PayCall

PayCall is a browser-based service for calling U.S. and Canadian phone numbers over the internet, including toll-free 1-800 hotlines that often don't work from foreign phones. It is built for people abroad who need to reach a U.S. or Canadian bank, card issuer, airline, insurer or government office quickly. No app, SIM or U.S. phone number is needed.

Enter a number or pick one of the company guides, see the price, buy prepaid credits with card, Apple Pay or Google Pay (via Stripe), and call from the browser over WiFi or mobile data. A keypad handles phone menus, and credits can be added during a live call without hanging up.

Every call starts in Hold for me with the microphone off at $0.09/min, so waiting in a hotline queue is cheap; you still hear the music and the menus. Turn the microphone on to talk at $0.39/min. Billed per second, no subscription, unanswered calls are free. Credits come in $10 and $20 packs and don't expire.

Refunds whatever the reason: if a call didn't help, you can refund it in your account within 24 hours, up to $3 per call. The first 2 refunds are instant, a 3rd is reviewed on request ($9 per account), returned as PayCall Credits.

PayCall doesn't record or transcribe calls and never sees your card number. Free guides in 11 languages list official numbers for U.S. and Canadian banks, airlines, insurers and government agencies.

Limitations: U.S. and Canada only. No emergency calls, premium numbers, collect calls, SMS or incoming numbers. Routing to every hotline isn't guaranteed; internet charges may apply.

PayCall replaces the Skype Credit use case of calling phone numbers and toll-free lines from abroad, not Skype's messaging or video calls.