When it comes to making video calls, mobile calls and sending instant messages and SMS, Skype is the only name that comes to our minds, isn’t it? It is described as the telephone of the 21st century. Ever since Microsoft bought Skype in 2011, the user base managed to grow higher and higher. For a long time, it was the world leader among VoIP apps and the best app. But it’s far from being the only option out there.
There may be many reasons for a person to try out something new against Skype. You might have an aversion to Microsoft’s software or unsatisfied with the low-quality calls, many crash downs. Thus, Skype lost its reputation and it gave the chance for many other apps providing the same and even more features to the users. If you are the one who’s fed up with Skype, you might want to try these alternatives.
Here we have brought you the best Skype alternatives proving that there’s plenty of choice beyond Skype.
1. Google Hangouts:
Google Hangouts is a communication platform developed by Google. With Google Hangouts, you can chat over text, video or VoIP call, you can also do group video chats with up to 10 members and all for free. It replaces three messaging products such as Google+, Google Talk, and Hangouts present in Google+. In a statement, Google also said that Hangouts is designed to be ‘the future’ of Google Voice and integrated some of Google Voice features into Hangouts.
One of the best things about Google Hangouts is that unlike Skype, there is no need to install any third party app or software to start using it, the only thing you have to do is sign up for Gmail or Google Plus account and enjoy the access to Hangouts. The contacts that Google Hangouts adds to your account can be both from your phone contacts, and your email contacts. If those contacts are Google Hangout users, you can call them entirely for free.
Since its launch a few years ago, Google Hangouts has swiftly grown to rival Skype in all the terms mainly its quality.
2. Viber:
Viber is a cross-platform instant messaging and voice over IP (VoIP) application. It began its journey as a mobile app (Android, iOS) for texting and voice calls, and now it is available on Windows PC, Linux, and Mac. One can make free voice calls and video calls to any part of the world and both the users must install Viber. To make calls to any mobile or landline, we need to pay for it.
Apart from voice and video calls, you can also send documents and text, image, and video messages via the app. There is no need to worry about its security, they are encrypted. To differentiate Viber from Skype and all other apps, it has a decent selection of games and you can challenge your friends to a duel.
3. Talky:
Talky is a free calling and messaging app. It is all-in-one communication platform. It is absolutely free of cost. Talky is different from most messaging tools. You can have a group video chat with up to 15 participants, making Talky great not only for family and friends but also for collaborative working. Talky also allows screen sharing, which is a unique feature. Simply pick a room name, get a unique URL, then share this URL with up to 15 people. The call is then accessible via each person’s browser.
One of the best features of Talky is you can make voice and video calls even when you don’t have the internet connection. All you need is a phone that’s 4G(LTE)/3G/2G/Wifi enabled. And Talky doesn’t allow you to make international or domestic calls.
4. ooVoo:
ooVoo is a messaging and video chat app. You can have a group video chat with up to 12 participants. All you have to do is send them a unique link. ooVoo also allows screen sharing and call recording. It’s basically like WhatsApp, but also allows calls to landlines and web-based calls to non-users.
One of the best features of ooVoo is that your friends don’t need to be on ooVoo for attending your call, they can answer your call on Facebook as well.
5. Voca:
It is one of the best Skype alternatives you can find if you are looking to make cheap international calls. You can also enjoy free calls and messages between Voca users. Above all, these features are built upon simple and impressive user interface that makes sense. For the security conscious, all calls and messages are encrypted.
Apart from voice and video calls, Voca is following a credit-based payment system that makes sense when you purchase a certain amount of credits, it will show you the number of minutes you can talk.
Among the tools mentioned above, which one is your favorite alternative for Skype and what frustrated you so much about Skype to make you start searching for alternatives? Let us know in the comments section below.
