Yes—Rakuten Viber is free for messages and calls between Viber users. It supports text, photos, files, voice and video calls over Wi‑Fi or mobile data. “Free” does not cover your internet or roaming bill, and calling a normal mobile or landline number requires the paid Viber Out service. Viber is a practical choice when the people you contact already use it; it is less suitable as an anonymous messenger, emergency-phone replacement, or universal calling service.
What is Rakuten Viber?
Rakuten Viber is a cross-platform messaging and voice-over-internet (VoIP) app operated by Rakuten. It combines private chats and calls with group conversations, communities, channels, stickers, GIFs, reactions, polls, quizzes, disappearing messages, and desktop access linked to a phone account.
Viber says it connects hundreds of millions of monthly users, while its US App Store listing claims more than a billion people worldwide. Those are company and platform marketing claims, not independently audited user totals. See Viber’s About page and its US iOS listing.
Is Viber really free?
Viber does not charge a per-message or per-call fee for communication between Viber accounts. Your carrier or internet provider can still charge for the data used.
#1 Best Overall
- Universal unlocked. Compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other prepaid carriers.
- Super-bright, super-smooth 6.7" display. See your screen clearly even outdoors in sunlight, and enjoy seamless views with a fast-refreshing 120Hz display.*
- AI-powered camera system. Take stunning photos in any light with the 50MP camera**, look your best with a 32MP selfie cam*****, and capture extreme close-ups.
- Superfast 5G performance. Unleash your entertainment at 5G speed*** with the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and up to 12GB of RAM with RAM Boost****.
- Long-lasting battery + TurboPower charging. Power through day after day with a 5200mAh battery, then get hours of power in just minutes.****
| Activity | Viber charge | What you still need |
|---|---|---|
| Viber-to-Viber text | Free | Wi‑Fi or mobile data |
| Viber-to-Viber voice call | Free | Wi‑Fi or mobile data |
| Viber-to-Viber video call | Free | Wi‑Fi or mobile data; substantially more data |
| Photos, GIFs, stickers, voice notes and files | Free through Viber | Internet access; media increases data use |
| Call to an ordinary mobile or landline | Paid through Viber Out | Internet for the caller |
| Receiving a Viber Out call | Viber does not charge the recipient | The recipient’s carrier may apply its normal incoming-call charge |
Viber’s support estimate is approximately 1 MB per minute for voice and 20 MB per minute for video, but actual use varies with network conditions, participants and media. Check your mobile plan before making long calls, particularly while roaming. Details are in Viber’s free-use guidance.
What is Viber Out?
Viber Out is the paid part of Viber. It routes calls from the app to eligible mobile and landline numbers, so the recipient does not need Viber or an internet connection. You can use World Credit for eligible destinations or buy destination plans. Rates depend on the destination, currency, account region and date; there is no single worldwide price to quote responsibly.
- Satellite, premium, special and some non-geographic numbers may be excluded.
- Calls require Wi‑Fi or mobile data on the caller’s side.
- Viber says calls disconnect automatically after four hours; redialing is possible.
- Viber warns that availability or connectivity may be limited in China, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
- Whether a call is “international” is determined by the registered and called number country codes, not necessarily your physical location.
Check the current destination price and eligibility in Viber’s account portal before buying credit. The service explanation is at Viber Out support.
Rank #2
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
Features you can expect
Viber’s US App Store listing currently advertises:
Recommended Free Tools
- Text, photo, sticker, GIF, voice, video and file messages
- Viber-to-Viber audio and video calls
- Group calls of up to 60 people and group chats of up to 250 members
- Disappearing messages, reminders, message editing and deletion
- Communities, channels, mentions, reactions, polls and quizzes
- Lenses, GIF search and a sticker library
- Viber Out calls to mobile and landline numbers
These limits come from a US iOS listing and can vary by operating system, version, country or account type. Do not assume Android and desktop expose every feature identically.
Supported devices and current requirements
Viber’s support documentation lists the following requirements (verify them again if you are reading this later):
Rank #3
- Charger NOT Included, 6.7" Super AMOLED FHD+, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 385 ppi, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px, 5000mAh Battery
- 128GB, 4GB RAM, microSDXC, Exynos 1330 (5nm), Octa-Core, Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) + 2MP, f/2.4 (macro), LED flash, panorama, HDR; Front Camera: 13MP, f/2.0, Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
- 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100; 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/48/66/71, 5G: 2/5/25/41/66/71/77/78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Nano-SIM + eSIM
- US Model – Global Connectivity – Compatible with Most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will Also work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Straight Talk.
| Platform | Listed requirement |
|---|---|
| Android | Android 6 or later on phones and tablets |
| iPhone | iPhone 6s or later |
| iPad | 11-inch iPad Pro; 12.9-inch iPad Pro (third generation or later); iPad Air (third generation or later); iPad mini (fifth generation or later) |
| Windows | Windows 10 64-bit version 1607 or newer, or Windows 11 |
| macOS | macOS 11 Big Sur or later |
| Linux | 64-bit Fedora and Ubuntu; Viber describes Linux support and updates as limited |
Viber does not offer a dedicated smartwatch app. A watch may still show notifications through its Bluetooth-connected phone. Jailbroken devices, custom ROMs and heavily modified systems may not be supported. See the supported-platform list.
How to install and activate Viber
- Download Rakuten Viber from your device’s official app store or Viber’s official download page. Avoid unofficial APK sites.
- Install it on a supported phone and register with a mobile number.
- Receive and enter the activation code by SMS or a supported activation call.
- Set your name and profile, then choose contact, microphone, camera and notification permissions deliberately.
- Open More → Settings → Privacy to review visibility and security controls.
- After the phone account is active, install Viber on Windows, macOS or supported Linux and link it to the phone. Desktop is not an independent account.
Keep access to the registered SIM or number. Replacing a phone, losing a SIM or activating on a new device can require reactivation and may remove access from the old phone. Exact activation screens and anti-spam checks can change.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Is Viber private and secure?
Viber says end-to-end encryption is enabled by default for one-to-one chats, group chats and one-to-one audio and video calls. Its security page says encryption keys remain on users’ devices, and delivered personal messages are not stored on Viber’s servers; an undelivered encrypted message may remain temporarily until delivery. Read the claims at Viber Security and its encryption explanation.
Rank #4
- YOUR CONTENT, SUPER SMOOTH: The ultra-clear 6.7" FHD+ Super AMOLED display of Galaxy A17 5G helps bring your content to life, whether you're scrolling through recipes or video chatting with loved ones.¹
- LIVE FAST. CHARGE FASTER: Focus more on the moment and less on your battery percentage with Galaxy A17 5G. Super Fast Charging powers up your battery so you can get back to life sooner.²
- MEMORIES MADE PICTURE PERFECT: Capture every angle in stunning clarity, from wide family photos to close-ups of friends, with the triple-lens camera on Galaxy A17 5G.
- NEED MORE STORAGE? WE HAVE YOU COVERED: With an improved 2TB of expandable storage, Galaxy A17 5G makes it easy to keep cherished photos, videos and important files readily accessible whenever you need them.³
- BUILT TO LAST: With an improved IP54 rating, Galaxy A17 5G is even more durable than before.⁴ It’s built to resist splashes and dust and comes with a stronger yet slimmer Gorilla Glass Victus front and Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer back.
That protects specified message and call content; it does not make Viber anonymous or mean that no data is collected. Viber’s support material says servers can see account, phone-number, device and activity information. Its March 2026 privacy policy describes data handling involving advertising, analytics and measurement, payments, telecommunications, security, customer support and AI service providers. Communities, channels, business accounts, bots and chat extensions can have additional data implications when you interact with them. Consult the March 2026 privacy policy before treating Viber as a maximum-privacy service.
What encryption does not prevent
- Your phone number is used for registration.
- Viber and service providers may process account, device, activity, advertising and security data as described in the policy.
- A recipient can screenshot, photograph, forward or retype content. Disappearing messages cannot prevent copying outside the app.
- Public or third-party surfaces do not necessarily have the same privacy properties as personal chats.
Privacy settings worth reviewing
In the mobile app, go to More → Settings → Privacy. Then consider:
- Enable two-step verification and use a strong PIN.
- Review online status, message-seen status and profile-photo visibility.
- Restrict who can add you to groups.
- Use disappearing messages only when their limitations are acceptable.
- Block and report suspicious contacts or spam.
- Review microphone, camera, contacts, notifications and location permissions at the operating-system level.
- Be cautious when joining communities or channels or using bots, business accounts, chat extensions and AI features.
Viber documents these controls in its privacy guidance.
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- Carrier: This phone is locked to Tracfone, which means this device can only be used on the Tracfone wireless network. Tracfone plan required, activating is easy, just 3 steps.
- DISPLAY: Immersive viewing on a 6.7-inch super-bright 120Hz display with powerful stereo speakers and Bass Boost for cinematic entertainment.
- CAMERA SYSTEM: Advanced 50MP Quad Pixel camera captures sharp, detailed photos and videos in any lighting condition
- PERFORMANCE: Lightning-fast 5G connectivity paired with a powerful processor and RAM Boost for smooth multitasking.
- BATTERY LIFE: Long-lasting 5000mAh battery with TurboPower charging technology delivers hours of power in minutes.
Common problems and practical fixes
“Free” calls cost money
Mobile data, prepaid usage and roaming are separate from Viber’s fee. Use Wi‑Fi for long calls and activate Viber before travel while you can receive the verification code.
Call quality is poor
Weak Wi‑Fi, congested mobile networks, VPNs, restrictive firewalls and roaming can degrade voice or video. Test a stable connection, switch networks and reduce video use before blaming the app.
Notifications arrive late
Check notification permission, background-data access and battery-optimization settings; update Viber and the operating system, restart the device, and determine whether the problem affects messages, calls or both. Menu names differ by Android manufacturer and iOS release. User reports on the App Store page are anecdotal, not reliability testing. Reinstall only after confirming that chats and backups are protected.
Desktop will not work
Confirm that Viber was registered on a supported phone first and that the phone account is still active. Linux receives more limited support than Windows and macOS.
You cannot call someone
A free call requires the other person to use Viber. Otherwise use Viber Out, check the number type and destination, and confirm that the country is supported.
Who should use Viber?
Viber is a strong fit when
- Your family, friends or community already use Viber.
- You make frequent international app-to-app calls.
- You want desktop access after phone registration.
- You value stickers, communities, channels and rich group features.
- You occasionally need paid calls to conventional numbers.
Choose something else when
- You need to reach almost any phone number without asking people to install an app.
- You want a minimal, ad-free or metadata-minimizing messenger.
- Your contacts are concentrated on Signal, WhatsApp, Telegram or FaceTime.
- You need emergency calling, guaranteed SMS delivery or carrier telephony.
- You rely on older devices or expect first-class Linux support.
How Viber compares with alternatives
| Service | Usually the better choice for | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Signal | Privacy-focused personal communication | Less useful if contacts are not already there; not a Viber Out-style phone bridge |
| Large existing contact and business networks | Compare contact reach, backups, metadata and business features | |
| Telegram | Channels, large communities and broad cross-device use | Ordinary cloud chats and Secret Chats have different security models |
| FaceTime | Apple-only households | Not a general community messenger or paid landline bridge |
| Google Meet or Zoom | Scheduled meetings, screen sharing and formal gatherings | Less suited to everyday contact-list messaging |
| Carrier calls and SMS | Emergency communication and universal phone-number reach | Works without an internet app, subject to carrier coverage and charges |
Verdict
Viber is genuinely free for Viber-to-Viber messaging and calls, provided you account for internet or roaming data. Its paid boundary is clear: Viber Out is required for eligible ordinary phone numbers. The app’s default encryption is useful for supported personal chats and calls, but Viber still processes account, device, activity, advertising, analytics and third-party-service data. Install it when your contacts already use Viber and you want rich international messaging; choose another service when universal reach, emergency reliability or stronger privacy-minimization is the priority.
Quick Recap
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