An All Around Good Communications Tool
We use Skype to communicate externally with other peer organizations. Notably we have also used Skype to communicate with job applicants …
Skype
Top Rated
Skype
Overview
Reviews
Popular Features
View all 17 featuresHigh quality audio (128)
8.4
84%
Desktop sharing (112)
8.3
83%
High quality video (126)
8.1
81%
Low bandwidth requirements (123)
6.7
67%
Reviewer Pros & Cons
View all pros & cons
Jason Hartigan
Business Analyst
Bowling Green State University (Higher Education, 1001-5000 employees)Pricing
View all pricingN/A
Unavailable
What is Skype?
Skype (the personal edition) is a free web meeting, video conferencing, and VoIP software. The free version includes audio and video Skype-to-Skype calls, ability to call mobile phones and landlines, paid international calling, and conference calling capabilities for up to 25 people.
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting / Integration Services
Would you like us to let the vendor know that you want pricing?
7 people want pricing too
Alternatives Pricing
What is Google Meet?
Google Meet, formerly Hangouts Meet, replaces the former Google Hangouts as the company's G Suite integrated web conferencing tool, allowing users to join meetings directly from a Calendar event or email invite from a computer, phone, or conference room. G Suite's Enterprise edition also creates a…
What is Zoom?
Zoom is a unified communications platform primarily known for its use as a web conferencing tool. It features HD video and audio, collaboration tools, chat functionality, and an enterprise cloud phone system.
Features Scorecard
Performance & Compatibility of Online Events Software
7.8
78%
Screen Sharing
7.8
78%
Online Meetings / Events
7.8
78%
Online Events Collaboration
8.1
81%
Online Events Security
7.7
77%
Product Details
What is Skype?
Skype (the personal edition) is a free web meeting, video
conferencing, and VoIP software. The free version includes instant messaging, audio
and video Skype-to-Skype calls, the ability to call mobile phones and
landlines, paid international calling, and conference calling capabilities for
up to 25 people. During video sessions, users also have the option to share
their screen with other participants. Other distinctive features include background blurring, voice and text translation, location share, conversation search, and integration with Microsoft's Digital Assistant, Cortana.
This version of Skype works on phones, desktop, tablet, browsers, Alexa, and
Xbox. Users can call landlines and mobile phones from around the world by
paying for Skype Credit or signing up for Skype subscriptions, a monthly
contract for users who only need service to specific regions. Users can also
pay to have a local phone number through Skype Numbers, so that they can answer
phone calls from their desktops, tablets, or smartphones. They can also send
SMS text messages and share their location using the Skype mobile app.
Skype Video
What is Skype?
Skype Technical Details
| Operating Systems | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Mobile Application | No |
Alternatives
View all alternatives
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Skype?
Skype (the personal edition) is a free web meeting, video conferencing, and VoIP software. The free version includes audio and video Skype-to-Skype calls, ability to call mobile phones and landlines, paid international calling, and conference calling capabilities for up to 25 people.
What are Skype's top competitors?
ConnectWise Control (formerly ScreenConnect), Zoom, and Webex App are common alternatives for Skype.
What is Skype's best feature?
Reviewers rate Live chat highest, with a score of 8.6.
Who uses Skype?
The most common users of Skype are from Mid-size Companies and the Computer Software industry.
Reviews and Ratings
(2287)
Ratings
Reviews
(1-25 of 2287)- Popular Filters
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
November 29, 2021
An All Around Good Communications Tool
We use Skype to communicate externally with other peer organizations. Notably we have also used Skype to communicate with job applicants in other countries. As a large organization I am sure that other offices are using Skype on campus. Skype fills a void for a reliable face to face communication platform that makes it feel like you are having a casual conversation with others without the need to be present. In a previous role I used Skype's chat or instant messaging features but no longer use that functionality. It worked well when I used it but it is my understanding they have beefed up this functionality.
- It does video calling very well.
- You can share files easily over the platform.
- The chat / instant messaging feature was robust.
- It's very accessible. Users on many platforms can use it.
- It is reliable. I have not had issues with uptime or charshing.
- I think that often people are confused on what usage or functions will cost them money to use.
- Everyone is concerned about security and safety these days. I don't conduct secret business over Skype but I've heard there may be some concerns about this issue if you are thinking of using it for sensitive information.
- Chat history gets deleted after a certain point so if keeping years long records is something that you are looking to do consider saving chunks off from time to time.
October 28, 2021
Skype: Feel free to connect!
Skype is a primary and needful app for me and our organization. Skype is very good for personal or small group chatting and meeting. It is well distributed and well accepted. Skype is probably the easiest of this type of app to install and get working. We use Skype both for internal communication between employees and for communication with our clients. Currently, Skype works perfectly on any device such as PC, tablets, and smartphones.
- Notification system of Skype is awesome.
- You can set your group video call to Dynamic View.
- During a call, you can send files, share contacts, add callers, and share your screen.
- Skype need to improvement in Performance
- The mobile version does not update conversations immediately So need to work on it.
- The file size limit on shared files is less.
A pioneer in video communication software, Skype is a service like no other. It’s a pioneering app that’s made communication accessible to millions of people across the globe. Using it for collaboration with coworkers and family members, meetings, and even hosting webinars is a fantastic idea! Keeping in contact with clients and coworkers throughout the pandemic was easy using Skype. Employees and customers alike took advantage of it. Today, Skype is available on a wide range of devices, such as tablets, smartphones, and desktop PCs. Even though we can share the screen, it may exchange extensive files of up to several GB through Skype conversation.
- Using our mobile phones, tablets, and desktop PCs to communicate with others is doable, as long as we remember to keep track of our conversations on all of them.
- Excellent video conference software with a solid backbone and an intuitive user interface. When discussing in-depth problems with customers, this is very beneficial.
- Slack-like chat that is constantly being updated by Microsoft makes it simple for businesses to stay on top of communication with others.
- A sign-in procedure that is more secure, and network delays during video calls degrade the user experience, as well as an even more streamlined user interface, are all goals.
- Updated feature sets are required to remain competitive. While operating, it may crash, thus this has to be addressed.
- Skype has a premium calling option and the call prices should go down as a result of the improved integration.
September 11, 2021
Feel Safe with Skype with 15 years of Expertise
I used Skype for the first time 15 years ago. Videoconferencing from user to user wasn't widely available at that time due to the lack of software applications. My duties in Canada involved dealing with vendors from Australia, the UK, India, the Philippines, Canada, and the US. Seeing each other's faces was what I liked about it. At the time, it was free, and it is still free today as long as both parties are using Skype. We prefer Skype because of its security issues, but they've also been around for a while.
- Videoconferencing
- Videotelephony
- Voice calls
- Instant messaging
- File transfer
- Private calls
- Closed caption auto recordings per person in a group (Live Captions)
November 24, 2021
Skype has delivered as promised in a virtual world
We use Skype to engage customers virtually. Due to the pandemic access was curtailed and we needed to quickly adapt to the virtual world and Skype was 1 tool in our arsenal.
- Easy interface
- Connectivity
- Engagement
- Better more user-friendly whiteboard for virtual engagement.
- Tracking questions.
- PowerPoint interface.
November 29, 2021
User friendly and great connectivity - 10/10
Due to covid-19, we had to implement many online strategies in order to communicate. Skype allowed us to schedule meetings with people in our department and across other departments, as well as those who are not in the office or cannot come to meet in person. Now we can continue using Skype to expedite meetings without meeting in person.
- Expedites meeting scheduling now that it can all be virtual.
- Many people from different locations can get on a call more easily without the hassle of traveling.
- Very user friendly!
- I’d like to see a feature where you can do interactive presentations - unless this has already been implemented within the past few months that I have not used it!
- Some connectivity issues.
- Other than that I don’t see any other improvements needed since this already helps our team tremendously.
November 09, 2021
Call on a budget!
We use Skype, to conduct and monitor all our Sales calls and reach out programs, It is used primarily by our sales, product/Ops, and customer service teams to stay in touch with our leads and customers. It helped us in terms of not worrying about user adoption as most people are familiar with the product. Also, the screen-sharing features, ease of use in terms of the simplicity Skype had to offer is unparalleled. We did not have to roll out any kind of training within the organization as the teams were familiar with its UI and UX already. So there were cost savings on that from a training perspective. Also, the Audio quality while making calls through Skype for Business is unbeaten to this day be it through MS Teams or Zoom.
- Doesn't require high internet speeds.
- Videoconferencing.
- Voice calls.
- Instant messaging.
- Screen sharing and recording.
- Freezes often.
- Needs to update and add more features as competitors provide more and better offerings.
- UI has been the same for years.
- No new features, would love to see some more.
August 13, 2021
If simplicity + ease are what you're looking for, go for Skype. If more than that, look elsewhere
Skype was being tested as one of the video conference calling tools for our office. Since we're an audio and music company, one of the most crucial elements of these different programs we were auditing to make a decision was the sound quality, which unfortunately Skype fell very short. We were constantly having issues with dropped audio, robotic sounding voices, and difficulty sharing audio. It's unfortunate since we would have had this service already implemented with Microsoft Office.
- UX/UI is very intuitive
- Built in video features make privacy/backgrounds simple
- Cross-device functionality is seamless
- Audio quality is horrible: choppy, robotic, dropped, etc.
- Other functions outside video calls are virtually useless + other apps (Slack) work much better
- Limited features: no breakout rooms, lack of interactivity, it's very basic
August 13, 2021
easy to use collaboration tool
Skype has been used by both at the department level and across the whole organization. Since Teams have essentially replaced most of Skype implementations for collaboration, Skype is being used more on an individual basis. It addresses the business problems of having a really easy to use collaboration tool, both from a management standpoint and also a user standpoint.
- It works good across multiple platforms. This is very important, since so many organizations are dealing with multiple/mixed OS's in their environments.
- It works really well among different programs, as it integrates seamlessly especially with the MS Office suite. This is a benefit to users, since they can access Skype form within programs.
- It is very easy to use, especially from a user standpoint. There is not really formal training that is required for users to be able to utilize this in their everyday work.
- You really need a strong internet service connection to work with Skype, which helps when making video calls/conferencing, etc. Otherwise, weaker connections will lead to more issues with the above.
- Skype needs to be more secure overall, as it has come under attack lately from hackers, intrusions, etc. This then leads to user information possibly becoming exposed, etc.
- The platform needs to be more stable overall. As compared to some other collaboration software on the market, Skype does seem to have more stability issues overall.
November 19, 2021
Good way to connect people
We are using Skype internal correspondences in our company. It is very easy to use this software, I can share screens or documents with my colleagues momentary. I can easily solve my problems with it.
- Sharing screen
- Integration with other softwares.
- Chat.
- Using in my phone.
- Discord.
- Sometimes connection problems.
August 16, 2021
an Engineer's Review of Skype
Skype is being used by our company for keeping in touch with other members and communicating while working remotely.
- Reliable connection for calls and conference meetings
- Ability to join a meeting from a phone line
- Ability to share screen with other meeting participants
- Ability to record meetings
- Not possible to hold Webinars
- No social networking groups unlike Teams
June 16, 2021
Skype is a Very Good Choice
Skype is what I might call a secondary app. We have used Skype and atone time it was our main app. However in the last year we have moved to other apps. Skype was replaced with Teams by one of our largest clients and we decided to follow their lead. We also use WhatsApp for personal purposes.
- Ease of use
- Easy to set up
- Presentation mode is good and stable
- Skype sometimes “staggers” during calls and voice or video will lock
- There are issues with ‘Skype bombing’
- There is a sense Skype is not secure
May 25, 2021
Great service for chatting and file sharing
We use Skype both for internal communication between employees and for communication with our clients. Currently, Skype works perfectly on any devices such as PC, tablets and smartphones. We sell a wide range of electronic components, and if a customer asks for support, it is sometimes difficult to describe a problem with a device or even the device itself in words. Therefore, in our case, when communicating with clients, the ability to transmit multimedia information in real time is very important. In addition to the fact that there are video calls in Skype, it is possible to transfer large files through its chat, even a few Gb in size.
- Good quality video stream for video calls
- Ability to transfer "massive" files via chat
- Skype works even with very slow internet speeds
- If there are a large number of participants in a conversation, there may be problems with the audio volume of individual participants.
- In the latest updates, a pop-up window during a conversation is more disturbing than helping.
May 03, 2021
Skyping about Skype!
Skype for online tertiary tutoring is a boon! Straightforward to use, easy to organize contacts, save conversations and shared files, and sharing the screen plus record is wonderful. Highly recommended also for clients in the same city as you~ sometimes life is such a juggle, for the client also, and the ease and convenience of using their phone or computer...dynamite.
- Privacy of communication and file transfers
- Sharing the screen and recording
- Organizing contacts so that Favorites/Most common can be sorted from the rest
- Deleting contacts no longer wanted on a list
- More emoticon options
- A white board would be helpful
April 08, 2021
Skype isnt all hype. It works.
Currently our organization uses it for chatting chatting back and forth and sometimes to do video calls. We still use Zoom since we have meetings with outside companies as well but within we are able to use Skype if we want. As for problems we can say it doesnt seem to compete with Zoom. Since zoom is only camera, it has more functions for video feeds. It also seems that Skype uses more bandwidth or requires better speeds as we do get latency from some of our users with slower net speeds. Im not sure if this is the case but they seem to only have these issues with Skype and not Zoom. Overall as a chatting function, Skype does the trick. You can have private conversations as well as have many open conversations at once. You can send files, videos, sound files, etc. You can even delete messages you no longer want seen and it deletes on both sides.
- Perfect for chatting via text. Has emojis, file sharing, audio sharing, and even video sharing capabilities.
- Good for video chats. You can do 1 on 1 sessions with a good quality video.
- Privacy is also another important function they have. They allow for private conversations between users.
- Ability to delete conversations with sensitive information you may not want seen by users not authorized. Can share confidential information via Skype.
- Customizable profiles to fit your company culture.
- Allow more options when it comes to screen sharing. Allow Skype to share multiple screens for users with 2 or more screens.
- Allow users to take gain remote access via Skype. This would be a huge improvement and something IT departments can use for trouble shooting as well.
- Be more comparable to Slack in regards to the chat function. Create rooms and send certain people messages in large chats.
April 05, 2021
Good in a pinch, but better options are out there!
Skype has been one of the many software options that our organization has utilized in the midst of pandemic closures and limited attendance. Skype (as well as Zoom and Google Meets) have been used by various departments within our organization to stay connected with members of our congregation, facilitate remote meetings, and (at a time) was used to deliver our weekly service presentation when in-person attendance was not permitted for our facility. Skype has helped support our organization to continue our weekly operation in a limited capacity.
- Accessible — Easy to use and navigate the user interface, even for individuals uncomfortable with technology.
- Compatibility — Skype can be downloaded across nearly all device types, including (but not limited to) Mac, Windows, Android, iOS... even the Xbox One gaming system.
- Microsoft Ecosystem — If you are part of an organization already utilizing other Microsoft products (e.g. Office 365, Teams, etc) Skype is part of the Microsoft line of products and will integrate easily into an existing Microsoft-based workflow.
- Microsoft Ecosystem — While this might be a positive for some people, many organizations are not a fan of the Microsoft ecosystem. For organizations that utilize other systems, such as Google Workplace, Skype might not be the best fit.
- Lack of Breakout Rooms (or similar functionality) — For meetings that require the ability to break away into subgroups, Skype currently does not offer an equivalent to Zoom's breakout room functionality.
- Technical issues — (in our experience) Skype video tends to freeze mid-call more frequently than in other competitor's software. Audio will continue to be heard from from "frozen" participants, but until the affected individual leaves and re-enters the meeting, screen will remain frozen for the duration of the call.
July 26, 2021
Skype review
Skype is used primarily for remote meetings and interviews, even before the pandemic. Charts and groups are also used to collaborate remotely with different groups and to build connections between coworkers. Since it can be installed on almost any device it's easy for almost anyone in our org to use.
- Can be installed on basically any device
- Video meetings four groups of any size
- Affordable
- Recording meetings is not intuitive
- Zoom is easier to broadcast webinars
- Need to download and update often
- Special account needed
Skype is used in two main ways with my production company. First of all, it's a useful way to video chat for people who don't own Apple products (otherwise we would use Facetime) and who don't want to bother with meeting links (otherwise we would use Zoom). The second use is that we record podcasts and Skype not only allows us to all dial-in together but serves as a recorder that later we can extract the file to post for our audience.
- Allowing you to call someone across several devices, including phones, tablets, and desktop computers
- Allows you to record your sessions to be used for record keeping or Podcast creation
- Allows you to have multiple people dial in to the same call easily and smoothly
- Skype's overall UI is a little confusing, especially the phone app
- It's unclear how to steer a Skype call, which is to say if I call someone and they have Skype on multiple devices, do they all ring or just the one related to the method I used to call (phone #, email, etc.)
- Skype tries to be not just a communication device but also somewhat a social media platform, which it doesn't need to be.
June 28, 2021
Skype packaged with OS
[Skype is] not currently being utilized for production, but [it] is [a] important side channel for Internal IT communication[.]
- Instant notifications
- Retention of conversation logs
- Ease of installation/packaging with OS
- Needs updated feature sets to stay competitive with other offerings.
- Needs expanding if they are going to compete with Other conferencing options.
- Needs an updated UI to refresh the look and modernize it.
June 24, 2021
Skype is great!
We primarily use Skype to communicate with clients usually located outside the country via chat video or call. This helps cut the costs of international calls and streamlines client communication.
- Seamless chat similar to Slack in that way makes it really easy to communicate quickly with clients
- Great video call software that makes screen share easy and effective. Really helpful when going over in-depth issues with clients.
- Calls international are great and save us paying unnecessary fees.
- I wish it was easier to share your profile with a QR code.
- Would be a cool feature to have Skype synch with your google or Microsoft calendar.
- Honestly works great, not a lot to complain about!
June 14, 2021
A reliable classic
My organization is quite small (I'm a sole proprietor) and so I use it for international audio calls when I'm traveling abroad. It helps me maintain critical lines of communication whenever I need them. I use it instead of an assortment of other similar products and find that it does what it's designed to.
- International calls
- Reliable backbone
- Simple interface
- Even more streamlining interface.
- Improved cost transparency.
- More secure sign in process.
I am currently using Skype to communicate with my client who lives in Canada in lieu of calling each other for a project we’re working on. I do this with a variety of clients that live abroad because it’s an easy, free solution that we can use for several hours without worrying about the connection cutting out or running out of time on the call limit.
- Bandwidth/streaming
- Free and accessible
- Easy to use
- Widely used
- The sign in process is confusing at times
- The video quality is not always great
- Not everyone has access to it
May 11, 2021
Skype - Connecting Families Across Borders
Our organization connects families in the Unites States with orphan communities in developing countries. Each family sponsors an orphan and commits to talk with their sponsored child multiple times per month. Skype is used to connect these families with the children over video calling. It is an essential technology for our mission.
- Widely available.
- Quality connection.
- Secure.
- Skype Translator is not very reliable.
May 07, 2021
Skype is a great alternative to Zoom and Google Meet but they're kind of all interchangeable
We use it when we need to have remote meetings with teams of 4 or more. Skype provides a bit more of a corporate brand than Google Hangouts so some companies prefer that we use Skype for Hangouts
- Good job branding between personal and corporate use
- Ease of use
- Usernames that can be recalled easily and directly
- Good plugins
- Not easily linked or created from my calendar
- Seems to be an older brand now that is being chosen less
- Don't like that we need to have two seperate apps for Skype Business and Personal
April 28, 2021
Skype Does it All!
My company uses Skype for meetings with general contractors. These meetings are typically done face-to-face, but occasionally the GC finds it more convenient to meet via video conference. Skype has helped make communication with GCs easier since we no longer have to worry about going to them/them coming to us, which is nice considering most GCs are located in different cities than us.
- User-friendly
- Marketing
- Customer Outreach
- Customer service
- Evolving
- Usernames