.svg)
.jpg)
Staying in touch with a loved one inside prison is far more than a convenience—it’s a lifeline. Phone calls can be the only way families remain connected when visits are difficult or limited. But anyone who has ever received a call from a UK prison knows how expensive these calls can be. For many families, costs quickly spiral out of control. That’s why services like CallFromPrison.co.uk (Prison Call) and Prison-Calls.com have grown in popularity over the past few years. They both promise cheaper call rates by offering virtual landline numbers that prisoners can call at a fraction of the cost of calling a mobile phone.
On the surface, these services seem to offer the same solution: make calls cheaper, help families save money, and keep loved ones connected. But when you start digging deeper, you’ll find real differences between the way they operate. From pricing structures and hidden costs to call reliability and customer support, those differences can make a big impact on a family’s experience.
This in-depth comparison looks at Prison Call vs Prison-Calls.com in detail. We’ll examine their pricing, service quality, trustworthiness, customer experiences, and how they actually work with the UK prison system. If you’re trying to decide which service to choose for cheaper prison calls, this guide will help you make an informed decision.
Both Prison Call and Prison-Calls.com use the same basic concept: a virtual landline number. Traditionally, calls from prison to mobile phones are expensive—often around 25p per minute. But calls to landline numbers are much cheaper, usually closer to 4p per minute. By giving your loved one inside a landline number that diverts to your mobile, they can call you for less.
With both services, you sign up online, receive your virtual landline number, and give that number to the person in prison. They then add the number to their approved PIN list so they can call it. Once it’s approved by the prison, they can dial the landline number, and the call diverts straight to your mobile phone. On your end, you answer as you would any other call.
This approach can cut prison call costs by up to 80%. But while the concept is simple, how companies deliver the service can vary enormously. The level of transparency, reliability, customer service, and actual savings often depend on the provider you choose.
Prison-Calls.com positions itself as a cost-saving service for families of prisoners in the UK. On their website, they promise to help you “save up to 75% on UK prison calls” and say their system works with most prisons. They advertise same-day setup, unlimited minutes, and say that their numbers are easy to add to the prisoner’s PIN list. They also highlight that no special app or complicated steps are needed—just a simple number.
The service claims to bring the cost of calls down to around 4p per minute, compared to the standard 25p mobile rate. Their marketing is direct and persuasive, promising that you can “save money from day one.”
However, customer reviews paint a more complicated picture. On Trustpilot, Prison-Calls.com has a relatively low rating, with many reviews mentioning unreliable customer support, billing issues, and difficulty cancelling services. Some users have also reported delays in receiving their number or problems with the number being rejected by the prison.
None of this necessarily means the service doesn’t work. Many people do use it successfully. But it does highlight that the customer experience can be inconsistent, and that families need to carefully read the terms and conditions before signing up.
Prison Call, available at callfromprison.co.uk, offers a similar service but places heavy emphasis on transparency, reliability, and customer support. The company provides virtual landline numbers that prisoners can call at cheaper rates, with clear, simple pricing and no hidden fees.
They advertise unlimited minutes included in their plans, no setup fees, and same-day activation. Their service is designed to be easy to use: you sign up, receive your number, and give it to your loved one inside. The pricing is upfront and transparent, and they make it clear that families can cancel anytime without complicated contract terms.
Prison Call also has a reputation for stronger customer support compared to many competitors. Their site makes it easy to contact their team, and they focus on ensuring the number works in most UK prisons. Their marketing is more straightforward, with less hype and more emphasis on what the customer can actually expect.
For families on tight budgets, pricing is often the deciding factor. While both services advertise cheaper call rates, the way those costs actually play out can be very different.
Prison-Calls.com promotes low rates, but many customer reviews mention hidden fees or billing issues. Some report being charged more than expected or finding it difficult to cancel their subscription without extra charges. Their website focuses heavily on the low per-minute cost but provides less detail about additional costs or fair usage limits.
Prison Call, by contrast, lays out its pricing structure more clearly. Plans are presented in simple, predictable packages—often starting from just £5 a week. There are no setup fees or unexpected extras. For families, that means you know exactly what you’re going to pay each month, which makes it easier to budget.
When you compare the real total cost over a few months, Prison Call often comes out cheaper for consistent use, simply because you’re not hit with unexpected costs or complex billing structures.
When a loved one goes into prison, being able to hear their voice quickly can make a huge emotional difference. That’s why setup speed matters.
Prison-Calls.com claims to offer same-day activation. Once you sign up, they say they’ll send you your landline number so you can give it to your loved one immediately. In theory, this means you could be talking to them the same day they add the number to their PIN list.
Prison Call also offers same-day activation, and in most cases, families receive their number within hours of signing up. Because the system is streamlined and doesn’t involve complicated apps or third-party processes, it’s usually quick and simple.
While both services technically offer fast setup, the real-world experiences differ. Many reviews of Prison-Calls.com mention delays or communication issues when numbers don’t work immediately. In contrast, Prison Call has built its reputation on quick, reliable activation and support if any issues arise.
There’s nothing worse than getting a call from your loved one inside only to have it cut off after a few seconds or struggle to hear them through bad quality. That’s why reliability and call quality are crucial factors.
Prison-Calls.com users have reported mixed experiences. Some say it works perfectly fine, while others have experienced call dropouts or technical issues. Because the company uses a virtual number system, some of these problems may also depend on the prison’s internal phone system—but the consistency of support matters.
Prison Call customers generally report a more stable service. The company has invested in ensuring good call quality and works to resolve problems quickly if they do occur. They also focus on compatibility with most UK prisons, meaning their numbers are more likely to be accepted without unnecessary delays.
For families who rely on these calls as their main form of communication, even small improvements in reliability can make a big difference. A call that consistently connects and stays connected is priceless in such circumstances.
A big difference between these two services lies in their approach to customer support and trust.
Prison-Calls.com, according to many reviews, has struggled with customer satisfaction in this area. Common complaints include long response times, difficulty getting help when issues arise, and challenges with cancelling subscriptions. For families already under emotional strain, poor support can make a stressful situation even worse.
Prison Call places a much stronger emphasis on being available and transparent. Their contact options are easy to find, their team responds quickly, and customers often highlight the helpfulness of the support staff. This creates more trust and reassurance that if something does go wrong, someone will actually help fix it.
One issue families sometimes overlook is whether the number they’re given will actually work at the prison.
Prison-Calls.com notes that 0808 (freephone) numbers may not be accepted at all prisons. This means some customers may need to switch numbers or face delays while the prison reviews and approves the number.
This lack of universal compatibility can cause real frustration.Prison Call focuses on providing numbers that are accepted at the majority of UK prisons. This doesn’t guarantee approval in every single case each prison has its own security procedures but their approach significantly reduces the risk of problems.
The prison phone call market can be confusing. Many services use complicated pricing structures, vague claims, or fail to clearly explain their terms.
Prison-Calls.com markets itself aggressively, leading with “save 75%” and “unlimited minutes” headlines. But when customers dig deeper, the information isn’t always as clear as it could be. That lack of transparency is a common theme in many of the negative reviews.
Prison Call takes the opposite approach. It presents a straightforward, easy-to-understand service. Customers know how much they’ll pay, how it works, and how to cancel if they need to. For many families, that clarity is worth more than saving an extra penny or two per minute.
To understand the difference between these services, it’s useful to look at what actual users are saying.
Prison-Calls.com’s Trustpilot profile shows a mix of positive and negative reviews, but the negative ones often mention unreliable service, unresponsive support, and billing issues. When families are already under financial and emotional pressure, these problems can become overwhelming.
Prison Call has earned a reputation for being more dependable and transparent. While no service is perfect, the feedback tends to highlight good communication, clear pricing, and reliable connection quality. That builds trust over time, and trust is essential in this industry.
The truth is that both services aim to help families save money on prison calls. They both offer virtual landline numbers, and they both make it possible to pay less than the standard mobile call rates. But the overall experience is where the difference really shows.
If you want the absolute cheapest possible service, and you’re willing to take a chance on inconsistent support or potential hidden costs, then Prison-Calls.com may still work for you. Many people do use it successfully.
But if you value reliability, clear pricing, good support, and fewer headaches, Prison Call stands out as the stronger choice. Its upfront pricing, faster setup, and better reputation give families more confidence. In a situation where staying connected matters deeply, peace of mind can be worth far more than chasing the lowest advertised rate.
If you decide Prison Call is right for you, the process is simple. You visit callfromprison.co.uk, sign up for the plan that suits your needs, and receive your virtual landline number usually on the same day. You then give that number to your loved one, who adds it to their PIN list.
Once the prison approves it, your loved one can start calling you straight away. Because it’s a landline number, the cost to them is far lower, meaning they can talk to you longer and more often without running out of credit.
There’s no setup fee, no complicated contracts, and you can cancel at any time. The goal is to make staying connected simple and affordable.
When it comes to comparing Prison Call vs Prison-Calls.com, the differences go far beyond the surface. While both promise cheaper prison calls, the real experience for families is shaped by how reliable, transparent, and supportive the service is.
Prison-Calls.com has strong marketing and attractive rates, but it has also earned a mixed reputation for reliability and customer service. Prison Call, meanwhile, has built a name for being straightforward, easy to use, and trustworthy—a service designed to make a stressful situation a little bit easier.
For most families, the combination of clear pricing, good support, and reliable service makes Prison Call the better overall choice. In the context of prison communication, where every minute counts and trust matters, that difference can be huge.
Find out more about our most popular plan and get unlimited calls from prison.
Start saving todayFind out how much you can save with prison call with our cost saving calculator.
See how much you can saveWe're on a mission to keep you connected to your loved ones at an affordable rate.
Back home
.jpg)
.jpg)
