Santa call apps:
the one difference that actually matters

They all look the same until the phone rings. Then you find out who actually wrote what Santa says.

The question is: how much of what Santa says do you decide?

In most apps you pick a ready-made message and type in your child’s name. Santa says “Sophie” perfectly well, and then says to Sophie exactly what he says to every other child in the country.

In Call from Santa you put the call together yourself. For every part you either pick from alternatives or write your own: what Santa compliments, the little task he sets, what he knows about this week, and the question he asks. That he knows about the tooth she lost on Tuesday. That he mentions the song they sang at school.

Then you listen to the whole thing back. If it is not right, you change it. And you decide when the phone rings: now, with thirty seconds to get the handset ready, or at a moment you set for later.

The comparison

What to know about the other apps

Some of them charge per name. Video Call Santa has you pick your child’s name from a list, and individual names cost $1.99. If your child’s name is not on the list, that is a separate purchase. Two children means paying twice.

Some of them want a photo of your child. Portable North Pole’s store listing says Santa uses the child’s name, age and photo. Message from Santa asks for “your child’s details such as their name and photo”. Personalized Call from Santa says “add their name and photo”. A photo of your child is a piece of data you do not get back.

Some of them run ads. Video Call Santa and Message from Santa are both listed in the store as containing ads, and Message from Santa sells an in-app purchase called “Remove Ads”. That is exactly the wrong moment for a mobile game advert: your child is waiting for Santa.

One of them will not tell you the price until you are in it. Portable North Pole publishes no figure on its premium page, its app page or its call page. Their own wording is that the checkout “shows exactly what it costs”. For the record, here is what the App Store listed on 28 October 2026: a single premium video from €5.99 to €9.99, a single call from Santa from €3.99 to €9.99, the Magic Pass at €21.49 and the Ultimate Pass at €39.99.

Even “write your own” usually is not. PNP has a feature called Write Your Own Topic. Their own description explains it: “You choose the subject.” The subject, not the words.

Why we built it the other way round

We did not like the idea of a computer deciding what Santa says to our own children. So we turned it around.

You decide it. Santa says it. The technology is in the voice, not in the story. No word ever comes out of the app that you did not choose or approve, and you listen to the whole message back before you hand your child the phone.

• It is actually about your child. Not just the name, but the lost tooth, the move to a new house, the new baby, the week they finally learned to ride a bike.
• You set the tone. An anxious child hears nothing about the naughty list. A child who wants a bit of suspense gets exactly as much as you decide.
• You decide the moment. Call now, with thirty seconds to get the phone ready, or set it up for later that evening.
• It never breaks the spell. No ads in between, no screen that looks like an app. For your child, the phone simply rings.

How it works, in three steps

1. You put the message together. Their name, a compliment, a little task, something they did this week, and a question they can answer. For each part you pick from suggestions or write your own.
2. You listen back. You hear exactly what your child will hear, and you can still change it.
3. The phone rings, when you choose. Now, in thirty seconds, or later that evening. Your child picks up, and there is Santa.

What it costs

Two messages are free, and you get a third when you share the app on social media. After that you buy only what you need: three messages for €1.99, seven for €2.99 or fifteen for €3.99. No subscription, no automatic renewal, and no ads you have to sit through.

Frequently asked questions

Which Santa app gives the parent control over what Santa says?

Call from Santa. You put every part of the call together yourself, with your own words where you want them, and you listen to the whole message back before your child hears it. In the other Santa call apps you choose a ready-made scenario, episode or video and fill in your child’s details.

Can Santa really call my child through an app?

The phone really rings and your child really hears Santa’s voice, but there is no person on the other end. In Call from Santa it is the message you wrote, spoken in Santa’s voice.

How much does Portable North Pole cost?

They do not publish a price on their own website. In the App Store on 28 October 2026, a single premium video was listed between €5.99 and €9.99, a single call from Santa between €3.99 and €9.99, the Magic Pass at €21.49 and the Ultimate Pass at €39.99. Prices differ by country.

Does my child need to send a photo?

Not to us. Call from Santa never asks for a photo of your child. Several other Santa apps do, so it is worth checking before you sign up.

What age is this for?

Roughly three to nine. Below that a child does not follow the call; above it most children are already working it out for themselves.

How many children can I call?

As many as you like, and you never pay extra for a name. You write a separate message for each child.

Is there a subscription?

No. You buy messages when you want them and nothing renews by itself.

Information about other apps comes from their own App Store, Google Play and company pages, read on 28 October 2026. Prices and features change, and prices differ by country. Spotted an error? Email hello@flyingdutchmanstudios.app.