Some Calls Aren't Free Even on Rakuten Link: 0570, 188, Overseas, and iPhone SMS Explained

“Domestic calls are free with Rakuten Link.”

You hear that a lot.

But some people have used it and thought, “Wait, was I charged?”

The free calls come with conditions, and some things are excluded.

Here’s a rundown, limited to what the official pages say.

Bottom line: you must “call from the Rakuten Link app”

Domestic calls are free only when you call from the Rakuten Link app.

If you call from the standard phone app, they’re not free.

The official page says domestic calls made without the app cost 22 yen per 30 seconds.

This is the biggest trap.

Conditions for free calls

Here are the conditions written on the official page.

• You have Rakuten Mobile’s Rakuten Saikyo Plan or Rakuten Saikyo U-NEXT
• You need a Rakuten ID to log in to the app (if you signed up without a Rakuten ID, you can’t use it)
• You call from the Rakuten Link app
• Supported devices are Android 10 or later, or iPhone with iOS 16 or later

It says you can call anywhere in Japan for free, including other companies’ mobile phones and landlines, even if the other person doesn’t use Rakuten Link.

What’s excluded from free calls

Specific numbers

• Third-party connection services starting with “0570” and similar
• Some special numbers under “188”

Calls to these are not covered by free calling.

0570 is a number you often see on call centers, right? Be careful if you plan a long call for an inquiry.

A detailed list of excluded numbers is provided on a separate official page.

Calls to overseas

• Calls from Japan to overseas, and from overseas to overseas, are pay-as-you-go by country or region
• With “International Call Unlimited,” calls to eligible countries and regions are free
• Calls from an eligible country or region overseas to a Japanese number are free. However, there are limits on the regions where you can place calls with Rakuten Link

I touch on calling family back in your home country, for foreign residents, in another article.

SMS

• Domestic SMS sent without Rakuten Link is 3.3 yen per 70 characters (sending limit of 200 messages per day)
• International SMS is 100 yen (tax-exempt) per 70 characters
• On the Android version, SMS to Japanese numbers is free with Rakuten Link

What to watch for on iPhone

• The iOS version of Rakuten Link can’t send or receive SMS with anyone who isn’t on Rakuten Link. Use the standard iOS Messages app
• Incoming calls from anyone not on Rakuten Link can’t be received in Rakuten Link. They come in to the standard iOS phone app

On iPhone, you end up splitting things up: Rakuten Link for outgoing calls, the standard app for incoming ones.

Some contracts can’t use it at all

Depending on your contract type, the app’s features are limited.

• A data SIM on the combination plan (Rakuten network) can’t use the app
• Rakuten Saikyo Plan (data type), Rakuten Turbo, and Rakuten WiFi Pocket lines can only use the my Rakuten Mobile features

If you sign up for a data-only SIM, you can’t use the free-calling feature.

When operation isn’t guaranteed

The official page lists the following cases as outside operation guarantees.

• When you’re using a VPN
• When you operate the app without being connected to Rakuten Mobile’s network
• When you use Bluetooth connection
• When you’ve set another company’s SIM as the voice line on a dual SIM

It also says long continuous calls may be cut off. However, it doesn’t say at what length of call that happens.

What isn’t written

Even after reading the official pages, some things remain unclear.

• The specifics of excluded numbers other than 0570 and 188 (you have to check the list on a separate page)
• Any specific monthly or per-call time limit on free calls
• The specific charge when you call 0570 or 188
• The charge for emergency calls (the only explanation is that domestic emergency calls automatically switch to the OS’s standard phone app)

Conditions and prices can change. If you’re wondering, check the latest official page.

Summary

• Domestic calls are free when you call from the Rakuten Link app. From the standard phone app, it’s 22 yen per 30 seconds
• Third-party connection services like 0570, and some 188 numbers, are excluded from free calls
• Overseas calls are pay-as-you-go. With International Call Unlimited, eligible countries and regions are free
• On iPhone, there are limits on SMS with non-Rakuten Link users and on incoming calls from them
• Depending on your contract, such as a data SIM, you can’t use the app

If you start using it based on the word “free” alone, you can end up with unexpected charges. It’s worth checking the conditions and exclusions once before you start.

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This article contains machine translation. For official terms, please refer to the multilingual pages on the official Rakuten Mobile website.

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