Country guide
How to Call Brazil from the US
Calling Brazil from the United States is straightforward once you know two things: the two-digit DDD area code that every number carries, and the extra 9 that sits at the front of every mobile number. This guide covers the +55 country code, the exact format for landlines and mobiles, the time difference, and the cheapest reliable way to reach a Brazilian number straight from your browser, no app to install.
Brazil's country code and the DDD area code
Brazil's country calling code is +55. From a US phone you dial 011 + 55 + the Brazilian number. From a browser-based service like Phonecall you simply enter + 55 and the number, the 011 exit code is added for you, so the same number works whether you are at home in the US or traveling.
After +55 comes a two-digit area code Brazilians call the DDD. São Paulo is 11, Rio de Janeiro is 21, Brasília is 61, Belo Horizonte is 31, Salvador is 71, and Porto Alegre is 51. The DDD is always required when calling from abroad, there is no such thing as a local-only Brazilian number from the US side.
After the DDD comes the subscriber number, and this is where landlines and mobiles split. A Brazilian landline has 8 digits after the DDD. A Brazilian mobile has 9 digits, because every mobile number carries an extra 9 at the front of the subscriber portion. So a mobile is +55 + DDD + 9XXXX-XXXX, while a landline is +55 + DDD + XXXX-XXXX. If a mobile call will not connect, a missing 9 is the most likely reason.
- São Paulo landline: +55 11 XXXX XXXX (8 digits)
- Rio de Janeiro mobile: +55 21 9XXXX XXXX (9 digits, note the 9)
- Brasília numbers: +55 61 ...
- Belo Horizonte numbers: +55 31 ...
Time difference between the US and Brazil
Brazil spans several time zones, but the great majority of the population, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, lives on Brasília time, UTC-3. That is roughly 1 to 2 hours ahead of US Eastern time depending on US daylight saving. When it is 3 PM in New York, it is around 4 or 5 PM in São Paulo.
Brazil abolished daylight saving time in 2019, so the country no longer shifts its clocks. The US still does, which means the gap to Brazil changes by an hour twice a year on the US side. The comfortable window for reaching family or a business is late morning to mid-evening Brazilian time, which from anywhere in the continental US lines up well with your own daytime.
The cheapest way to call Brazil from the US
US carriers treat Brazil as an international destination, and without an add-on the per-minute charges to Brazilian mobiles climb fast. Roaming while you travel is worse. A browser-based VoIP call routes over the internet directly to the Brazilian carrier, so you pay only the destination rate, a few cents a minute, shown on screen before you dial.
Phonecall bills per second instead of rounding up to the next minute, has no monthly fee, and no minimum top-up, and your credit never expires. Your first 60-second call is free, so you can confirm a number works before spending anything. App calls like WhatsApp are hugely popular in Brazil and are free, but they only reach someone running the app on a smartphone with internet, they will not connect to a Brazilian landline, a bank, an airline, or a relative who is offline.
See live per-minute rates
How to call Brazil from your browser, step by step
1. Open Phonecall
Go to phonecall.app in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on any laptop, desktop, or phone. There is nothing to download.
2. Sign in and allow your microphone
Create an account with email or Google, then allow microphone access when the browser asks.
3. Enter the number as +55
Type + 55, the two-digit DDD area code, and the subscriber number. For a mobile, keep the leading 9. Spaces and dashes are fine, they are stripped automatically.
4. Check the rate and press call
The per-minute rate to that Brazilian number appears before the call connects. Press call; the person you are reaching answers on their normal phone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for Brazil?
Brazil's country code is 55. From the US you dial 011 + 55 + the two-digit DDD area code and the number on a regular phone, or simply + 55 and the number from a browser-based service like Phonecall.
Why does a Brazilian mobile have an extra 9?
Brazil added a leading 9 to all mobile numbers, so a mobile has 9 digits after the DDD area code while a landline has 8. The format for a mobile is +55 + DDD + 9XXXX-XXXX. If a mobile call will not connect, a missing 9 is the most common cause.
What is the time difference between the US and Brazil?
Most of Brazil, including São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasília, is on Brasília time, UTC-3, about 1 to 2 hours ahead of US Eastern depending on US daylight saving. Brazil abolished daylight saving in 2019, so only the US side of the gap changes through the year.
How do I tell a Brazilian mobile from a landline?
Count the digits after the two-digit DDD area code: a mobile has 9 and begins with a 9, while a landline has 8. So +55 11 9XXXX XXXX is a São Paulo mobile and +55 11 XXXX XXXX is a São Paulo landline. Phonecall shows the exact rate for whichever you entered before the call connects.
Calling Brazilian landlines vs mobiles
Rates to Brazilian landlines and mobiles differ slightly, and Phonecall shows the exact figure for the number you typed before you connect. The only thing that changes between them is the digit count after the DDD, 8 for a landline, 9 for a mobile, and either way the call runs over carrier-grade HD voice infrastructure, keeping you in touch with family and business across Brazil.