The best Skype alternatives, compared honestly
Skype shut down on May 5, 2025. Microsoft retired it after 22 years and pushed everyone toward Teams — but that's not the only option, and for most people it isn't the best one. Skype quietly did two jobs: talking to other people, and calling real phone numbers. Here are the alternatives that actually replace each, by need.
Skype is gone. The best replacement depends on what you used it for:
- Private, free calls & chat → Signal — free, cross-platform, end-to-end encrypted by default.
- Video meetings → Zoom (best quality) or Google Meet (runs in the browser, nothing to install).
- Official migration / keep your history → Microsoft Teams Free — imports your Skype chats & contacts.
- Call real phone numbers (Skype Out) → Google Voice (US), Zoom Phone or pay-as-you-go VoIP. See how →
Why everyone's moving
What happened to Skype
This isn't the usual "the product got worse" story — Skype was simply switched off. If you're here, you don't have a choice about leaving; you only get to choose where you land.
It's shut down
Microsoft retired consumer Skype on May 5, 2025. The app no longer works — this is a forced move, not a preference.
Pushed onto Teams
Microsoft's only in-house path is Teams (free). It's capable, but it's work-flavoured and heavier than the simple call app Skype was.
Paid calling wound down
Skype Credit, Skype Numbers and subscriptions are no longer sold; Numbers stopped auto-renewing on Apr 3, 2025. The cheap-international-calls job needs a new home.
Export before January 2026
Your chats, contacts and files stay exportable until Jan 2026, then they're permanently deleted. Migrate to Teams or export now.
No default encryption
Skype never had end-to-end encryption on by default. If privacy matters, Signal and WhatsApp are a genuine upgrade.
One app did two jobs
Talking to people and calling phone numbers used to live in one app. Replacing Skype usually means one tool for each.
The shortlist
8 Skype alternatives worth trying
These cover the "talk to other people" job — free app-to-app video, voice and chat. Ranked by how well they fit the everyday Skype use case, but there's no single winner: pick by what you actually need. Calling real phone numbers is a separate job — jump to that here.
The closest thing to "free personal Skype, done right." Free (nonprofit, donation-funded), end-to-end encrypted by default, with 1:1 and group voice/video (up to ~50) and messaging across iOS, Android and desktop. No ads. Trade-off: registers with a phone number and isn't a webinar/meetings tool.
The default for reliable, high-quality video calls and meetings on any device. Free plan covers up to 100 people but caps group calls at 40 minutes; paid from ~$13.33/user/mo. Trade-off: the free time limit, and it leans "meeting" more than "hang out." Skype vs Zoom →
Nothing to install — start a call from a browser tab with a Google account. Free: 1:1 up to 24h, group calls capped at 60 minutes, up to 100 participants. Trade-off: needs a Google account and the 60-min group cap on the free tier.
Microsoft's chosen replacement — sign in with your Skype account and chats and contacts migrate automatically. Free tier: chat, calls and 60-minute meetings for up to 100. Trade-off: heavier and work-oriented; overkill for a quick family call. Skype vs Teams →
Everyone already has it. Free, end-to-end encrypted 1:1 and group voice/video (group calls up to ~32) plus messaging, strongest on mobile. Trade-off: identity is your phone number, it's Meta-owned, and desktop is a companion app rather than a full client.
A free, fast messenger with proper standalone apps on every platform — including full desktop clients Skype users will feel at home in. 1:1 and group voice/video calls plus cloud-synced chat. Voice/video calls are end-to-end encrypted; ordinary cloud chats aren't (only opt-in "Secret Chats" are). Trade-off: identity is a phone number, and default chats trade E2E for cloud sync.
Free voice/video channels, screen sharing and chat, built for always-on group calls and communities. Great if "the call" is really an ongoing hangout. Trade-off: the server/community model is less natural than a simple 1:1 "phone call."
Free, open source (Apache-2.0), no account required and no time limit — share a link and call. Up to ~100 people, and you can self-host it for full control. Trade-off: fewer polished extras, and large calls need a capable server if you self-host.
Side by side
Skype alternatives compared
Skype is included as the (retired) baseline. Everything below is compiled from each vendor's official pages — free tiers and limits change often, so verify current terms before you commit.
| App | Cost | Free group limit | E2E encryption | Calls real phones? | Platforms | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skype (retired May 2025) | Was free + paid calling | — | ✗ (not default) | Was ✓ (discontinued) | — | Nothing — it's shut down |
| Signal | Free | No time limit (~50) | ✓ default | ✗ | iOS, Android, desktop | Private free calls & chat |
| Zoom | Free · Pro ~$13.33/mo | 40 min (100 people) | Optional | Add-on (Zoom Phone) | Web, mobile, desktop | Video quality & meetings |
| Google Meet | Free · paid via Workspace | 60 min (100 people) | ✗ (in transit) | ✗ | Web, iOS, Android | In-browser, no install |
| Microsoft Teams | Free · paid via M365 | 60 min (100 people) | Optional (1:1) | Add-on (Teams Phone) | Web, mobile, desktop | Official Skype migration |
| Free | No time limit (~32) | ✓ default | ✗ | Mobile, web, desktop | Mobile & ubiquity | |
| Telegram | Free | ~30 video (1000 watch) | Calls ✓ · chats: secret only | ✗ | Mobile, web, desktop | All-round messenger + calls |
| Discord | Free · Nitro optional | No time limit (~50) | ✗ | ✗ | Web, mobile, desktop | Group hangouts & communities |
| Jitsi Meet | Free · self-host free | No time limit (~100) | Optional (config) | ✗ | Web, mobile, self-hosted | Open-source, no account |
Free-tier limits and pricing change often — check each vendor for current terms. Group limits reflect the free plan. "Calls real phones" means dialling ordinary landline/mobile numbers, not just app-to-app calls. Compiled July 2026 from each vendor's official pages.
Official pages: Skype retirement · Signal · Zoom · Google Meet · Teams · WhatsApp · Telegram · Discord · Jitsi
The other half of Skype
Replacing Skype Out — calling real phone numbers
The apps above are brilliant for calling other people who have the same app. None of them dials an ordinary landline or mobile — the job Skype Credit and Skype Numbers did. That part is harder to replace, and worth its own guide.
Google Voice
Free US phone number and free calls within the US & Canada — the simplest swap if you're a US resident. International calling is paid, and it's US-only to sign up.
Zoom Phone
A real cloud phone number and international dialling as a paid add-on to Zoom — the closest "one app for calls and phone numbers" successor.
Pay-as-you-go VoIP
Rebtel, Talk360 and BOSS Revolution sell per-minute international credit to landlines and mobiles at rates comparable to old Skype Out — the best like-for-like.
A fair call
Picking the right replacement
There's no need to overthink it — match the tool to the job you used Skype for. Most people end up with one app for people and, if they need it, one for phone numbers.
Go with the official path if…
- You want your Skype chats and contacts to carry over — sign in to Microsoft Teams Free.
- You're already in the Microsoft 365 world and want calls, chat and files in one place.
- You only need to export your history before it's deleted in January 2026.
- Work-style meetings, not casual calls, are your main use.
Pick something else if…
- You want privacy and simplicity for personal calls — Signal.
- You care most about video quality or meetings — Zoom; or nothing-to-install — Google Meet.
- You want to reach people who won't install anything new — WhatsApp.
- You need to call real phone numbers — Google Voice, Zoom Phone or pay-as-you-go VoIP.
Common questions
Skype alternatives — common questions
Is Skype shut down?
Yes. Microsoft retired consumer Skype on May 5, 2025 and now points users to Microsoft Teams (free). The Skype app no longer works. You can sign in to Teams Free with your Skype account to move your chats and contacts over automatically, or export your Skype data — but the export window closes in January 2026, after which the data is permanently deleted.
What is the best free Skype alternative?
For a free, cross-platform replacement of Skype's video, voice and chat, Signal is the closest match done right: free, on every platform, and end-to-end encrypted by default. If you mainly want video meetings, Zoom (free, 40-minute group cap) or Google Meet (free, 60-minute group cap, runs in the browser) are the strongest. Microsoft Teams Free is the official successor and imports your Skype history.
What is the official Skype replacement?
Microsoft's official replacement is Microsoft Teams (free). Sign in to Teams with your existing Skype credentials and your contacts and chat history transfer automatically. Teams free covers chat, 1:1 and group calls, and meetings up to 60 minutes with up to 100 participants. It's more work-oriented and heavier than Skype was, so many personal users prefer Signal, Zoom or Google Meet instead. Full Skype vs Teams comparison →
How do I call landlines and mobile phones now that Skype is gone?
This was Skype's hardest-to-replace feature (Skype Out / Credit / Number), and Microsoft stopped selling those before the shutdown. For US/Canada, Google Voice gives a free number and free domestic calls. For international calls to real phone numbers, Zoom Phone (a paid add-on) or pay-as-you-go VoIP services like Rebtel, Talk360 and BOSS Revolution offer per-minute rates comparable to old Skype Out. No single free app fully replaces it — here's the full guide.
Which Skype alternative is the most private?
Signal is the most private and secure option: a nonprofit, open source, with end-to-end encryption on by default for all 1:1 and group voice, video and messaging. Skype never offered end-to-end encryption by default. WhatsApp is also end-to-end encrypted, but it's owned by Meta and tied to your phone number.
Can I still use Skype Credit I already paid for?
For a period after the shutdown, users with remaining Skype Credit or an active subscription could still call phone numbers via the Skype Dial Pad, and Skype Numbers stayed active until the end of their paid term (auto-renewal stopped on April 3, 2025). But no new Credit, Numbers or subscriptions are sold, so it's a dead end — move to Google Voice, Zoom Phone or a pay-as-you-go VoIP service for ongoing calls to real phone numbers.
Do I need to do anything before January 2026?
Yes, if you want to keep your Skype history. Microsoft keeps Skype data exportable until January 2026, after which it's permanently deleted. Either sign in to Microsoft Teams Free with your Skype account (which migrates chats and contacts automatically) or use Skype's export tool to download your conversations and files before the deadline.