Skype

Skype is the application that defined internet voice and video calling for a generation. Launched in 2003 by Estonian developers Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, and Jaan Tallinn, Skype was acquired by Microsoft in 2011 for $8.5 billion — at the time one of the largest tech acquisitions in history. For over a decade it was the default answer to "how do we video call?" for businesses, families, and international travelers. At its peak, Skype carried more international voice minutes than any carrier in the world. In 2025, Microsoft officially announced the discontinuation of Skype, redirecting its user base to Microsoft Teams Free, which provides equivalent functionality with a more modern architecture. For users who have not yet migrated, the Android app still functions. Its headline feature — low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles in 170+ countries via Skype Credit — remains genuinely useful for international travelers needing to call foreign numbers from their smartphone. The real-time translation feature, which provides live spoken translation during video calls in 36 languages, is technically impressive and has no direct equivalent in Teams Free. The Meet Now feature lets you create a call link and share it with anyone, who can join without a Skype account — a convenience that predated Zoom's popularization of the concept. The honest reality of Skype in 2026 is that it is a sunset product. Microsoft has confirmed the discontinuation timeline and is actively prompting users to migrate to Teams. App updates have become infrequent, user reports of call quality degradation and notification failures have increased, and the developer community around Skype integrations has largely moved on. There is no scenario in which choosing Skype for a new communication workflow makes sense. Existing users with Skype Credit or established contact lists should begin migrating — Microsoft Teams Free preserves the essential video calling and messaging features without the abandonment timeline.

Features

• →International Calls — Skype Credit enables low-cost calls to landlines and mobiles in 170+ countries, still useful for international travelers.
• →Real-Time Translation — Live spoken translation during video calls supports 36 languages — a technically impressive feature with no equivalent in Teams Free.
• →Meet Now Links — Create a call link and share it with anyone; guests can join without a Skype account or app download.
• →End-of-Life Status — Microsoft has announced Skype's discontinuation and is migrating users to Teams — no new workflows should rely on Skype.

Final take

Skype defined internet calling, but its story is ending. Microsoft has deprecated it in favor of Teams, and the app quality reflects that reality. If you have Skype Credit or an established contact list, use what you have and migrate to Microsoft Teams Free — starting anything new on Skype in 2026 is not advisable.