The best video chat apps for every occasion
Social distancing is tough-- but there are ways to get around feeling lonely-- whether it’s for a coffee meeting, an evaluation with your boss, a family get-together or a late-night gaming hangout-- we have some recommendations.
For big groups
Skype (iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, web): Supports up to 50 people on the same audio call.
Google Duo or Hangouts (iOS, Android, web): Google Hangouts is the tech giant's app for free video and voice calls as well as group messaging. Use you existing Google account to login.
Zoom: For companies and big family gatherings. You’ve already heard about this one, right?
Microsoft Teams: For companies that run on Office 365, Microsoft Teams brings together chat, video meetings, audio calling and Office apps like Word, Excel and PowerPoint into one hub for teamwork.
Best for sending video messages
Marco Polo: This isn’t exactly a video chat app per se, but the truth is, i don’t always want to do full-on live face-to-face video all the time, especially when I’ve been wearing the same pjs for days. Marco Polo is like a streamlined Snapchat, sending short videos to friends or groups with the option to add doodles, filters and so on. For those of us who want to video chat with someone, but not in real time -and with filters.
Best for playing games together
Houseparty: This video chat app also lets you play popular games like trivia and Heads Up! with friends virtually through its interface.
Bunch: A video chat focused on group games while in video chat.
Squad: A video chat with up to six people, but at any time you can screenshare what you’re seeing on your phone instead of showing your face.
Honorable mentions
Facebook Messenger is finally getting desktop apps almost 9 years after its debut. The problem is, that it can only handle up to 8 group video call participants, opposed to 100 or even 500 with Zoom.
Best for calling friends (on mobile devices)
WhatsApp: All phones, but only four people per video call
FaceTime: Apple devices