WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to make voice and video calls to other WhatsApp users. This raises the question – are these WhatsApp calls free?
The short answer is yes, WhatsApp calls are free for all users. However, there are some caveats and limitations to be aware of. In this article, we’ll provide a detailed overview explaining how WhatsApp calls work, whether they utilize your cellular minutes, if they work over WiFi, and any potential costs associated with making WhatsApp calls.
How WhatsApp Calls Work
WhatsApp voice and video calls use your phone’s internet connection, whether that’s over cellular data or WiFi, rather than your cellular minutes. Here’s a quick rundown of how WhatsApp calling works:
– WhatsApp calls are made using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology. This allows voices calls to be made over the internet rather than the cellular network.
– When you initiate a WhatsApp call, the app connects to WhatsApp servers which help to establish the call connection between you and the recipient.
– Your voice/video is then transmitted between your phones in small data packets over your internet connection.
– WhatsApp encrypts these data packets for privacy and security.
– Because WhatsApp calls use your internet connection, they do not utilize your phone’s cellular minutes allotment like a traditional call or SMS would.
Data Usage
WhatsApp calls will use some of your cellular data if you’re connected over mobile data, or WiFi data if you’re on a wireless connection. However, WhatsApp uses data very efficiently so call quality can be maintained even on slower connections.
Here are some approximate data usage amounts for WhatsApp calls based on call duration:
– 1 minute WhatsApp voice call = 30KB data
– 1 minute WhatsApp video call = 10MB data
– 1 hour WhatsApp voice call = 1.8MB data
– 1 hour WhatsApp video call = 600MB data
So an hour long video call would use about 600MB of data in total.
Are WhatsApp Calls Free?
Since WhatsApp calls use data rather than cellular minutes, they do not have any charges or fees from your wireless carrier. In this sense, WhatsApp calls are free.
However, you need an active internet connection to make WhatsApp calls, so any data charges from your cell phone carrier for internet access would still apply. Here are some scenarios:
Using Cellular Data:
– If you have an unlimited data plan, WhatsApp calls won’t cost you anything extra.
– If you have a limited data bucket (e.g. 2GB per month), WhatsApp calls will use up some of that allotment, and potential overage charges could apply if you exceed your limit.
Using WiFi:
– On home WiFi or public hotspots, WhatsApp calls are completely free.
– Some wireless hotspot connections may charge for data usage or have time limits, so calls could incur costs in those situations.
So in summary, WhatsApp calls themselves are free and don’t have a charge, but you need an active internet connection which could have associated fees depending on your data plan. Using WiFi is the best way to guarantee completely free WhatsApp calls.
International WhatsApp Calls
One great benefit of WhatsApp is that you can make international calls to any other WhatsApp user worldwide completely free.
Traditional international calls can be very expensive depending on your cellular plan. But with WhatsApp, there are no extra roaming charges or long distance fees to make calls to contacts in other countries.
The voice/video call will just use the regular data you have available, whether on cellular or WiFi, exactly like a local WhatsApp call. This allows you to stay in touch with family and friends abroad for free.
WhatsApp Call Limitations
While WhatsApp calls are free and enable international calling, there are some limitations to be aware of:
– Both parties need WhatsApp – You can only call other users who also have an active WhatsApp account.
– Requires internet connection – Without a WiFi or cellular data connection, you cannot make or receive WhatsApp calls.
– Call quality dependent on connection – Call quality and reliability will be impacted if you have a slower internet connection.
– No emergency calling – WhatsApp can’t be used for emergency calls to services like 911 or 112.
– No conference calling – Only one-on-one calls are supported, group conference calls are not an available feature.
Using WhatsApp for Conference Calls
While WhatsApp itself does not have built-in conference calling for multiple participants, there is a workaround to allow group calls.
You can use the WhatsApp group chat feature to create a group with the participants you want on the call. Then you can start a WhatsApp call with one member of the group, and the other members can merge the call when they are ready.
Here is how to make a group conference call on WhatsApp:
1. Create a new WhatsApp group and add the participants you want on the call.
2. Tap the phone or video icon next to one of the group member’s names to start an individual call with them.
3. Once connected, the other group members can tap the “Merge” button to join the call and add them to the conversation.
4. Repeat step 3 until all group members have merged the call. You now have a group call with multiple WhatsApp users.
Keep in mind this merged call technique only works for small groups, as call quality may degrade with too many participants. But it’s a handy workaround for the lack of true WhatsApp conference calling feature.
Using WhatsApp on Desktop
Up until recently, WhatsApp could only be used on your smartphone device. But now WhatsApp has desktop apps available for both Windows and Mac OS.
These desktop apps sync to your WhatsApp account on your phone and allow you to send/receive messages, make voice and video calls, and manage your conversations on a bigger screen.
To enable WhatsApp calls on desktop:
1. Download and install the WhatsApp desktop app from whatsapp.com/download/
2. On your phone, open WhatsApp and go to Menu > WhatsApp Web to scan the QR code from the desktop app and link the accounts.
3. Verify your phone number through the verification code on your phone
Once linked up, you can now make and receive WhatsApp calls on your computer just like on mobile. This gives you the flexibility to seamlessly communicate across devices.
Recording WhatsApp Calls
WhatsApp does not have a built-in call recording feature. However, there are a couple options to record your WhatsApp calls:
– Use a third-party app like Cube Call Recorder that offers call recording functionality.
– Enable an automatic call recording app on your phone that can record all calls, including WhatsApp.
– Manually record the call through speakerphone and using a separate audio recorder app.
However, recording calls may be restricted in your country and consent from the other party is typically required for lawful recording. Consult local laws before recording any calls.
There are also risks of using third-party call recording apps, as they may compromise security and privacy protections. Use reputable apps at your own discretion.
Data Saving Options for WhatsApp Calls
If you have a limited data plan, WhatsApp calls can use up your data allotment quickly, especially longer video calls. Here are some tips to save mobile data when making WhatsApp calls:
– Use WhatsApp over WiFi whenever possible – This allows completely free calling without dipping into your mobile data.
– Enable mobile data saving mode – This limits data usage in the background for calls.
– Choose lower video quality – Video calls consume much more data, so use lower resolution video to minimize data consumption.
– Disable auto-download of media – Auto-downloading photos/videos in WhatsApp takes data, so disable auto-downloads.
– Monitor your usage – Track how much data you’re using for WhatsApp calling in your mobile carrier account.
– Use data optimization tools – Apps like Opera Max can compress and optimize WhatsApp data usage.
Being smart about minimizing unnecessary data usage goes a long way to saving mobile data for WhatsApp calls.
Using WhatsApp on WiFi Only
To avoid all cellular data charges completely, you can configure WhatsApp to only work when connected to WiFi networks:
**On Android**
1. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > Advanced > App Data Usage
2. Select WhatsApp
3. Toggle “Restrict app background data” on
4. Tap “Restrict app data usage” and select WiFi networks only
This will disable WhatsApp data in the background over cellular connections.
**On iPhone**
1. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options
2. Find WhatsApp in the list and toggle cellular data to off
Now WhatsApp voice/video calls and messaging will only work on WiFi and won’t use any cellular data.
Call Quality Troubleshooting
In some cases, you may experience quality issues on WhatsApp calls like lag, echo, or disconnects. Here are some troubleshooting tips:
– Check your internet connection speed and signal strength. Move closer to your WiFi router or cellular tower if possible.
– Disable any VPN connections which could add interference and latency.
– Make sure you and the recipient are on the latest version of WhatsApp.
– Force close and restart the WhatsApp app if connectivity seems stuck.
– Ask the recipient to initiate the call instead – this shifts the hosting burden.
– Try switching between cellular data and WiFi to see if one network works better.
– Clear cached data and files from WhatsApp which could be causing conflicts.
– Try calls at different times of day if networks are congested during peak usage hours.
WhatsApp Call Security
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for all voice and video calls between users. This means calls are secured and only you and the recipient can access the call contents.
Some key security measures include:
– Encryption keys exchanged only between your devices when initiating the call.
– Encryption keys change with each call to increase randomness.
– All call data transferred is encrypted using AES 256 encryption.
– Group calls use a new encryption key for each participant.
This prevents third parties, including WhatsApp itself, from being able to access your call data. However, the underlying cellular or WiFi network the call goes over could still have vulnerabilities so using trusted networks is recommended.
Conclusion
To recap, WhatsApp offers free voice and video calls between WhatsApp users thanks to the use of data rather than cellular minutes for calling. While the calls themselves are free, you do need an internet connection which could incur data charges depending on your cellular plan. Using WhatsApp calls over WiFi allows you to avoid these data costs completely.
WhatsApp calling provides a very cost-effective way to make international calls in particular. And the ability to merge calls allows conference calling workarounds. Just be aware of potential quality issues and data usage if relying on cellular networks. With strong connectivity and optimal settings, WhatsApp enables free high-quality calling around the world.
| Calling From | Calling To | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp (using cellular data) | WhatsApp (same country) | Free (uses cellular data allotment) |
| WhatsApp (using WiFi) | WhatsApp (same country) | Free |
| WhatsApp (using cellular data) | WhatsApp (international) | Free (uses cellular data allotment) |
| WhatsApp (using WiFi) | WhatsApp (international) | Free |
| Cellular network | Cellular network (same country) | Call rates apply |
| Cellular network | Cellular network (international) | International call rates apply |