CALLPAL LLC: THE BEST FREE CALLING APPS OF 2016
Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein once said, “It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity,” – a prophetic sentiment shared by many people today. While technology has the propensity to “make the world smaller,” we often witness the opposite effect taking place; cold, anti-social interactions lacking tone and expression (i.e. text messaging & IM). For this reason, a recent resurgence in the popularity of the phone call comes as no surprise. By now, 2016 has seen its share of “free” calling apps (as well as numerous updates to existing options), so what better time to line them up and see how they compare? At first glance, the features of these apps can differ on a case-by-case basis, so for the best “apples to apples” comparison, evaluation is based on the following criteria:
cost to download
cost to use
additional features
Apps featured in this comparison are: CallPal App, LINE, Skype, Viber, and WhatsApp. After taking a closer look, each app has been ranked accordingly, saving the best for last.
#5: Viber
Acquiring over 200 million users in the relatively short amount of time since its release, the future is looking bright for Viber. While Viber works similarly to LINE and WhatsApp (allowing free calls only to users who talk app-to-app), much of the app’s beauty lies in its simplicity. Viber is clean in appearance and very easy to use. While more basic than comparable apps, it still offers additional features like texting and group messaging. For this reason, Viber remains a capable option for those preferring a reliable, “no frills” approach to app-to-app calling. Calls made to people in the U.S. without the app will cost 1.9¢ per/minute (except Alaska, which costs 4.9¢ per/minute).
cost to download: free
cost to use: free (when calling Viber users), costs $$$ otherwise
additional features: texting, group messaging
#4: WhatsApp
Amassing more than 1 billion users worldwide (according to Facebook reports), and becoming virtually synonymous with “messaging” itself, WhatsApp has made quite a splash in the past few years. In January of 2015, WhatsApp expanded its capabilities to include phone calls; a decision that proved to be a welcomed surprise for users. WhatsApp Calling is available on Android, iPhone, Windows Phone, and Blackberry 10. Cross-platform support and WhatsApp’s massive user base exemplify why the service has become the go-to messenger service for many. However, in terms of free calling, WhatsApp faces a unique pitfall avoided by its peers: while you can call other WhatsApp users for free, the service does NOT allow users to call friends or family without the app.
cost to download: free
cost to use: free (when calling WhatsApp users), N/A otherwise
additional features: instant messaging, file sharing
#3: LINE
Boasting approximately 400 million users worldwide, LINE is another popular app for people looking to make free international calls. The app is available for virtually every platform imaginable, including PC. LINE appears to be taking aim at Facebook, including a “timeline” feature that allows social users to post pictures and videos, as well as a multitude of emojis and stickers. Like most of its competitors, LINE only allows free calling for users talking app-to-app. Calls made to anyone without the app will cost you (as little as 1¢ per/minute when calling the U.S., or as much as $2.27 per/minute when calling Sao Tome and Principe), but 400 million people is a generous user base. LINE also offers additional features like texting and group messaging.
cost to download: free
cost to use: free (when calling LINE users), costs $$$ otherwise
additional features: group messaging, timeline (file sharing)
#2: Skype
If LINE’s 400-million-member user base is impressive, Skype surely takes the cake. Considering most people already have Skype installed on their devices (whether they know it or not), this service is as ubiquitous as it gets. Supporting the usual suspects (Android, iOS, and Windows), many are surprised to learn that less-popular platforms like Linux are compatible as well. While offering free instant messaging and video calls between users, Skype does charge a fee for calls made outside of the app. To give you an idea, their unlimited calling plan between the U.S. & Canada is $2.99 per/month, but without a plan, each call costs 2.3¢ per/minute. Perhaps for this reason, Skype is available in two versions: free and premium. Of course “premium” precludes “free”, but at $13.99 per/month, it remains the platform’s most cost-effective solution for people making frequent international calls.
cost to download: free
cost to use: free (when calling Skype users), costs $$$ otherwise
additional features: instant messaging, file sharing, video calls
#1: CallPal App
The folks at CallPal App have introduced the first telecom-multimedia platform, which is free to download and use. The app is compatible with Android and iOS. Local and international calls are free, and that’s regardless of whether the person receiving your call has the app or not (it works with landlines too). This is a major factor differentiating CallPal from its competitors. In terms of features, CallPal boasts an array of original content spanning virtually every niche (which is relevant to users based on their interests), causing the app to (effectively) serve as half telephone/half e-magazine. The idea here is that users can share this content with each other during calls, adding a new sense of depth to the conversation. Additional features include the app’s ability to schedule and place group calls with up to 50 people autonomously, and video calls made between users are free as well. CallPal works with wifi or your data plan, so you won’t find yourself in a bind there. There is a minor tradeoff: calls do take slightly longer to disconnect than usual (about 5-10 seconds), but considering this is the Beta version of the only app offering truly free calls, it’s well worth the wait.
cost to download: free
cost to use: free
additional features: exclusive content showcase, shareable content, scheduled calls (individual & group), video calls, voicemail, voice notes
Now that we've explored the top 5 most popular free phone call apps of the year, we hope this comparison helps you choose the right one for you. Be sure to check back next week for our next installment where we will be diving into the best new tablet apps of the year!