Google Hangouts video chat is a great communication tool. People usually call it as messaging service with one stop message. It is can be used in Android mobile. Need another reason why Slack is the best team chat app on the market today? It runs on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android and Linux in various flavors — even directly in your web browser — without. We can hardly discuss the best group video chat app without Viber coming to mind. Available in Windows, MAC as well as Linux, Viber enables the participants to chat with other users using any device without any extra cost. IChat is the default instant messaging application bundled with Mac OS X. IChat boasts multi-user video chat (up to 4 people at once), iChat Theater for sharing and viewing files during a video. FaceTime's video chat is available for Macs running OS X 10.6.6 or higher, and on iOS devices running iOS 4 or higher.
10 Video and Voice Call Apps to Hang out with Friends
Smartphones have totally changed the way we use a gadget. Modern phones with good Internet connection provide free alternatives to voice and video calls. Here’s a list of excellent video calling apps for iPhone, Android, Windows Phone and BlackBerry that let you make a direct call to your friend or start a group video conversation.
Skype
Skype is one of the oldest and most famous apps for calls. There are official Skype apps for Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Amazon Fire Phone. Also it’s available for computer platforms – Windows, Mac and Linux, and even smart TVs, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One and other devices. Apart from voice and video calling, it allows sharing files and sending messages between the devices using Skype. It also offers low cost calling and texting to mobiles or landlines. The unique Skype feature is the ability to make online group video calls. Just create a group out of your Skype contacts and tap the Camera sign to launch a video chat.
Download for Skype for Android | Download Skype for iPhone
SEE ALSO: Video Call Quick Fix Guide: iPhone Camera not Working
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is another free app for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone to make video calls on the go. Messenger is easy to use. Tap a contact from the Messenger app list and hit the video button to start a video call. You can make a video call to anyone within Facebook network around the globe, including video calls from iPhone to Android and vice verse. All calls are free, but you have to pay for Internet data. The app let use both front and rear cameras for video recording. Unfortunately, in Facebook Messenger there are no group video calls like in Skype or Google Hangouts. So if you want to talk to several friends at a time, you’d better choose a Microsoft or Google app.
Explore all Messenger features at www.messenger.com.
Google Hangouts
Google revamped its communication service – Google Talk to Hangouts. Hangouts has turned into a universal messenger app for Gmail, Google+, Android and iOS users. Now you can do audio and video calls, text messaging, file sharing, real-time video streaming and much more. One can talk to up to 10 people simultaneously. The images shared during a call are saved in a private Google+ album, making it easier to access them later. Google Hangout is, probably, the only real Skype competitor in video calling.
Download Hangouts for Android | Download Hangouts for iPhone
SEE ALSO: Video Call Quick Fix Guide: iPhone Sound not Working
Apple Facetime
Apple Facetime is a default free video call app for all iOS users. You can communicate with anyone who has an Apple device from your Mac, iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Thanks to new Continuity feature in iOS 9+, you can start video call on one iDevice and continue it on your second Apple gadget without interruptions. Don’t forget that you can always record iPhone calls and compress the recoreded videos for sending via Whatsapp.
Check our detailed Facetime guide and learn how to use Facetime.
Line
Line is an extremely popular chat app for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone and PC. It also has a face-to-face video call option. The app workflow is similar to Facebook: tap a person name from Line list and hit the Camera sign. Like in Facebook Messenger, all video calls between Line users are 100% free. There are no group video calls. However, if you can pay extra money, Line enables you to make audio calls to landline phones and cell phones out of Line network.
Nov 19, 2013 The Xbox app brings together your friends, games, and accomplishments from across your devices. Stay connected to your gaming community on the go, control your Xbox One from the app, and buy new games from the store. Is there an xbox app for mac. With the Xbox App, view all your memorable Windows 10 and Xbox One gaming moments in one place. Check out your achievements by game, game clips and screenshots you’ve captured, and all the Gamerscore you’ve earned across all your Windows 10 devices.
Visit www.line.me to download a Line app for your smartphone.
SEE ALSO: Video Call Quick Fix Guide: iPhone Keyboard not Working
Viber
Similar to Skype, Viber is a free calling app available for almost all operational systems: Windows and Mac, and also mobile devices like Blackberry, Windows Phone, Android and iPhone, iPad. One can use Viber for sharing contacts, files, messages, emoticons, locations, etc. It also allows group audio calls for up to 40 participants. You can make video calls to your Viber contacts. Simply tap the Camera sign next to a person’s name and start talking.
Download Viber for Android | Download Viber for iPhone
Tango
This app is available for Android, iOS and WP and Windows OS computers as well. It offers usual features of voice and video calling, sending messages, animations, files, etc. One interesting thing about Tango is the Mini Games which can be played even during the call. You can challenge the caller on the other end in the real-time.
Download Tango for Android | Download Tango for iPhone
KakaoTalk
KakaoTalk is made for almost all mobile platforms Android, iOS, Blackberry, Windows Phone and even Bada. It has voice and video calls, messaging, sharing multimedia content, etc. The app also acts as a reminder for scheduling appointments. To add little bit of fun, the app has in-built games and some voice filters like Talking Tom, Talking Ben, etc. KakaoTalk also allows users to follow celebrities/ brands such as Psy through ‘Plus Friend’ feature and get updates from them. To see the celebs that can be added, go to the Find Tab and select View All, and simply tap the Add option against any of them.
Download KakaoTalk for Android | Download KakaoTalk for iPhone
While WeChat is essentially an instant messaging app available for all mobile platforms, it also provides several innovative ways for voice / video calling. Live Chat feature contains conference calling feature and it ensures that only one person talks at a time. Video Call, as the name suggests, is for talking in the video mode. It also has a Voice Chat feature which streams voice messages; this last thing is useful particularly when the other person is not online.
Download WeChat for Android | Download WeChat for iPhone
ooVoo
ooVoo’s is a simple cross platform voice and video calling app available for major mobile platforms and desktop OS. Similar to other apps, ooVoo sends messages, makes voice and videos. Like Skype, ooVoo permits you to call landline numbers through ooVoo credits. It also integrates with Facebook, so you can chat with friends from the social network. The best part about the app is that it makes group video calls with up to 12 people simultaneously.
Download ooVoo for Android
What video calling app do you use? Tell us in comments!
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In 1884, eight years after Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson had the world's first phone call, industrialist John Jacob Astor IV published his predictions for the 21st century. Along with ill-fated predictions of steel-covered roads and the discovery an anti-gravitational force, he also foresaw video calls.
'Telephones have been so improved that one person can speak in his natural voice with another in any part of the globe, the wire that enables him to hear also showing him the face of the speaker,' wrote Astor in his history of the future. Wires aside, that prediction came true.
Video calls came in starts and fits. The earliest came from AT&T's labs in 1927, with a room full of equipment. Public videophone booths were available by the 1970's, and in the early 1990's you could buy a video phone for around $1,000.
Then, apps and wider bandwidth came, and video calls and conferencing became more ubiquitous–as long as you had a decent internet connection and a capable device, that is. Today, if you're shopping and want advice from a friend, a video call is only a couple taps away. If you need to interview or consult with a dozen people who live in another city, you can do so face-to-face without leaving your desk. Sometimes, FaceTime is clearer and cheaper than a 'normal' phone call.
And yet, team video calls can still be an exercise in frustration, with delayed video, glitchy graphics, and batteries drained in minutes. We know.
As a fully remote team, Zapier relies on video conferencing to hold team meetings, share ideas, and check in on each other. We've tried a lot of video call apps—and have suffered through one too many terrible calls. And so, after trying nearly two dozen video conferencing apps, we've settled on the ones that consistently work well.
Here are the best apps to make a video call whenever you want, including the brand new Amazon Chime and our team's long-time favorites: Zoom, Appear.in, and the new Hangouts Meet.
Tip: For co-located teams with several offices, dedicated video conferencing devices for full-room meetings might be a better option. For smaller or fully remote teams—or for anyone who just wants to jump on a video call from anywhere—these call apps are a much better option since they work anywhere you have an internet connection.
The Best Quick Video Call Apps
You've got an idea and want to run it by team members quickly, without a lot of unnecessary back-and-forth. Or you want to check in on a coworker and see how a project is coming along. All you need is a quick way to make a video call, without any hassle.
These apps are the ones we turn to for that.
Appear.in (iOS, Android, Web)
Best for quick small group chats in a browser
A browser and internet connection are all you need for Appear.in calls
Open your browser, go to appear.in, and click Start (or enter your own 'room' name, if you don't want an auto-assigned name). Now copy the link, share it with your colleagues, and up to 7 other people can join you in the call for free.
There's a chat pane to share text and links, stickers to cover your face, and an option to share your screen if you install a browser plugin. You can even start a new call right from Slack with the
/appear command. It's hard to imagine a simpler way to have a video conference—and it's the tool many in the Zapier team grab when jumping on a quick call.
Appear.in Price: Free for unlimited calls with up to 8 people; $12/month per room Premium edition for 12 people per call, screensharing alongside video, and custom branding (currently in beta)
Tip: Appear.in works in Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, so you can't make calls from Safari right now.
FaceTime (iOS, Mac)
Best for one-to-one video calls that feel as simple as making a phone call
The simplest way to make a video call with one other person is built into your iPhone's Phone app: FaceTime. As long as you and your colleague have a Mac or iOS device, you can make a quick audio or video call over your data connection. Odds are, it'll sound great, too—even over congested airport Wi-Fi.
It's just a call, though. To chat, you'll need to use iMessage—and on iOS, switching apps turns off your video—and there's no way to share your screen. But for a quick, clear video call, it's hard to beat.
FaceTime Price: Free with an Apple device
Tip Not using an iPhone? Facebook's Messenger app now includes 1-to-1 video calls, as do other popular messaging apps including WhatsApp, LINE, and Viber.
Gruveo (iOS, Android, Web)
Best for receiving video calls in your browser
Best App For Video Chat Machine
Want your own video call phone number that anyone can use to chat with you at any time? That's essentially what Gruveo offers. It's as simple as Appear.in, though only for 1-to-1 calls, making it a great alternative to FaceTime. And it includes a chat sidebar for quick collaboration.
It's best feature, though, is direct codes. You can register your own
@name on Gruveo and share a simple gruveo.com/@name link to let people call you. Then, instead of putting your phone number on your site, just leave enable Gruveo's browser call notifications (or install the Gruveo Chrome extension) and you can receive video calls anytime anyone needs to get in touch.
Gruveo Price: Free; $12/month Pro plan for screen sharing, custom branding, and info about callers
Slack (Mac, Windows, Web)
Best for making a call directly from team chat
It started out as a whimsical take on a team chat app, one that made discussing business plans and deadlines a bit more fun with emoji and GIFs. Today, Slack is one of the most popular team chat apps, and it's taken chats beyond just text and images.
Slack added 1-to-1 voice calls to its desktop and mobile apps in June 2016, following up six months later by adding a video to those calls. To call a colleague in Slack, just open a channel or Direct Message and click the phone icon—Slack will start the call in a new window and add a notification to the chat. Calls feel a bit more like a normal phone call with video added on. You can tap the video icon to turn on video, or just make a quick voice call if you'd like, which might be the fastest way to discuss something that'd take too long in chat.
Up to 15 people can join the call, for now, and you can only make video calls on desktop. What they lack in features, though, Slack calls make up for in convenience. They're just a tap away in Slack, and come with Slack's most popular emojis so you can show your reactions during a call. You can't share your screen yet, either—though Slack's Screenhero app is one of the fastest ways to share your screen, too.
Slack Price: From $8/month Standard plan for video calls along with unlimited chat archive and priority support]
For a deeper look at Slack's features and pricing plans, check out our Slack review.
See Slack integrations on Zapier
Use a different team chat app? HipChat also includes video chat with up to 20 people and ChatWork supports video calls with up to 14 people depending on your plan, while the new Microsoft Teams chat app includes video converencing that integrates with Skype for Business.
There's one other app that deserves an honorable mention here: Skype. As one of the first video call apps most of us have used, it's likely still hanging around your computer and can still be a quick way have a 1-to-1 call. And, it now offers group calls with up to 25 people for free, and even lets people join the call from the web—that is, once you've installed a plugin.
But, unfortunately, it's not as reliable as these other tools. Our team has tried to use it for group calls, and never could seem to get it to reliably work for more than 2 people. Even just voice-only calls sometimes lagged or dropped. It's still worth keeping around if only for calling people who you've already added to your Skype account–and because so many people use Skype—but you'll probably have a better experience with most of these other apps.
The Best Team Video Conference Apps
Two's company, three's a crowd goes the saying, and video call apps hold you to that. Most free, simple video calls are 1-to-1. That's fine for getting advice from a colleague or chatting up with a remote teammate. It's not enough, however, to get your entire team on the same page.
These apps, though, have what it takes.
Zoom (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows)
Best for reliable, clear group video calls
With fast, reliable group calls, Zoom's the Zapier team's default video call app
It's hard to try out a wide range of video conference apps and not come away impressed with Zoom. It's the group call app that, for the most part, just works. You'll first need to install its apps, and then can have a free video call with up to 50 people as long as you don't talk for more than 40 minutes. Paid plans let you chat with up to 500 people at once, plenty for all but the largest teams.
The important thing is, it works great. Even when your internet connection isn't the best, Zoom typically will keep your video going—though sometimes at a reduced quality level. It's even light on your computer resources, with only moderate battery drain and CPU usage during most calls.
You can record any call with a full-length video, or keep a sub-conversation going in the text chat. And, you can share your screen, choosing to either show your whole screen or just one of the apps you're running. It even lets you schedule calls in advance, chat anytime with any of your contacts, or connect to room conferencing hardware. Aside from some tiny app annoyances—such as automatically going full-screen for all viewers when someone shares their screen—it's a nearly perfect team video app.
Zoom Price: Free for up to 50 participants for 40 minute long meetings; from $14.99/month per host Pro plan for user management, unlimited meeting length, and reports; from $55/month for 100+ participants
For a deeper look at Zoom's features and pricing plans, check out our Zoom review.
See Zoom integrations on Zapier
Google Hangouts (iOS, Android, Web)
Best for quick calls from Google Calendar
Deep Gsuite integration makes Hangouts great for collaboration
With up to 25 participants in free calls right from your browser, Google Hangouts is a fairly good contender for team video conferencing. It's best feature, perhaps, is its deep integration with Google's other apps. Whenever you create a meeting in Google Calendar, you'll get a Hangouts link that you and your meeting attendees can click to instantly join a call. And when you're in the middle of a call, you can find files from Google Drive and Apps and share them in chat, without leaving your call.
Hangouts is being redesigned right now, with the newly released Google Hangouts Meet adding a clean new design to Hangouts' video chat for teams using G Suite. It's much the same, with a simpler interface and no text chat—that's being moved to the upcoming Google Hangouts Chat app in the near future. And if you have a G Suite enterprise plan, you can now include up to 30 people in your call.
The only downside is that Hangouts—in the old version and in the new Meet—can struggle with large group calls. Because it runs from your browser, it'll go through your laptop battery far faster than Zoom, and doesn't degrade calls as gracefully as Zoom if your internet connection is slow. That may improve, though; Google promises that Meet should be less resource intensive. And if you want to bring large teams in your calls, you can use the new Hangouts conference room devices for full-room video chats—and the Jamboard touchscreen device for team collaboration. Put those together with the new Meet app and Hangouts' integration with the rest of Google's apps, and Hangouts just may turn into the best way to talk with your team.
Google Hangouts Price: Free; from $5/month as part of G Suite Basic for business teams
Tip: Learn more about Hangouts with our Missing Guide for Google Hangouts.
GoToMeeting (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Web for participants)
Best for professional video conferencing
GoToMeeting is part of a family of video conferencing apps that let you meet with your team or broadcast a webinar to thousands of viewers. It's all built around the same apps—you'll schedule meetings online, then use GoToMeeting's app to join calls, share your screen, and present to audiences.
It's packed with professional features, including call recording, dial-in numbers (or an option to have GoToMeeting call your number so all you have to do is answer), and let up to 6 people on the call have their video streamed in HD. Attendees can even join from their browser. And if you're sharing your screen, you can use drawing tools to point out things you're talking about.
GoToMeeting's apps can be a bit confusing, packed with controls that can push your chat or settings out of view. And it often wants to install updates just as you're starting a call. For the most part, though, it's a reliable option that can be a good choice if you want a tool for team calls and webinars.
GoToMeeting Price: Free for 3 participants; from $19/month Starter plan for up to 10 participants
See GoToMeeting integrations on Zapier
Amazon Chime (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows)
Best for jumping on a call right on schedule
The latest entrant to the video conference apps space, Amazon Chime's apps are a sleek new way to chat with your team whenever you need. Powered by the tech behind Biba—another video conferencing app that Amazon acquired—and Amazon's own AWS services, Chime's video quality and latency were as good as Zoom's in our tests. It's just as easy to use for calls, with built-in chat and a screen sharing tool that minimizes participants videos while you're presenting to keep you from getting distracted.
It's best, perhaps, for keeping your team working together in an app that's a bit more like a audio and video-focused Slack. You can start standard text chat rooms to keep conversations going, and start a video call right from the room. Or, you can schedule calls, and whenever it's time for the meeting, Chime will call everyone's desktop or mobile Chime installs so they can jump on the call just like they would any other call.
For now, it's a bit more limited than other video call apps, with a max of 16 video participants at once, but it's also one of the most nicely designed video call apps available today.
Amazon Chime Price: Free for 2 person video calls and chat rooms; $2.50/month per user Plus plan for 2 person calls and screen sharing; $15/month per user Pro plan for meetings with up to 16 video participants and 100 users
BlueJeans (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Web)
Best for video conferencing from any device
BlueJeans makes sure everyone can attend your calls
Need a video conferencing tool that works across many different kinds of devices, including conference room devices? BlueJeans combines simple, easy-to-use apps with support for a wide range of devices so you can start a call from your PC, let colleagues join it from mobile or Linux devices, and stream it to your conference room so everyone can join in.
Its apps are as easy to use as the more consumer-focused video call apps but are designed to be used on larger teams. And if you want to present to a crowd, it includes webinar tools as well. The only downside is that its apps weren't quite as responsive as some of the others we tested—and its Enterprise pricing isn't public, so you'll need to contact its team once your trial is over.
BlueJeans Price: $19.95 for up to 50 attendees; Contact for Enterprise pricing
Best App For Video RecordingVideo Conferencing Apps with More Collaboration Features
Want something a bit different? Here are some video call apps that put the focus on collaboration, with video on the side.
Rabbit (iOS, Web)
Best for showing a video to a group
Show a video or your latest project in a Rabbit call
Rabbit isn't necessarily designed for productivity—it's more designed as a way to watch videos with friends from anywhere. Start a call, and you can pick from a variety of popular video sites—or Google—to watch something with your friends.
Best Applications For Mac
The call will then start with an embedded browser at the top of your screen, and a tiny video icon of you and your friends at the bottom. You can type anything in the address bar to pull up a video or website you want to show off—or tap the remote icon to let others take the controls.
But you can use it as a professional too, since you get a simple way to pull up any site you're working on, perhaps to get feedback on a design mockup or watch a conference video as a group. And if you just want to have a video call, hover over a caller's icon to see their video instead of the built-in browser.
Rabbit Price: Free
Pexip (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Web, Linux)Best App For Video Chat Android
Best for presentations across multiple video conference systems
One of the most reliable ways to show a presentation is with a
.pdf file. Make each slide a full page, and you can flip through them on any computer or browser, anywhere.
Pexip uses that same idea for its presentations. You'll start a video call, either in its web or mobile apps, or log in using WebRTC connection or Skype Business and Cisco Jabber integrations. You'll be able to see everyone in your call, no matter how they're logged in, and can call in via phone if your internet connection is down. Then, from the web app, you can upload a PDF file and show it as a presentation, flipping through each page as a slide while still seeing everyone in your call.
It's a simple way to do group presentations, especially for teams that need to bridge multiple video conferencing systems.
Pexip Price: from $15,000/year for 50 users (averages to $25/month per user)
Join.me (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Web for participants)
Best for screensharing in a call
If your call is mostly to show something on your screen, Join.me makes that simple
Want to show something you're working on, and let everyone join in on the action? Join.me from the LogMeIn team is the tool to grab. It shares your screen by default as soon as you start a call, so you can show off anything in any app. You'll need to install Join.me's app to start the call, but your participants can join in from their browser—no install required.
Want just video chat? You can turn off the screenshare and see just the video streams in bubbles in a larger app screen. Or, if you want your team to help you out, you can share your controls and let others take over your mouse and keyboard to control your keyboard—just like in LogMeIn's signature tools. On mobile, you can even pull up a virtual whiteboard to sketch ideas and stream them to your team.
Join.me Price: Free for 10 meeting participants and 5 video feeds; from $20/month Pro plan (with annual billing) for 50 meeting participants
See Join.me integrations on Zapier
Cisco WebEx (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows)
Best for working around a virtual whiteboard
From one of the leading manufacturers of video conferencing hardware, Cisco WebEx is designed around collaboration. Start a call, and the main part of the app will show a virtual whiteboard—with chat and videos off on the side. Everyone in the call can then type, draw, add shapes, and highlight or annotate anything on the screen, for an easy way to brainstorm ideas.
If you just want a normal video conference, you can take the video full-screen and hide the whiteboard. Or, you can share your screen, perhaps to kick off the discussion and then brainstorm other ideas in the virtual whiteboard. It can even work for your larger meetings, with WebEx Events that can let you broadcast to up to 3,000 people with the same tools. And if your team needs an easy way to stay in touch between meetings, Cisco's companion Webex Teams app adds team chat and one-click calls to your video collaboration.
WebEx Price: Free for 3 participants; from $24/month Premium 8 plan for up to 8 meeting participants
Pick the Futuristic Phone for You
When you get a new phone number, you're stuck with it. It's a huge hassle to switch numbers—and often you're stuck with a years-long contract.
That might be the case with traditional video conferencing hardware, but the apps today are good enough to not have to worry about that. With any of these apps, you can quickly start a video call, often without even installing anything. And if it doesn't work, another video app is only a New Tab away.
And, you don't have to rely on only one video call app, either. One of the first apps might be best for quick calls with colleagues, while you'll likely want a more powerful app for your full-team calls. Then, when you need feedback on a project or want to learn something together, one of the latter collaboration-focused apps might have what you need.
I'm sure you've have bad experiences with team video calls—we all have. But these apps are worth your time, and just might make you glad you live in the future.
Learn how to work better in a remote team with Zapier's Ultimate Guide to Remote Work.
Intro inspired by James Gleick's Time Travel, chapter 2. Spy camera app for mac. Article originally published 12 Jan 2017; updated 14 Feb 2017 with details about Amazon Chime, and 10 Mar 2017 with info about Google Hangouts Meet.
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