The Skype Era is ending: Microsoft offers alternative for millions of users
Microsoft is shutting down Skype after more than 20 years of operation. This decision will affect millions of users worldwide who have been using this program for video calls, messaging, and file sharing for decades. Instead, the company is offering a transition to another product.
Reasons for Discontinuing Skype
This step is dictated by Microsoft’s desire to improve its free services and redirect efforts towards developing the Teams platform. According to company representatives, Teams has enhanced functionality and better meets modern requirements in communication and collaboration. The Teams platform provides not only Skype’s basic capabilities (video and audio calls, text chat, file sharing) but also adds useful features for organizing meetings, calendar management, and community building.
Skype Termination Date
Officially, Skype is planned to cease operations on May 5, 2025. After this date, the service will be permanently closed, and access to all its features will end. Microsoft recommends users export their data or switch to the Teams platform before this deadline to preserve their contact and chat history.
Alternative Services to Skype
If you’re looking for a modern replacement for Skype, here are several popular options:
- Teams – Microsoft’s official solution offering enhanced business collaboration capabilities. These include video conferencing, file sharing, and Office 365 integration. The free version allows group calls with up to 100 participants for up to 60 minutes, while some features are exclusively available with paid plans.
- Zoom – One of the most popular video conferencing tools that has become essential in both business and personal communication. The free version supports meetings of up to 100 participants but has a limitation – maximum group call duration is 40 minutes.
- Google Meet – A video meeting service integrated with Google Workspace. It doesn’t require installing additional applications – everything happens directly through the web browser. You need a Google account to use it, and advanced features like meeting recording are only available with a paid subscription. The free version allows organizing meetings for up to 100 people with a 60-minute limit.
- WhatsApp – A popular messenger supporting text messages, voice and video calls. It’s a convenient tool for personal communication and group chats. It’s worth noting that video calls can include up to 32 participants, and the total number of group members is limited to 1,024 people.
- Discord – Initially oriented towards gamers, this service has gained popularity among a wider audience. Discord supports video communication, voice chats, streaming, and creating custom servers for communication. The free version allows unlimited duration calls, with video chats supporting up to 25 participants.
- Viber – Another well-known messenger that provides instant messaging capabilities, voice and video calls, group chat organization, and Viber Out services for calling any phone number. It’s worth noting that the service supports up to 60 participants in group calls.
