13 of the best Skype alternatives

Whether it’s a boardroom meeting, conducting an interview or meeting clients from overseas, communication tools have given employees the needed support to work collaboratively and effectively.

Here we look at the best Skype alternatives which offer solid messaging, video and voice calling capabilities to help maximise collaboration.

Read next: Best free collaboration software of 2017.

Available on iOS, Android and Mac, Viber is an ad-free video and messaging tool.

This free alternative has a group chat feature which allows you to have public and private chats. What’s more, it lets users make international calls holding up to 40 people.

Viber lets users send documents, attach images and post video messages via its mobile or desktop app, great for encouraging ideas and instant communication.

WhatsApp is a popular communication tool that allows you to send texts or make calls.

WhatsApp integrates your contacts using your phone number by allowing users to chat in multiple groups but is limited to one person when making calls.

It can be customised to your location as well as setting custom wallpapers and receiving notifications to suit your needs. In addition, the app works in offline mode, great for those working remotely and on trips abroad.

Its video calling feature lets you place a call to anyone using iOS 8+ version but doesn’t support audio conferencing.

Slack is a great collaboration tool for those managing multiple teams within a department.

It integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox or Box allowing users to drag, drop and share files amongst channels. This can ensure team collaboration; encourage ideas while also keeping track of team activities.

This free tool, lets you make voice or video calls from creating a channel or a direct message to ensure instant communication.

Slack has a channel feature which organises conversations in terms of chat history and date. Futhermore, it sends user notifications and detailed custom reports great for collaboration and building professional relationships.

Webex is a great alternative for holding online meetings.

This free app is a must for smaller businesses holding video and audio conferences for up to three members. Furthermore, it has screen sharing feature which allows you to edit, share and collaborate on group tasks.

Webex has an online whiteboard which lets you highlight, edit and draw on shared documents. This is great for working on shared projects, giving presentations and holding conferences.