9 services for free calls over the Internet

The service for free calls should be chosen based on its popularity. After all, the larger the audience of the project, the higher the chance that your friends will use it and the easier it will be for you to contact them. Therefore, the selection includes services that are in greatest demand in Russia, Ukraine and the CIS countries.

1. Skype

Skype became one of the first mainstream free calling services and was known among computer users even before the advent of smartphones. The success of the project attracted Microsoft, which acquired Skype. Now the service is available on all modern platforms and is included in the list of the most popular programs for short messages and calls.

Skype allows you to make calls from both desktop and mobile applications. You can also make calls from the browser through the web version of the service, but for this it will ask you to install a special plugin. Skype supports both voice and video calls. You can contact one subscriber or arrange a conference with several people.

Skype desktop client →

Skype web version →

2. Zoom

A service that has become the de facto standard for communicating with colleagues, family and friends during a pandemic and is not going to give up. Zoom is completely free for personal use and available on all platforms.

In addition to classic voice calls, the service supports video calls, screen display, text chat, and also allows you to record meetings. And although with the help of Zoom you can call one-on-one, it is still more suitable for group communication with people who are at a distance.

3. Telegram

The Telegram messenger is a project of Pavel Durov, the founder of VKontakte. This relatively young service has already gained popularity all over the world.

Telegram can serve you for free communication from desktop and mobile applications. The service has a web version, but you cannot call from it yet. With the help of Telegram, you can make not only regular but also video calls. In addition, there are voice chats for communicating with multiple participants.

Telegram desktop client →

Telegram Telegram FZ-LLC

Telegram Telegram FZ-LLC

4. Viber

Internet calls over the Internet in Viber

Viber can be called the most popular online telephony service for residents of the post-Soviet space. Historically, most smartphone owners in our region associate free voice communication with this particular project.

With Viber, you can make not only audio, but also video calls from desktop and mobile applications. Conference mode is also present. But there is no web version, so you cannot make calls from the browser.

Viber desktop client →

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Viber messenger: free video calls and chat Viber Media S.à r.l.

5. Facebook Messenger

Free internet calls to Facebook Messenger

This service is part of the largest social network with over one billion users. Surely you and most of your friends already use it for correspondence on Facebook. In this case, you don't even have to install anything, because with the help of Facebook Messenger, you can not only exchange text messages, but also make calls.

The service supports free calls from the browser (without any plugins) and the mobile client. Audio and video communication is available to users. Voice conferences and video chats are at your service.

Web version of Facebook Messenger →

Messenger Facebook, Inc.

Messenger - Facebook Text, Audio & Video Calls

6. Google Duo

Simple and convenient service from Google, designed to simplify communication with friends and colleagues. Unlike the company's other group meeting-focused tools, Duo is more personal and a lot like Apple's FaceTime.

The service works in the form of mobile applications, as well as in the browser. It allows you to make calls by voice and video communication in groups of up to 12 people. There are no text messages in Duo, but it is possible to record a video message in case the subscriber is not available. In addition, there is an interesting function "Tuk-tuk", which allows you to see the caller even before answering the call.

Google Duo Google LLC

7. WhatsApp

Another Facebook project with which you can make calls for free. WhatsApp hardly lags behind the most popular Facebook Messenger, so the likelihood that many of your acquaintances are already using it is very high.

WhatsApp allows you to make calls from mobile clients and from your computer. The service supports voice and video communication. There are both single calls and group calls.

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WhatsApp Messenger WhatsApp Inc.

WhatsApp Messenger WhatsApp LLC

8. FaceTime

A free Apple service that is integrated into the company's operating systems and allows iPhone, iPad and Mac owners to communicate with people over the Internet. It only works on branded devices and is not available on other platforms.

FaceTime has regular and video calls with support for group chats of up to 32 people. During communication, you can use animated Memoji to convey mood and emotions. A Live Photos feature is also available to help you capture the best moments of your hangout.

FaceTime Apple

9. ICQ

ICQ was once widely known as a short messaging service. His client was installed on a huge number of computers, but the project developers did not manage to quickly adapt it for mobile platforms. Therefore, ICQ was lost against the background of competitors. Now the service is owned by the Russian company Mail. Ru, which is trying to regain the former popularity of ICQ.

With the new ICQ you can make audio and video calls from desktop and mobile clients. In versions of the service for Windows and macOS, voice and video conferencing is available.

ICQ desktop client →

ICQ: Messenger & Chatbots ICQ