The best Skype alternative depends on what you used Skype for — video meetings, free calls between contacts, or cheap calls to real phone numbers. Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025, so everyone still relying on it needs a replacement. Here are the best options in 2026, grouped by use case.
What happened to Skype?
Microsoft shut Skype down on May 5, 2025 and pointed users to Microsoft Teams Free as the official replacement. Skype's consumer calling features, including Skype Numbers and calling credit, wound down with the retirement — which is why searches for a replacement fall into three very different groups.
Which kind of Skype user were you?
- Video meetings and group calls — you need a meetings app.
- Free chats and calls with people who also had the app — you need a messaging app.
- Calling real phone numbers, or having a number people could call — you need a virtual phone number service. This is the group Teams Free does not fully serve.
Best Skype alternatives for video meetings
Microsoft Teams Free
Microsoft's own replacement. Free video calls and chat, and the natural landing place if your contacts migrated from Skype automatically.
Zoom
The default for scheduled meetings with people outside your organization; the free tier covers everyday group calls.
Google Meet
Built into Google accounts and calendars — the simplest option if your contacts already live on Gmail.
Best Skype alternatives for free personal calls
WhatsApp covers free voice and video between contacts on almost every phone, and FaceTime covers Apple-to-Apple calls. Both replace Skype's free app-to-app calling, but neither gives you a phone number or calls to landlines.
Best Skype alternative for calling real phone numbers
This is where Skype was unique for two decades — and where a virtual phone number service is the true replacement. A service like LimePhone gives you a real local or toll-free number that can call and text any phone, with voicemail, call forwarding, and team features Skype never had. You can check which numbers are available and see current plans in minutes, and calls work from the web or your computer as well as the mobile app.
If you are also weighing free options, read our comparison of Google Voice and its limits — the free route still exists, but with US-only numbers and no business features.
How to choose
- List what you actually did in Skype: meetings, chats, or phone calls.
- Pick one tool per job — the era of one app doing all three ended with Skype.
- If you had a Skype Number, replace it first: get a new virtual number and share it with your contacts before they lose track of you.
Skype Alternatives FAQs
Is Skype still working in 2026?
No. Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025. The apps no longer operate, and Microsoft directed users to Teams Free.
What is the closest replacement for Skype?
For meetings and chat, Microsoft Teams Free is the official successor. For calling real phone numbers — Skype's most distinctive feature — a virtual phone number service is the closest replacement.
What happened to Skype Numbers?
Skype Numbers stopped working with the shutdown. To have a number people can call and text, you now need a number from a virtual phone service such as LimePhone.
Can I still make cheap international calls without Skype?
Yes — VoIP services route international calls over the internet the same way Skype did. Compare per-country rates before choosing; see LimePhone's global rates.
