Cheap Calls

Where and how you can save some bucks on calls and messages?

:warn: Though this category is titled „Cheap Calls“, and the apps are intended to save you some bucks – be aware you often pay by other means. This category turns up second place for „average permissions requested per app“ (more than 20), even before remote device management and the so-called anti-virus apps, only topped by the „personal assistants“ (Google Now / Siri competitors) requesting 30 permissions per app on average.

Save on Landline

2025-01-18

Tariffic (3.6@655) 8 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$
toolani - International Calls (3.5@5,699) Ǥ 21 5
Foocall: call & sms abroad (2.6@3,810) Ǥ 22 4

Save via VoIP

2025-01-06

Some of these apps also offer short-message services.

ooVoo Video Calls, Messaging & Stories (4.9@100) Ǥ 16 16 LastUpdate: 2017-10-31 Wikipedia; clients available for Mac, Win, iOS as well
Talkray - Free Calls and Text (4.9@33) Ǥ 20 10 LastUpdate: 2019-01-18 incl. SMS; Phone & Tablet optimized
satellite (4.6@14,199) Ǥ 23 2 Vorstellung 5/2019
MobileVOIP international calls (4.5@100,082) Ǥ 19 4
Skype (4.4@11,751,490) Ǥ 43 3
Google Meet (4.4@11,222,233) Ǥ 38 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Vorstellung 8/2016
Tango- Live Stream, Video Chat (4.4@4,869,382) Ǥ 42 3 Wikipedia; incl. SMS
Libon: Calls and Recharge (4.4@219,365) Ǥ 26 5 Wikipedia EN
Rakuten Viber Messenger (4.2@16,861,626) Ǥ 65 7 Security Check 3/2017 ; Ausführlicher Test 4/2017 mit Privacy-Check ; Wikipedia DE | EN incl. SMS; Privacy- & Datenschutz? Totale Fehlanzeige!
Threema. The Secure Messenger (4.2@73,504; ~EUR 6.00) Ǥ 26 2 / Threema Work. For Companies (3.7@1,908) Ǥ 38 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / Threema Libre (0@0) 38 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Video Review 3/2019 (DE); Video Backup & Restore (3/2019); Video Threema Webchat Howto 2/2017 (DE); Threema Video Tutorials; Vorstellung 8/2018 | 11/2018-1/2021; Wikipedia DE|EN; Audit 11/2015 | 3/2019; (Datenschutz-) Testbericht 2/2020 ; FAQ; Libre (FOSS) version available via Threema’s own F-Droid repo; messenger with end-to-end encryption / Github
TiKL Touch Talk Walkie Talkie (3.9@162,976) 12 7 LastUpdate: 2018-05-22 incl. SMS & Chat
Second Number for Call & Text (3.8@671,968) Ǥ 53 19 pay with your privacy (beware the tracksers!)
Cellbry (3.8@309) Ǥ 26 4 LastUpdate: 2020-04-22
Jitsi Meet (3.7@51,982) Ǥ 18 4 Github; Anleitung 3/2020; Video Kurzanleitung 3/2020; Vorstellung 4/2020
LINE: Calls & Messages (3.5@14,049,772) Ǥ 44 4 Wikipedia DE | EN
Vaani: Calling & Mobile Topup (3.5@225) Ǥ 26 3 LastUpdate: 2022-03-13
KakaoTalk : Messenger (3.2@3,181,112) Ǥ 55 4 Wikipedia DE | EN
Nextcloud Talk (3.2@1,559) Ǥ 39 1 Github
Talkatone: Texting & Calling (3.1@192,288) Ǥ 31 17
Wire - Secure Messenger (2.2@36,080) Ǥ 24 1 Github; Testberichte 4/2017 | 3/2020; Privacy-Warnung 7/2018; Vorstellung 8/2018 - 4/2020; free/gratis, encrypted communication: voice, video and group chats; cross platform: Android, iOS, Mac, Windows. Or in the web browser.
Red (0@0) 4 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2022-06-28 Github; redirect outgoing calls to Signal/Telegram/Threema
WebCall (0@0) 19 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github

Open SIP clients

2025-01-12

Telesis SIP VoIP Softphone (5@230) Ǥ 25 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2020-09-24
Voip By Antisip (+Video) (4.3@471) Ǥ 15 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2023-05-19
Zoiper IAX SIP VOIP Softphone (4.1@74,486) Ǥ 38 1
Simlar - secure calls (4.1@155) Ǥ 24 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; encrypted calls, FOSS
MizuDroid SIP VOIP Softphone (4@4,719) Ǥ 30 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2023-04-03
Linphone (3.8@5,757) Ǥ 33 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Wikipedia DE | EN; Anleitung für Sipgate; Clients also available for Linux, Mac, Windows, iOS, WP8
Jami (3.7@1,808) Ǥ 24 1 Wikipedia EN; FAQ; Vorstellung 12/2019 | 5/2020; Testbericht 3/2020; Review 1/2021; desktop clients for Linux, Mac, Windows
Denwa (3.6@106) 15 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2020-06-24
baresip (3.5@29) 25 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ / baresip+ (5@6) 24 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github
Sipnetic (3.4@1,786) Ǥ 24 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Testbericht 2/2020; Anleitung für Sipgate
Lumicall (3.1@62) 24 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2021-10-13 Github
Sipdroid (2.9@10,837) 27 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ Github; Wikipedia EN
ASTPP Dialer - VoIP Softphone (1.7@122) 18 2
Antonia SIP Softphone - VoIP Mobile Dialer (1@118) 24 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2020-02-24
SIP Caller (0@0) 1 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2016-09-13 Github

Roaming Control

2025-01-18

EU Roaming Data Watcher (3.6@38) 0 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2020-05-31
Roaming Guard (2.9@148) 7 1 LastUpdate: 2022-03-31
Roaming Switch ON / OFF (2.3@307) 5 1 LastUpdate: 2022-03-10

Various savings

2025-01-18

Serval Mesh (4.2@1,928) 30 $Contains no trackers known to us \o/$ LastUpdate: 2017-06-03 Github; Mesh network of phones (no central server)

Further Readings:

Category Provider Tools: Contract Management and more
Category Messenger & Conferences
The 7 Best Free Calling Apps (Unlimited Calls With Wi-Fi) (6/2021 - 8/2023)
The 5 Best Free Calling Apps for Making Free Phone Calls (4/2021 - 1/2023)
Mit dem Smartphone im EU-Ausland: Wann fallen Kosten an? (6/2017 - 7/2019)
Voice over IP – Telefonieren über das Internet (6/2016)
Telefonieren über das Internet: So bleibt Ihr weltweit preiswert erreichbar (1/2016 - 4/2017)
Die besten Skype-Alternativen für Android (11/2014 - 4/2020)

2025-01-18

IzzyOnDroid

Cheap Calls

Save on Landline

Save via VoIP

Open SIP clients

Roaming Control

Various savings