8 Best Skype Alternatives for Business and Daily Use
"We will be retiring Skype in May 2025 to focus on Microsoft Teams …"
"Skype will remain available until May 5, 2025…"
According to the article of "The Next Chapter: Moving from Skype to Microsoft Teams", Microsoft announced the discontinuation of Skype (both free and paid Skype users, not Skype for Business) on May 5, 2025. There are over 36 million daily active users looking for Skype alternatives. Microsoft provides a free Skype to Teams migration service. But if you want to get more Skype alternatives, just continue reading.
Guide List
Why Is Skype Shutting Down What to Consider for Choosing a Skype Alternative Top 8 Skype Alternatives for Business and Personal [with Comparison Chart]Why Skype Shut Down
Here are possible reasons that Microsoft decided to close this 21-year-old calling and communicating platform.
- 1. More and more services can replace Skype in different aspects, such as Apple's FaceTime, Meta's WhatsApp, Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, Viber, and more.
- 2. The user group of Skype has decreased in recent years. People tend to choose alternatives for a better experience.
- 3. Skype competitors such as Signal and WhatsApp provide better end-to-end encryption and privacy
- 4. Skype lacks mobile-first optimization, while FaceTime and WhatsApp do well in the mobile experience.
- 5. Microsoft prioritize Teams for enterprise business needs.
What to Consider for Choosing a Skype Alternative
Skype shutdown is for sure. So people have started to seek the best Skype alternatives in the USA, Canada, Thailand, New Zealand, and other countries all over the World. Some Skype functions are impressive, while some are not. Is there any tool that can replace Skype and does a better job? You can check the following factors to see if you have the same demand.
- 1. Allow voice calls to a landline inside and outside Canada, the USA, New Zealand, and more.
- 2. Use your local mobile number caller ID to call out.
- 3. Integrate with other tools for team collaboration and remote teamwork.
- 4. Have end-to-end encryption and strong data protection policies.
- 5. Can record video/audio and share screen.
- 6. Make international calls.
- 7. Large number of participants in a call or meeting.
- 8. Send SMS text messages to mobile phone numbers.
- 9. …
Top 8 Skype Alternatives for Business and Personal [with Comparison Chart]
Have a quick check of the following Skype alternatives for different scenarios. Or you can move to get a more detailed comparison between Skype and its alternatives.
Best picks of Skype alternatives:
- • For business meetings in large groups: Zoom, Telegram
- • For high privacy and security: Signal, Telegram, Jami
- • For general video calls and personal use: Viber, WhatsApp
- • For gaming and communities: Discord
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Have a quick check of Skype vs. alternatives in those aspects. If you want a 1-in-1 comparison, please continue reading to get more details.
| Skype Alternative | Outbound International Calls | Inbound calls from mobile or landline number | Send SMS | Remote team collaboration | End-to-end Security |
| Microsoft Teams | Yes | Yes (receive calls from traditional phone lines) | Yes (in the United States and Canada) | Yes | Yes |
| Viber | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Zoom | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Signal | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Telegram | No | No | No | Yes (group chats and channels) | No |
| Discord | No | No | No | Yes | No (available in secret chats only) |
| No (designed for messaging and VoIP calls) | No | No | No | Yes | |
| Jami | No | No | No | No | Yes |
#1. Microsoft Teams vs. Skype – The Official Skype Alternative for Business
Compared with Skype, Microsoft Teams is designed for workplaces and business. You can have an online video call up to 1,000 people while editing a Word document. With the integration of Microsoft 365, you can other collaboration tools, you can have large-scale meetings with businesses and organizations. But if you prefer personal calls in small teams, Microsoft Teams is complicated.
#2. Viber vs. Skype – Your Skype-to-phone Call Alternative
Viber is highly recommended in Reddit forums under the discussions about Skype alternatives for business. You can make international calls with competitive rates. Moreover, you can receive calls from mobile or landline numbers in US and other countries. Even though Skype shut down in May 2025, you can use Viber to replace Skype. Its end-to-end encryption does a better job than Skype's standard encryption.
#3. Zoom vs. Skype – Good for Video Conferences
Zoom is a worldwide meeting platform. If you are looking for a Skype alternative for large conferences and business meetings, Zoom is a good choice. If you choose Zoom as your next Skype replacement, you can get breakout rooms and virtual background support. Similar to Skype, Zoom provides built-in recording support for the meeting host. Even though you are not the host, you can record Zoom meetings as a participant without permission. But Zoom use standard encryption. If you need a privacy-focused Skype alternative, just move on.
#4. Signal vs. Skype – Privacy-focused Skype Alternative
Signal is your smart choice for encrypted chat and video calls on multiplatform. The disappearing message and metadata protection functions make Signal safer than Skype. Signal prioritizes privacy. All your chats, messages, and calls are in the privacy mode by default. However, Skype supports inbound calls from mobiles and landlines while Signal cannot. Signal needs a phone number.
#5. Telegram vs. Skype – Have Secret Chats and Messages
Telegram supports Facebook sign-in and temporary images/text messages. Telegram has screenshot detection and end-to-end encryption in secret chats. People choose Telegram over Skype for anonymous communication. With the large group chats (up to 1000 people) and file sharing (up to 2GB) functions, you can have large group chats and channels, which is good for team collaboration than the discounted Skype.
#6. Discord vs. Skype – Focus on Game Community Chats in Voice/Video/Chat
How about a free Skype alternative for gamers and communities? Discord provides persistent chat rooms, low-latency voice and streaming for online gaming communications. However, Discord doesn’t have a Skype call-supporting function. You cannot make inbound and outgoing calls using Discord. So if you are a non-gamer, you can choose other alternatives for Skype shutting down.
#7. WhatsApp vs. Skype – Mobile-friendly Call and Message App for Personal
WhatsApp offers free app-to-app international calls and messages. The end-to-end encryption can protect your communications from hackers. But you cannot get traditional SMS and inbound call services. WhatsApp allows users to call and chat with up to 32 participants. You can share large files up to 2GB on WhatsApp in a small group. In short, WhatsApp is better in daily communication than Skype.
#8. Jami vs. Skype – Have Peer-to-peer Calls Secretly
Jami is an open-source private communication software with end-to-end encryption. Your chats will not be stored on the Jami server. Because Jami is fully decentralized. You can make direct peer-to-peer calls without creating an account. Jami requires no personal information. If you and other Jami users are under the same local network, you can communicate with them without the Internet. To some degree, it is your safe choice after Skype closing itself.
Conclusion
Skype is no longer popular. More and more people move from Skype to other online chat and communication platforms. Here you can get 8 best Skype alternatives in different areas, including business, personal usage, safe communication, and more. The group of Skype competitors has grown in recent years. You can use Zoom and Microsoft Teams for business meetings. Signal, Viber, and Jami perform well in privacy protection. If you prefer mobile calls and communication, WhatsApp does a good job. As for gaming and socializing with friends, you can consider Discord. No matter which Skype alternative you choose, AnyRec Screen Recorder is your must-have tool. You can record video calls and online chats without restrictions, free download the program with buttons here.
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