iMessage international cost everything explained

Aside from the other popular instant messaging apps like whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, etc, one of the ways to send messages from one ios device to another is through the imessage. Using the imessage you can send messages from your iPhone to another person living in the overseas just like any other instant messaging apps.

This now got some imessage users confused as to the cost of sending messages overseas or international.

This brings about the the topic of the day.

What is iMessage international cost?

To send imessage internationally or overseas doesn’t cost a dime as it is all for free and you won’t be charged by Apple or you carrier network service. Imessage is an instant messaging service and so far most of instant messaging service are all for free to the users.

Using whatsapp as example, when sending whatsapp messages to a person living overseas you don’t charged by whatsapp or carrier, this sane applies to sending iMessages internationally.

iMessage international cost

Does iMessage international cost money?

The answer is no. Sending iMessages internationally doesn’t cost a dime because imessage is an instant messaging service thar uses the internet and not cellular network service, and whereas most instant messaging services doesn’t attract charges or fees. 

I vividly remembered when it was rumored that whatsapp will no longer be free to use especially when sending messages overseas or internationally, many users reacted though whatsapp later debunked it as it wasn’t true.

Some whatsapp users where saying they will switch over to the likes of Skype, telegram or even Facebook messenger cause they are all instant messaging apps.

What I’m trying to explain here is that almost all the instant messaging apps or services I know are all for free and this includes the popular ones like the imessage, Google rcs chat feature, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, viber, line, Google duo, and Google voice, etc.

All these are free to use and send messages overseas without being charged for sending or receiving messages.

Let me give you an overview of imessage and how it works as it will help you to understand more on the topic of iMessage international cost.

What is imessage?

Imessage is an instant messaging service offered by Apple to it’s ios users which is been used to send messages, pictures, videos, documents and other files from one ios device to another.

Being an instant messaging service, imessage requires an active internet connection in order to work and send messages across. That is to say you can use Wi-Fi or cellular data for your iMessage.

Imessage works similarly to whatsapp with the main difference being the fact that you can’t make a video call or voice on imessage, but you as an ios user, you have the facetime for these two features.

One of the major advantage of imessage over whatsapp is that imessage doesn’t compress photos, while whatsapp compress photos and there by reducing the quality of pictures sent using whatsapp.

Even videos are not compressed on imessage while the case is different on whatsapp.

Being an instant messaging service, imessage let’s you know when a recipient has received and read your sent messages and when a recipient is typing to you.

As imessage doesn’t cost a dime except for internet charges from your ISP especially if you are using a cellular data on your iPhone. Now what makes you think that imessage will have a cost for international imessages?

The best way to use imessage internationally or locally is to have an active Wi-Fi network and that means imessage is completely free for you. If you don’t have an active Wi-Fi around you, then your only option is to use a cellular data plan which you need to subscribe.

As we all know, cellular data plan doesn’t come for free unless your network service provider is offering a free data plan to all it’s subscribers.

So the cellular data plan is the only cost that involves in imessage and that is when you don’t have a Wi-Fi network. But for extra cost or fee attached to it by Apple or the ISP network, it is not so because imessage is free to use internationally or locally.

Moving aside a bit from iMessage international cost, let me explain the best app you can use to seamlessly text overseas or internationally without paying for a dime other than internet data plan if you are not using a Wi-Fi.

How can I text overseas for free?

To text for free to someone living oversea, you simply have to use any of the instant messaging apps like imessage, Google rcs chat, whatsapp, Skype, Facebook messenger, telegram, and Google duo.

These apps work perfectly fine no matter the country you find yourself except for China that banned these apps especially whatsapp and Facebook messenger.

Among the listed apps and instant services like the imessage and rcs chat feature on android, whatsapp is the most popular and almost every phone user has an active whatsapp account including ios users.

Talking about how you can send text overseas for free, I recommend using whatsapp as the recipient is likely going to have an whatsapp account. If the recipient is an iphone user just like you are, then imessage is the best option for you.

Remember, you can’t send imessage to someone using android phone or tablet, the message will be sent as sms text message and if you sent it to someone living overseas, then you will be charged very well by your network carrier.

Before sending iMessages you must be sure that the recipient is a fellow ios user and has an active imessage on it’s device else what you will be sending will be sms text messages.

Is iMessage free on cellular data?

Imessage is free on cellular data but the cost involved is the cost of purchasing the cellular data plan for your iPhone. So far Imessage is 100% free to use and best if you have an active Wi-Fi, but if don’t then you have to use a cellular data data.

In this situation, you only need to buy a data plan and that’s the only cost and whereas, the data plan isn’t just for imessage only but for internet activity on your iPhone.

If you are opportuned to have a Wi-Fi, that’s fine and a lot better compared to using a cellular data cause it means everything is 100% free for you.

Why can’t i iMessage internationally?

This usually occurs if you are sending iMessages to someone that is not using an ios device like the iPhone or iPad, or whose imessage is not available.

For imessage to work, both parties involved must have an active imessage along with internet connection else imessages will not be delivered. I’ve seen where someone kept on trying to send imessages to an android phone user and kept on wondering why it isn’t working.

Just like whatsapp, Skype and others, the recipient must have imessage enabled on it’s phone. So before sending iMessages to someone in overseas, you must be very sure the person is using an iPhone or iPad, and imessage is active on the person’s device.

Is there International iMessage charges?

No, there’s nothing like international iMessage charges because you can send and receive iMessages all for free on your iPhone and iPad. When talking about International charges on text messages, that is sms text messages and the cellular network service are involved.

Depending on the carrier network you are using, you will be charged from your texting plan or airtime. But if you are using imessage to send messages internationally or to overseas, there’s no charges attached to it because it is an instant messaging service that uses the internet.

Whereas, Apple made it free to all their users just like whatsapp, Skype, telegram and Co.

That’s all I have for you on iMessage international cost and by now you must have known that imessage is for free and there’s no cost attached to it whether you are using to send messages locally or internationally.

About Kennedy

I'm Amaechi Uchenna by name, a mobile tech enthusiast who love writing articles about tips and tutorials especially relating to gadgets.

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