Cheapest Way to Call China 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 China 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 China | Travel only |
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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 China. 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 China 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 China?
Microsoft shut Skype down in May 2025. The best direct replacement for calling China 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 China?
Many people calling China 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–China 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 China? Avoid Roaming Charges
If you're visiting China, 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 China. 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 China from the UK
📞 Dialling format
Dial 0086 + area code + local number for landlines, dropping the leading zero. Beijing: 0086 10 + 8-digit number. Shanghai: 0086 21 + 8-digit number. Mobiles: 0086 + the full 11-digit number.
🕐 Time difference explained
China uses a single time zone (CST, UTC+8) across the entire country despite its geographic size. During UK BST (March–October) the gap narrows to 7 hours.
Dialling code for China
The dialling code for China is +86.
When calling China from the UK you must dial 0086 followed by the China number in full.
When using our service to make cheap calls to China, you need to:
- Dial the access number
- When you hear the voice prompt, dial the China number starting with 0086
- When you have finished inputting the number, wait to be connected.
That’s it….easy!
Best time to call China from UK
The time in China is 8 hours ahead the time in the UK (GMT +8). On that basis the best time to call China is 8am until 1pm UK time. The whole of China is covered by a single time zone so you don’t need to worry about which part of China you are calling.
Travel Information (provided by the FCO)
China Area Codes
| City | Dialing Code |
| Aihui | 0086 456 |
| Akesu | 0086 997 |
| Ankang | 0086 915 |
| Anqing | 0086 556 |
| Anshan | 0086 412 |
| Anshun | 0086 853 |
| Anyang | 0086 372 |
| Baise | 0086 776 |
| Baoding | 0086 312 |
| Baoji | 0086 917 |
| Baotou | 0086 472 |
| Beihai | 0086 779 |
| Beijing | 0086 10 |
| Bengbu | 0086 552 |
| Benxi | 0086 414 |
| Changbai | 0086 4458 |
| Changchun | 0086 431 |
| Changde | 0086 736 |
| Changji | 0086 994 |
| Changsha | 0086 731 |
| Changshu | 0086 512 |
| Changzhou | 0086 519 |
| Chaoyang | 0086 421 |
| Chengde | 0086 314 |
| Chengdu | 0086 28 |
| Chifeng | 0086 476 |
| Chongqing | 0086 23 |
| Chuxiong | 0086 878 |
| Dali | 0086 872 |
| Dalian | 0086 411 |
| Dandong | 0086 415 |
| Daqing | 0086 459 |
| Datong | 0086 352 |
| Dongfang | 0086 8003 |
| Dunhua | 0086 4435 |
| Dunhuang | 0086 9473 |
| Erlianhaote | 0086 4813 |
| Fengcheng | 0086 7888 |
| Foshan | 0086 757 |
| Fuding | 0086 5033 |
| Fushun | 0086 413 |
| Fuyang | 0086 571 |
| Fuzhou | 0086 591 |
| Ganzhou | 0086 797 |
| Guang an | 0086 8269 |
| Guangzhou | 0086 20 |
| Guilin | 0086 773 |
| Guiyang | 0086 851 |
| Guyang | 0086 4823 |
| Haikou | 0086 898 |
| Hailun | 0086 4652 |
| Haining | 0086 5834 |
| Hami | 0086 9022 |
| Hangzhou | 0086 571 |
| Hanzhong | 0086 916 |
| Harbin | 0086 451 |
| Hechi | 0086 778 |
| Hefei | 0086 551 |
| Hohhot | 0086 471 |
| Huangshi | 0086 714 |
| Huizhou | 0086 752 |
| Huzhou | 0086 572 |
| Jiangjin | 0086 8221 |
| Jiangling | 0086 716 |
| Jiangmen | 0086 750 |
| Jilin | 0086 432 |
| Jinan | 0086 531 |
| Jingdezhen | 0086 798 |
| Jining | 0086 537 |
| Jinzhou | 0086 416 |
| Jiujiang | 0086 792 |
| Jiuquan | 0086 937 |
| Jixi | 0086 4617 |
| Kaifeng | 0086 378 |
| Kashi | 0086 998 |
| Kunming | 0086 871 |
| Lanxi | 0086 579 |
| Lanzhou | 0086 931 |
| Lhasa | 0086 891 |
| Liaoyang | 0086 419 |
| Lijing | 0086 5430 |
| Linhai | 0086 576 |
| Lintong | 0086 29 |
| Linxi | 0086 4868 |
| Linzhi | 0086 894 |
| Liuyang | 0086 731 |
| Liuzhou | 0086 772 |
| Luoyang | 0086 379 |
| Maoming | 0086 7683 |
| Meishan | 0086 8425 |
| Mianyang | 0086 816 |
| Miquan | 0086 9041 |
| Mohe | 0086 457 |
| Mudanjiang | 0086 467 |
| Nanchang | 0086 791 |
| Nanjing | 0086 25 |
| Nanning | 0086 771 |
| Nantong | 0086 513 |
| Nanyang | 0086 377 |
| Nenjiang | 0086 4665 |
| Ningbo | 0086 574 |
| Pingliang | 0086 933 |
| Qingdao | 0086 532 |
| Qiqihar | 0086 452 |
| Qitai | 0086 994 |
| Quanzhou | 0086 595 |
| Qujiang | 0086 751 |
| Ruili | 0086 8885 |
| Shanghai | 0086 21 |
| Shantou | 0086 754 |
| Shaoguan | 0086 751 |
| Shaoxing | 0086 575 |
| Shaoyang | 0086 739 |
| Shenyang | 0086 24 |
| Shenzhen | 0086 755 |
| Shijiazhuang | 0086 311 |
| Shuangcheng | 0086 4615 |
| Siping | 0086 434 |
| Stanley | 0086 270 |
| Suifenhe | 0086 4638 |
| Tacheng | 0086 9003 |
| Taiyuan | 0086 351 |
| Tangshan | 0086 315 |
| Tianjin | 0086 22 |
| Tianshui | 0086 938 |
| Tongliao | 0086 475 |
| Urumqi | 0086 991 |
| Weifang | 0086 536 |
| Weinan | 0086 913 |
| Wenzhou | 0086 577 |
| Wudu | 0086 939 |
| Wuhan | 0086 27 |
| Wuhu | 0086 553 |
| Wuyishan | 0086 599 |
| Xi an | 0086 29 |
| Xiamen | 0086 592 |
| Xiangtan | 0086 732 |
| Xianyang | 0086 910 |
| Xichang | 0086 834 |
| Xin an | 0086 5482 |
| Xining | 0086 971 |
| Xinjin | 0086 971 |
| Xinxiang | 0086 373 |
| Xinyang | 0086 373 |
| Xinyi | 0086 859 |
| Xuzhou | 0086 516 |
| Ya An | 0086 835 |
| Yan An | 0086 911 |
| Yangquan | 0086 353 |
| Yangzhou | 0086 514 |
| Yanji | 0086 433 |
| Yibin | 0086 831 |
| Yinchuan | 0086 951 |
| Yingkou | 0086 417 |
| Yining | 0086 999 |
| Yiwu | 0086 579 |
| Yiyang | 0086 7038 |
| Yongchuan | 0086 814 |
| Yuanmou | 0086 8869 |
| Yueyang | 0086 730 |
| Yulin | 0086 912 |
| Yushu | 0086 976 |
| Zhangjiakou | 0086 313 |
| Zhangzhou | 0086 596 |
| Zhanjiang | 0086 759 |
| Zhengzhou | 0086 371 |
| Zhenjiang | 0086 511 |
| Zhijiang | 0086 7420 |
| Zhumadian | 0086 3011 |
| Zibo | 0086 533 |
| Zunyi | 0086 852 |
