After over two decades of connecting people across the world, Skype is shutting down today. Once the go-to platform for international calls and video chats with loved ones and colleagues, Skype's closure is the end of an era. Owned by Microsoft since 2011, the service will be retired to make way for the company's modern communications platform, Teams.
If you still rely on Skype for calls, here are some of the alternatives.
Google Meet
Google Meet is a reliable and user-friendly platform ideal for both video and audio calls. Integrated with Gmail and Google Calendar, it allows users to join meetings with a single click. The free version supports up to 100 participants with features like screen sharing, background blur, and live captions.
For everyday communication, WhatsApp is hard to beat. With over two billion users worldwide, it offers end-to-end encrypted voice and video calls, as well as instant messaging. It is especially handy for mobile users and supports group calls for up to 32 people.
Zoom
Zoom became a household name during the pandemic. It is built for meetings, virtual classrooms, webinars, and even casual video chats. Zoom supports up to 100 participants in its free plan and offers features like breakout rooms, screen sharing, whiteboards, and real-time captions.
Viber
Viber is a great choice for international calling, offering free voice and video calls between users and low-cost calls to mobile and landline numbers through "Viber Out." It offers end-to-end encryption and also supports group chats, file sharing, and expressive stickers.
Botim
Botim is especially useful in countries where other VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services are restricted, such as the United Arab Emirates. Approved by local authorities, Botim offers secure voice and video calls, along with chat, file sharing, and even extras like bill payments.
Slack
Primarily designed for workplace communication, Slack is a platform that supports voice/video calls and instant messaging. It has features like channels, integrations with productivity tools (example-Google Drive, Trello), and file sharing.
Signal
Signal provides messaging, voice, and video calling, and it's open-source - meaning its code is public and regularly reviewed by security experts. Free from ads and backed by a non-profit foundation, Signal is trusted by journalists, activists, and anyone seeking secure, private communication.
Webex By Cisco
Webex (by Cisco) is made for big teams and companies. It is great for large video meetings and includes helpful features like live translation, noise removal, and breakout rooms.
