Microsoft retired Skype on May 5, 2025, and the data export window closed on June 15, 2026. Among the leading alternatives in 2026, Zoom is best for external client meetings and webinars, Microsoft Teams is the natural choice for Microsoft 365 organizations, and Google Meet works well for Google Workspace users and browser-based meetings. Former Skype users can transition to Microsoft Teams Free or choose a dedicated calling app for affordable international phone calls.
The 2026 Reality: Skype Is Gone
If you came here to compare Skype, start with the part that changed everything: Skype is gone. Microsoft shut it down on May 5, 2025, after 22 years, and moved its users to Microsoft Teams Free. So the real question in 2026 is not whether Skype beats Zoom. It is which of the three platforms that outlived it fits how you actually work.
This guide compares Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet on the things that decide it: meeting limits, participant caps, recording, built-in AI, and price. It also covers what happened to Skype, the best replacement for each job Skype used to do, and how to keep the phone number you had on it. Every price and limit below was checked against each provider’s official pricing page in July 2026. Verify before you buy, because these numbers change often.
What Happened to Skype?
Skype was retired by Microsoft on May 5, 2025. Microsoft pulled it from the app stores and pointed users to Microsoft Teams Free, where signing in with old Skype credentials pulls saved chats and contacts across automatically.
A few things ended earlier, and they matter if you are only checking now. SMS, call forwarding, voicemail, and Caller ID setup stopped on the shutdown date. Caller ID configuration was switched off on February 15, 2026. The data export window, which Microsoft extended twice, closed on June 15, 2026. That means the option to download your old Skype history is no longer available. If you did not migrate to Teams Free or export before that date, the history is gone.
Why close a product this well known? Usage. Skype peaked at roughly 300 million users. By the time Zoom surged during the 2020 lockdowns, Skype had fallen to about 23 million, and the last figure Microsoft shared publicly, in 2023, was around 36 million, according to TechCrunch. Teams, which launched in 2017, already handled video, chat, and calling inside Microsoft 365, so Skype overlapped with the product Microsoft wanted to grow. Folding everyone onto Teams gave Microsoft one message instead of two.
For most people the practical takeaway is simple: the account you used for Skype now signs you into Microsoft Teams Free, and that is where Microsoft expects former Skype users to land.
Best Skype Alternatives in 2026
There is no single replacement for Skype, because Skype did two different jobs: group video meetings and cheap calls to real phone numbers. Match the replacement to the job.
- Microsoft Teams Free is the official successor. It is where Microsoft moved Skype users, it imports your old contacts and chats, and it covers everyday video calls, chat, and screen sharing at no cost.
- Zoom is the pick for meetings with people outside your company. Guests join from a browser without an account, and the free plan handles most short calls and demos.
- Google Meet is the natural choice if you already use Google Workspace. It runs in the browser, and a meeting link is one click away from Gmail or Google Calendar.
- A calling app or mobile plan replaces Skype’s international calling. For dialing regular phone numbers abroad cheaply, none of the meeting apps do the job well. A dedicated calling service or a phone plan with international rates does.
That last point is what most “best Skype alternative” lists miss. Zoom, Teams, and Meet are meeting tools. If what you valued about Skype was dialing a landline in another country for a few cents, you need a calling app or a phone plan, not a video platform.
Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet: What Each One Is For
Zoom
Zoom built its name on getting people into a call with the least friction. Guests join from a link in a browser with no account required, which keeps it the safe choice for client calls, sales demos, and webinars. The free plan gives you unlimited one-to-one calls and 40-minute group meetings for up to 100 people. Paid plans add long meetings, cloud recording, and Zoom AI Companion, which writes meeting summaries and action items and is included with every paid tier at no extra charge. For large broadcasts, Zoom Webinars scales to tens of thousands of view-only attendees.
If you are getting started with Zoom, here is a quick guide on how to use Zoom.
Microsoft Teams
Teams is the platform Microsoft moved Skype users onto, and it is built for people who live inside Microsoft 365. Chat, video meetings, file sharing, and calling sit in one app next to Word, Excel, and Outlook. Teams Free covers everyday calls; paid Microsoft 365 plans unlock long meetings, recording, and larger audiences. Its AI, Copilot, summarizes meetings and drafts follow-ups, though the full version is a paid add-on rather than an included feature.
Google Meet
Google Meet runs entirely in a browser tab with nothing to install. If your team already uses Gmail, Docs, and Calendar, Meet is one click from a calendar invite and needs no setup. The free version handles 60-minute group calls for up to 100 people. Paid Google Workspace plans add recording, bigger meetings, and Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, which now comes bundled with every paid tier.
Feature Comparison: Skype vs Zoom vs Teams vs Google Meet
Here is how the four platforms line up on the features that usually decide the choice. Skype is included for reference, but it is no longer an option.
| Feature | Skype | Zoom | Microsoft Teams | Google Meet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Retired May 5, 2025 | Active | Active | Active |
| Free Group Meeting Limit | — | 40 min | 60 min | 60 min |
| Participants (Free) | — | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Participants (Paid) | — | Up to 1,000 | 1,000 (view-only to 10,000) | Up to 1,000 |
| Cloud Recording | — | Paid plans | Paid plans | Business Standard+ |
| Screen Sharing | — | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Breakout Rooms | — | Yes | Yes | Business+ |
| Built-in AI | — | AI Companion (free on paid) | Copilot (paid add-on) | Gemini (bundled in paid) |
| Persistent Chat | — | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Call Real Phone Numbers | Was a core feature | Zoom Phone (add-on) | Teams Phone (add-on) | Google Voice (separate) |
| Join in Browser, No App | — | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Best Known For | Cheap international calls | External meetings | Microsoft 365 collaboration | Google-native calls |
The pattern is clear. Zoom wins on guest access and webinars, Teams wins on depth of Microsoft 365 integration, and Google Meet wins on browser-first simplicity. On free-tier meeting length, Teams and Meet both give you 60 minutes to Zoom’s 40, but Zoom’s guest-join experience is the smoothest of the three.
Pricing in 2026
The biggest thing to understand about pricing: with Teams and Google Meet you are buying a productivity suite that includes video, while Zoom is a standalone meeting tool. That is why Zoom’s sticker price can look higher. You are comparing a specialist to a bundle that also gives you email, documents, and storage.
| Platform | Free Tier | Entry Paid Plan | Built-in AI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoom | 40-minute group meetings, up to 100 participants | Pro: ~$13.33/user/month (annual billing) | AI Companion included |
| Microsoft Teams | 60-minute group meetings, up to 100 participants | Microsoft 365 Business Basic: ~$7/user/month | Copilot add-on (~$21/user/month) |
| Google Meet | 60-minute group meetings, up to 100 participants | Google Workspace Business Starter: ~$7/user/month | Gemini bundled with eligible paid plans |
A few specifics worth knowing. Zoom Pro removes the 40-minute limit, adds cloud recording, and includes AI Companion; Zoom Business runs about $18.33 per user per month and lifts meetings to 300 people. Microsoft Teams comes through Microsoft 365: Business Basic at roughly $7 per user per month adds web Office apps and email, Business Standard at about $14 adds the desktop apps, and Business Premium is $22. Google Workspace mirrors that ladder at $7, $14, and $22, with recording and Gemini arriving at the Business Standard tier. The clearest difference is AI: Zoom gives it away on paid plans, Google bundles Gemini into paid Workspace, and Microsoft charges extra for the full Copilot experience.
Which Should You Choose? (By Use Case)
Skip the feature-by-feature agonizing and pick by the job in front of you.
- External client meetings and webinars: choose Zoom. Guests join in one click, and Zoom Webinars handles registration and large audiences better than the others.
- A Microsoft 365 organization and internal collaboration: choose Microsoft Teams. It is already in your subscription, and it keeps chat, files, and meetings next to Office.
- Google Workspace users and quick browser calls: choose Google Meet. It is included with your plan, needs no download, and launches from Calendar or Gmail.
- Cheap international phone calls: choose a calling app or phone plan. This was Skype’s original strength, and a dedicated calling service does it better than any meeting tool.
In practice, many teams do not pick just one. A common 2026 setup is Google Meet or Teams for internal calls, because it is already paid for, and Zoom for anything client-facing, because guests never struggle to join. If your week includes both, running two tools is a reasonable answer, not a failure to decide.
Moving On From Skype (and Where Spenza Helps)
One piece of Skype is easy to overlook: the phone number. If you paid for a Skype Number, you could keep receiving calls on it through the remainder of your subscription, and you can port it to another carrier rather than lose it. To move it, you start the port with the carrier you are switching to.
This is where Spenza fits, and it is worth being clear about the limits. Spenza is not a video meeting platform, and it is not trying to replace Zoom, Teams, or Meet. What Spenza does is business phone connectivity: porting numbers to mobile lines, and providing SIM and roaming plans for teams that work across locations. If the part of Skype you actually need to keep is the number and the ability to call, that is the piece Spenza handles. For the video meetings, one of the three platforms above is your answer.
The Bottom Line
Skype is gone, and 2026 comes down to three platforms plus one for phone calls. Choose Zoom for external client meetings and webinars, Microsoft Teams if your organization already runs on Microsoft 365, and Google Meet if you live in Google Workspace and want browser-first simplicity. For the cheap international calling Skype was known for, reach for a calling app or a phone plan instead.
If you are a former Skype user whose real need is the number rather than the meetings, Spenza can port your old Skype number to a mobile line and set your team up with business connectivity and roaming. Start with the number, then pick the meeting tool that matches your work.
FAQs
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