Top budget-friendly options for international calls

Emotions and regrets over Skype's closure

"I almost feel like I'm losing a piece of my teenage years," a user told the BBC, reflecting the emotional impact of Skype's impending shutdown.

Many users share this sentiment, recognizing Skype's role in democratizing international communication and making long-distance calls affordable for everyone. Before smartphones, the platform was vital for expats to easily keep in touch with loved ones. "It was magical back then. No more steep international call fees, just a fast connection and a few pixelated faces that kept us connected," recalls Anna, who used Skype to regularly communicate with her grandparents in France.

For those who have relied on Skype for nearly 20 years, finding an alternative is challenging: "I've been searching for something to replace this communication tool, but nothing fits, especially for calling French landlines like banks and CNAV", says an expat in Mauritius. Many users on Expat.com's forums lament Skype's simple credit system, which allows flexible spending on landline calls. "With Skype closing, the option to spend ten dollars on landline calls from any Wi-Fi spot while traveling is disappearing," one Expat.com user regrets.

Why is Skype phasing out?

Launched in 2003, Skype experienced substantial growth, boasting over 300 million active monthly users across nearly 200 countries. The platform was celebrated for its video and voice call capabilities, instant messaging, and the well-received option to make calls to landlines or mobile phones using purchased credits.

However, the online communications landscape is intensely competitive. Apps like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Meet have surged in popularity recently.

Microsoft explains that the decision to close Skype by May 2025 stems from an initiative to consolidate and modernize communication services. As a result, Skype's features are being integrated into other products, including Microsoft Teams.

From Skype to Teams

Jeff Teper, President of Collaborative Applications and Platforms at Microsoft, outlines the company's strategy to simplify its free offerings by focusing on Teams. "With Teams, users can access many of Skype's core features such as individual and group calls, messaging, and file sharing," he noted.

Teams also provides advanced features, including meeting organization, calendar management, and the ability to create and participate in groups—all for free.

Skype users are encouraged to migrate to Microsoft Teams and can export their Skype data, including conversations, contacts, and call history.

However, this transition doesn't fully satisfy everyone, as some users face challenges in transferring their data or finding a service that matches the full scope of what Skype offered.

Your best options for international calls

Should you start by exploring Teams, as recommended by Microsoft?

Teams and Teams Phone

Teams is now a popular choice for both individuals and businesses, offering high-quality video calls, voice calls, and an enriched messaging system that includes features like chats among coworkers and file sharing. A significant advantage is its integration with Microsoft Office.

For calling landlines and mobiles like Skype, there's Teams Phone, which assigns you a number for making international calls and includes voicemail, call forwarding, and conference calls. Accessible via computer or smartphone, Teams Phone requires a monthly subscription, which might not be cost-effective for infrequent international callers.

Viber and Viber Out

Viber is often praised in online forums as a practical and economical alternative to Skype. Users appreciate its user-friendly interface and functionality. While its video quality may not match Zoom's, Viber offers video and voice calls over the internet (VoIP) and secure messaging, complete with stickers and media sharing. Viber Out allows calls to landlines and mobiles at competitive rates with a rechargeable credit system, similar to Skype's, without requiring a monthly subscription.

Zoom and Zoom Phone

Zoom gained immense popularity during the 2019 pandemic and is favored by individuals and professionals alike for its stability and call quality. A notable drawback is that its free version limits group meetings to 40 minutes. Zoom also supports voice calls and connections to landlines or mobiles through Zoom Phone, which requires a subscription. There are various plans, including some with unlimited calls to specific regions and others charged by the minute. Once subscribed, Zoom Phone provides a personal phone number, ensuring your calls are identifiable—a crucial feature for some.

Google Meet and Google Voice

Google Meet and Google Voice form another effective alternative to Skype, offering video calls, voice calls, messaging, and the ability to call landlines or mobiles. Google Meet integrates seamlessly with other Google services like Calendar, which is beneficial for Gmail users, allowing the organization of high-quality videoconferences accessible directly from a browser without needing a download. Google Voice facilitates free voice calls within the U.S. and offers competitive international rates. However, this service is available in a limited number of countries, so checking its availability is essential.

While there are numerous applications available, it may be challenging to find one that consolidates all of Skype's services into a single platform.

Other popular communication apps

If you do not need to call landlines and mobiles, WhatsApp remains a well-known reference that is widely used worldwide.

Many users also opt for Signal, which has the advantage of not collecting metadata, guaranteeing users more privacy.

These two applications allow video or voice calls and chats with other users of the same platform but without the possibility of calls to landlines or mobiles.

Consider Yolla if you want to reach services or people at low costs on their landlines and do not need video calls or chats. Here too, it is possible to buy credit without a monthly subscription. Rates are competitive, and the app even offers an option to share call credit with other users.

Explore Keepcalling and Dingtone, which are regularly recommended on forums.

Everyone can find the formula that best suits their personal use. Skype, for its part, will remain a milestone in the memory of online communication.