# Living Abroad? Call Home for Less Your local SIM is great for local calls, but calling home is another story. ZippCall lets you call family, friends, and services in your home country at a fraction of carrier rates. No contracts, no monthly fees. [Start calling now](https://web.zippcall.com/) ## The Expat's Dilemma ### Your Local SIM Doesn't Help You Call Home You've got a local number for daily life, but calling your home country? That's still expensive. #### Current Options - Local carrier charges premium international rates - International calling cards are inconvenient - WhatsApp only works if they have the app - Home country SIM means expensive roaming #### The ZippCall Way - Rates from $0.02/min to most countries - No monthly fees or subscriptions - Credits never expire - Call landlines and mobiles back home ## Built for Life Abroad Stay connected to home without watching the clock. ### Call Any Phone Back Home Reach landlines and mobiles in your home country. Your parents don't need an app. Just dial their regular phone number. ### Low Rates, No Surprises Check the rate before you call. No hidden fees, no connection charges. Just simple per-minute pricing you can understand. ### Credits Never Expire Buy credit when you need it. Unlike calling cards, your ZippCall balance stays until you use it. No pressure to call before credits disappear. ### Works With Your Local SIM Keep your local number for everyday life. Use ZippCall over WiFi or data when you need to call home. No SIM swapping required. ### Call From Any Device Use our web app on your computer for longer chats, or our mobile apps when you're out. Same account, same rates. ### Reach Home Services Need to call your bank, insurance company, or a government office back home? Reach any phone number, including toll-free numbers. ## Real Expat Scenarios Everyday moments when you need to call home. ### Weekly Call With Parents Sunday catch-up with mom and dad on their home phone. Talk as long as you want without watching the clock. ### Bank or Insurance Back Home Need to sort out something with your bank, insurance, or pension? Call their customer service line directly. ### Coordinating a Visit Home Planning a trip back? Call family, old friends, or local services to make arrangements before you arrive. ## Get Connected to Home Set up once, call home whenever you need to. ### Create your account Sign up at [web.zippcall.com](https://web.zippcall.com/) or download our [iOS](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zippcall-international-calls/id6747299576) or [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zippcall.app) app. Takes less than 2 minutes. ### Add calling credit Purchase credit starting from just $5. Your credits never expire, so there's no rush to use them. Top up whenever it's convenient. ### Save your home country contacts Add family, friends, and important numbers to ZippCall. When you want to call home, they're one tap away. ### Call home anytime Connect to WiFi or use mobile data, open ZippCall, and dial. Your local SIM stays in your phone for everyday use. ## ZippCall vs Local Carrier International: Side-by-Side Comparison See exactly how ZippCall compares to Local Carrier International across pricing, features, and user experience. | Feature | ZippCall | Local Carrier International | | --- | --- | --- | | Cost per minute | From $0.02/min | $0.50-2.00/min typical | | Monthly fees | None | Often required for intl package | | Credits expire | Never expire | Monthly allocation lost | | Call landlines | Yes, any number | Yes, but expensive | | Transparent pricing | See rate before calling | Often unclear rates | | Works on WiFi | Any internet connection | Uses cellular minutes | | PIN codes required | No, just dial | Calling cards need PINs | | Call toll-free numbers | Yes, any number | Often blocked internationally | ## Real-World Pricing Comparison See how costs compare for actual calling scenarios between ZippCall and Local Carrier International. ### Weekly 45-min call to parents (monthly) **ZippCall**: $3.60 **Local Carrier International**: $90.00 ### 20-min call to bank back home **ZippCall**: $0.40 **Local Carrier International**: $20.00 ### 30-min call to old friend's mobile **ZippCall**: $0.60 **Local Carrier International**: $30.00 **Key Takeaway**: Local carrier international rates vary by country and provider. Examples based on typical rates for calling from Europe to USA/UK. ## Frequently Asked Questions Everything you need to know about switching from Expat to ZippCall. Can I keep using my local SIM card? Yes! ZippCall works over the internet (WiFi or mobile data), so you keep your local SIM for everyday calls and texts. When you want to call your home country, just open the ZippCall app and dial over your internet connection. Can I call landlines, or just mobile phones? Yes, you can call both landlines and mobile phones. Do the people I call need to install anything? No, they just need to have a regular phone. How much does it cost to call my home country? Rates start from $0.02/min, depending on the destination. Do my credits expire? No, your credits never expire. Is this better than using WhatsApp to call? It depends on whether the person you are calling has WhatsApp. If they do, then WhatsApp might be a free option. Can I use ZippCall when I visit home? Yes, you can use ZippCall from anywhere with internet access. How is the call quality? The call quality is excellent, as it operates over a strong internet connection. ## The Verdict: Which Service Wins? ZippCall Takes the Lead For expats who need to call home regularly, ZippCall offers a simple, affordable way to stay connected. Keep your local SIM for daily life and use ZippCall when you need to reach family, friends, or services in your home country. #### Primary Advantages: - Save 80-95% compared to local carrier international rates - Call any phone number, including landlines and toll-free - Credits never expire, no monthly fees - Works alongside your local SIM over WiFi or data - No apps needed by the person you're calling ### Overall Winner: ZippCall Join 12,848 users who made 17,075 minutes of calls this week.