Cheapest Ways to Call the UK from the US

How to Dial the UK from the US

The United Kingdom's country code is +44. Every call to the UK from the United States follows the same basic format:

For example, to call a mobile number in the UK:

And to call a landline in London:

• + replaces the US international access code (011 from a landline)
• 44 is the country code for the United Kingdom
• UK mobile numbers start with 07 domestically -- drop the leading 0 when dialing from abroad, so 07911 123456 becomes +44 7911 123456
• UK landline numbers use an area code (20 for London, 161 for Manchester, 131 for Edinburgh) followed by the local number, also dropping the leading 0

On a mobile phone, simply enter the "+" followed by 44 and the number with its leading 0 removed. From a US landline, dial 011 instead of the plus sign. The single rule to remember for the UK is: whatever the domestic number looks like, drop the first 0 before adding the country code.

VoIP Calling Services

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services are the most cost-effective way to call the UK from the US for the vast majority of callers. These services route your call over the internet for part or all of the journey, which dramatically lowers the per-minute cost compared to traditional phone carriers.

CheapCalls.cloud offers calls to the UK starting at just $0.01 per minute to landlines and $0.02 per minute to mobiles. There are no monthly contracts, no connection fees, and no hidden surcharges. You simply create an account, add credit, and start dialing from your regular phone or a softphone app. Call quality uses HD voice codecs, so conversations sound clear whether you're calling a landline in London or a mobile in Manchester. Check our United Kingdom calling rates page for current pricing.

Other VoIP providers in this space include services like Vonage, MagicJack, and Ooma. Rates to the UK typically range from $0.01 to $0.05 per minute across these providers, though some charge monthly subscription fees on top of per-minute rates. When comparing services, pay attention to whether the quoted rate applies to both mobile and landline numbers -- many providers charge noticeably more for UK mobiles than for landlines.

International Calling Cards

Calling cards have been a go-to option for international calls for decades, and they still work for the UK. You purchase a card (physical or digital) with a set dollar value, dial an access number, then enter your PIN and the destination number.

The advertised per-minute rates on calling cards can look attractive, sometimes as low as one cent per minute. However, many cards deduct connection fees, maintenance fees, or round up calls to the nearest three- or five-minute block. Read the fine print before buying. A card advertising 500 minutes to the UK may only deliver 300 minutes of actual talk time once fees are factored in.

If you prefer calling cards for their simplicity and no-internet requirement, look for cards from established brands that clearly disclose all fees. Still, for most callers, a VoIP service like CheapCalls.cloud will deliver better value and more transparent billing.

US Carrier International Plans

All major US carriers -- AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon -- offer international calling add-ons. These plans typically cost between $5 and $15 per month and give you a discounted per-minute rate to a set of countries including the UK.

Without an add-on, carrier rates to the UK can run $1 to $3 per minute, which adds up fast on even a 10-minute call. With an international plan, rates drop to roughly $0.05 to $0.12 per minute depending on the carrier and plan tier.

Carrier plans make sense if you already rely on your cell phone for everything and want a single bill. The downsides are the monthly fee (which you pay whether you call or not) and per-minute rates that are still several times higher than VoIP. If you call the UK regularly, the math almost always favors a dedicated VoIP service.

WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Free Apps

Apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Meet, and Viber let you make voice and video calls for free over the internet. For casual calls with family members or colleagues who are comfortable with these apps, this is hard to beat on price.

The UK is one of the easiest countries in the world to reach this way, since it has excellent broadband coverage and widespread 4G/5G mobile data, even outside major cities. Call quality on these apps tends to be reliably good across the UK, with far fewer of the dropped calls or lag issues that can affect calls to regions with patchier connectivity. The one limitation is that these apps still cannot reach UK landline numbers at all -- you can only call other app users.

Free apps work best as a complement to a paid calling service. Use WhatsApp or FaceTime when both parties are on good Wi-Fi or mobile data, and switch to CheapCalls.cloud or another VoIP service when you need to reach a landline, call someone without the app, or need a guaranteed connection for a business call.

Time Zone Tips for Calling the UK

The UK runs on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT, UTC+0) in winter and switches to British Summer Time (BST, UTC+1) from late March to late October, when clocks move forward an hour. This means the time difference from the US shifts slightly depending on the season:

Quick Comparison

* Calling card rates often exclude connection and maintenance fees. Effective per-minute cost may be higher.