whatsapp?

Whatsapp is free to use, with the caveat that it does use data, so if you're not on WiFi, you will have to pay whatever your data plan's rate is. But you can only call other whatsapp users.

My experience is that whatsapp is widely used outside the USA. Pretty much any time I meet someone while traveling with whom I want to stay in contact, they share their whatsapp contact info.

By the way: You posted this question twice. You might want to remove one so that all responses go to one feed.

I posted it to Spain & Portugal as we'll be in both counties and wanted to ask those that only go to each countries site.
Jean

I was originally told it was free even in your car... not; you have to be on wifi as is everyone you want to call. How easy is it to find free wifi while on the road?
Jean

It's free anywhere. But it requires an internet connection. That could be WiFi - usually free these days - or mobile data. Mobile data requires mobile phone service which may or may not be free for you.

You are not required to be on WiFi in order to use whatsapp.

However, if you're not on WiFi, you will pay for data, so be sure you know what your provider will charge you.

Check out https://faq.whatsapp.com/search?query=roaming&lang=en.

Jean, I apologize in advance if I sound a bit patronizing, but that's not my intention: I suspect you're not too familiar with all this stuff, right? So instead of giving you a tonne of different options that you have -because there are many different things you may do to be able to communicate cheaply, trust me!-, I will instead suggest you what I personally would do.

Firstly some pointers:

1.) You can use phone apps (Whatsapp, Google Maps, etc.) either via wifi (while at the hotel, or on certain cybercafes, etc) or via a data connection (phone's SIM card). Via wifi is free (unless you're already paying wifi access as an extra in the hotel, of course), however, you don't have wifi access in most places outside your hotel, a coffee shop, a library... so if you're say driving or walking in the street, you'd have to use the apps via a data connection instead -and that incurs a cost.

2.) Certain cities (at least here in Catalonia, ie. Barcelona) have a public wifi network across the city which you can access on certain areas (ie parks, beaches, public libraries...) HOWEVER, for reasons too long to explain now, the quality of the service is often rather bad so one can't really rely on it. In short, don't count on wifi access outside the places mentioned on 1.)

3.) All telecom providers everywhere offer "special data plans" to their customers when they travel abroad so they can continue accessing the Internet (=data connection) without having to change provider. However, most of the time their offers are not such and local providers can offer much cheaper solutions. This is the case now... neither AT&T nor Verizon and the like can really compete with buying a SIM card from a local provider (ie. Movistar, Vodafone, Orange, Simyo, etc) for data connectivity,

4.) Luckily for you, a few months ago it was introduced a transnational initiative driven by the European Commission by which now you can travel within EU countries and the cost of calls and use of data is no longer consider "long distance" (roaming). Thus, if you are using a European SIM card bought in an EU country you can use your data and call plans in another country of the EU as if it was local. This means that you could purchase a local SIM card in Spain with a data plan and use it while in Spain but also in Portugal and in both cases you'd be enjoying cheap Internet connectivity and calls.

5.) "buying a local SIM" means that you'd temporarily take out your US SIM card from your phone and substitute it for a Spanish one for the duration of your trip. You'd be given a local number -so anyone willing to reach you should call you at that local number... or call you via WhatsApp!- and you'd be using the phone as if it was a Spanish phone (=local). The cost of the calls (ie. to book a taxi, to the hotel, etc.) would be local -which means very cheap- and you'd be able to use your apps on the phone (WhatsApp, Maps or any other) while on the go.

6.) If your phone handles 4G connectivity (most sold in Europe do these days), you should know that the coverage for this network here is fairly good -except in very rural areas- and you can "count" on having a decent Internet connection almost everywhere. If your phone is not capable of 4G and still uses 3G, well, coverage is also good but the speed of 3G for the Internet is not so good, so the quality of say a Whatsapp call or navigating via browser can be a bit slow, and (for those of us used to 4G) a bit exasperating also.

So.... what I would consider is:

When you land in Spain head to the nearest phone shop -ie. The PhoneHouse- and inquire about the "flavour of the month" -telecom companies in Spain are locked in a fierce commercial battle and are constantly launching offers so it's best to inquire. Players like Movistar, Vodaphone or Orange -the big mammoth players- tend to be the most reliable and their offers are pretty decent. I was just checking today one of the companies that offer the cheapest prices, Simyo, and you can get a 4G prepaid SIM Card with 4Gb of data and 50 minutes local calls (remember, "local" means within Europe, and it covers calls from say Spain to Portugal and vice versa), including also usage of Whatsapp at a reduced cost (they call it "BonoChat") for under 14€. This would probably cover all your needs (unless you're a reaally heavy Internet user) and this way you'd be able to use your phone to text back home (or call) via Whatsapp at any time and from anywhere. Important: WhatsApp allows you to place voice calls and video calls -the latest are terrible data consumers so it's best to avoid them, or else you might need a plan with more data!

Just sayin'

Enjoy

PS. and again, apologies if you're already familiar with all of this, I might have assumed wrongly then.

If you want to call landlines, you may need to use Skype or Google Hangouts to call - but costs only a few cents per minute. If you are American, you can use Hangouts to call US phone numbers for FREE from Europe, on WiFi or otherwise.

Hi Jean
Yes to all other traveler's comments about wifi. I have used WhatsApp every trip and found it to be a great way to quickly communicate with a hotel, an airbnb,etc. I also use Skype and before I leave the US, I add credit to my Skype account usually $5.00. Also regarding the data on WhatsApp, I do buy one month of international data plan from AT&T. I feel comfortable with this because I never worry about the wifi issue. You could check with your carrier about cost. I actually just used Skype to make a call to Barcelona for a dinner reservation from here in California and it charged my Skype account, .19 cents. You do have to download these apps to your phone, would recommend before you leave US. I use WhatsApp to send pictures and its great.
Good travels!

Thank you all especially Enric, this is the info I wanted; I'm very computer savy but phones... not so much. We've been to Europe many times but have never required a phone before. Have always communicated back home on email from my iPad. This time 4 of us are renting 2 bedroom condos in 8 different cities over 34 days and the owners want us to call at least an hour prior to arrival so they can meet us and give us a key. My internet provider at home charges $12 CAD for every 24 hour period so that would cost us $80 just to make a 8 1 minute calls. We arrive in Madrid and our stop is Segovia; do you think there'd be a place to pick a SIM card up somewhere there?

Thanks all, very helpful...
Jean

Canadian, huh?, they I should have used Rogers as an example of your home companies, LOL!

I don't recall any phone shops in Barajas airport in Madrid -but again, haven't been there for a while and you know how these things go, they pop up everywhere all the time, like mushrooms! So assuming you're going straight from the airport to Segovia, and understanding you can "wait" until Segovia, I would simply go to one of the many stores you'll find there. SIM Cards are often offered in both, phone stores and computer stores -especially true for smaller shops. If I were you I'd probably go to Tienda Movistar (in the map) which is the brand of the biggest telecom company in Spain (Movistar = Telefónica)... I would think you're more likely to find someone speaking good English there. While here in Catalonia finding people speaking (or at least mumbling!) in English is fairly easy, in the interior of Spain is not so much so going to the biggest provider is probably your safest bet.

Again, if you "need" the card when landing in Madrid you should share whether you're going straight from the airport to Segovia or whether you are perhaps going to Atocha train station in town to catch the train. If the later, then it's easy -and even better than the above option- as you have several shops just two streets away from the station and in Madrid you're going to find people with a decent command of your language. I would choose either the Vodaphone store, the Orange store or the Movil Shop.

Btw, for info for those speaking a bit of Spanish... if you come from the US/Canada, it's very likely you learnt Latin American Spanish (whether Mexican Spanish, Cuban Spanish....). There, the word for cellular phone is "teléfono celular", however in original Spanish, the word is "teléfono móvil", so don't go saying "quiero una carta SIM para mi celular"... but "quiero una tarjeta SIM para mi móvil" :))

Unfortunately none of us speak any Spanish and being in Canada we don't speak French either! Our cell phone plans here in Canada are ridiculously expensive compared to the U.S. and my Co. charges $12 per 24 hour period in Europe so trying to call 8 condos in 34 days would be costly!

I can wait till I get to Segovia to get a SIM card so thanks for the map of stores to go to! As many times we've been to Europe, we've never needed a phone; to keep in touch I just emailed from my iPad. This time we've rented condos and the owners want to know time of arrival within 45 minutes so now I need a phone to meet us & get the keys to the condo. I'm quite savvy on the computer but not so much on the phone, hate trying to type on those small keys!
Really appreciate all this information, thanks everyone...
Jean