Signal review

Signal is the privacy pick for international app calls. Its site promises voice and video calls to people across town or across the ocean with no long-distance charges, and every call is end-to-end encrypted with the open source Signal Protocol. Signal states that it cannot read your messages or listen to your calls. The service is run by an independent 501c3 nonprofit, funded by grants and donations, and shows no ads and runs no tracking. Apps cover Android, iPhone and iPad plus Windows, Mac and Linux desktops. The limits are the same as any app-only service: it reaches only people who install Signal, and it has no way to call a landline or regular mobile number. In practice, fewer relatives abroad are likely to have Signal than WhatsApp, so it works best for contacts who already care about privacy.

Who it is for

privacy-minded callers who want free encrypted calls

Price

Free; funded by grants and donations.

Make crystal-clear voice and video calls to people who live across town, or across the ocean, with no long-distance charges.
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 14, 2026.

Key features

• Free voice and video calls with no long-distance charges
• End-to-end encryption by the open source Signal Protocol on every call
• No ads, no affiliate marketers and no tracking
• Run by an independent 501c3 nonprofit
• Apps for Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, Mac and Linux

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Signal says it cannot read messages or listen to calls
• Strength: Completely free with no ads
• Strength: Desktop apps include Linux
• Weakness: Only calls other Signal users
• Weakness: Fewer of your contacts may have it than WhatsApp
• Weakness: No paid option for calling landlines or mobile numbers

Key facts

• Price: Free
• Encryption: Signal Protocol, end-to-end
• Ads: None
• Owner: Signal Technology Foundation, a nonprofit

Where it ranks

Signal is No. 6 in our Best International Calling Apps verdict.