Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025 after more than two decades. The Skype Number service, paid credits, and the original consumer client have been wound down, and Microsoft has been routing former Skype users to Teams Free for ongoing calls. For anyone who used Skype the way it was originally pitched, a desktop app for free video and voice plus paid calls to landlines and mobile numbers, the replacement is no longer obvious.
We tested 7 Skype alternatives for desktop in 2026 on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The picks cover the two distinct Skype use cases: free messaging and video calls between people on the platform, and paid outbound calls to traditional phone numbers. Several apps cover both. Each one earns its slot for a different reason.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free calls | Calls to phone numbers | E2E |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Teams | Direct Skype successor | Yes | Via Teams Phone | Limited |
| Zoom | Video meetings | Yes (40 min cap) | Via Zoom Phone | Limited |
| Google Voice | Calls to US numbers | Yes (in-network) | Yes (paid in US) | No |
| Signal | Private messenger | Yes | No | Yes |
| Telegram | Power messenger | Yes | No | Secret Chats only |
| Linphone | SIP / VoIP | Depends on provider | Yes via SIP | Yes |
| Viber | Calls to mobile and landlines | Yes (in-network) | Yes (Viber Out) | Yes |
What replaced Skype, exactly
Microsoft positioned Microsoft Teams Free as the successor for Skype users. The migration tools let people move their Skype contacts and recent chats into Teams during the wind-down window, and Microsoft confirmed that Skype Numbers and credit balances would be handled as part of the transition. For anyone who only used Skype for free video calls, Teams Free is the default landing spot, and the Windows, macOS, and Linux clients all work.
The harder part is paid calls to landline and mobile numbers. Skype Out was one of the few mainstream services that let an individual buy a small amount of credit and call any phone in the world from a desktop. Teams Phone exists, but it is an organizational subscription, not a pay-as-you-go consumer product. The picks below cover both halves of the gap.
The 7 best Skype alternatives for desktop
Microsoft Teams — best as the direct Skype successor
Microsoft Teams is what Microsoft itself recommends to former Skype users. The free personal Teams account on Windows, macOS, and Linux gives you one-on-one and group calls, chat, file sharing, and a Teams Meeting link you can send to anyone. Calls between Teams accounts are free. Calls out to landline and mobile numbers run through Teams Phone, which is sold per organization rather than per consumer.
Where it falls short: The 60-minute cap on free group meetings is a regression from how Skype handled the same flow. Teams Phone is not a consumer pay-as-you-go product. The UI is heavier than Skype’s was.
Pricing:
- Free: Personal Teams accounts
- Paid: Microsoft 365 with Teams Phone add-ons
- vs Skype: Microsoft-blessed replacement for the free side, weaker on outbound paid calls
Download: microsoft.com/microsoft-teams/download-app (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Teams when you only used Skype for free messages and calls between people on the service.
Zoom — best for video meetings
Zoom is the cleanest swap for the half of Skype that became “the app I open for video calls.” The Windows, macOS, and Linux clients deliver familiar HD video, screen sharing, recording, and chat. Zoom Phone, the paid add-on, handles outbound calls to landline and mobile numbers with the same kind of buy-credits-and-call workflow that Skype Out used to support, although it is positioned for business buyers rather than individuals.
Where it falls short: Free tier caps group meetings at 40 minutes. Zoom Phone requires a paid plan. AI Companion features sit behind specific tiers.
Pricing:
- Free: 40-minute cap on group calls
- Paid: Pro, Business, Enterprise subscriptions; Zoom Phone as an add-on
- vs Skype: Better video, the outbound calling side is different shape
Download: zoom.us/download (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Zoom when video meetings are the main thing you used Skype for.
Google Voice — best for calls to US numbers
Google Voice is the closest match to Skype Out for a single user calling US landlines and mobile numbers. Personal accounts in the US get a free Google Voice number, free calls to US numbers from the web and desktop PWA on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and paid international calling at competitive per-minute rates. The Workspace tier adds a business number with extension routing.
Where it falls short: Personal Google Voice is US-only on the signup side. The web app is the desktop experience. International rates apply outside calls within the US and Canada.
Pricing:
- Free: Personal Google Voice number and US calls
- Paid: Per-minute rates for international; Workspace plans for business
- vs Skype: Direct match for US outbound calling, geography-limited setup
Download: voice.google.com (PWA on Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Google Voice when you mostly used Skype to call US phone numbers and want a free replacement number.
Signal — best as a private messenger swap
Signal is the Skype swap for the message-and-call-between-friends use case where privacy matters. The Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop clients link to a mobile account and sync forward, so chats and calls live across devices. Voice and video calls between Signal users are end-to-end encrypted by default and free.
Where it falls short: No outbound calling to landlines or mobile numbers. You need a phone number to register. Group call participant limits are lower than Zoom or Teams.
Pricing:
- Free: Full feature set
- Paid: None
- vs Skype: Better privacy, no outbound paid calling
Download: signal.org/download (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Signal when the people you used Skype with will install it too and you want the strongest default privacy.
Telegram — best as a power-user messenger swap
Telegram Desktop covers the free messaging and free voice and video call sides of Skype with a richer client. The Windows, macOS, and Linux apps handle cloud chats, channels, large groups, and voice or video calls between users. Cross-device sync makes Telegram a comfortable desktop experience without needing to keep a phone on.
Where it falls short: Cloud chats are not end-to-end encrypted (Secret Chats are, but only mobile). No outbound calling to phone numbers.
Pricing:
- Free: Full client
- Paid: Telegram Premium monthly for higher caps
- vs Skype: Power-user feature set, no paid outbound calls
Download: telegram.org/apps (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Telegram when you want a richer messenger and the network you call already lives there.
Linphone — best for SIP and VoIP
Linphone is the open-source SIP softphone that lets you bring your own VoIP provider. The Windows, macOS, and Linux desktop clients let you register with any SIP-compatible service, including OnSIP, Telnyx, VoIP.ms, and many small regional providers. That preserves the original Skype model exactly: a desktop app that can dial real phone numbers using a third-party service of your choice.
Where it falls short: You have to bring (and pay for) a separate SIP provider account. The UI is functional rather than polished. Not a fit for casual users.
Pricing:
- Free: Open-source client
- Paid: Your SIP provider’s per-minute or monthly rates
- vs Skype: Most direct outbound-calling replacement, harder to set up
Download: linphone.org (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Linphone when you specifically need a desktop softphone for real phone numbers and are willing to bring your own SIP account.
Viber — best for calls to mobile and landlines
Viber Desktop is the messenger that has kept Viber Out, its paid outbound calling service, as a first-class product. The Windows, macOS, and Linux clients let you message and video-call other Viber users for free and call landline and mobile numbers worldwide using prepaid Viber Out credit or a monthly subscription. The feature set tracks closely with what Skype’s consumer product offered.
Where it falls short: Smaller network than WhatsApp or Telegram. Viber Out rates vary by destination country and require active credit.
Pricing:
- Free: Messaging and calls between Viber users
- Paid: Viber Out prepaid credit or monthly subscription
- vs Skype: Most direct consumer replacement for Skype Out
Download: viber.com/download (Windows, macOS, Linux)
Bottom line: Pick Viber when the part of Skype you cannot live without was the prepaid calls-to-phone-numbers credit.
How to choose
Pick Microsoft Teams if you only used Skype for free video chat and want the migration Microsoft itself blessed.
Pick Zoom if your habit was scheduled video meetings, not the phone-call side.
Pick Google Voice if you live in the US and used Skype mainly to call US numbers.
Pick Signal if you want the strongest default privacy on the free-call side.
Pick Telegram if the messenger experience matters more than the outbound calling.
Pick Linphone if you need a real desktop softphone and have a SIP provider in mind.
Pick Viber if the prepaid calls-to-phone-numbers credit was the single feature you cannot give up.
Stay with Microsoft Teams Free as a one-step landing pad if you want to commit to the Microsoft path and decide the rest later.
FAQ
Is Skype still available in 2026?
No. Microsoft retired Skype in May 2025. The consumer client, the Skype Number service, and Skype Out credit were wound down during the transition, and former users were routed toward Microsoft Teams Free.
What is the official Skype replacement?
Microsoft Teams Free. Microsoft handled migration of contacts and recent chats during the wind-down and recommends Teams for both messaging and free calls between accounts. Teams Phone is the closest paid product for outbound landline calls.
Can I still call landlines from a desktop after Skype shut down?
Yes. Google Voice (US), Viber Out (international consumer credit), Zoom Phone (business), Teams Phone (business), and Linphone with any SIP provider all let you dial real phone numbers from Windows, macOS, or Linux.
What is the best free Skype alternative?
For free in-network calls, Microsoft Teams, Signal, Telegram, and Viber all qualify. For free calls to US phone numbers, Google Voice is the best fit.
Does Microsoft Teams work on Linux?
Yes. Microsoft ships an official Linux client for Teams. It is suitable for daily use, with most of the feature set that ships on Windows and macOS.
Is there a Skype alternative for international calls to mobile and landlines?
Viber Out is the closest consumer match. Linphone with a SIP provider you choose gives you the most control. Zoom Phone and Teams Phone work for organizations rather than individuals.
