Calling India from the US costs nothing app to app, and about 10 cents a minute to a real Indian mobile over internet calling. On LimePhone the rate to India is $0.0992 a minute, so a 10-minute call costs about $1 and a 30-minute call about $3. Calls through a standard US mobile plan without an international add-on usually cost much more, so check your carrier's rate before you dial.
Key points
- To dial India from the US, enter 011, then 91, then the 10-digit Indian number. From a VoIP dialer, choose India and enter the 10 digits.
- WhatsApp calls are free if the person in India uses WhatsApp, which most do.
- For calls to Indian businesses, banks, government offices and family without data, you need a service that rings real numbers.
- LimePhone charges $0.0992 a minute to India, with no connection fee, from a browser or the Android app.
How to dial India from the US
- Dial 011, the US exit code.
- Dial 91, the country code for India.
- Dial the 10-digit number. Indian mobile numbers start with 6, 7, 8 or 9. Drop the leading 0 that Indians use for domestic calls.
Example: a Mumbai mobile written locally as 098765 43210 is dialed from the US as 011 91 98765 43210. In an internet dialer such as LimePhone, select India and type 9876543210.
What it costs to call India from the US
| Call length | Cost to India |
|---|---|
| 1 minute | $0.10 |
| 5 minutes | $0.50 |
| 10 minutes | $0.99 |
| 30 minutes | $2.98 |
| 1 hour | $5.95 |
| 2 hours | $11.90 |
On LimePhone, calls to India are charged at $0.0992 a minute. LimePhone prices and rates checked October 24, 2026.
LimePhone lists a single rate for India, with no connection fee. Every other country is on the rates page.
Every way to call India, compared
- WhatsApp or another app: free, but only if the person is online with the same app.
- Internet calling (VoIP): around 10 cents a minute on LimePhone, from a browser or phone, to any number in India.
- A US carrier international add-on: a monthly fee for discounted minutes. Worth it only if you call India often from your mobile.
- Prepaid calling cards: low headline rates, but access numbers, connection fees and expiry dates add up.
- Standard US mobile rates: usually the most expensive way to call India.
When a real number matters
Many calls to India are not to family: they are to a bank, a property agent, a hospital, an airline or a government office. Those numbers do not take WhatsApp calls, and some will not call back an unknown international number. LimePhone calls them directly and shows your US number, so they can return the call to a normal US number.
Best time to call India from the US
India Standard Time is 9 hours 30 minutes ahead of US Eastern time during US daylight saving time, and 10 hours 30 minutes ahead in winter. India does not change its clocks. A call at 8 pm Eastern reaches India the next morning, between 5:30 and 6:30 am, so evenings in the US are early mornings in India; US mornings land in the Indian evening.
How we checked
LimePhone prices and per-minute rates in this article come from the live LimePhone rate table and plan list, checked on October 24, 2026. Rates change; the current figures are always on the rates page and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to call India from the USA?
On LimePhone, $0.0992 a minute. A 10-minute call costs about $1. App calls on WhatsApp are free if both people use it.
What is the cheapest way to call India from the US?
Free app calls when the person uses the same app. For any Indian landline or mobile, internet calling at about 10 cents a minute is far cheaper than standard mobile rates.
How do I dial an Indian mobile from the US?
Dial 011, then 91, then the 10-digit mobile number without the leading 0.
Can I call India from my computer?
Yes. LimePhone calls Indian numbers from Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari, with no app to install.
Can people in India call me back?
Yes. Your LimePhone number is a normal US number, so they can call it like any US number. Their own carrier's international rate applies to them.
About the author
Vincent Hawley writes LimePhone's guides to business phone numbers, international calling and calling over the internet.
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