How Much Does It Cost to Call India from USA?
Here's what your carrier doesn't want you to know: calling India costs AT&T about $0.008 per minute. They charge you $3.00. That's a 375x markup. And millions of people pay it because they don't know the alternatives.
The US-to-India calling corridor is one of the busiest in the world. Over 4.4 million Indian-Americans live in the US, plus millions more with family, business, or cultural ties. Carriers know this. They price accordingly.
But the actual cost to route a call to India has dropped 97% since 2000. VoIP services pass those savings on. Carriers don't.
The Real Rates: 2026 Comparison
I tested every major option and tracked what I actually paid. No advertised rates — real costs after all fees.
| Provider | Landline | Mobile | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T (Pay-per-use) | $3.00 | $3.00 | Highest per-minute cost |
| AT&T International Day Pass | $12/day | $12/day | Unlimited but expensive for regular callers |
| Verizon (Pay-per-use) | $2.49 | $2.49 | Slightly cheaper than AT&T |
| T-Mobile (Magenta) | Included | Included | Unlimited to 215+ countries, but requires expensive plan |
| Calling Cards | $0.03-0.10 | $0.05-0.15 | Hidden fees add 3-5x to real cost |
| Viber Out | $0.019 | $0.039 | Requires app download |
| GlobCall | $0.02 | $0.04 | Browser-based, no app, per-second billing |
Rates as of February 2026. Per-minute unless noted.
Landline vs. Mobile: Why It Matters
Calling an Indian landline costs about half as much as calling a mobile. Why? Mobile termination fees.
When you call a mobile in India, the Indian carrier (Jio, Airtel, Vi) charges a fee to complete that call on their network. That fee gets passed to you. Landlines — operated by BSNL and MTNL — have much lower termination costs.
The practical takeaway: If you're calling someone's home, ask for their landline number. It's literally half the price.
A Real Example: Monthly Calling Costs
Ananya in San Jose calls her parents in Pune twice a week. Each call is about 45 minutes — mostly to her mother's mobile, occasionally to the family landline.
Monthly usage: 8 calls × 45 minutes = 360 minutes
AT&T pay-per-use: 360 × $3.00 = $1,080/month
AT&T Day Pass: 8 days × $12 = $96/month
GlobCall (mobile rate): 360 × $0.04 = $14.40/month
She was paying $96/month with the Day Pass before switching. Now she pays under $15 for the same calls. That's $970 saved per year — enough for a round-trip ticket to India.
What About WhatsApp?
The obvious question: why not just use WhatsApp? Free calling, right?
WhatsApp works great when both people have smartphones, the app installed, and decent internet. That covers most calls to urban India — younger relatives, friends, business contacts.
But what about:
- Your grandmother with a basic phone in a village?
- A hospital or government office that only has landlines?
- A business call where the other person's internet is unstable?
- Calling when someone's phone is dead but they're home?
For actual phone numbers — landlines, mobiles, offices — you need a real calling service. WhatsApp is a complement, not a replacement.
The Contrarian Take
People assume calling India is expensive. It's not. Carriers are expensive. The underlying cost of routing a call to India is under a penny per minute. You can get close to that with VoIP.
The $3/minute rates exist because carriers segment their customers. They know many people don't research alternatives. They know calling cards seem sketchy. They know apps feel complicated. So they charge 100x the cost and call it "convenience."
How to Start Calling India for Less
- Know the number: +91 + 10-digit number (no city code for mobiles).
- Open GlobCall in your browser. Works on laptop, phone, or tablet.
- Sign in with email. No downloads needed.
- First call is free — test the quality before adding credit.
- Add $10-20 credit. At $0.04/min to mobiles, that's 250-500 minutes.
- Call during off-peak India hours for faster connections (avoid 7-9 PM IST).
Setup takes under 2 minutes. No contracts, no monthly fees, credits never expire.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the cheapest way to call India from the USA?
Browser-based VoIP services like GlobCall offer the lowest rates: $0.02/min to landlines, $0.04/min to mobiles. No monthly fees, no app to install. Carriers like AT&T charge $3.00/min — that's 75x more expensive.
Why does calling Indian mobiles cost more than landlines?
Indian mobile carriers charge termination fees — the cost to complete a call on their network. These fees are passed on to you. Landlines in India have lower termination costs, so rates are cheaper.
Can I use WhatsApp to call India for free?
Only if the other person has WhatsApp and a stable internet connection. You can't call landlines, offices, or anyone without the app. For actual phone numbers, you need a paid service.
What about AT&T's international calling add-on?
AT&T's International Day Pass is $12/day for unlimited calls to 210+ countries. If you call India regularly, that's $360/month. With VoIP at $0.04/min, $360 buys 9,000 minutes — enough for 5 hours daily.
Do calling cards still work for India?
They exist, but hidden fees make them expensive. Connection fees, billing increments, and 'maintenance charges' often triple the advertised rate. A '3¢/min' card can cost 10-15¢/min in reality.
What's the best time to call India from USA?
India is 9.5-12.5 hours ahead of US time zones. Evening calls (6-10 PM EST) reach India at 3:30 AM-7:30 AM IST — early morning. For business hours in India (9 AM-6 PM IST), call from the US between 10:30 PM-9:30 AM EST.
Can I call Indian government offices?
Yes, if they have a landline. Dial +91, then the city code and number. Government offices typically use landlines, so rates are lower ($0.02/min with VoIP).
How do I dial an Indian phone number from the US?
Dial +91 (India country code), then the 10-digit number. For landlines, the first 2-4 digits are the city code. For mobiles, just dial all 10 digits after +91.
Call India for $0.02-0.04/min
First call free. No app download, no monthly fee, credits never expire.
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