Are toll-free calls really free?

Is it free to call a toll-free number?

Yes, from a US landline, and usually from a US mobile. Under FCC rules the toll-free subscriber, meaning the company you call, pays the toll charges for completed calls, not you ^[4]. What can still cost you money is your own side: mobile airtime on a limited plan, roaming, or a call placed from another country.

The rule is old. Toll-free calling started in 1967 with the 800 code ^[5]. Today seven codes work the same way: 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 and 833 ^[1]. For what the codes mean, see what a toll-free number is. Every way to place the call is ranked in the main guide on how to call a toll-free number.

Are 1-800 calls free from a landline?

Yes. The FCC says toll-free numbers can be dialed from landlines with no charge to the person placing the call ^[1]. The company pays for each completed call ^[9]. Dial 1, then the toll-free code and the seven digits, for example 1 800 555 0142. There is no per-minute charge and no connection fee on your bill.

Federal rules go further. Carriers must stop any use of a toll-free number that would charge the caller for completing the call ^[10]. That rule is aimed at pay-per-call tricks: a line that is advertised as toll-free should not bill you for connecting.

Two cases are not covered. A call to a number with a regular area code is not toll-free, even if the company calls it a "free hotline". And a call to +855 is an international call to Cambodia, not to the US toll-free code 855 ^[11].

Are 1-800 calls free from a mobile phone?

The company still pays for the call, but your carrier may count the minutes. The FCC says wireless callers are charged for the airtime used on a toll-free call unless they have an unlimited calling plan ^[1]. On an unlimited plan the call is free. On a prepaid plan with a minute bucket, a long hold uses it up.

Dial the number the same way as on a landline: 1 800 555 0142 or +1 800 555 0142. Both reach the same line from a US mobile.

Wi-Fi Calling on a US plan

Wi-Fi Calling does not change who pays. T-Mobile says Wi-Fi calls to US numbers are free, including while abroad ^[8]. On limited plans those calls still count against plan limits ^[12]. T-Mobile's page does not mention toll-free numbers, and AT&T says toll-free calls often fail from abroad ^[13]. If the Wi-Fi drops mid-call, the call can switch to cellular and pick up roaming charges abroad ^[12].

Do you need coins to call a 1-800 number from a payphone?

No. The FCC says calls to toll-free numbers from US payphones do not require a coin, and this includes calls billed to calling cards or credit cards ^[2]. Lift the handset and dial 1 plus the number. You can also reach an operator without a coin ^[2].

Who pays for hold time on a toll-free call?

The company pays for the whole call, hold music included, because the subscriber pays the charges for completed calls ^[4]. On a landline or an unlimited mobile plan, a 40-minute hold costs you nothing. Hold time only costs you when your side is metered: limited airtime, roaming, or a paid app that bills by the minute.

Paid apps count hold time like talk time. TwinPhone bills per minute, rounded up, and hold time counts; unanswered and busy calls are free ^[14]. At US$0.02 a minute ^[14], a 40-minute hold costs US$0.80. Roaming on T-Mobile at US$0.50 a minute ^[8], the same hold costs US$20.

To cut hold time, call when the line opens. Many agencies publish hours; the Social Security line 1-800-772-1213, for example, is answered 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time on weekdays ^[15]. Ask for a callback if the menu offers one.

Is a toll-free call free from abroad?

No. A US toll-free number is free for callers inside its service area, and that area is the US, sometimes Canada and the Caribbean ^[6]. From other countries, AT&T says toll-free numbers may not connect, or may be billed as international calls ^[7]. If it does connect, expect your carrier's normal price for a call to the US.

Even a US phone does not fix this. AT&T says toll-free numbers often won't connect over Wi-Fi Calling from outside the US, and if they do, they are billed as international calls ^[13]. Google charges US Voice users international rates when they call from another country ^[16].

The cheapest reliable route is usually the company's own number for overseas callers. The IRS, for example, lists +1 267 941 1000 for callers outside the US ^[18], and Bank of America takes international collect calls ^[19]. If a company has none, an app that bills a few cents a minute beats roaming. For a plain breakdown, TwinPhone explains what a call from abroad actually costs; its own rate to US toll-free is US$0.02 a minute, not free ^[14], and some lines that accept only certain US states may still refuse it ^[20].

The full how-to, with every option ranked, is on how to call a 1-800 number from abroad. If the call fails with a recorded message, see why a toll-free number is not working.

Are US toll-free numbers free to call from Canada?

Often, but not always. Canada uses the same toll-free codes as the US, shared across the North American Numbering Plan, with charges billed to the called party ^[22]. Whether a given US line accepts Canadian callers depends on the area of service the company picked: US only, US plus Canada, or US plus Canada and the Caribbean ^[6].

If the line covers Canada, the call is free from a Canadian landline. If it is set to US only, the call may not go through from Canada. Dial 1 800 555 0142 as at home, since the US and Canada share country code 1 ^[17]. Details for callers in Canada are on the calling from Canada page.

Is a 1800 number free in Ireland?

Yes, inside Ireland. ComReg says calls to 1800 numbers are free for callers ^[23], and the caller's operator does not charge for them ^[24]. Since 1 January 2022 Ireland has only two non-geographic ranges, 1800 Freephone and 0818 Standard Rate ^[25]. An Irish 1800 number is not a US toll-free number, even though both start with 1800.

From outside Ireland, ComReg wrote in 2021 that 1800 numbers are not generally internationally accessible ^[26]. Dialed with the international prefix, 1800 turns into a Dublin geographic number ^[26]. The details and alternatives are on calling an Irish 1800 number from abroad.

Is a 1800 number free in Australia?

From fixed lines, yes; from mobiles, usually. Telstra says 1800 numbers are free from any fixed line and most mobile services in Australia, while 13 and 1300 numbers cost a fixed charge ^[27]. The regulator ACMA puts it more cautiously: calls to 1800 from mobiles are generally free, but some mobile providers charge, so check your plan ^[28].

From overseas, do not count on it. Telstra says Freecall 1800 reverse charging is not available outside Australia, and overseas callers need an International Freecall or Global 800 number instead ^[29]. Read calling Australian 1800 and 1300 numbers from overseas before you try.

Are 0800 numbers free in the UK?

Yes, from UK phones. Ofcom says all Freephone numbers starting 0800 or 0808 are free to call from mobiles and landlines ^[3]. That change took effect on 1 July 2015 ^[30]. The UK uses 0800 where the US uses 1-800, and the two are unrelated numbers.

From abroad, the rules do not apply. Ofcom's UK Calling changes do not cover international calls or calls to the UK while roaming ^[3]. The UK government's NI Direct says calling an 080 number from outside the UK may work, depending on the foreign provider, but it is not free ^[31]. More on calling a UK 0800 number from abroad.

Is a 1800 number free in India?

Yes, inside India. TRAI says the calling party reaches a toll-free service at no cost, and the called party bears all expenses ^[32]. Airtel says 1800 calls are free from mobiles and landlines anywhere in India ^[33]. Standard Indian 1800 numbers cannot be dialed from payphones ^[33].

International toll-free in India uses a separate 000800 series, not the domestic 1800 range ^[32]. I found no official statement that domestic Indian 1800 numbers work from abroad, so I do not promise it. See calling an Indian 1800 number from abroad.

Why was I charged for a toll-free call?

Almost always because of your side of the call, not the number. The company pays for the toll part ^[4], but your carrier can still bill airtime on a limited plan ^[1], roaming abroad ^[8], or an international call from a foreign phone ^[7]. Check the bill line for the country and the minutes.

• Limited minutes. The call used airtime from your bucket ^[1].
• Roaming. A cellular call abroad on T-Mobile is US$0.50 a minute ^[8]. On Google Fi Flexible it is US$0.20 a minute ^[34].
• Wi-Fi dropped. The call moved to cellular and roaming applied ^[12].
• Wrong number type. +855 is Cambodia, not toll-free 855 ^[11].
• A paid app. Apps bill by the minute, hold time included ^[14].

If you see a charge for connecting to a line that was advertised as toll-free, ask your carrier about it: carriers must block uses of toll-free numbers that charge the caller for completing the call ^[10].