What is a type of Skype. Alternatives to Skype - review of well-known analogue programs

More recently, users all over the world used the wonderful Skype program to communicate with each other. The application, running on any platform, was capable of transmitting text messages in real time, using voice and video communication. But after Skype was acquired by Microsoft, many problems arose. First of all, the program has become more resource-demanding; now not every phone will be able to launch a video call. There is a difficulty with registration, which requires you to create an account Microsoft entry. The program is constantly advertising something. The time is not far off when Skype will become paid. Is there really no alternative for a computer with Windows and for Android? The focus of this article is a program similar to Skype.

Tender is announced

In order to find an analogue of Skype, you need to decide on the selection criteria - functionality programs and platforms on which the application should run.

1. Platform. The most popular platforms are Android, iOS and Microsoft. Linux and Blackberry are welcome, they are in the minority, but they also have the right to exist.
2. Sending text messages. This is the main requirement for the program, because correspondence gives users the opportunity not only to think carefully before writing, but also to keep a history of communication.
3. Voice communication in real time. Free communication from anywhere Globe not only saves money, but also brings pleasure.
4. Video communication. It is more of an entertaining nature, but it is a fairly popular function among users.
5. Creation of conferences. A very convenient functionality in business when you need to negotiate collectively or for holding seminars.
6. Resource requirements. The program should start quickly and use few resources. Important resources devices are considered to be RAM, processor time, and a communication channel.

A holy place is never empty

Not long ago, an analogue of Skype called Viber was introduced to the world. In a short period of time, the application quickly spread among users and became very popular. So, how did the program win the hearts of millions of users?

1. The program is compatible with any platform. The joke that Viber is not installed except on the refrigerator means that owners of any mobile phones and operating systems on computers can use this wonderful program.
2. Text chat. It is unique - you can transmit not only text, but also pictures, video and audio messages.
3. Audio and video calls. The Viber program easily establishes a connection with the interlocutor and provides communication using the device’s video camera in real time.
4. Lots of useful little things. Easy registration linked to a number mobile phone. Synchronizing contacts, identifying owners of numbers who are already using Viber, and notifying them about the installation of the program. No advertising and absolutely free. If you have GPS on your phone, you can transmit your location to your interlocutor.

Small flaws in the Viber program

It's hard to believe, but they exist, and in lately the developers are in no hurry to fix them. Although the application is compatible with any operating system, there are significant differences in Viber programs installed on different devices.

Owners of Android and iPhone are the luckiest ones - the entire range of services existing in Viber is open to them. BlackBerry owners with operating system versions seven and below do not have the ability to transmit audio and video files. Owners of Microsoft and Bada operating systems will be left without an avatar and will join the owners of old BlackBerrys. Although the application was initially positioned as an analogue of Skype for Android, but in its work under the operating Windows systems and Linux would like more functionality and fully working contact synchronization.

An interesting offer for residents of Russia

This is not the first year that residents of Russia have been using the “branded” service “Multifon” for communication, developed by specialists from the Megafon company. From year to year, Multifon acquires new capabilities, and the price for calls to mobile phones is rapidly approaching zero. The Russian analogue of Skype has only one significant drawback - Multifon is available only to subscribers of the Megafon network. But there are countless positive functions.

1. The program uses a SIP client, which allows you to use any SIP client, the same X-Lite or Fring, instead of the green “branded” program from Megafon, which are more flexibly configured and have more functions.
2. As in Skype, you can correspond, make video and audio calls completely free of charge between Megafon users.
3. Calls to mobile phones in GSM networks significantly lower than the tariffs of the same Skype. There are applications for any operating system, including workstations.
4. The Russian analogue of Skype allows you to record conversations during audio and video calls.

Another inexpensive solution from Russian programmers

If the use of video when communicating in real time is not critical, another Russian analogue of Skype, Beam, deserves positive user reviews. The program can conduct text correspondence and allows users to make calls within the network completely free of charge. Like Skype, the program can make calls to landline and mobile lines, and the price is significantly lower than that of its competitors. Users of the Beam program note the high quality of sound during communication. All this thanks to IP telephony, which is used in program code product.

There is also a negative in using the brainchild of Russian programmers, it is the only one, but it is quite significant - the application can only be installed on Android and IOS devices.

About social networks

It’s no secret that sending messages, files, making audio and video calls can be done in the same Odnoklassniki, Google or the Mail.ru service. According to statistics, the number of users social networks is an order of magnitude greater than the number of Skype program owners. But they do not use such a wonderful opportunity to communicate. What's the matter?

An analogue of Skype works through social network servers, which are already overloaded due to high traffic. Naturally, there is no question of any quality of voice or video transmission. The only thing you should pay attention to is the ability of the same Mail.ru to work on any platform, including mobile devices of the 2000s.

Players from all over the world, unite!

There is no way to bypass the online gaming program called RaidCall. The Skype analogue for Windows was not chosen by players by chance. It's unlikely to be found free program, capable of organizing real-time audio conferences for large quantities people. The program's interface may look like Skype, but there are many positive differences.

1. High quality sound. Thanks to the use of the external RaidCall server, the creation of a conference on which is also free, players do not feel discomfort in communication.
2. Low requirements for computer resources. Taking away several megabytes from the system RAM, the program takes 1% of its resources from the processor, which is a high figure among similar applications.
3. Compatible with different platforms. Android, Windows, IOS, Linux and other operating systems are familiar with the program, and everything works great.

Five thousand people in an audio conference?

This is possible with the TeamSpeak program, which is capable of uniting up to 512 people into an audio conference, who can communicate without problems in real time. The program also provides messaging capabilities between users and allows you to send files. Like RaidCall, the application can work with different platforms and is undemanding of system resources. Thanks to the use of an external server, the sound quality in an audio conference is high, regardless of the number of participants.

TeamSpeak, an analogue of Skype, has one drawback - the server part of the application is paid. This means that to create a conference, you need a moderator who must rent a “room” on the server with a specific IP address. He provides this address to all conference participants with whom he needs to communicate.

Freely redistributable software from Google called WebRTC was initially not appreciated by either users or developers. As soon as Russian developers, interested in the software, created a Russian analogue of Skype and began integrating it into the masses, how Google company revived her project. Several developers at once free browsers such as Opera, Firefox and Google Chrome, announced to the world about new technologies implemented in their software.

WebRTC is an open Internet protocol that, like other analogues of Skype for PC, allows you to make audio and video calls in real time. The code is written in JavaScript, which means that the owner of any device can use the service, regardless of the operating system and device performance. The main condition is the functionality of the browser.

In conclusion

The listed analogues of Skype for computer and mobile devices are just the tip of the iceberg. Having proven itself well among users, thanks to positive feedback, programs attract attention. If you delve deeper into this topic, you can find thousands of similar Skype analogues. Alone, ideal program for communication that satisfies all requirements, there will never be. As soon as an application gains popularity, it is bought by the giants of the IT industry and becomes paid or resource-intensive - this is a pattern. You need to learn to keep up with the times, find and use free applications according to the assigned tasks.

Just a couple of years ago it was impossible to talk about an alternative to Skype - a program for video calls. However, today on the Internet you can download other applications that will be easier to run on weak PCs, will not be updated without permission, and will not glitch when switching from one tab to another. Let's look at analogues of Skype and their advantages.

ooVoo – video chat program

ooVoo is free application, which allows you to organize video chats with up to 12 people each. The advantage of such a program over Skype is the absence of lags when weak internet. The program also has the function of exchanging text messages, files, pictures, stickers. That is, it is in no way inferior to the popular Skype. At the same time, it should be noted that ooVoo takes up less space on the PC.

WhatsApp with video calling support

Probably only a child does not know about the WhatsApp program. This is a popular messenger that appeared simultaneously with touch phones. And if previously the video calling function was available only for devices with operating iSO system, then from the end of 2016, users of other popular platforms can also make calls via WhatsApp. Including Windows.

Talky - a new analogue of Skype

The Talky program is still young. It is intended for gadgets that run on iSO. To use it on Windows 7 and higher, you should use a browser. However, the advantage of Talky over Skype is that you can organize a video chat for 15 people simultaneously for free for unlimited communication time. At the same time, Talky allows you to capture images not only from the camera, but also from the screen. This means that showing other participants what is happening on your display is quite realistic and simple.

WeChat is a video calling service for Windows 10 and MAC

WeChat is popular Chinese service, which has an English interface. Until recently, it only worked on Android and iSO. However, in 2016 it received support for MAC and Windows 10. Using this application, you can organize video calls, conduct correspondence, and transfer files of various formats.

Viber is a favorite calling service

Many PC users have a number of difficulties installing Viber. However, this does not affect the popularity of this application. Using Viber you can send various files interlocutor, call mobile phones and even organize a video call. The program is completely free. It differs from Skype in that it has rather rare updates that are not downloaded without the knowledge of users.

ICQ – an old-timer for video communication

ISQ was originally developed exclusively for text correspondence. However, as popularity grew this application started receiving many others useful functions. In addition to transferring files and attaching stickers, calling a mobile phone, the program received a video calling function. Since the program is familiar and convenient to everyone, there are no problems with its use.

Gem4Me - the simplest messenger in the world

Not much is known about Gem4Me. This is a popular messenger in Europe and America, which appeared 2 years ago and already has 1 million downloads on Google Play. With this application, a person can call, write, organize video conferences and even send money. The program has high-quality hacking protection. Developed in Switzerland. Distributed free of charge.

Hangouts - a simple program for organizing video conferences

A program for communicating online, with which you can send text messages, files, call mobile phones, and organize video conferences. The program is designed for browsers. Works on both MAC and iSO.

In addition to the programs listed above, there are others on the Internet that can be an excellent alternative to Skype.

Capable of becoming a worthy alternative to Skype.

In June, Skype updated its application. Now users of the service will be able to exchange short video messages; the function is available to users on most Skype-supporting platforms, including Windows 8, Mac, iOS, Android and BlackBerry. But what are the alternatives to something that is outdated and delayed? useful updates service?

Skype video messages can be recorded up to three minutes long. “Skype helps people be closer to each other, but no technology can save you from overloaded schedules and missed calls,” this is how the service’s administration explained the need for the new function.

Meanwhile, the update raises more questions among users than joy. Thus, one video message cannot be sent to several recipients at once. Users still cannot share audio messages or videos from the memory of a smartphone or tablet. The recorded audio clip cannot be saved in the gadget’s memory. Finally, sent video messages, unlike text messages, cannot be canceled once sent.

The update, as critics of Skype and its mentor Microsoft rightly note, looks hastily and sloppy. All applications for Skype have recently become more and more cumbersome, and complaints against Microsoft, the owner of the service, began to be heard especially often after the company was convicted of transferring information about its subscribers to the authorities of the United States (and, possibly, other countries).

Skype still holds the lead in the Internet telephony market. According to a study conducted by telecom analysts at Analysis Mason at the end of last year, Skype is used by 79% of all users of VoIP applications and 16% of the total number of respondents of the total number of Internet users. But isn't it time to look for a replacement for the usual service? Moreover, there are really a lot of competitors on the market now. And almost each of them has significant advantages in comparison with the “monopoly”.

Google Hangouts. This year, the Internet giant Google combined its communication services - Gtalk chats, Gmail and the voice and video communication service Google Voice - into one, Google Hangouts. Now, in order to use all this variety, you don’t even need to install separate program on a computer: the service is launched through a special extension for the browser - Chrome or any other.

If you need to arrange a small video conference, then this happens right on Google page+. The main advantage of the service is that the user can start a conference in one of his circles with those participants who are currently interested in it, and then, as the dialogue progresses, other users can join the conversation. In the same Skype, if you are not a participant in the discussion initially, then you cannot find out about it and join the conversation. Up to 10 people can participate in a video conference.

Distinctive feature Hangouts - in its thoughtfulness and technology. During a conversation, the speaker will be displayed in a large window, and all other participants will be displayed in small windows located below. If two people say something to everyone else at the same volume, Google will select and show only one of them in a large window.

Experience shows that images and videos are displayed just fine on average-power laptops and average channel widths, but only as long as the number of conference participants does not exceed five or six. Then freezes and distortion of the picture are possible.

Apple FaceTime. An excellent service for video communication, however, available exclusively to users of Cupertino corporation equipment - Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod. Data from the App Store— online application store. Mobile version FaceTime is characterized by absolute minimalism, limited capabilities in terms of fine tuning and excellent quality of voice and picture transmission. Loading mobile application FaceTime is much faster, works more clearly, and for unknown reasons it doesn’t drop out offline once every half hour, something that Skype constantly suffers from. And here's another thing: when calling via Skype using mobile devices, there is almost always a slight lag between video and audio. FaceTime doesn't have this problem. This is obviously the highest quality service in terms of data transfer on the market today.

Viber is a wonderful, albeit young, service from Belarus, which was founded by two guys from Israel. However, the development of almost all the code for it is carried out in Minsk and Brest. Initially, Viber is aimed at users of smartphones and tablets, and this is its main advantage over Skype, which was, after all, initially conceived for PC architecture. Viber does not require registration: accounts are linked to a mobile phone number. It does not require you to look for friends: the program simply shows which of the people who are in your phone book, Viber is installed, and offers to call them or send free message- like SMS, only via the Internet.

In order to stay in touch on Viber, you don’t even need to launch the program: it always works in background and consumes almost no traffic or smartphone battery resources. So you can use Viber in much the same way as we usually use mobile phones, but at the same time use exclusively the Internet for this. But the main advantage of the Belarusian-Israeli development is that it provides acceptable quality voice communication even in conditions of completely poor Internet access speed. In order to clearly hear the interlocutor, using EDGE will be enough.

Recently the developers released Viber version for Windows and Apple OS X.

There are several disadvantages: you can only call others Viber users, no video connection.

Kakaotalk is a free cross-platform messenger that differs from others in its unusual fun design, excellent communication quality and availability exclusively for smartphone users. The creators believe that computers as a means of voice communication should be thrown aside long ago.

It works, like Viber, as if you can’t turn it off at all. At the same time, it allows you to exchange photos, videos, other files, conduct group video chats, use emoticons, send voice messages to the subscriber’s phone, etc. The main thing: there are functions of “sound filters” that allow you to distort your voice, making it funnier or giving it the desired intonation. KakaoTalk is a service for communicating exclusively with friends; it is distinguished by its “frivolity” in everything and the joy of using it. And here you can subscribe to newsletters of your favorite celebrities.

Jitsi. In March of this year, the official release of Jitsi 2.0 took place - a SIP communicator with open source code. Compared to Skype, this one of the most beloved programs among geeks encrypts all conversations using the ZRTP protocol - it is considered to be incredibly difficult to “open” it. Among the main innovations of Jitsi 2.0 are support for simultaneous multi-user video chat via XMPP, support for Outlook statuses and calls, a simple and elegant interface, fast loading and the “lightness” of the application, support for Opus and VP8 audio/video codecs with more high quality video, compared to H.264, which Skype uses. The number of chat participants is not limited in any way. But the main thing: Jitsi presents minimum requirements to data bandwidth - this means that good quality communication will be ensured even when only slow Internet is available.

As usual, there is only one downside: the development is new, and therefore is still popular only among geeks. There are few contacts in Jitsi yet. But this, by the way, is its main advantage: the intelligence services of all countries of the world are not yet paying attention to the unpopular service and its users.

ooVoo- that's pretty convenient program for making video calls via a computer, a simple and affordable alternative to Skype. The service allows you to arrange negotiations with six participants at the same time, and such conferences can be organized directly from the company’s website, so there is no need to directly install a client for one-time calls from other people’s computers. ooVoo, like Skype, allows you to search for contacts, share files, chat, etc. The creators position the service as an alternative to the “overloaded Skype interface.” Plus, ooVoo is more stable: disconnections in it happen much less often. ooVoo is distributed free of charge, the interface is multilingual, Russian is supported.

In general, there are more than enough Skype alternatives for those who have fallen out of love (or have never loved) with this program. In this review, we deliberately did not touch upon messenger programs that combine multiple protocols on one platform. The same imo.im allows you to communicate via Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook and other services directly from the browser window. All you have to do is register. We would like to add on our own behalf: try, experiment, be inquisitive. Sometimes the traditional and most popular solutions are far from the best for you personally.

02.12.2015

Skype is one of the most popular and in-demand instant messengers existing today. No, this is not a file hosting service, as they said in viral advertising on YouTube, this is the most convenient tool for text, voice and video communication.

However, some users may not be satisfied with this program, or the person with whom they want to communicate may Skype simply not installed. In this case, it is necessary to look for an alternative, which, of course, should be no less worthy. Below we will talk about what analogues exist Skypefor computer.

Probably the most popular mobile messenger, which recently migrated to personal computers.

If you are using viber on your smartphone, you are probably very familiar with all its functionality. In a few words: it is intended for the same purposes as Skype. However, the functions in Viber even more. These include public chats, cool stickers, and the ability to send short voice messages, and sending hand-drawn images, and much more.

Download viber for a computer, you can go to the developer’s official website by going to this link.

Save the program on your hard drive, and then install it following the installer's instructions.

Run Viber and enter the mobile phone number to which you have the messenger linked - a message with a confirmation code will be sent to it. If you are not registered in Viber, do this by entering your phone number and then the verification code.

In your contact list you will see everyone who has one of your address book application installed. As you understand, the only thing you need to contact absolutely free of charge is Viber with a person, wherever he is, this is his mobile phone number and access to the Internet.

Google Hangouts

This is a whole set of communication services from the search giant, which have only recently been combined into one package. Extremely convenient application for communication with approximately the same functionality as Skype. in any case, the necessary text and video communication, as well as regular calls, are present here.

You can use the application on the web by going to official website, you can also install a browser extension from the store Chrome Web Store .

All you need to register is availability accountGoogle and phone number confirmation. The only drawback is that it is far from a fact that any of your friends use this service, since it is less popular here than in the West. However, nothing prevents you from inviting them to Google Hangouts for communication.

This program is another popular service for text, video and voice communication, file sharing, etc. There are both paid version applications for the computer, and free.

Distinctive feature and difference from analogues – ooVoo allows you to upload videos to YouTube and broadcast live on the Internet.

It is worth noting that this messenger is more stable in operation than Skype. It is possible to invite friends from social networks to communicate, contacts email etc.

Save the program in a convenient place on your computer and install it following the instructions.

Run ooVoo and register in it by entering the following data.

If you're looking for a complete alternative to Skype, Discord is probably in the best possible way will satisfy your needs. Compared to Skype, this software can be considered quite young.

In Discord you will find almost all the features that you get in Skype. Chats, calls, video calls and group conferences are all fast and easy. The design is simple and modern, so even beginners can quickly figure it out.

Most convenient way using Discord on a PC via the official software itself or on a smartphone via the Discord app for iOS and Android. But even on other computers, you can quickly log in through the web application and use all the functions.

Alternatives to Skype: ICQ and Yahoo Messenger

Tox: Skype alternative without hidden eavesdropping

Several months after it was revealed that the NSA had direct access to Skype servers and theoretically reads every conversation, a new messenger has been released. Tox should be considered a secure alternative to Skype. Messages, phone calls and video chats are encrypted and thus protected from eavesdropping. The data to be transmitted is not sent through the server and is not cached there, but is transmitted directly through a Peer-to-Peer connection with the chat partner.

While Tox has the basic messenger features, Skype offers many additional options. Tox is available for Windows, Mac OS, Linux and as an Android application. Even if the messenger is considered very secure, you will most likely have to invite your friends to Tox.

Video telephony on Facebook

Facebook offers a similar service as does Google. If you and your friends are active on these services,