Cheapest Way to Call USA 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 USA 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 USA | 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 USA. 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 USA 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 USA?
Microsoft shut Skype down in May 2025. The best direct replacement for calling USA 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 USA?
Many people calling USA 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–USA 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 USA? Avoid Roaming Charges
If you're visiting USA, 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 USA. 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 USA from the UK
📞 Dialling format
Dial 001 + area code + 7-digit local number. US numbers are always 10 digits after the country code (3-digit area code + 7-digit number). Mobile numbers follow the same format as landlines.
🕐 Time difference explained
The US has four main time zones. New York/East Coast: EST (UTC-5) or EDT (UTC-4 in summer). Chicago: CST/CDT. Mountain: MST/MDT. Los Angeles/West Coast: PST (UTC-8) or PDT (UTC-7 in summer). US and UK summer time changes happen on different dates, which briefly alters the gap each spring and autumn.
Dialling code for USA
The dialling code for USA is +1.
When calling USA from the UK you must dial 001 followed by the USA number in full.
When using our service to make cheap calls to USA, you need to:
- Dial the access number
- When you hear the voice prompt, dial the USA number starting with 001
- When you have finished inputting the number, wait to be connected.
That’s it….easy!
Best time to call USA from UK
The time in USA spans 6 time zones and is generally 4 hours (eastern USA) to 10 hours (western USA) behind the time in the UK (GMT -4 to GMT -10).
On that basis the best time to call USA is 7pm until 9pm UK time.
Travel Information (provided by the FCO)
USA Area Codes
| State Capital | State | USA dialing code from UK |
| Montgomery | Alabama | 001 334 |
| Juneau | Alaska | 001 907 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | 001 602 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | 001 501 |
| Sacramento | California | 001 916 |
| Denver | Colorado | 001 303 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | 001 860 |
| Dover | Delaware | 001 302 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | 001 202 |
| Tallahassee | Florida | 001 850 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | 001 404 |
| Honolulu | Hawaii | 001 808 |
| Boise | Idaho | 001 208 |
| Springfield | Illinois | 001 417 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | 001 317 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | 001 515 |
| Topeka | Kansas | 001 785 |
| Frankfort | Kentucky | 001 502 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | 001 225 |
| Augusta | Maine | 001 207 |
| Annapolis | Maryland | 001 410 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | 001 617 |
| Lansing | Michigan | 001 517 |
| Saint Paul | Minnesota | 001 651 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | 001 601 |
| Jefferson City | Missouri | 001 573 |
| Helena | Montana | 001 406 |
| Lincoln | Nebraska | 001 402 |
| Carson City | Nevada | 001 775 |
| Concord | New Hampshire | 001 603 |
| Trenton | New Jersey | 001 609 |
| Santa Fe | New Mexico | 001 505 |
| Albany | New York | 001 518 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | 001 919 |
| Bismarck | North Dakota | 001 701 |
| Columbus | Ohio | 001 614 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | 001 405 |
| Salem | Oregon | 001 503 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | 001 717 |
| San Juan | Puerto Rico | 001 787 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | 001 401 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | 001 803 |
| Pierre | South Dakota | 001 605 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | 001 615 |
| Austin | Texas | 001 512 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | 001 385 |
| Montpelier | Vermont | 001 802 |
| Richmond | Virginia | 001 604 |
| Olympia | Washington | 001 360 |
| Charleston | West Virginia | 001 843 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | 001 608 |
| Cheyenne | Wyoming | 001 307 |
