Is it free to use the Facebook and Skype apps on my smartphone when I am out of the country?

[Virginia]

I live in the US and will be going to Canada. I still want to be able to text my boyfriend, but don't want to pay the international texting charges-- so will messaging him through the Facebook and Skype apps on my smartphone cost me anything? I am currently on Sprint's Simply Everything Family plan. On the website it says that this plan gives me unlimited data, but I'm just not sure how that would work when I'm using apps outside of the country.

Also, I get Facebook messages sent to my phone through text messages... does anyone know if it will cost me anything to text the Facebook number and send Facebook messages to other people through Facebook texting? Please help! :/

[Jorge Campos]

As long as you are on a wifi connection, and disabled 3G or 4G.

[Ali]

Sprint use Bell and Telus as their roaming partners in Canada, and unlike US they don't offer unlimited DATA plan in Canada. So, if you use skype and facebook you will be paying very hefty data charges. However if you are using an android phone and you are staying in a hotel where they offer free WIFI then you can use skype and facebook for free and you can text him back using skype as well for free but again nothing is free on the roaming outside the country you live in.

[Lillybug]

I agree with them saying Wifi. What I would do personally is put my phone in Airplane Mode and connect to Wifi so that I don't have any crazy charges. If your phone connects to one of their towers not only does it charge you the per minute/kb rate it also charges you a flat rate for every day that you use that tower, which is normally about 13.99 or so. (Plus all the per minute/kb fees)
The International Roaming Rates are:
Voice Pricing: $0.59/minute
Data Pricing: $0.002/KB

And those KB can add up rather fast. But they usually have an International Data Add On Pack that you can call and have added on. Of course even with this plan you can still incur the Daily tower Use Fee...

Really, I would just use wifi. It will be easier and cheaper. I promise.