If you are planning on making calls to a number in North America and have access to a Windows PC and a microphone, then KNCTR can save you money. All you need to do is download the app, make sure you have Adobe Flash Player installed, sign up, and you're good to go.

Free calls

Let us start by talking about what KNCTR does well. Once you have the program installed and are registered, you can enter any 10 digit American or Canadian phone number and call it. For free. After a few test calls I can confirm that the audio quality is good on both sides (even if I did call a wrong number when I tested it), and using it is nice and easy once the program is set up.

So, providing you have all of the equipment, you are ready to go.

It works, and it works well. Unfortunately, this alone does not make it good. The whole program runs on Adobe Flash, so you need this installed to get it up and running. Once this is installed, you then have to register.

Poor interface and annoying set up

Again registering seems easy enough, but seemed unsuccessful until we restarted the computer. That, and the fact that KNCTR wanted a name, phone number, gender, and email with no clear indication of what the data will be used for – though to be clear I have received no spam or junk mail since the installation.

Finally there is the program itself. There are no customization options, and the tiny, unscalable window is packed full of adverts and tabs that are not relevant to the primary function of making phone calls – though on the plus side these invasive ads do keep KNCTR free.

Probably worth the hassle

If you make calls to the US, particularly to someone that frequently isn’t logged into a service like Skype, then KNCTR is worth the effort. It’s a good service, but until the interface is given an over haul it is hard to recommend as a piece of software.