Is Google Hangouts Free to Use for Online Calls?

Google HangoutsVideo Calling

By Corbin HartwickUpdated on March 14, 2022

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So far in our Google Hangouts course, we have gone over what Google Hangouts is and how it works, and if Google Hangouts is safe. Next, we’ll talk about how much it costs to use Google Hangouts. Don’t worry; it’s not very pricey at all, unless you’re going to be using it to frequently call people in other countries around the world.

We’ll explain more below.

Can I download Google Hangouts and make calls with it for free?

Google Hangouts is mostly free to use. You can use it to send text messages, phone calls, or video calls to other users for free. You can also make phone calls with standard phone numbers from Google Hangouts, which is mostly free in the United States and Canada, but usually not elsewhere.

Google Hangouts also doesn’t cost any money to download or install, and there is no limit on how much time you can spend using it, how many messages you can send, or how many calls you can make.

How much does Google Hangouts cost?

If you call a non-free phone number in the United States or Canada from Google Hangouts, the phone call will cost you 1₵/minute (USD). If you call a phone number from a country outside of North America, the cost will depend on which country you are calling, and whether you’re calling a mobile or landline phone.

If you wish to see the current per-minute rates of calling phones in non-North-American countries, visit this page for Google Voice. Then, type in the name of the country that you wish to call, select your billing currency, and select where you’re calling from.


That’s about all that we can tell you about the cost of Google Hangouts! In our next article, we’ll have a look at the pros and cons of Google Hangouts, to help you decide if it will be the right communication platform for your needs.

Check out the rest of our Google Hangouts course to learn more, and visit our step-by-step tutorials on how to download and install Google Hangouts, and how to use the online communication tool.