Localphone

What Localphone does

Localphone Ltd. is a Sheffield, UK-based private company founded in 2007 that operates a VoIP-based international calling platform targeting individual consumers — primarily migrants, expats, international students, and others needing affordable calls and SMS to contacts abroad. Its service offers pay-as-you-go international voice from 0.3¢ per minute, monthly country-specific subscriptions across 167 countries, international SMS from 0.1¢ per message, and a calling card product, all distributed exclusively through digital self-serve channels (website, native iOS and Android apps, and a desktop VoIP client).

Underlying the platform is standard VoIP/SIP infrastructure, with a proprietary local-access-number calling method licensed under StanaCard U.S. Patent No. 7,346,156. Users can originate calls via local access numbers in their own country, SIP credentials on their own devices, a callback service, dial-from-browser web calling, or the calling card channel. The company is bootstrapped, employs 11-50 people, and reports no external funding or revenue figures.

The business model is primarily usage-based prepaid: users top up credit from as little as $1 via major card networks or PayPal, with credit auto-expiring after 365 days of inactivity. Monthly subscriptions and incoming number rentals add recurring revenue. Go-to-market is product-led growth, relying on a 5-minute free test call, a Share-and-Earn referral credit program, organic social media presence on Facebook and Twitter, ITSPA membership/awards as trust signals, and app store discovery. The company explicitly disclaims emergency-services support.

Name

Localphone

Legal name

Localphone Ltd.

Website

https://localphone.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Localphone Ltd. is a Sheffield-based VoIP provider offering cheap international calls and SMS from 0.3¢ per minute to individual consumers via website, mobile apps, SIP, and local access numbers, with monthly subscriptions across 167 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Telecommunications Services

NAICS

Wired and Wireless Telecommunications (except Satellite) (5171), Telecommunications Resellers (517121)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAMACAC

Voice Calling (VoIP) Apps

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Messaging, Voice/Video & Communication Apps

SECONDARYHDAIAHAD

VoIP Access & ITSP Services

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Telecommunications & Network Services/Unified Communications & Voice Services (VoIP, UCaaS)

SECONDARYHDAIAHAK

Numbering, DID, Porting & Carrier-of-Record Services

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Telecommunications & Network Services/Unified Communications & Voice Services (VoIP, UCaaS)

Keywords

• International calling services
• VoIP telephony platform
• Prepaid calling cards
• International SMS messaging
• Virtual phone numbers

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Prepaid Pay-As-You-Go Calls: Users prepay credit into their account and are charged per minute for international calls at published per-minute rates. Credit starts from as little as $1. Call duration is rounded up to the nearest minute. Credit expires if unused for 365 days. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Monthly Subscriptions: Optional monthly subscription plans offering discounted per-minute rates to specific countries with a fixed number of minutes included per billing cycle. Available for 167 countries. Subscription auto-renews monthly. Users can cancel at any time with cancellation taking effect at next billing date. No refunds for unused minutes or partial months.
3. International SMS: Revenue from sending international text messages at per-message rates. SMS prices vary by destination country. No contracts or monthly fees — pay per message sent.
4. Incoming Number Rental: Revenue from renting local phone numbers in foreign countries, allowing overseas contacts to reach users at local call rates.
5. Calling Card: Traditional calling card product for making international calls, sold as a prepaid card with access numbers and PIN-based authentication.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Localphone operates a VoIP-based international calling platform that lets consumers place cheap international calls from their existing mobile, landline, or computer using local access numbers, mobile apps, desktop software, SIP devices, or callback. The service charges per-minute rates starting at 0.3¢ to landlines and mobiles across more than 167 countries, supplemented by international SMS, rented incoming local numbers, and prepaid calling cards on a credit-based, no-contract model.

Product overview

Localphone is a VoIP-based international calling platform that offers multiple access methods for making cheap international calls. The core product portfolio includes: Local Numbers (dial-through service using local access numbers), Global SMS (international texting), and VoIP services accessible via the Internet Phone desktop app or SIP-compatible devices. The offering is complemented by mobile apps for iPhone and Android, a Callback service for international travelers, Dial Online web calling, Calling Card access, and Incoming Numbers for receiving calls. Monthly Subscription plans provide discounted rates for frequent users across 167 countries. The platform operates on a pre-pay model with rates as low as 0.3 cents per minute, no contracts, and no hidden fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Local Numbers Provides users with a local access number in their own country that routes through Localphone's network to an international destination, letting them dial a local number from any mobile or landline to reach overseas contacts.
• Global SMS

Quantifiable outcome

• 87% savings vs Skype for calls to Canada (0.3¢ vs 2.3¢ per minute)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• StanaCard, LLCcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLocalphone licenses StanaCard U.S. Patent No. 7,346,156, which covers the call routing and local access number technology fundamental to the Local Numbers service. This patent license enables Localphone to provide its signature feature of assigning users a local access number that connects to international destinations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/localphone
• Facebookfacebook.com/localphone
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/localphone-ltd.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Localphone