Looking for Best Skype Alternatives? Look no further because the article is for you. Skype was one of the 1st apps to offer VoIP calls back in 2012, and hence it was the application to beat for many years. Nevertheless, after Microsoft acquires Skype and the consequent addition to the Microsoft 365 bundle, the service is not the same. It works, and you do get quite a generous free tier, but the entire signup process has become complex. And with the organization focusing on pushing Microsoft Teams, Skype no longer receives the same attention as it should. If you are not happy with Skype and looking for its alternatives, you have come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to suggest the best Skype Alternatives for VoIP, video calls, and video conferencing in 2021.
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Best Skype Alternatives for Video Conferencing And Chatting You Should Use
Since Skype is meant for personal and business use, we have divided the article into two sections to cover these use-cases. Some applications on this list are best for personal use and will help you stay connected with buddies and family. At the same time, others are intended for business use and will permit you to conduct video conferences and webinars.
1 thing to note here is that if you are working with a small team, you can utilize the apps in the personal section to communicate with your team. There is no hard and fast rule. The sections are here to make you pick wisely. With that out of the way, let’s go to our list.
Skype Alternatives for Personal Use
This is the section for people who really want to stay in touch with friends and family. The apps suggested here are widely popular, so odds are all your loved ones are using one of these applications. The apps are straightforward to use and don’t need technical know-how to use. And most importantly, all of them are free or offer a generous free tier.
Conversely, these apps are not intended for conducting meetings. There are a restricted number of people who can join a group call, and there are no additional traits such as screen recording, call transcript, etc. You can use them from a fast one-on-one meeting or a small team meeting. But for most users, these applications will better serve their personal needs.
FaceTime
If you’re entrenched in the Apple ecosystem, and so are your family and friends, there is no better Alternative to Skype than FaceTime. FaceTime works extraordinarily well and is available on all three major Apple platforms, including iOS, macOS, and iPadOS. And when Apple launched FaceTime group calling with macOS Mojave and iOS 12, it immediately solved the only issue that users had with this video and voice calling service.
Apple, in its Apple-like fashion, did not introduce the group call trait half-heartedly. It carries 32 people on the same call and has a fine feature where the speaker’s window comes to the front. This is a trait that works most of the time and is missing in most video calling services. Apple further includes some funky features like the ability to use Animojis and Memojis when making a FaceTime call. If you utilize Apple products, FaceTime is the great Skype Alternatives for you.
Supported Platforms: iOS, iPadOS, macOS
Discord
The gaming community mostly utilizes Discord; it’s one of the best online chat services to replace Skype. The thing I relish most about Discord is that it gives you a fun environment. You can create multiple channels for family and friends. Think of channels as different groups. These channels permit you to chat quickly or make voice calls. You can make the channels entertain by using Discord bots. These bots bring permit you to do things like playing music using Spotify, adding extension support for YouTube, Wikipedia, and other websites, adding meme support, creating an incentive system, and much more.
Discord also supports group video calling and video calling. You can create a group call for up to 9 people. One of the great features of Discord is the ability to share your screen. You can shift between the screen sharing mode and video chat mode in an instant. Overall, I get Discord to be a fun and powerful chat application that you are going to enjoy using more than Skype.
Supported Platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web
Google Duo
Google’s messaging apps have constantly been a disaster. Back in 2016, Google tried to remake its messaging program by launching two separate apps: Google Duo and Google Allo. The former was for text-messaging, while the later brought voice and video calling features. And while Google Allo was killed in the year 2018, Google Duo emerged as 1 of the great video calling services for personal use. Since its launch, I have been an enthusiast of Google Duo and consider it to be one of the great apps for making video calls and VoIP.
Google Duo video call quality is matchless, and its connection is the most stable of all the apps that I have used. Unlike WhatsApp, Google Duo carries 12 people in a group call and even allows a web app that works flawlessly. Also, the app is obtainable on iOS devices, so you don’t have to worry if you’re rocking the latest iPhone 11 Pro. Google Duo brings tons of cool features, for instance, low-light calling, the Knock Knock feature, video message support, end-to-end encryption, and more.
Supported Platforms: Android, iOS, Web
Skype Alternatives for Professional Use
In this section, all the apps stated are for professional use. You should not try to utilize them for personal communication as we have suggested apps for that purpose in the above section. These apps are slightly harder to set up and are not as popular as consumer apps. It means your buddies will have to start from scratch, and most probably, you’ll end up teaching them everything, so it’s not worth this effort.
On the opposite hand, the apps in this section are famous for professional use. Not just they allow you to get hundreds of people on a single call, but you can likewise do things like sharing screens, recording calls, get call transcriptions, saving them in the cloud, schedule meetings, and more. The bottom line is that the apps suggested in this section are for professional use, so they make more sense when used accordingly.
Zoom
If there’s one organization that has profited most from the failure of Skype, it’s Zoom. It has grown the go-to service for any professional business and team looking for video conferencing software. Zoom is one of the most useful communication tools for real-time video conferencing. The main highlights include support for up to 500 people on a single conference call, virtual background, serene share, integration with 3rd-party apps, local recording, and more. I also like the audio transcription feature that automatically creates a transcription of meetings.
Why I admire, Zoom has to do with the fact that Zoom is very easy to set up and use and is available across devices. So, You can use it on the web, mobile, or using its desktop apps. The free version is pretty generous and enough for most small businesses. Utilizing the free version, you can make a conference call to 100 people with a call duration capped at 40 minutes. If you’re searching for a Skype alternative to conducting online meetings and conferences, Zoom should be your first stop.
Supported Platforms: iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web
Google Meet
Google Meet is Google’s reply to Skype, Zoom, and other online meeting solutions. The service was originally available for G Suite customers, however now Google has made it free for all users. The app has become famous in the past few days and has already crossed 50 million downloads on the Play Store. The great thing about Google Meet is that it integrates with Gmail’s web app allowing you to start a meeting directly from there. Google Meet is also pretty straightforward to set-up and run. You build a meeting and share the link with other users to join. You can host up to 250 members, which is more than most teams require.
Google is also working on new highlights, including the much-requested background blur feature. Other highlights of Google Meet include the ability to schedule meetings, end-to-end encryption, screen sharing support, and more. There’s also a broadcast mode that enables users to broadcast meetings to 100,000 people at the same time. This is an excellent feature for companies that want all their employees to watch the meeting. The single restriction is that every participant should have a Google account. Moreover, the free meetings are capped at 60 minutes. Google has created an easy to use and powerful alternative to Skype, and you should try it.
Supported Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Jitsi Meet
The last Skype alternatives on this list, we have taken an open-source application that is free to use. The great thing regarding this service is that you don’t need to install any app if you don’t want to. Just open its website and tap on the “Go” button. The service brings some cool traits, including chat, session recording and upload to Dropbox, and the ability to remove disorderly participants. I admire that Jitsi allows me to set a password so only the people I invite can join the meeting.
The service also gives mobile apps for Android and iOS platforms so you can join the meeting on the go. It also integrates well with Slack. So if you’re using Slack for communication in your team, Jitsi Meet will be an excellent fit for you. As far as group call is involved, it carries up to 75 members. Nevertheless, for best performance, keep the member participation under 40. If you’re looking for a simple & free to use video conferencing service, you should check out Jitsi Meet.
Supported Platforms: iOS, Android, Web
Skype Alternatives with These Excellent Video Calling and Conferencing Apps
I hope you were able to get the Best Skype Alternatives in this article. We have included options for personal and professional use. Well, Whether you want to have an online get-together with buddies or to conduct a video conference with your team, you’ll find an app here. Therefore, check them out and let us know which app fulfilled your quarantine needs.