A Google Voice alternative for international calls
Google Voice is hard to beat for free calls inside the US and Canada. It's less useful once the number you're calling is abroad, or when you don't have a US number to sign up with. CallSpark works from any country and calls 230+ of them. Your first call is free.
- Sign up from any country
- No phone number needed to join
- No monthly fee
Free first call: up to 59 seconds, once per account, on routes that cost $0.025/min or less. See all rates
The short version
Keep Google Voice for some calls. Not all of them.
Stay on Google Voice if
- You live in the US and most of your calls go to US or Canadian numbers. Those are free, and free is hard to argue with.
- You want one number for calls, texts and voicemail.
- Your company already pays for Google Workspace with Voice.
Use CallSpark if
- You're outside the US. Personal Google Voice accounts are only set up in the US, with a US phone number to link.
- Most of your calls go abroad, and you want to see the rate before each one.
- You need to call from a computer where you can't install anything or sign in to Google.
You don't have to pick one. Google Voice for calls at home and CallSpark for calls abroad works fine.
Google Voice international calls
How Google Voice international calls work
Calls to most numbers outside the US and Canada aren't free on Google Voice. You add prepaid credit to your account, and each call is charged per minute at the rate for that country. Mobiles usually cost more than landlines. Google lists every rate at voice.google.com/rates.
That's a fair deal, if you can get an account. The catch is the sign-up. Google only issues personal Voice numbers in the US, and you have to link an existing US phone number to get one. If you're in Lagos, Manila or London, it isn't an option.
CallSpark bills the same way, per minute from prepaid credit. The difference is who can use it: anyone with an email address, in any country, with the price on screen before the call rings.
Side by side
Google Voice vs CallSpark
| Feature | Google Voice (personal) | CallSpark |
|---|---|---|
| Who can sign up | People in the US with a US phone number to link | Anyone with an email address or Google account |
| Calls to the US and Canada | Free from the US | Per minute, shown before you dial |
| Calls to other countries | Per minute, from prepaid credit | Per minute from prepaid credit, from $0.02, 230+ countries |
| A number of your own | Yes, a free US number | Optional: buy a virtual number |
| Caller ID | Your Google Voice number | A free assigned caller ID, or your own number once verified |
| Texts and voicemail | Yes | No. CallSpark is for calls |
| Where you call from | Android and iPhone apps, or voice.google.com | Any browser, on a computer or a phone |
| Monthly fee | None for personal accounts. Workspace plans are per user | None. Credits never expire |
Google changes its rates and rules from time to time. If price is the deciding factor, check voice.google.com/rates for the country you call most.
Calling abroad
Rates for popular countries
Each page shows mobile and landline prices for that country, and which routes get the free first call.
FAQ
Google Voice alternatives: common questions
Are Google Voice international calls free?
Mostly not. Calls from the US to US and Canadian numbers are free. Calls to other countries are charged per minute from prepaid credit you add to your Google Voice account, at the rate Google lists for each country.
Can I get Google Voice outside the US?
Not a personal account. Google only issues personal Voice numbers in the US, and sign-up asks you to link an existing US phone number. Businesses on Google Workspace can add Voice in some other countries, as a paid per-user plan.
What's the best Google Voice alternative if I live outside the US?
It depends on who you're calling. If they have WhatsApp, use WhatsApp; it's free. For landlines, mobiles without data, banks and offices, you need a service that connects to the phone network. CallSpark does that from a browser, and you don't need a US number to join.
Can I use CallSpark and Google Voice together?
Yes, they don't get in each other's way. Keep Google Voice for free calls inside the US and Canada, and use CallSpark for international calls.
Does CallSpark give me a phone number like Google Voice does?
Not automatically. Your calls go out with a free caller ID we assign, or with your own number once you verify it. If you want a number people can call, you can buy a virtual number. CallSpark doesn't do voicemail or texts.
Is there a monthly fee?
No. You buy credits when you need them, and they never expire.
Does the person I'm calling need an app?
No. They answer on their normal phone, the same as any other call.
Calling abroad today?
Type the number into the box at the top of this page, or open the dialer.
Open the dialerFirst call free for up to 59 seconds on qualifying routes.