5 Best Skype Alternatives for International Calling

5 Best Skype Alternatives for International Calling brings together practical options worth considering. Below, you'll find clear explanations, useful context, and tips for deciding which choices best match your needs.

5. Google Voice

Google Voice is probably the closest competitor to Skype's international VoIP calling service. The service integrates seamlessly with other popular services, including Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Meet if you're already invested in the Google Workspace ecosystem for business or personal use.

For international calls, Google Voice offers similarly cheap rates to Skype, starting at $0.01 per minute, with business plans starting at $10 per month. These plans can be paid for with a credit or debit card or directly from a bank account. Like Skype, the service also has an auto-recharge feature that charges the desired amount whenever your balance drops below $2.

4. Zoom Phone

Zoom has become a household name during the global pandemic, and its cloud phone service, Zoom Phone, has been around since 2019. Zoom Phone is a great option for making international calls, although it seems more geared toward commercial use than Skype, which is aimed equally at personal and business use if you're already using Zoom's services for video calling.

Zoom Phone offers built-in instant messaging with Zoom Chat, encrypted call recording, voicemail transcription, spam detection, call queues, and online meetings with Zoom Meetings, making it a complete solution for businesses large and small, with an affordable starting price of $10/month.

3. Viber

Despite some genuinely useful features, Viber was overtaken by WhatsApp and never gained much traction in the competitive instant messaging space. However, it does have one notable benefit: Unlimited international calls to mobiles and landlines for an affordable flat monthly fee.

Viber is a solid cross-platform standalone solution with a user-friendly interface and built-in contacts if you primarily make personal calls abroad and aren't particularly invested in the Google ecosystem. Its Viber Out Call World international calling feature is available in 55 countries for just $5.99, with prepaid plans that vary by location.

2. OpenPhone

OpenPhone could revolutionize your productivity and simplify your life if you or your team regularly make calls and text messages for work. Unlike Zoom, there are no video chat or online meeting features on the platform, but what it does do is remarkable.

You get a virtual phone number with unlimited calling in the US and Canada when you sign up with OpenPhone. The platform supports group calling for streamlined collaboration and, importantly, supports MMS, SMS, and group messaging for improved customer service. One particularly useful feature is integration with Slack and HubSpot, making OpenPhone a viable alternative to Zoom Phone and Microsoft Teams.

1. Sonetel

Sonetel is positioning itself as an alternative to Skype for international calling via its mobile app. It's not cheap for occasional use, at $9.95 a month for the Premium service, but it does allow for free international calls to more than 40 countries.

Other features of Sonetel Premium include dedicated phone numbers, call transcription, email tracking, and call recording, among others. This may be overkill for most regular users, but for digital nomads and others who work on the go, it can prove invaluable. As you can see, having a solution that fits most international calling needs outweighs the benefits of the outdated and often beaten Skype.

See also:

• Tips you should know if you are using Skype.
• What to do when Skype video isn't working?
• How to turn off or show URL Preview link on Skype.

Final Thoughts

The most reliable way to handle best skype alternatives for international calling is to follow the process in order, verify each important setting, and test the result before moving on. Use the guidance above as a practical reference, then adjust the details for your device, software version, or specific goal.