If you make international calls, you have probably come across both Google Voice and BubblyPhone. They both let you call real phone numbers abroad. But the way they work, what they cost, and who they are actually built for? Completely different.
I have used both. Here is what you actually need to know before picking one.
Google Voice: The Basics
Google Voice is Google's phone service. You get a free US phone number, free calls to the US and Canada, and you can make international calls by buying credits. It's been around since 2009 and it works well for what it does.
But there are some big catches.
First, you need a Google account. Fine, most people have one. But you also need an existing US phone number to set it up. That immediately cuts out anyone outside the United States. If you are in Canada, the UK, India, the Philippines, or anywhere else — Google Voice is not available to you. Period.
Second, international calls are not free. The free calling only covers US and Canada. For everything else, you need to add credit to your account and pay per minute. The rates are reasonable — India is about $0.02/min, UK is $0.02/min, Mexico is around $0.03/min. But they add up, and they vary a lot by country.
Third, you are locked into Google's ecosystem. If Google decides to change Voice (and they have a history of killing products), you are along for the ride.
BubblyPhone: The Basics
BubblyPhone is a browser-based international calling service. You open bubblyphone.com in any browser, add credit, and start calling real phone numbers anywhere in the world. No app to download. No account tied to a specific country. No subscriptions.
It is strictly pay-as-you-go. You buy credit, you make calls, you get charged by the minute. When your credit runs low, you top up. That's it.
The big advantage? It works from anywhere. You could be in London, Lagos, Manila, or Mumbai — as long as you have a browser and internet, you can make calls. No US phone number required. No country restrictions.
The Rate Comparison (This Is What You Came For)
Let's get to the numbers. Here is what you will actually pay per minute to call the most popular international destinations:
India (mobile): Google Voice ~$0.02/min | BubblyPhone $0.10/min
Mexico: Google Voice ~$0.03/min | BubblyPhone $0.01/min
United Kingdom: Google Voice ~$0.02/min | BubblyPhone $0.01/min
Philippines: Google Voice ~$0.15/min | BubblyPhone $0.22/min
Pakistan: Google Voice ~$0.06/min | BubblyPhone $0.06/min
Brazil: Google Voice ~$0.05/min | BubblyPhone $0.01/min
I will be straight with you: Google Voice wins on India rates. If you are calling Indian mobile numbers frequently, Google Voice is significantly cheaper at $0.02 versus $0.10 per minute. That is a meaningful difference if you are making hour-long calls to family.
But look at Mexico and Brazil — BubblyPhone is 3-5x cheaper. And the UK is half the price. It really depends on where you are calling.
The Real Differences (Beyond Just Price)
Rates are important, but they are not the whole story. Here is where these two services really diverge.
Availability
Google Voice: US only. You need a US phone number to even sign up. If you are an expat living in Germany or a student in the Philippines who wants to call home, Google Voice is not an option.
BubblyPhone: Works globally. Any country, any browser. This alone is the deciding factor for millions of people.
Setup and Requirements
Google Voice: Google account + US phone number + app or web. The setup is straightforward if you meet the requirements, but those requirements are strict.
BubblyPhone: Browser + internet. That's it. Go to the website, create an account, add credit, call. You can be up and running in under two minutes.
How You Pay
Both services are pay-as-you-go for international calls. Google Voice lets you add $10, $25, or $50 in credit. BubblyPhone works similarly — add credit and it gets deducted per minute.
Neither requires a monthly subscription for basic international calling, which is a point in both their favors.
Call Quality
Both use VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), so call quality depends heavily on your internet connection. On a solid Wi-Fi or 4G/5G connection, both sound clear and reliable. On a spotty connection, both will struggle.
Google Voice has the advantage of Google's massive infrastructure. BubblyPhone uses Telnyx's network, which is also enterprise-grade. In practice, I have not noticed a quality difference between the two when my internet was decent.
Extra Features
Google Voice gives you a lot more than just calling. You get voicemail, text messaging, call forwarding, spam filtering, and integration with Google's other services. It is a full phone service, not just an international calling tool.
BubblyPhone is focused specifically on international calling. You open it, you call, you are done. No voicemail, no text messages, no extra features to navigate. For some people, that simplicity is a feature, not a limitation.
When Google Voice Makes More Sense
Use Google Voice if:
You are based in the US and have a US phone number
You want a full phone service with voicemail, texts, and call forwarding
You call India frequently (their rates are significantly lower for Indian mobile)
You already live in Google's ecosystem (Gmail, Google Calendar, Android)
You want free US and Canada calling as a bonus
Honestly, if you check all those boxes, Google Voice is hard to beat. It is backed by one of the biggest tech companies on the planet, the rates to most countries are competitive, and the free domestic calling is a nice perk.
When BubblyPhone Makes More Sense
Use BubblyPhone if:
You are outside the US (this is the big one — Google Voice simply is not available to you)
You do not want to install an app — just open a browser and call
You call Mexico, Brazil, or the UK frequently (BubblyPhone's rates are better for these)
You want something simple — no Google account, no US number, no setup headaches
You travel frequently and need to make calls from different countries
The accessibility factor is massive. There are roughly 7 billion people who cannot use Google Voice because they are not in the US. BubblyPhone does not have that restriction.
What About Call Quality and Reliability?
I tested both services calling the same numbers in India, the UK, and Mexico over the same Wi-Fi connection. The honest truth? Both sounded fine. Clear audio, minimal delay, no dropped calls.
VoIP call quality in 2026 is generally excellent across all providers. The bottleneck is almost always your internet connection, not the service itself. If you have a stable connection with at least 1 Mbps upload, either service will work perfectly.
One thing worth noting: some calls to certain European countries can be tricky with VoIP services due to STIR/SHAKEN regulations. This is not specific to either Google Voice or BubblyPhone — it is an industry-wide issue that affects VoIP calls to countries like Spain, Norway, and Germany occasionally.
The Verdict
This is not a situation where one service is clearly better than the other. They serve different people.
If you are in the US, Google Voice is a strong choice. You get a free number, free domestic calls, and competitive international rates — especially to India. It is a complete phone service backed by Google's infrastructure.
If you are anywhere else in the world, or if you just want the simplest possible way to call a phone number abroad from your browser, BubblyPhone is the way to go. No US number needed, no app to download, competitive rates to Latin America and Europe.
My recommendation? If you qualify for Google Voice (US-based, have a US number), try it first — the free domestic calling and lower India rates are hard to argue with. If you do not qualify, or if you find Google's setup too restrictive, BubblyPhone is a solid alternative that just works.
The best international calling service is the one that actually works for your situation. For most of the world's population, that is not Google Voice.
Rate comparison: BubblyPhone vs Google Voice for popular destinations
