Guide

Best Skype alternatives after shutdown

Skype shut down on May 5, 2025. Compare replacements for video calls, app calls, real phone-number calling, and shared team calling.

Check rates Compare all options

Ranked guide

Pick by the call you need

01TalkalaCalling real mobile and landline numbers abroadRecommended
02WhatsAppFree app-to-app calls
03Viber OutApp-based international calling
04RebtelCountry-specific plans

Top picks

Quick picks by calling need

Best for calling real numbers abroad
Talkala
Best for free app-to-app calls
WhatsApp
Best for Apple users
FaceTime
Best for US-based Google Voice users
Google Voice
Best for app-based international calling
Viber Out
Best for country-specific plans
Rebtel
Best emergency fallback
Mobile carrier

How you pay

Free app calls and paid phone-number calls are different

WhatsApp and FaceTime are free when both people use the same app and have internet. Talkala, Viber Out, and Rebtel are paid options for calling regular mobile and landline numbers, usually through prepaid credit, call prices, or calling plans. Mobile carriers bill through your phone plan, where international prices are often harder to predict.

Free app-to-app

WhatsApp and FaceTime are best when the other person uses the same app.

Prepaid phone-number calling

Talkala, Viber Out, and Rebtel are for calling real numbers with credit, call prices, or plans.

Carrier billing

Mobile carriers can work as a fallback, but the cost depends on your plan, destination, and add-ons.

Compare cheap international call options

Start here

First decide what you used Skype for

Skype handled several jobs at once including video calls, app-to-app voice calls, and paid calls to regular phone numbers. No single replacement covers all three automatically. The best choice depends on whether you mainly need a video app, a free app call, or a paid way to ring a real mobile or landline.

If the person you call can use the same app, WhatsApp or FaceTime may be enough. If you used Skype to call landlines, business numbers, older relatives, offices, or mobiles that are not on the same app, you need a real phone-number calling option instead.

Call type and pricing

Free app calls and paid phone-number calls are different things

App-to-app calls are usually free because both people are inside the same app. Paid international calling is different because the call connects to the regular phone network. That is why services like Talkala, Viber Out, and Rebtel are better compared by country, number type, and how you pay.

Talkala is strongest when you want a browser-based replacement for Skype phone-number calling. You check the price, call a real mobile or landline abroad, and keep shared balance available when a team needs the same prepaid wallet.

Ranked list

Best options, ranked by what you need

Start with the job Skype used to do for you. WhatsApp and FaceTime cover free app calls and video calls, while Talkala, Viber Out, and Rebtel use prepaid credit or plans for calling real phone numbers.

General replacements

Start here if you need a broadly useful replacement for Skype calling.

Talkala

Recommended #1

Calling real mobile and landline numbers abroad

Talkala replaces Skype for calling real mobile and landline numbers abroad from the browser with prepaid credit and the price shown first.

Use Talkala if Skype was your way to reach regular phone numbers. It does not replace Skype chat or video meetings. It focuses on browser-based outbound calls to real mobiles and landlines with prepaid credit, upfront pricing, and shared balance for teams.

Key traits

Browser-based calling
Calls mobiles and landlines
Price shown before calling
Shared balance and team workspace

Pros

Useful when the other person only has a regular phone number.
Good fit for teams that need shared calling credit and usage visibility.
Shows the call price before the call starts so you can decide first.

Limitations

Does not replace Skype chat history or video meetings.
Does not offer free app-to-app voice or video calling.
Requires prepaid Talkala credit for paid calls.

Free app-to-app calls

WhatsApp is the simplest Skype replacement when both people already use the app and have internet access.

WhatsApp works best when the call is really an app call. If both people already use WhatsApp, the contact is saved, and both sides have internet, it can be the most straightforward option for personal calls.

Read comparison

Key traits

App-to-app voice and video
Requires both people to use WhatsApp
Does not call regular phone numbers

Pros

Very familiar for personal contacts around the world.
Free for app-to-app voice and video calls.

Limitations

Cannot call regular mobile or landline numbers.
Not designed for shared calling balance or team cost control.

Viber Out

App-based international calling

Viber Out is an app-based option for calling real phone numbers with credit or subscription plans.

Use Viber Out when you want paid phone-number calling from an app and its credit or plan structure fits the countries you call most often.

Read comparison

Key traits

App-based international calling
Credit or calling plan
Calls phone numbers in supported destinations

Pros

Good fit for users who want app-based international calling.
Works well when its plans match your repeated calling patterns.

Limitations

Not designed for browser-based calling.
Plan value depends on where you call most often.

Rebtel

Country-specific plans

Rebtel works best when you repeatedly call the same country and a country-specific plan fits that pattern.

Use Rebtel when your calling pattern is predictable. If you call the same destination often and a Rebtel plan covers that destination, it can be a practical fit for regular calling.

Read comparison

Key traits

International calling service
Country-specific plan fit
Best for repeated destinations

Pros

Good for repeated calls to the same destination.
More useful than app-only tools when you need phone-number calling.

Limitations

Less suited to callers who change destinations frequently.
Not designed around a shared browser workspace for teams.

Platform and region-specific options

These are useful, but only for specific audiences.

FaceTime

Apple-to-Apple calls

FaceTime is a strong option for Apple users who want voice or video calls over internet with other Apple users.

Use FaceTime when the call is between Apple users. It works best for personal voice or video calls where both sides already use Apple devices and have internet access.

Key traits

Apple-centered app calling
Voice and video over internet
Not normal PSTN phone-number calling

Pros

Simple for people already in the Apple ecosystem.
Good call quality when both sides have compatible devices and internet.

Limitations

Requires compatible Apple devices or supported FaceTime access.
Cannot call regular landlines or mobile numbers abroad.
Not designed for shared business calling wallets.

Google Voice

US-based Google Voice users

Google Voice fits users who already have a supported Google Voice number and account for their calling needs.

Use Google Voice when you already have the right account, number, and supported country setup. It is not the broadest Skype replacement for people outside that configuration.

Read comparison

Key traits

Google account-based calling
Best for supported Google Voice accounts
International use depends on your account and where you call

Pros

Familiar if you already use Google Voice daily.
Can call real phone numbers where supported.

Limitations

Availability and setup vary by account and country.
Not focused on shared prepaid team calling.

Fallback option

Use this when convenience matters more than predictable prepaid pricing.

Mobile carrier

Emergency fallback

Your mobile carrier is a familiar fallback when you want to dial directly from your phone plan.

A mobile carrier is the default fallback because it can call real phone numbers without another service. The tradeoff is that international pricing often depends on the provider, plan, destination, and add-on.

Read comparison

Key traits

Uses your phone plan
Calls real phone numbers
Pricing is plan-dependent

Pros

Simple in urgent situations when you need to call right away.
No new account or app needed if your plan already supports the call.

Limitations

International pricing is often expensive or hard to predict before the call.
No shared prepaid browser workspace for team calling.

Compact comparison

Compare options by feature

One glance at how each option handles real phone numbers, browser calling, upfront pricing, and shared team balance.

Feature comparison for Best Skype alternatives after shutdown
Feature	Talkala	WhatsApp	FaceTime	Google Voice	Viber Out	Rebtel	Mobile carrier
Calls real phone numbers	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Calls landlines	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Other person needs same app	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Works from browser	Yes	Limited	No	Yes	Limited	Limited	No
Price shown before calling	Yes	No call price	No call price	Call prices	Plan-dependent	Plan-dependent	Often unclear
Shared balance / team workspace	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Best for	Affordable shared calling abroad	Free app calls	Apple app calls	US/Google Voice users	App-based calling	Country-specific plans	Backup option

Talkala

Calls real phone numbers: Yes
Calls landlines: Yes
Other person needs same app: No
Works from browser: Yes
Price shown before calling: Yes
Shared balance / team workspace: Yes

Best for

Affordable shared calling abroad

Calls real phone numbers: No
Calls landlines: No
Other person needs same app: Yes
Works from browser: Limited
Price shown before calling: No call price
Shared balance / team workspace: No

Best for

Free app calls

FaceTime

Calls real phone numbers: No
Calls landlines: No
Other person needs same app: Yes
Works from browser: No
Price shown before calling: No call price
Shared balance / team workspace: No

Best for

Apple app calls

Google Voice

Calls real phone numbers: Yes
Calls landlines: Yes
Other person needs same app: No
Works from browser: Yes
Price shown before calling: Call prices
Shared balance / team workspace: No

Best for

US/Google Voice users

Viber Out

Calls real phone numbers: Yes
Calls landlines: Yes
Other person needs same app: No
Works from browser: Limited
Price shown before calling: Plan-dependent
Shared balance / team workspace: No

Best for

App-based calling

Rebtel

Calls real phone numbers: Yes
Calls landlines: Yes
Other person needs same app: No
Works from browser: Limited
Price shown before calling: Plan-dependent
Shared balance / team workspace: No

Best for

Country-specific plans

Mobile carrier

Calls real phone numbers: Yes
Calls landlines: Yes
Other person needs same app: No
Works from browser: No
Price shown before calling: Often unclear
Shared balance / team workspace: No

Best for

Backup option

Recommended #1

Talkala is for browser calls to real numbers abroad

Use Talkala when you want a replacement for calling real mobile and landline numbers abroad, with browser access, prepaid credit, shared wallet support, and the call price shown before you call.

Prepaid international calls to real phone numbers.
Calls mobiles and landlines abroad.
Works from the browser without asking the other person to install anything.
Shows the price before the call starts.
Supports shared balance and a team calling workspace.

When Talkala is not the right choice

Both people already use WhatsApp, FaceTime, or another app and only need a free app-to-app call.
You need full company phone infrastructure such as routing, departments, call queues, and broader administration.
A subscription or country-specific plan gives better value for one repeated destination.

Final recommendation

Choose based on the call, not the old app

Use Talkala when you need to call real mobile or landline numbers abroad from the browser with upfront pricing and shared balance support.

Check rates Compare all options