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Top 10 Best Alternatives To Skype In 2022

Some people prefer not to use Skye after Microsoft bought it in 2021. In this walkthrough, we will highlight 10 best alternatives to Skype In 2021.

Author:Daniel BarrettMay 29, 202232733 Shares545551 Views
The best alternatives to Skype provide an easy way to connect with people using video and voice calling over the internet.
There are plenty of reasons why Skype might not be for you, and that’s okay! The video conferencing game isn’t one-size-fits-all, especially for small businesses.
One of the hardest parts of choosing the best video conferencing software for your business is the research. With so many video conferencing tools, how do you know which one will meet your needs and align with your business goals?
Although Skype became one of the early success stories regarding easy-access VoIP, many alternatives are now available. Not only do these offer voice-calling over the internet by default, but most now also include video conferencing features.
Some people prefer not to use Skye after Microsoft bought it in 2021 and started making changes, such as integrating it into its Office suite of software applications. However, not all users were happy about the acquisition and following changes, and with the growth of rival services, many Skype users began to migrate to these.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in.

Best Alternatives To Skype

1. WhatsApp

WhatsApp is our best pick for the best Skype alternative. This messaging service has taken the world by storm, so there’s a good chance that you already have it installed on your smartphone or PC.
WhatsApp offers plenty of features to rival Skype, including text messaging, voice and video calls, and group chat. It also offers both web and desktop clients. You don’t even need to create an account to use it – just a mobile phone number.
Perhaps most famously, WhatsApp also provides end-to-end encryption, guaranteeing privacy. For business users, you can easily share documents, and there’s a WhatsApp business API as well.

2. Google Meet (formerly Google Hangouts)

Google Meet is another popular alternative to Skype that offers most, if not all, of the same features. Teams can communicate and collaborate via high-definition video meetings, phone calls, and instant messaging.
With the free plan, video meetings and conferences can support up to 100 participants for unlimited meetings of up to 60 minutes per call.
Google Meet is an excellent option for businesses already investing in Google Workplace. However, it does come with some downsides. First, Google Meet requires a Google account for access. This might be a pain for external clients who use another email platform (Outlook, for example, is still really popular in the business sphere).

3. Viber

Viber offers text, voice and video calls free of charge, and if you are willing to pay, you can use Viber Out to make calls to any phone number in the world – and you can even use this from the desktop.
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Group calling is a great feature for friends, and there is the usual selection of stickers to choose from. Viber prides itself on being ‘ad lite’, which means while there are some ads, such as at the end of video calls, they shouldn’t be intrusive.
Viber also offers end-to-end encryption to help ensure that calls are protected, secure, and remain private, but you can also delete messages once seen for added privacy.

4. Microsoft Teams

Best Alternatives To Skype
Microsoft Teams is slowly replacing Skype for Business, as it allows users to manage employee accounts with enterprise-grade security and integrations with Office apps.
Microsoft Teams is a chat-based workspace in Microsoft 365. It lets users chat, host audio calls and video conferences, and share files with enterprise-grade security. In addition, teams use channels to organize information, which is a top feature for improving team productivity and focus when cooperating on projects.
The Teams video calling feature is more robust than Skype’s and can support up to 10,000 users. In addition, the VoIP service is more tolerable than other solutions and only requires a minimum of 1.2 Mbps for a smooth audio/video experience.

5. WebEx

If you’re looking for the best Skype alternative for business use, then WebEx is the service.
WebEx offers a large number of features for video conferencing, allowing employees from all over the world to work together and collaborate on projects.
It can be used for training, supporting customers, and much more, and for an additional fee, you can also include international voice calls.
WebEx integrates with your business calendar and platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Facebook Live.

6. Zoom

Zoom became hugely popular in 2020 in light of the global shift to remote work due to COVID-19. However, it was so overused that it resulted in the coinage of its own effect: “Zoom fatigue”!
It’s one of the most widely used group call apps and is a reliable solution for businesses hosting video meetings and virtual team-building activities to bring remote teams together.
While Zoom has many great features, it might not be technically robust enough for your business use, especially the free tier. Zoom’s free platform only allows meetings for 40 minutes, which could hinder conversations on important topics. There have also been issues with security and Zoombombing, which is when an uninvited guest joins your meeting. Plus, the larger meetings for the free version don’t use HD video, which can cause issues with screen freezing and time lag. In a meeting capped at 40 minutes, that sort of thing can waste valuable time.

7. Jami

If you’re looking for an open-source Skype alternative that prioritizes the privacy of its users, then Jami – which used to be known as Ring – is the one to go for.
Jami has a professional-looking design and is available for various platforms. Unlike other Skype alternatives, Jami calls are direct between users, so it doesn’t use servers to handle calls.
This gives you even greater privacy, as the decentralized nature of Jami means your calls are only between you and the person you’re calling – no one else can see or hear.
Jami has a good selection of features, such as HD video calling, instant messaging, voice messaging, and file sharing. It’s also totally free to use.

8. Jitsi Meet

Jitsi Meet is open-source software geared towards users harboring bigger privacy concerns regarding their communications. It offers voice and video calls that are encrypted for security and a chat feature with optional encryption.
If you’re an SMB or a large enterprise, Jitsi can work for you. It’s an excellent solution for small businesses seeking a free solution with unlimited video chat participants, simple conversation initiation, and no sign-up. But, of course, it still comes with premium functions like screen share, recording features, and tile view.
The downside to Jitsi Meet is that it’s a basic platform that focuses on providing video conferencing solutions alone.

9. WeChat

WeChat is mainly a mobile app – it’s available for iOS, Windows Phone and Android– but there’s also the option of using the web-based version of the service for desktop users who want to get in on the action. That said, it’s worth pointing out that a mobile phone is needed to log into the web version of WeChat – an unnecessarily convoluted process that many people will find off-putting. There is also a Windows 10 app in the Microsoft Store and a version for macOS in the App Store.
Once you’re up and running, WeChat offers voice, text, video, and group chats, and you can use it to replace your existing SMS and phone apps. In addition, it is possible to make calls to landlines and mobiles in some countries, but not worldwide. WeChat also veers into social networking territory by enabling you to meet new people with its People Nearby feature.

10. Talky

Best Alternatives To Skype
Talky is a little different from most messaging tools in that it is primarily a web-based service. There is an iOS app available, but if you’re looking for a true cross-platform chatting tool, you will have to look elsewhere.
You can have a group video chat with up to 15 participants, making Talky great for family and friends and collaborative working. With this in mind, it is also possible to activate screen sharing, so everyone involved in a conversation can see what’s happening on one person’s display.
Creating a chat room is incredibly simple – head to the Talky website, type the URL you’d like to use and get ready to go. All that remains is to share the URL with people you want to chat with; to keep things private, rooms can be password-protected. Of course, there’s no getting away from the fact that Talky is a little light on features, but sometimes simple is what’s needed.
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