No. WhatsApp cannot call a landline, and it cannot call a mobile number that is not registered on WhatsApp either. WhatsApp calls only connect two WhatsApp accounts over the internet, and there is no paid add-on that changes this. To ring a landline you need a service that connects to the regular phone network, such as a carrier plan, Google Voice in the US, or a pay-per-minute calling app or website.

What happens if you try?

You can save a landline number in your phone's contacts, but it will not show up as someone you can call in WhatsApp. WhatsApp's calling page says voice calling "lets you call your contacts using WhatsApp". A landline has no WhatsApp account behind it, so there is nothing to connect to.

A mobile number works the same way. If the person has registered that number on WhatsApp, you can call them free over data or Wi-Fi. If they have not, WhatsApp lets you invite them to join, but it cannot ring their phone.

That is the whole rule:

Number you want to reach	Can WhatsApp call it?
A friend's mobile that uses WhatsApp	Yes, free over the internet
A mobile that is not on WhatsApp	No
A home landline	No
A business, hotel, bank or doctor's office landline	No (unless you message their WhatsApp account, if they have one)
A US toll-free 800 number	No
Emergency numbers such as 911	No

Why WhatsApp can't dial landlines

WhatsApp is a closed network. Your call travels as data from your phone to WhatsApp's servers and on to the other person's app, and it never touches the phone network. That is why it is free: WhatsApp pays nothing to any phone company.

Calling a landline is different. The call has to be handed over to a phone carrier in the destination country, and that carrier charges a fee for every minute it carries. Any service that rings real phone numbers has to pass that cost on, either through a plan or a per-minute rate. WhatsApp has never sold that kind of calling, so it simply does not connect to landlines.

The same goes for the other free messaging apps. FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Signal, Telegram and Google Meet all call people who use the same app. None of them dial landlines.

What about a landline on WhatsApp Business?

Some businesses register WhatsApp Business using their landline number, so you may see a company's landline number appear in WhatsApp. That only means the business has a WhatsApp account. You are calling or messaging their WhatsApp app, not ringing their desk phone, and someone has to be signed in to answer it.

Can a landline call a WhatsApp number?

A landline can dial the phone number a person uses for WhatsApp, but it rings their phone the normal way, through their mobile network. It does not ring inside WhatsApp, and the caller pays a normal phone call rate. If the person has taken their SIM out abroad, the landline call will not reach them at all, even though their WhatsApp still works on Wi-Fi.

Which apps can call a landline?

Skype used to be the default answer. It is not any more. Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025. Microsoft says remaining paid users can still use the Skype Dial Pad from the web portal or inside Teams Free with credit they already had, but new Skype Credit and subscriptions can no longer be bought. Our post on whether Skype is still available covers what is left.

Here is what can call a landline today:

Option	How it works	How you pay	Good to know
Your mobile carrier	Dial the number from your phone	Plan minutes or international rates	Simplest, but international rates on US plans can be high without an add-on
Google Voice	App or voice.google.com	Free to US and Canada from the US, prepaid credit for other countries	Only for personal Google Accounts in the US
Viber Out	Inside the Viber app	Credit or subscription	Viber listed UK calls from 2.1¢ a minute (as of July 2026)
Rebtel	Mobile app	Pay as you go or monthly plans	Listed UK calls at 2.4¢ a minute, 4.8¢ to O2 and Three mobiles (as of July 2026); plans renew every 30 days
Yolla	Mobile app	Credit or bundles	Listed UK calls at 6¢ landline, 10¢ mobile (as of July 2026); its $0.99 welcome offers switch to auto-renewing monthly bundles
BoraPhone	Any web browser	Pay-as-you-go credit, from a $5 top-up	UK landlines $0.04 a minute at the time of writing (October 2026)

Third-party rates above are snapshots from each company's own rate pages on the dates shown, and they change often, so check the app before you call. The right pick depends on who you call: an app with unlimited plans can win if you ring one country for hours a month, while pay-as-you-go suits occasional calls to several places.

How to call a landline abroad from a browser

If you do not want to install another app, or you are on a laptop, a browser calling service is the quickest route. BoraPhone works this way: it calls landlines and mobiles in more than 180 countries from Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox, with no app, no SIM and no subscription. The rate appears before you dial, billing is per minute rounded up to the next full minute, failed calls are refunded in full, and your first call is free when you sign up with an email address.

The steps:

Open the site on your phone, laptop or tablet and sign up.
Add credit if you need more than the free first call.
Type the landline in international format: a plus sign, the country code, then the area code and number. Drop the leading 0 that many countries use for domestic calls.
Check the rate shown, then press call and allow the microphone.

Dialing examples

Calling a landline in...	What you type	What to drop
London, UK	+44 20 then the 8-digit number	The 0 in 020
Mexico City	+52 55 then the 8-digit number	Nothing, Mexico no longer uses a trunk prefix
Berlin, Germany	+49 30 then the number	The 0 in 030
Madrid, Spain	+34 91 then the 7-digit number	Nothing, Spain has no trunk 0
New York, US	+1 212 then the 7-digit number	Nothing

What a 10-minute landline call costs

Landline rates for the browser route above, at the time of writing (October 2026). Each country links to its live rates page.

Destination	Landline rate	10-minute call
United Kingdom	$0.04 a minute	$0.40
Mexico	$0.04 a minute	$0.40
Spain	$0.04 a minute	$0.40
Germany	$0.07 a minute	$0.70
India	about $0.11 a minute	$1.11
Philippines	about $0.46 a minute	$4.61

The last row is there on purpose. Calls to the Philippines, Nigeria, Pakistan and much of Africa cost more this way than on some apps and carrier add-ons. If you call those countries every week, an app plan is usually cheaper. A browser call makes the most sense there for a one-off landline call, an urgent call, or someone who cannot install an app.

For a longer look at the choices, including carrier add-ons and calling cards, read our guide to calling landlines abroad without WhatsApp.

When WhatsApp is still the right choice

None of this makes WhatsApp a bad tool. If the person you are calling has WhatsApp and a decent connection, a WhatsApp call is free and end-to-end encrypted. Use it for family and friends who are on it.

The problem is everyone else. Hotels, airlines, banks, government offices, doctors and older relatives with a home phone often have only a landline. A good habit is to keep WhatsApp for app-to-app calls and have one paid option ready for the calls it cannot make. We compare the two approaches in WhatsApp vs international calls.

Frequently asked questions

How do I call a landline over the internet?

Use a service that connects to the phone network, such as Google Voice (US accounts), Viber Out, or a browser calling service. You type the number with its country code, and the service carries the call over the internet to a phone carrier that rings the landline. These calls cost a few cents a minute to many countries.

Can I call a WhatsApp number from a regular phone?

Yes, but it is a normal phone call to that person's mobile number, not a WhatsApp call. It rings through their mobile network and you pay your usual rate. If their SIM is switched off, the call will not connect even if they are online in WhatsApp.

Are WhatsApp calls free internationally?

WhatsApp-to-WhatsApp calls are free in any country, because they use data or Wi-Fi rather than call minutes. WhatsApp notes that "data charges may apply" from your provider if you are not on Wi-Fi. Calls to landlines and non-WhatsApp mobiles are not possible at any price.

Can WhatsApp call emergency numbers?

No. WhatsApp's terms of service say its services "do not provide access to emergency services", so it cannot reach 911 or any other emergency number. Always use your phone's regular dialer for emergencies.

Is there a WhatsApp feature like Skype credit?

No. WhatsApp has never sold calling credit or a way to dial phone numbers. Skype credit filled that role until Skype retired in May 2025, and today you need a separate app, carrier plan or browser service for it.

Can WhatsApp Call a Landline? No, and Here's What Can