A free video chat app on your desktop computer keeps you connected with friends and family around the world. All you need is an active internet connection, ample bandwidth, a webcam, and audio input and output devices (microphone and speaker).

The services featured here are compatible with multiple platforms, and many are also available as mobile apps. Check the specifications for each product and choose the one that best suits your needs.

Skype

Skype is one of the most popular apps for voice and video calling. In the mobile market, it isn’t as popular as WhatsApp and Viber, but it’s still a prominent tool for free communication on desktop computers.

  • HD-quality voice and video.

  • Audio and video calls are free to other Skype users.

  • Easy screen sharing and videoconferencing.

  • You’re notified by email if you miss a message.

  • You need to upgrade if it’s not a Skype-to-Skype call.

  • Can run slowly on machines with lower specs.

  • Chat function can run slowly.

Skype offers HD-quality voice and video and is often considered the best when it comes to both visual and sound quality. Video and audio calls are free between Skype users. A paid subscription is required to make audio calls to landlines.

Skype is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux desktops, as well as Android and iOS devices. Skype for Web works best with Microsoft Edge and the latest version of Chrome.

Google Meet

Google Meet, is great for a few reasons, including the fact that many people can use it right away if they have a Gmail account. A connected Google account facilitates login and accesses the contacts you already have stored in Gmail.

  • Tie-in with Google account makes it easy to use right away.

  • HD-quality voice and video.

  • Easy screen sharing for presenting documents.

  • Any user with a Google account can create a meeting.

  • Audio can drop when there are multiple participants.

  • Users need a Gmail account to participate.

Since it runs entirely in a web browser, you don’t have to download anything to run it. The app accesses your webcam and microphone through the Google Meet website and delivers HD transmission of both directly through the browser.

As part of Google’s efforts to bring professional-level tools to consumers, you don’t need a business-level Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) subscription to access all of Google Meet’s features. Free users can host one-on-one calls for up to 24 hours and group calls for up to 60 minutes. Google Workspace Individual Subscribers can host one-on-one and group calls for up to 24 hours.

Google Meet is also available as a video chat mobile app for Android and iOS.

Google Meet works best with the current versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Apple Safari.

Zoom

Zoom’s popularity shot to amazing heights in recent years, and while it was a well-known and widely used tool previously, it became a household word in 2020. Used for school, church, business meetings, family gatherings, trivia nights, social occasions, and more, Zoom is now synonymous with video chat.

  • Reliable, high-quality conferencing and meeting tool.

  • Intuitive and easy to use.

  • Generous features in Zoom’s free tier.

  • Host a meeting of up to 100 participants for free.

  • Look out for “Zoom bombing,” when someone crashes your call.

  • You need to download a browser app to use Zoom.

Its free tier can host up to 100 participants, unlimited one-on-one meetings, and group meetings for up to 40 minutes. There’s a variety of paid plan tiers to match any organization’s needs.

You don’t need a paid subscription to use Zoom. If someone else sets up the meeting and invites you, all you need to do is click the link and follow the instructions in your Zoom email invitation.

Zoom on the desktop requires macOS 10.9 or later, Windows 10 through 7, and various Linux setups. There are also Zoom apps for iOS and Android.

Viber

If you have a Windows computer, Viber might be the perfect free video-calling desktop app for you. It’s as easy to use as selecting a contact from the Viber Only section of your contacts list, and then using the video button to start the call. It’s also available for Macs, Android devices, and iOS devices. (To use Viber on the desktop, you first need to create an active account on your mobile device, which then syncs to the desktop.)

  • Easy access to contacts on Windows computers.

  • Chats have end-to-end encryption.

  • High-quality free calls.

  • Share media content easily.

  • You need to set up a mobile account before using Viber on the desktop.

  • Not as many users as some of the other platforms.

Viber lets you turn off the video whenever you like, mute the call, or even transfer the call. It works so much like a regular phone that it should be one of the easier apps to use from this list.

Viber for Desktop works on Windows 10 and OSX 10.13 and above. On mobile devices, you’ll need Android 4.2 or newer or iOS 11 or above. Viber also works with Ubuntu 64 and Fedora Linux.

Facebook Video Calling

Making a video call from Facebook is easy, and there are several ways to go about it. When you use Facebook on the desktop in a browser, navigate to someone’s profile page, then select Contact (phone icon) and choose Video Chat. Or, select the Messenger icon from the upper-right corner, open a conversation with someone, and select Video Chat (camera icon).

  • Easy to video call a Facebook friend with just a click.

  • Start a video chat from a Messenger conversation.

  • Can have 50 people in a video chat, making for a great family reunion.

  • Many of your contacts likely have Facebook.

  • Some people experience a transmission lag.

  • If a contact hasn’t registered a phone number, you can’t call them.

If you use the Facebook mobile app for iOS or Android, select a contact and tap the phone icon. You’re taken to Messenger, where you tap Video Chat. Or, open up the Messenger app, create or open a conversation, and tap the phone icon > Video Chat.

FaceTime

FaceTime offers excellent video and audio quality with an intuitive interface. As an Apple product, it’s seamless and easy to use on a Mac with OS X Lion 10.7 or later, or on an iOS device. The call recipient doesn’t need FaceTime open to receive a call, but they must be logged in to the FaceTime application.

  • Easy to create video chats with a few clicks.

  • High-definition video.

  • Quick setup.

  • Intuitive interface.

  • No FaceTime for Windows.

  • If the call recipient isn’t logged in to FaceTime, the call won’t work.

Similar to Google Meet, FaceTime lets you search through your phone’s contacts to find someone to call. If your contacts use FaceTime, it’s shown on their contact screen.

The only issue with FaceTime is that it works exclusively on Apple’s operating system and devices, and only with other FaceTime users. So, if you’re wondering if you can get Facetime for Windows, the answer is not yet – although iPhone users running iOS 15 or later can include Android users in FaceTime calls.

Discord

Discord is a free app that incorporates voice and video chat along with texting features to help groups socialize and communicate. Originally created as a way for gamers to gather and collaborate virtually, it’s grown into a customized, channel-based, real-time communication system.

  • Fun, quirky, and easy to use.

  • Channels keep topics and threads organized.

  • Free version has robust features.

  • Emphasis on instant communication.

  • Focus is more on voice chat rather than video chat.

  • Seen as mostly for gamers.

Discord is free to use and offers a plethora of features, including unlimited file storage. A paid version, called Discord Nitro, is $9.99 per month and lets you upload files of up to 100 MB.

Use Discord in a web browser, or download the Discord desktop app for Mac, Windows, or Linux. There’s also a Discord mobile app for iOS and Android.

Ekiga

Ekiga (formerly called GnomeMeeting) is a video calling, instant messenger, and softphone app for Linux and Windows desktops. It supports HD sound quality and full-screen video, with DVD-comparable quality.

  • Offers live chat and videoconferencing on a Linux desktop.

  • Supports call forwarding, transfer, and holds.

  • Not as many users to connect with as some of the other platforms here.

Since the program functions much like a regular phone, Ekiga also supports SMS to cellphones (if the service provider ​allows), an address book, and text messaging.

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day