Cheapest Way to Call Brazil from the UK
Every option compared honestly — access numbers, WhatsApp, VoIP apps and eSIMs. The right answer depends on your situation, so we cover all of them.
All Your Options at a Glance
There is no single best way to call Brazil from the UK — it depends on whether both ends have internet, whether you're on a landline or mobile, and how often you call. Here is an honest comparison of every option.
| Method | Typical Cost | Needs Internet | Best For | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Free | Both ends | Regular callers with WiFi on both sides | Best if both online |
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Coming soon | No | UK landline callers, elderly relatives with no smartphone | 🔔 Notify me |
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~1–3p/min | UK end only | UK mobile callers, no app needed on other end | Best for UK mobiles |
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Free / low | Both ends | If your contact already uses the same app | Good if app matches |
|
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From £3 | For data calls | Travelling to Brazil | Travel only |
|
Standard UK Mobile
EE / O2 / Vodafone — international direct dial
|
50p–£1.50/min | No | Emergency calls only | Avoid — very expensive |
💡 The most important caveat on WhatsApp: it is genuinely free — but only works if the person you are calling also has a good internet connection. For calling elderly relatives or anyone without reliable WiFi or data, you need a paid option.
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Calling from Your UK Mobile
Your standard mobile network will charge 50p–£1.50 per minute for international calls to Brazil. Here are the two options that actually make sense.
Rebtel
The key advantage over WhatsApp: the person you're calling doesn't need a smartphone, internet connection, or any app. Rebtel routes your call over the internet on your end but delivers it as a normal phone call at the Brazil end. Rates from around 1–3p per minute.
WhatsApp (Free — with a caveat)
Completely free if the person you're calling has WhatsApp and a reliable internet connection. That caveat matters — if they have unreliable WiFi or data, call quality suffers. Best for regular calls to people you know are online.
Used Skype to call Brazil?
Microsoft shut Skype down in May 2025. The best direct replacement for calling Brazil landlines and mobiles is Rebtel — same principle, no account needed. For free app-to-app calls, WhatsApp is the natural replacement.
Also Need to Send Money to Brazil?
Many people calling Brazil from the UK also send money home regularly. Your high street bank is typically the worst way to do it — most add a hidden margin of 3–5% on top of the exchange rate before charging a transfer fee. These two services are consistently cheaper.
Wise
Uses the real mid-market exchange rate — the same one you see on Google — with a small transparent fee shown upfront before you send. No hidden margin buried in the exchange rate. Used by over 16 million people worldwide.
Remitly
Built specifically for diaspora remittances — very popular for UK–Brazil transfers. Competitive exchange rates with an on-time delivery guarantee: if your transfer is late, they refund the fee. Supports bank deposit, cash pickup and mobile wallet.
💡 Compare both before sending — rates shift daily. The cheapest for your amount this week may differ from last week.
Travelling to Brazil? Avoid Roaming Charges
If you're visiting Brazil, your UK SIM will cost you significantly more than you expect. EE charges up to £8.45 per day for data outside Europe — which adds up to over £59 on a week's trip just for mobile internet. An eSIM costs a fraction of that and activates before you board.
Airalo
Best for most travellers. Buy a data plan before you leave, scan a QR code, and you have local data rates the moment you land in Brazil. No physical SIM swap, no queues at the airport. Plans start from around £3.
Holafly
Better for longer stays or heavy data users. Unlimited data plans mean you never worry about running out — useful if you're making lots of WhatsApp video calls home, using Google Maps constantly, or working remotely during your trip.
ℹ️ eSIMs are data-only — calls and texts still go through apps like WhatsApp. Your UK number stays active on your phone's physical SIM alongside the eSIM.
How to Dial Brazil from the UK
📞 Dialling format
Dial 00 + the country code + the full local number (omitting any leading zero).
Dialling code for Brazil
The dialling code for Brazil is +55.
When calling Brazil from the UK you must dial 0055 followed by the Brazil number in full.
When using our service to make cheap calls to Brazil, you need to:
- Dial the access number
- When you hear the voice prompt, dial the Brazil number starting with 0055
- When you have finished inputting the number, wait to be connected.
That’s it….easy!
Best time to call Brazil from UK
There are 3 time separate zones in Brazil.
Brasilia Time (BRT)
Covering: Bahia, Brasilia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo
Brasilia time (BRT) is the main time zone in Brazil. It is 3 hours behind the UK (GMT -3) in the winter and 2 hours behind the UK (GMT -2).
Brasília time + 1
Followed by a few Atlantic islands on the east coast of Brazil (Fernando de Noronha, Trindade, Martin Vaz, Atol das Rocas, Saint Peter and Paul Rocks).
Brasília time − 1
Used in the states of Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rondônia, and Roraima, and the state of Acre.
Travel Information (provided by the FCO)
Brazil Area Codes
| City | Brazil dialing codes from the UK |
| Alagoinhas | 0055 75 |
| Alexandria | 0055 859 |
| Anápolis | 0055 62 |
| Aracaju | 0055 79 |
| Araguaina | 0055 63 |
| Barreiras | 0055 77 |
| Bauru | 0055 14 |
| Belém | 0055 91 |
| Belo Horizonte | 0055 31 |
| Blumenau | 0055 47 |
| Boa Vista | 0055 95 |
| Brasilia | 0055 61 |
| Campina Grande | 0055 83 |
| Campinas | 0055 19 |
| Campo Grande | 0055 67 |
| Campos | 0055 22 |
| Caruaru | 0055 81 |
| Caxias do Sul | 0055 54 |
| Cuiaba | 0055 65 |
| Curitiba | 0055 41 |
| Feira de Santana | 0055 75 |
| Fernando de Noronha | 0055 81 |
| Florianopolis | 0055 48 |
| Fortaleza | 0055 85 |
| Garanhuns | 0055 81 |
| Goiania | 0055 62 |
| Governador Valadares | 0055 33 |
| Ilheus | 0055 73 |
| Itabuna | 0055 73 |
| Jequie | 0055 73 |
| Joao Pessoa | 0055 83 |
| Joinville | 0055 47 |
| Juazeiro do Norte | 0055 74 |
| Juiz de Fora | 0055 32 |
| Londrina | 0055 43 |
| Macapa | 0055 96 |
| Maceio | 0055 82 |
| Manaus | 0055 92 |
| Medina | 0055 830 |
| Montes Claros | 0055 38 |
| Montezuma | 0055 478 |
| Mossoro | 0055 84 |
| Natal | 0055 84 |
| Niteroi | 0055 21 |
| Palmas | 0055 63 |
| Panama | 0055 712 |
| Parnaiba | 0055 86 |
| Passo Fundo | 0055 54 |
| Pelotas | 0055 532 |
| Ponta Grossa | 0055 42 |
| Porto Alegre | 0055 51 |
| Porto Velho | 0055 69 |
| Recife | 0055 81 |
| Ribeirão Preto | 0055 16 |
| Rio Branco | 0055 68 |
| Rio de Janeiro | 0055 21 |
| Rio Grande | 0055 53 |
| Sacramento | 0055 916 |
| Salinas | 0055 408 |
| Salvador | 0055 71 |
| Santa Cruz | 0055 831 |
| Santa Fe | 0055 505 |
| Santa Maria | 0055 34 |
| Santa Rosa | 0055 707 |
| Santo André | 0055 11 |
| Santos | 0055 13 |
| São Jose do Rio Preto | 0055 17 |
| São Jose dos Campos | 0055 12 |
| São Luis | 0055 98 |
| São Paulo | 0055 11 |
| Sobral | 0055 88 |
| Sorocaba | 0055 15 |
| Teofilo Otoni | 0055 33 |
| Teresina | 0055 86 |
| Timbo | 0055 870 |
| Uberaba | 0055 34 |
| Uberlandia | 0055 34 |
| Uruguaiana | 0055 55 |
| Valparaiso | 0055 850 |
| Vitoria | 0055 27 |
| Vitoria da Conquista | 0055 77 |
| Volta Redonda | 0055 24 |
