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Skype alternatives

Skype alternatives now that Skype is retired

Skype was retired on May 5, 2025. Meeto keeps the Skype way of calling: add people as contacts and call them directly in the browser or the iOS and Android apps, or send a link anyone can join from a browser without an account; free calls run for 60 minutes. Microsoft's official replacement is Teams Free, where you sign in with your Skype account. Google Meet, Zoom, Whereby, Jitsi Meet and Brave Talk are compared below too, with sources.

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By Meeto · Updated

A Meeto video call ringing on a phone.
On this page

What happened to Skype

Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025[1] and named Microsoft Teams Free as the way forward[2]. You sign in to Teams Free with your existing Skype account[3], and your chats and contacts transfer when you do[4]. Skype history could be requested through Microsoft's export portal until June 15, 2026[5], and all Skype Number subscriptions ended in May 2026[6].

If you mostly made video calls, Meeto keeps it simple: people you call often add you as a contact and ring you directly, and anyone else joins from a browser link without installing anything; see direct calls to contacts. If what you need is a meeting tool for work, see the Microsoft Teams alternatives or the free video conferencing comparison.

How we chose these alternatives

Each product had to be available today and to publish its limits on its own pages. We compared them on the same points:

  • One-on-one callsHow long a free call between two people may last, since that was most Skype use.
  • Group callsThe free time limit and number of people for family and team calls.
  • JoiningWhether the other person needs an account or an app, or can join from a browser link.
  • ContactsWhether you can keep a list of people and call them directly, the way Skype worked.
  • Booking pageWhether people can also book a call with you from a page.
  • PriceThe cheapest paid plan in USD, if you outgrow the free one.

This page is published by Meeto. Facts about other products are quoted from their own pages on the date shown. Meeto comes first; the other products follow in alphabetical order.

The alternatives at a glance

Joining a call and booking pages of Meeto and the other Skype alternatives
QuestionMeetoBrave TalkGoogle MeetJitsi Meet (meet.jit.si)Microsoft Teams FreeWherebyZoom
GuestsNo account, no appNo login or download[7][8]Let in by someone in the meeting; the host needs a Google Account[9][10]The room creator signs in; the others do not[11][12]No Teams account; in a browser[13][14]No download, no login[15][16]No account; a host can require sign-in[17][18]
Booking pageIncluded on Free, with guest remindersNot stated1 page in Google Calendar[19]Not statedSeparate Bookings app, business plans[20]Not statedZoom Scheduler, 1 page on Free[21]

A product name links to its card below. “Not stated” means the vendor pages we quote do not cover that point.

The 7 alternatives

Meeto

by Meeto, the publisher of this page

Browser video meetings, plus a contact list and direct calls between Meeto accounts on the web and in the iOS and Android apps.

Why Meeto

  • A Skype-style contact list: add the people you call and ring them directly from the web or the iOS and Android apps.
  • On iPhone, a Meeto call rings like a normal incoming call.
  • Calls with people who do not want another account: send a link and they join from the browser.
  • Client calls with a booking page, not just personal calls.
Try Meeto freeSee Meeto pricing

The facts

Contacts
Add people with a Meeto account as contacts (up to 25 on Free, 500 on Pro) and call them directly by voice or video, like a phone call, in the browser or the apps; on iPhone the call rings like a normal incoming call
Free meeting length
60 minutes once 2 people are in the call, one-on-one included; Pro has no time limit
Free plan: people
Up to 10; up to 25 on Pro and Team
Guests
No account and no app: guests join from the link in a browser
Booking page
A booking page on every plan, Free included: each booking gets its own meeting link, and guests get a reminder email an hour before
Cheapest paid plan
Pro: $6.99/month or $69/year, with no time limit for up to 2 meetings at a time and up to 25 people

Facts from Meeto's pricing and limits, reviewed November 3, 2026.

The other 6, A to Z

Brave Talk

by Brave Software

Video calls from Brave Software that run in the browser, free for small calls.

Free meeting length
No limit on the number or length of free calls[22]
Free plan: people
Up to 4[23]
Guests
Invitees join from any browser with the call link; no login or download[7][8]
Cheapest paid plan
Brave Talk Premium: $7/month[24][25]

Facts from Brave Software's own pages, listed under Sources.

Google Meet

by Google

Google's video meetings, free with a personal Google Account.

Free meeting length
60 minutes with 3 or more people; one-on-one meetings up to 24 hours[26][27]
Free plan: people
Up to 100[28]
Guests
The host needs a Google Account; guests can join without one, but someone in the meeting has to let them in[9][10]
Booking page
Google Calendar appointment schedules: one booking page on a free personal account[19]
Cheapest paid plan
Google Workspace Business Starter: $8.40/user/month on the flexible plan[29][30]

Facts from Google's own pages, listed under Sources. Full comparison: Meeto vs Google Meet.

Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si)

by Jitsi (8x8)

Open-source video meetings on the free meet.jit.si service.

Free meeting length
95 minutes per meeting on meet.jit.si, since October 9, 2026[31]
Guests
The person who creates the room needs an account; the others do not[11][12]
Free use cap
25 active end points per calendar month, under meet.jit.si's terms of service[32]
Cheapest paid plan
None: meet.jit.si is run as a free service[33]

Facts from Jitsi (8x8)'s own pages, listed under Sources. Full comparison: Meeto vs Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si).

Microsoft Teams Free

by Microsoft

Microsoft's official replacement for Skype: sign in with your Skype account and your chats and contacts come with you.

Moving from Skype
Sign in with your existing Skype account; chats and contacts transfer automatically[3][4]
Free meeting length
60 minutes for group meetings. For one-on-one meetings Microsoft's pages disagree: one says up to 30 hours, its plan table gives 60 minutes for every meeting[34][35][36]
Free plan: people
Up to 100[37]
Guests
Join from a link without a Teams account, in a browser[13][14]
Booking page
Through the separate Microsoft Bookings app, on business plans[20]
Cheapest paid plan
Teams Essentials: $4/user/month, paid yearly only[38]

Facts from Microsoft's own pages, listed under Sources. Full comparison: Meeto vs Microsoft Teams.

Whereby

by Whereby

Browser meeting rooms at a fixed link, with no app or login for guests.

Free meeting length
30 minutes per meeting[39]
Free plan: people
Up to 4[40]
Guests
No download and no login for guests[15][16]
Cheapest paid plan
Pro: $10.99/month for 1 host, excluding VAT[41][42]

Facts from Whereby's own pages, listed under Sources. Full comparison: Meeto vs Whereby.

Zoom

by Zoom

The best-known meetings platform, with a free Basic plan.

Free meeting length
40 minutes per meeting, one-on-one included[43][44]
Free plan: people
Up to 100[45]
Guests
Can join without signing in, from the browser through the Zoom Web App; a host can require sign-in[17][18]
Booking page
Zoom Scheduler: 1 personal booking page on the free Basic plan[21]
Cheapest paid plan
Pro: $16.99/user/month billed monthly[46][47]

Facts from Zoom's own pages, listed under Sources. Full comparison: Meeto vs Zoom.

Moving the people you used to call

  1. Start with the people you call most. Send each of them a Meeto link for your next call: they open it and are in the call in the browser, no account needed.
  2. Add contacts for regular calls. People you call every week can create a free Meeto account and add each other as contacts, then call directly from the web or the iOS and Android apps.
  3. Keep the apps at hand. With the Meeto app on iPhone, a call from a contact rings like a normal incoming call; see the apps.

Sources

Meeto facts come from the pricing and limits and security pages, reviewed November 3, 2026. Every other figure is quoted from its vendor's own page on the date shown. Plans change; check the linked page before you decide.

Quotes from each vendor's own pages47numbered as in the footnotes
  1. Skype: support.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-is-retiring-in-may-2025-what-you-need-to-know — “As of May 5th, 2025, Skype is retired. This change will impact both free and paid Skype users, but not Skype for Business.”Checked November 3, 2026
  2. Skype: support.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-is-retiring-in-may-2025-what-you-need-to-know — “Skype users can move to Microsoft Teams Free, which offers many of the same core features and more.”Checked November 3, 2026
  3. Skype: support.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-is-retiring-in-may-2025-what-you-need-to-know — “You can log in to Teams Free with your existing Skype account”Checked November 3, 2026
  4. Skype: support.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-is-retiring-in-may-2025-what-you-need-to-know — “Your chats and contacts will automatically transfer to Teams Free when you log in with your Skype credentials.”Checked November 3, 2026
  5. Skype: support.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-is-retiring-in-may-2025-what-you-need-to-know — “Users will be able to request a copy of their Skype history using the export portal until June 15, 2026”Checked November 3, 2026
  6. Skype: support.microsoft.com/en-us/skype/skype-is-retiring-in-may-2025-what-you-need-to-know — “All Skype Number subscriptions have ended in May 2026.”Checked November 3, 2026
  7. Brave Talk: brave.com/talk — “The people you invite can join from any browser as well (they just need the call link).”Checked November 3, 2026
  8. Brave Talk: brave.com/talk — “Browser-based (no login or download required)”Checked November 3, 2026
  9. Google Meet: workspace.google.com/products/meet — “Anyone with a Google Account can create a video meeting, invite up to 100 participants, and meet for up to 60 minutes per meeting at no cost.”Checked November 3, 2026
  10. Google Meet: support.google.com/meet/answer/9303069 — “You can join a meeting without a Google Account, but the organizer or a participant needs to let you in.”Checked November 3, 2026
  11. Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si): jitsi.org/security — “Since August 24, 2023, meet.jit.si requires an account for the person creating the room.”Checked November 3, 2026
  12. Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si): jitsi.org/security — “Subsequent participants in meetings do not need to create an account.”Checked November 3, 2026
  13. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/free — “Create a quick meeting with a meeting link for others to join, even without a Teams account, free up to 60 minutes.”Checked November 3, 2026
  14. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/free-video-conferencing — “No. You can join a Teams meeting from a web browser without installing anything.”Checked November 3, 2026
  15. Whereby: whereby.com/information/meetings — “No downloads and no login for guests required.”Checked November 3, 2026
  16. Whereby: whereby.com/information/meetings — “All calls run directly in your browser, making it easy to join and connect during a session. No additional logins or app downloads required.”Checked November 3, 2026
  17. Zoom: support.zoom.com/hc/en/article — “To join a meeting without signing in, click Join a meeting.”Checked November 3, 2026
  18. Zoom: support.zoom.com/hc/en/article — “The Zoom Web App brings the full Zoom Workplace experience to your browser, no downloads or plugins required.”Checked November 3, 2026
  19. Google Meet: support.google.com/calendar/answer/16287038 — “With a personal Google Account or Workspace Business Starter plan, you can create a single booking page to let others schedule appointments on your calendar.”Checked November 3, 2026
  20. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/essentials — “With the newly available Booking app anyone can easily find an open slot on your calendar and set up a meeting”Checked November 3, 2026
  21. Zoom: zoom.us/pricing — “1 personal booking page”Checked November 3, 2026
  22. Brave Talk: brave.com/talk — “Make as many free calls as you want, for as long as you want. With Brave Talk, there’s no limit on the number or length of free calls.”Checked November 3, 2026
  23. Brave Talk: brave.com/talk — “With Brave Talk, calls are free and private for up to 4 people.”Checked November 3, 2026
  24. Brave Talk: brave.com/premium — “Talk premium $7.00/month $69.99/year Start free trial”Checked November 3, 2026
  25. Brave Talk: brave.com/premium — “$7.00/month”Checked November 3, 2026
  26. Google Meet: support.google.com/meet/answer/7317473 — “Meetings with 3 or more participants for up to 60 minutes.”Checked November 3, 2026
  27. Google Meet: support.google.com/meet/answer/7317473 — “One-on-one meetings for up to 24 hours.”Checked November 3, 2026
  28. Google Meet: support.google.com/meet/answer/7317473 — “For users with personal Google accounts: You can have a maximum of 100 participants in a meeting.”Checked November 3, 2026
  29. Google Meet: workspace.google.com/pricing.html — “Business Starter includes 30 GB pooled storage per user”Checked November 3, 2026
  30. Google Meet: knowledge.workspace.google.com/admin/billing/flexible-plan — “$8.40 USD per user for Business Starter”Checked November 3, 2026
  31. Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si): jitsi.org/blog/changes-coming — “Starting today, meetings on meet.jit.si are limited to 95 minutes.”Checked November 3, 2026
  32. Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si): jitsi.org/meet-jit-si-terms-of-service — “Your Use of the Service at no cost is limited to a maximum aggregate total of 25 Active End Points per calendar month”Checked November 3, 2026
  33. Jitsi Meet (meet.jit.si): jitsi.org/user-faq — “Yes. Jitsi is 100% open source and freely available to use and develop with. We also host and run meet.jit.si as a free service.”Checked November 3, 2026
  34. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/free — “Free group calls and meetings for up to 60 minutes.”Checked November 3, 2026
  35. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/free-video-conferencing — “Unlimited one-to-one meetings for up to 30 hours”Checked November 3, 2026
  36. Microsoft Teams: support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/learn-more-about-subscriptions-for-microsoft-teams-free-1061bbd0-6d97-46a6-8ca0-21059be3eee3 — “Maximum meeting duration | 60 minutes | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours”Checked November 3, 2026
  37. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/free — “Up to 100 participants per meeting.”Checked November 3, 2026
  38. Microsoft Teams: microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/essentials — “$4.00 user/month, paid yearly (annual subscription–auto renews)”Checked November 3, 2026
  39. Whereby: whereby.com/information/meetings/pricing — “Meetings for up to 30 minutes”Checked November 3, 2026
  40. Whereby: whereby.com/information/meetings/pricing — “4 attendees per meeting”Checked November 3, 2026
  41. Whereby: whereby.com/information/meetings/pricing — “Pro For professional individuals $10.99 per month 1 host”Checked November 3, 2026
  42. Whereby: whereby.com/information/meetings/pricing — “$10.99 per month 1 host”Checked November 3, 2026
  43. Zoom: zoom.us/pricing — “40 minutes per meeting”Checked November 3, 2026
  44. Zoom: support.zoom.com/hc/en/article — “Almost all meetings scheduled and hosted by Basic (free) users, on Free and Paid accounts, are limited to 40 minutes.”Checked November 3, 2026
  45. Zoom: zoom.us/pricing — “100 participants per meeting”Checked November 3, 2026
  46. Zoom: zoom.us/pricing — “Best for personal use or small teams.”Checked November 3, 2026
  47. Zoom: zoom.us/pricing — “$16.99 /user per month · billed monthly”Checked November 3, 2026

Frequently asked questions

Is Skype still working?

No. Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025, for free and paid users alike; Skype for Business was not affected. Microsoft's page says Skype history could be exported until June 15, 2026.

What did Microsoft replace Skype with?

Microsoft Teams Free. You sign in to Teams Free with your existing Skype account, without creating a new one, and your chats and contacts move over automatically.

Can I call people directly on Meeto, the way I did on Skype?

Yes. People with a Meeto account can add each other as contacts (up to 25 on Free) and call directly by voice or video, in the browser or the iOS and Android apps. On iPhone the call rings like a normal incoming call.

Do the people I call need Meeto?

Not for a link: anyone can join a Meeto call from the browser without an account, and free calls run for 60 minutes. To call each other directly from a contact list, both people need a free Meeto account.

Explore more with Meeto

Direct calls to contactsCall Meeto contacts like a phone call, in the browser or the apps.Calls without a downloadHow a Meeto guest joins from a browser link.Free video meetingsWhat Meeto's free plan includes.

Put it to work

Open your Meeto account to set it up, or explore the working product first.

Try Meeto freeSee Meeto pricing