Here's the scoop; Text messages sent internationally will incur a fee, usually less than making an international phone call. To avoid any surprises, be sure to check with your carrier before sending any texts overseas.
Note: TextFree users can send text messages to the countries seen below, but please note, we only support service to US and Canadian residents while they are within the United States and Canada. International residents cannot create a TextFree account.
You are charged twice, when you send and when you receive international messages, so take that into account when you send texts the “old-school” way. The process is simple and it works just like a voice call. In the phone Messaging app, type your country's exit code followed by the cell number you want to text.
You can send an iMessage to anyone anywhere in the world for free. There is no charge from Apple to use iMessage. You may pay data charges depending on your carrier. You might also want to make sure that "Send as SMS" is turned off for now, so that if the iMessage fails, you are not charged for an international SMS.
Go to Settings, and then Messages. Activate the iMessage button, and enter 'send and receive' so you can select the way you want to send or receive your texts.
Make calls and send texts
To a country outside of the U.S.: Press + or 011 on your phone's keypad, then the country code and local number.
SMS and MMS carrier fees are additional costs charged by wireless carriers. These fees vary per message and number type. For example, some carriers only charge fees for messages sent on toll-free numbers. Others charge for both sent and received messages on short codes.
To avoid surprise charges completely, set your phone to airplane mode. Depending on your phone, switching to airplane mode might shut off your Wi-Fi connection. If this happens, you'll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi once you're sure airplane mode is on and cellular data is off.
Compose a text message then enter the following in the 'To' field: "+" then the country code, then the region code, then the mobile phone number. : The + symbol can be obtained on most devices by pressing and holding 0 for a few seconds.
There is no extra charge to send a text message to a phone that is roaming in another country, but if the SIM originates in another country charges will apply. The charges can vary depending on the carrier and the destination country.
Sending SMS messages over WiFi with third-party messaging apps. Messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Viber, Line, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and WeChat all use Wi Fi calling to transmit text messages. These types of internet-based apps are free to download and use.
We only support service to US and Canadian residents while they are within the United States and Canada at this time. If you are traveling within the United States or Canada, you are able to use TextFree. If you are traveling outside of the US or Canada, you will be unable to use TextFree mobile or Web.
What happens if I turn off data roaming? If you turn off data roaming, you won't be charged any roaming fees—but you also won't be able to use your phone data, calling, or texting if you leave your carrier's mobile network.
You're charged as per your international long distance calling plan. If you don't have one, you're charged pay-as-you-go rates. Calling back to the US is free. Calls to any other country will be charged as per your international long distance calling plan.
In the recipient box, enter the international prefix (00) + country code + number of the receiving party (for example, 008613512345678), or international prefix (+) + country code + number of the receiving party (for example, +8613512345678).
you send a group text message. your text has a non-standard smiley or symbol (such as an emoticon or emoji) your text goes over the character limit (on some phones this is 160 characters, but on others it's more) you add text to the subject field.
The first and biggest thing to know about the difference between SMS and text messages is that there is no difference. SMS, or Short Message Service, is a form of text message that's sent from one device to another.
SMS stands for Short Message Service and is another name for a text message. An SMS is generally sent from one mobile device to another over the cellular network.
When sending a message or making a call to a number outside the country you're in, you'll need to add a + and the country code. For example, if you're trying to call Australia, you'll need to add +61 to the phone number.
With the exception of countries that block Facebook (North Korea, China, Cuba, Egypt, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Pakistan, Syria and Mauritius), any user who is connected to any other user anywhere in the world via Facebook can place international calls to each other free of charge.
Can you FaceTime internationally? Yes, FaceTime is free to use internationally and you won't be charged an extra international calling fee, because it works with data (WiFi or cellular data.) Making FaceTime calls is free whether you are at home or on a trip.
Which Countries Support TextNow? TextNow is available for download in many countries outside of Canada and the US, including Australia, India, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and Qatar.
TextFree allows you to send and receive free messages as well as place and receive phone calls. If you reside in the United States or Canada, you can sign up for an account and choose a phone number to send texts and receive calls to any real number in those countries.
iMessage Internationally: The Good News
The good news is that iMessage does work internationally. As long as you have an internet connection, either via Wi-Fi or cellular data, you can send and receive iMessages to and from any other Apple user around the world.