Can my iMac make a phone call without an iPhone?

I use Skype all the time calling family who do not have Skype: I make Skype calls to landlines or cell phones. I do not have a monthly plan, it is simply through their app on my computer or iPad.

And no, you cannot email.

Here is what is available; click on the "get Skype credit"

https://www.skype.com/en/international-calls/

You buy the "credit" and make calls using the app; the call will be deducted from your credit. Most of my international calls are 2.3 cents per minute.

You can call normal telephone numbers through Skype, though obviously you have to set up credit with them to pay for the call.

You do not use email. Skype is a phone service - you use the other person's phone number. You do not need a phone number to use Skype the way I do. If you make a call, the recipient will see "unknown caller" or something like that. You use the Skype app - see the app window here (I had to obliterate a log of personal info):

Upper left corner shows the remaining credit in your account.

Left side shows contacts - towards the bottom you see a Skype test call. You can do a free test call to make sure the mic works.

You need to set it up using either your internal mic and speakers or Beats or whatever.

Once you click on start a conversation, you can either input a phone number with your keyboard or just click on one of the contacts.

You will talk into the computer mic and hear the other person through the speakers.

When finished, click on done/hang up.

As for free: You can do a monthly subscription/plan or do it my way and "pay as you go". The cost is minimal.

No.

You can make FaceTime or Skype calls however.

if you are both using the Skype application, usage is free worldwide. you can check Skype.com to see how to set it up. sorry, my family uses zoom. :)

if they ONLY have a landline and no device with which to use Skype, you will need to either use babowa's suggestion or look into a VoIP service, such as magicJack. (which i also use. i get no compensation for recommending it)

Calling a landline using Skype requires a paid subscription.

No, it does not.

As you can see from my screenshot, I do not have a subscription.

I purchase Skype "credit" without a subscription and pay as I go - about 2 cents/minute.

Hi,

You can make video calls [not phone calls] from your iMac by going to FaceTime > [contact you want to call].

I don't want to use phone numbers (as you do) because if you use a land line, that will generate a charge, which I don't want, and I want to call someone who only has a land line.

Apparently, I was not clear enough. I do NOT use phone numbers except for the person I am calling - who has a land line.

You do NOT need a phone number yourself to use Skype on your Mac.

I posted a screenshot from the Skype app - that is what you are using to make the call. The dialpad is virtual - part of the app - and you simply use your mouse to click on the numbers to dial.

Here is the dial pad within the Skype app:

It says: Skype to Phone and no subscription. The dial pad is your "phone".

if you use the "bare bones" version and so does the recipient, then you can use Skype For FREE.

There’s no such thing as “free"

Here’s the bottom line. You say the person you want to call only has a landline. You cannot call a landline from your Mac without an iPhone. You cannot call a landline using Skype for free. Calling a landline using Skype requires a paid subscription. If you want to call that landline from your Mac using Skype you will have to PAY for it, regardless of email addresses or phone numbers. You want to do this without a charge? You can’t. If I understand you correctly you yourself do not have any kind of phone service, landline or mobile yet you want to call a landline from your computer? Is this correct?

Does that help with your confusion?

That's because on another website (perhaps it was an old one) that said there would be a charge for calling landlines (as opposed to mobiles).

Skype to Skype you won't be calling anyone. You can communicate with other Skype users via voice or text. Neither of those makes a "call" to any phone number, land, sea, air, wireless, or otherwise. You will have a Skype account and they will have a Skype account and you will connect to their account from yours over the Skype network.

You can use Skype to call a phone number as pointed out by babowa, but that is another feature of Skype that you will not need.

The person with whom you wish to communicate must also install Skype and get an account. It is the same for any other of the myriad services that provide similar services. You will each need an account on the particular service.

i don't know about that. but you can Skype anyone that has Skype installed on their device. they must also have it turned on.