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Google Voice, WhatsApp, Skype and TextNow: one service at a time in 2026
Each post here takes one service and answers the questions people ask about it, from the help pages and terms I read on . Four posts cover Google Voice: whether it is free, its rates for calls abroad, how to get a number, and where it works. Its personal plans are sold only in the US [1], and a new number can't call until an ID check passes [2]. Two cover WhatsApp, which announced calls in WhatsApp Web on [3]; on its help page still said the feature was rolling out gradually [4]. Those calls connect WhatsApp accounts and guests who join by call link [5]. Two follow Skype, which Microsoft retired on ; all Skype Number subscriptions ended in May 2026 [6]. One explains TextNow's ad-supported free number for calls to the US and Canada [7]. To compare replacements instead, see services that replace Google Voice or what to use now that Skype is gone.
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What is TextNow? A free US or Canadian number you can use in a browserTextNow gives US and Canadian residents a free, ad-funded phone number that also works in a browser. How it stays free, how web calls work, who can't use it.
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Can you use Google Voice outside the US? Countries, travel and moving abroadGoogle Voice not available in your country? Personal accounts are US-only. I checked the 34 countries Workspace covers and what still works on a trip abroad.
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Is Google Voice free? What is free and what you pay forGoogle Voice is free in the US for calls to most US and Canada numbers. I list what it costs: Starter and Standard plans, calls abroad and number fees.
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Google Voice international call rates: what a minute costs and how the credit worksWhat Google Voice charges a minute to call abroad, with dated rates for 12 countries, how prepaid credit and auto-recharge work, the balance cap and refunds.
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How to get a Google Voice phone number in 2026: requirements, steps and fixesHow to get a Google Voice number in 2026: who qualifies, the sign-up steps at voice.google.com, the text code and ID check, and fixes for common errors.
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WhatsApp international calls: free app to app, with three catchesWhatsApp calls abroad are free between two WhatsApp accounts, on a phone or a laptop. I list what you still pay for: data, roaming and non-WhatsApp numbers.
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Can WhatsApp call landlines or normal phone numbers?WhatsApp can't call landlines or numbers without WhatsApp, on a phone or in a browser. I read its help pages and compare services that can, checked Nov 2026.
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Is Skype still a thing? What happened after Skype shut down in May 2025Is Skype still a thing? No: it shut down on May 5, 2025. I traced what came next: the move to Teams (free), the data deadlines, Skype Credit and Skype Numbers.
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Your Skype Number after Skype: what ended, what you can claim, what replaces itSkype Numbers ended in May 2026 and can't be ported now. I read Microsoft's pages on refunds, leftover credit and deadlines, and compared replacement numbers.
Sources
- Identify Google Voice subscription types - Google Voice Help · checked November 1, 2026
- Learn about identity verification for Google Voice users - Google Voice Help · checked November 1, 2026
- Introducing Web Calling on WhatsApp, Plus More New Updates (WhatsApp Blog, July 28, 2026) · checked November 1, 2026
- About WhatsApp Web calling - WhatsApp Help Center · checked November 1, 2026
- Now You Can Invite Anyone to a WhatsApp Call: No Account Needed, No Cost, No Time Limit (WhatsApp Blog, October 14, 2026) · checked November 1, 2026
- Skype is retiring in May 2025: What you need to know - Microsoft Support · checked November 1, 2026
- TextNow phone plan guide (textnow.com/phone-plan) · checked November 1, 2026