Best Skype Alternative in 2026: Teams, Google Voice, Viber & DialVia Compared
By the DialVia team ·
Quick answer: Skype closed for good in May 2025. If you used it mainly for team meetings, Microsoft Teams is the direct replacement. If you used it to call real mobile and landline numbers abroad, the closest match is a pay-as-you-go browser service like DialVia, Viber Out, or Rebtel, none of which need Skype's old desktop app. DialVia is the one built specifically around Skype's old browser-and-credit model: no app, from about 2 cents a minute, first call free.
Looking for the best Skype alternative in 2026?
Skype shut down completely in May 2025, and there is no single tool that replaces everything it did. The right pick depends entirely on what you actually used it for.
This guide compares the four main directions people go: Microsoft Teams, Google Voice, Viber (including Viber Out), and DialVia, plus where Rebtel and Yolla fit in for calling landlines specifically.
Microsoft Teams
When Skype shut down, Microsoft pushed everyone toward Microsoft Teams.
On paper, that makes sense. In reality, it depends on what you were using Skype for.
If you used Skype for business meetings and collaboration, Teams is a solid fit. If you used Skype mainly to call international numbers cheaply, it is a different story.
Microsoft Teams is primarily a work tool designed for:
- Team chat
- Video meetings
- File sharing
- Collaboration inside companies
- Replacing office phone systems
Calling mobile or landline numbers is possible, but it is not the main focus. To make regular phone calls you typically need a Microsoft 365 subscription, a Teams Phone add-on, and a calling plan, significantly more setup than Skype used to require.
Bottom line: Teams replaces Skype for Business. It does not replace Skype for quick, casual international calling.
Google Voice
Google Voice is one of the most commonly suggested Skype alternatives, and it works well, but mainly if you are in the US.
Google Voice is built for US users. You can get a virtual US number that includes domestic calling and texting. Outside the US, you typically need a US-based Google account, some features are region-locked, and the whole product is structured around US users first.
Pricing-wise, calls to US numbers are usually free and international calls are charged per minute, closer to Skype's old credit model than Teams, but only if you are in the US to begin with.
Best for: US-based users who want a virtual US number for domestic calling. Not ideal if: you are outside the US and frequently call international destinations.
Viber, Viber Out, and Rebtel
Viber has been around for years and is especially popular in parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. If you used Skype mainly for chatting and calling other Skype users, Viber's free app-to-app calls and messaging will feel familiar, but it is closer to WhatsApp than to a traditional international calling service.
To call real mobile and landline numbers, Viber has a separate paid tier called Viber Out, which works like Skype Credit did: pay-as-you-go or a monthly plan, and you can call a number that does not have Viber installed. Rebtel does something similar and can route calls over local phone lines instead of Wi-Fi or data when your connection is weak, useful in areas with unreliable internet.
Both are mainly mobile-app products rather than browser-first tools, so you still need to install something.
Best for: people whose contacts already use Viber, or who want app-based calling with a fallback to real numbers. Not ideal if: you want browser-based calling with no install at all.
DialVia
If you used Skype mainly to make affordable calls to real phone numbers, DialVia is the closest match to that specific habit.
It is not a team collaboration platform, and it is not a messaging app with calling added on. It is built specifically for calling international mobile and landline numbers from a browser tab:
- Calling international mobile and landline numbers
- Pay-as-you-go credit that never expires, no subscriptions
- Browser-based calling, no downloads on desktop or mobile
- Verified Caller ID, so calls can appear from your own number if you choose
- Rates from about 2 cents a minute, and the first call is free
One limitation: DialVia does not support SMS messaging, since VoIP text deliverability cannot always be guaranteed. If you need texting as well as calling, pair it with WhatsApp or your carrier's SMS.
Best for: former Skype users who mainly called real phone numbers, want no app to install, and prefer pay-as-you-go over a subscription. Not ideal if: you need a business collaboration suite, in which case Teams is the better fit.
Quick comparison
| Feature | Microsoft Teams | Google Voice | Viber Out / Rebtel | DialVia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calls real phone numbers | Yes, with add-ons | Yes, US-focused | Yes | Yes |
| Browser-based, no install | Partial | Yes | No, app required | Yes |
| Pay-as-you-go credit | No | Limited | Yes | Yes, credit never expires |
| First call free | No | No | No | Yes |
| Best for | Businesses | US users | Mobile-first callers | Former Skype users calling real numbers |
Final thoughts
If you need a business phone system, Microsoft Teams makes sense. If you are in the US and mainly call domestically, Google Voice works well. If you want app-based calling with your existing contacts, Viber Out or Rebtel are solid.
If you simply want to open your browser and call a real number abroad, the way Skype used to let you, DialVia is built specifically for that. Current rates by destination are on the country pages, including the United States, the United Kingdom and India.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced Skype for calling phone numbers? Skype closed in May 2025. For calling real mobile and landline numbers, pay-as-you-go services like DialVia, Viber Out and Rebtel are the closest replacements. For team meetings, Microsoft Teams is Microsoft's official successor.
Is there a free Skype alternative for calling real phone numbers? Not entirely free, since calling real numbers always costs the provider money to route. Google Voice is free for calls within the US and Canada. DialVia's first call is free, then it is pay-as-you-go from about 2 cents a minute with no subscription.
Do I need to install an app to replace Skype? Not necessarily. DialVia and Google Voice both work in a browser. Viber Out, Rebtel and Microsoft Teams Phone are mobile or desktop apps.
Which Skype alternative is cheapest for occasional international calls? For occasional calls with no monthly commitment, a pay-as-you-go browser service like DialVia is typically cheapest, since there is no subscription to pay for between calls and credit does not expire.
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