Popular video-calling site Skype has shut down after 23 years, as announced by its parent company, Microsoft, to enable it to double down on Teams.
Users of Microsoft-owned Skype were given just 24 hours to save their contacts, which could then be automatically transferred to Teams after logging in with their Skype username and password.
Reports indicate that this move may have affected over 36 million users, a long way from Skype’s peak of 300 million users.
Best alternatives for Skype
Microsoft Teams
Because Microsoft Teams is owned by the same business as Skype, it may be the simplest platform for consumers to switch to. It has features that are comparable to Skype, including as group and one-on-one calls, file sharing, and chat. Teams, as opposed to Skype, was designed for commercial use, thus, up to 10,000 people can join calls. It has a free version and a paid monthly subscription that ranges from $4 to $12.50.
Zoom
Zoom is another popular option, which allows up to 100 people to participate in video conversations and chat sessions. It comes with helpful features like notes, a whiteboard, and screen sharing for meetings at work and school. These sessions can be recorded, and meeting transcripts can be downloaded by users. But after forty minutes, free meetings end. Users must purchase a subscription, which ranges in price from $13 to $18, in order to have unlimited meeting time.
Google Meet
It is free and connects directly to users’ Google accounts and Gmails, and may be useful to those who value ease. Google Meet can record meetings, share screens, and accommodate up to 100 participants each session. For free users, meetings with more than three participants end after sixty minutes. Users will need to pay for a Workspace account, which varies in price from $7 to $15 per month, in order to utilize the platform for an unlimited amount of time.
WebEx
WebExis another similar platform, allowing up to 100 participants per meeting and offering the ability to record meetings and share your screen. It has a 40-minute time limit for free users, and paid plans cost between $12 and $22.50 a month.
Discord
Although Discord was first created as a gaming chat platform, it may also be used for individual or small-team use as an alternative to Skype. It is not advised for larger companies, though, because it restricts calls to 25 participants.
On the plus side, Discord provides capabilities like breakout rooms, screen sharing, and meeting recording, along with limitless meeting durations. The platform offers two paid alternatives, $5/month and $10/month, in addition to a free plan, making it one of the more economical solutions available, depending on the demands of the user.
Video calls are also possible with other well-known messaging apps like Slack, Signal, WhatsApp, and Apple Facetime, but they are not made for official business meetings and cannot accommodate larger groups.
