first contact resolution rate and creates a more positive customer experience.
- Instant response: When you’re not free to take a call, GoTo Connect automatically texts back first-time callers about your availability. This feature lets you engage with customers even when you’re busy and gives customers peace of mind that you received their message.
- Call flip: Switch devices while on an active phone conversation. The call will automatically end on the initial device once you pick it up from the other.
This business phone system is an excellent option for companies needing multiple virtual phone numbers. Learn more about its best use cases in our GoTo Connect review.
Phone.com: Best for Expanding Global Presence on a Budget
What We Liked
- Almost all VoIP features are included in all subscription plans
- Allows businesses to mix and match users and manage costs better
- Low rates for international phone numbers ($5 a month)
Where It Falls Behind
- Call recording in the base-level and second-tier subscription plans requires an additional $8 fee
- Call analytics is exclusively offered in the highest-tier plan
- Limited native third-party integrations
Phone.com Monthly Pricing*
- Basic: $14.99 per user for 500 pooled minutes, one phone number per account, call forwarding, and automated attendant
- Plus: $21.99 per user for unlimited minutes, one phone number per user, SMS, and voicemail transcription
- Pro: $31.99 per user for call recording, call analytics, and third-party integrations
- Free trial: 30-day money-back guarantee
*Save 15% with annual billing. Volume discounts are available for five or more users.
For companies wanting to establish an international presence without breaking the bank, Phone.com is the most suitable VoIP provider, as it offers U.S. local rates for global numbers. The countries covered are France, Germany, Israel, and the United Kingdom. Pay only $5 a month for numbers in “standard rate countries,” which include Austria, Belgium, Finland, and Sweden. On top of the affordable rates, you’ll get huge discounts as you buy multiple numbers.
When you purchase over 50 phone numbers, the cost is reduced to $2.99. The price is further lowered to $1.99 as you buy 100-plus numbers. Multiple numbers help provide unique phone lines to key employees and accommodate simultaneous customer service calls.
Unfortunately, the provider has limited native third-party integrations. If you plan to connect your phone system to other apps, you’ll likely find those platforms in RingCentral’s marketplace, which hosts over 300 business tools.
Phone.com Features
Read voicemail transcriptions to know at once the gist of customer concerns. (Source: Phone.com)
- Schedules: Distribute inbound calls to specific phone numbers, extensions, or auto-attendant menus based on the day and time the call went through your system. For instance, when customers call beyond your operating hours, direct them to a greeting that reminds them of your schedule.
- Voice tagging: Know which auto-attendant menu option callers chose before speaking to them. The voice tag helps you align your spiels to the reason the customer called your business.
- Voicemail transcription: Read the text format of voicemails to understand immediately the gist of customer concerns. Even without playing and replaying the audio file, you’ll know which messages to prioritize.
In our Phone.com review, we recommended Phone.com to businesses engaged in marketing campaign tracking because it offers volume discounts on phone numbers. Learn more about the platform in the guide.
Nextiva: Best for US-based Teams Managing Low International Call Volumes
What We Liked
- Threaded conversations organize customer interactions
- Supports Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) across all plans
- Allows unlimited conference calls for unlimited participants
Where It Falls Behind
- Call recording and voicemail transcription are only available in the most expensive plan
- Only features less than 20 third-party integrations
- Doesn’t offer international virtual phone numbers
Nextiva Monthly Pricing*
- Essential: $30.95 per user for a maximum of 1,500 toll-free minutes, auto-attendant, call log reports, and integrations with Microsoft Outlook and Google Contacts
- Professional: $35.95 per user for a maximum of 3,000 toll-free minutes, multi-level auto-attendant, up to 1,000 messages sent and received per user, and advanced integrations with popular CRM apps
- Enterprise: $45.95 per user for a maximum of 12,500 toll-free minutes, call recording, up to 2,000 messages sent and received per user, and enterprise integrations with the most popular CRM apps
- Free trial: 7 days
*Save up to 22% with annual billing. Volume discounts are available for five or more users.
Offering low per-minute charges, Nextiva is the best VoIP international calling provider for U.S.-based teams that need to connect with overseas clients occasionally. For instance, calls to Australia only cost 3 cents per minute, compared to Zoom Phone’s 4.4 cents. The difference may seem small, but it translates to huge savings if you’re dealing with multiple calls. Learn how much global calling costs for specific calling minutes by using our Fit International Calculator.
Aside from affordable international calling rates, Nextiva has a generous toll-free minute allowance. The maximum offered at the most expensive subscription plan is 12,500 toll-free minutes. This is beneficial if you’re serving a national customer base and managing high-call volumes every month.
One downside of choosing Nextiva as your VoIP provider for international calling is that you must upgrade to the highest-tier subscription package to unlock voicemail transcription, a standard feature in most business phone systems. The plan comes with custom pricing. In contrast, this tool is available on Zoom Phone’s base-level plan for only $10.
Nextiva Features
See team members’ status via Nextiva’s call presence. (Source: Nextiva)
- Call presence: Know the availability status of each team member without directly calling or messaging them. The status options are “Online,” “Busy,” “Do Not Disturb,” “Away,” and “Offline.” These can be manually or automatically changed.
- Call transfer: Move a call to a colleague who will expertly answer the customer’s query. Nextiva supports warm transfer, allowing users to inform the receiving agent what the call is about, and blind transfer, moving the call without speaking to the receiving customer service representative.
- Call notify: Get notified by email when a qualified call comes through your phone system. This is especially beneficial for teams receiving high-volume calls but keen to hear back from a specific caller.
Our Nextiva review will help you decide if it’s the right VoIP service for your communication requirements. Check the guide for our in-depth evaluation of its pricing, features, and ease of use.
How We Evaluated the Best Services for VoIP International Calls
To assess the best VoIP systems for international calls, we considered each provider’s subscription costs, calling capabilities, usability, and customer assistance. Our evaluation also includes our expert opinion on its value for money and popularity.
Learn how we evaluated the best VoIP providers for international calls by clicking on the tabs below:
20% of Overall Score
To determine affordability, we considered the costs of the base-level and second-tier subscription plans and compared them to the prevailing fee in the market. We gave more points to those with discounts for annual billing and bulk purchases.
25% of Overall Score
The general features we looked at were unlimited calling within the U.S. and Canada, audio and video conferencing, and a mobile app. Since businesses need a reliable platform for calling clients overseas, we considered the service level agreement and assigned more points to providers with a 99.999% availability guarantee.
20% of Overall Score
The specialized features we considered were unmetered international calling, international numbers, and an interactive voice response (IVR) system. Software providers with robust integrations earned more points.
10% of Overall Score
We evaluated ease of use by determining the expertise required to set up and operate the business phone system. We also assessed if the providers have an intuitive interface.
10% of Overall Score
The variety of customer communication channels was part of our evaluation. We gave more points to providers with email, phone, and live chat support. We considered the hours these channels are active and operational.
15% of Overall Score
This includes our evaluation of the provider’s standout features, value for money, and ease of use. We checked user ratings in third-party review sites to gauge the platform’s popularity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Some countries, including Belize, China, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, and Qatar, restrict VoIP services. Governments impose bans to protect telecommunication companies’ economic interests or to prevent security risks associated with VoIP.
No. When you’re within the U.S., international calls on Google Voice are charged per minute. If you’re outside the country, the call will consume the minutes in your mobile plan, and extra roaming fees will apply.
VoIP providers like Ooma and Dialpad allow you to call people overseas at no cost as long as the recipient uses the same VoIP app. Instant messaging apps linked to a phone number, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, operate similarly, enabling free international calls between app users.
Bottom Line
VoIP solutions offering international calling let businesses build rapport with customers abroad and establish a strong global presence. Many come with advanced routing and queueing capabilities, which help streamline call management and facilitate distributed workload among agents. However, each provider has unique offerings making them ideal for certain use cases.
In our evaluation, Zoom Phone emerged as the best overall, as it offers flexible calling options (metered and unlimited), affordable pricing, and robust call management tools. Sign up for its entry-level plan, which only costs $10 per user, per month, to see if it matches your needs.