Our favourite free video calling apps for staying in touch with friends and family.Blog
Whether you’re at home or on the go, it’s now easier than ever to stay in touch with mates, mum and dad or your work colleagues. It’s not just regular calls or texts now either. Video calling’s given every single natter a far more personal touch. It sort of feels like they’re sat right there with you. What are the best apps for video calls though? Well, we’ve put together some of our favourites that are worth a download on your phone, tablet or laptop. Let’s dive in… WhatsApp. You’ve almost definitely heard of WhatsApp. But if not, here’s a quick intro. It’s one of the most popular messaging apps in the whole world. And with over 2 billion users, there’s a very good chance your family and friends are already using it. One of its biggest plus points is its end-to-end encrypted texts and calls. What does that mean though? Well, it keeps all of your chats private and secure. So, no prying eyes can see or hear what you’re talking about. And because of its simple, easy to navigate interface, almost anyone can use it. Yep, even your nan! The app also supports group video calls, making it perfect for a chinwag with multiple mates or family members. Just grab a brew, settle in on the sofa and catch up on all the latest goss. Download WhatsApp here Discord. If you’re a big gamer, you might have come across this one already. You can talk in real time with other gamers and create a party chat with your mates. It’s ideal for when you want to link up for a spot of quick questing in that epic RPG. Discord supports screen sharing too. And that’s super handy, especially when you’re struggling on a section of a game and need a bit of help from one of your squad. They’ll be able to give you a few pointers. And you’ll finally be able to get past that tricky boss battle. Download Discord here Facebook Messenger. While Facebook might not be as popular with the young’uns as it once was, Messenger is still going steady. It’s built right into Facebook, so if you’ve already got an account, you’ll be good to go from the start. No admin required here. Oh, and because all of your mates and family are already on your friends list, it’s quick and easy to connect. Like most of the others on our list, it caters to one-on-one and group video calls. But it also comes with some pretty fun features like filters and effects. So, if you’re after a good laugh, why not give yourself a funny hat, or make yourself look absolutely ancient. It’s almost guaranteed to lighten the mood. Download Messenger here Zoom. Zoom saw a massive surge in popularity during the Covid pandemic. And with Skype soon shutting down for good, it’s now the top dog when it comes to video calls – especially in a work setting. It offers high-quality video and audio, and it can easily handle huge group calls. So, it’s just as good for big business meetings or a family reunion. When you’re working from home, or have family spread out all over the globe, it’s a great shout. The app also comes with screen sharing (which is good for remote collabs), virtual backgrounds (for a bit of extra fun) and the ability to record calls. And that’s seriously useful for saving memories or remembering some vital job info. Plus, you won’t have to take loads of notes either. Result! Download Zoom here Google Meet. Now one for the Android users. Google Meet was designed to be as simple as possible. And if you’re a big user of Google’s other apps, it’s integrated with most of them too, making everything you do nice and easy. Good video and audio quality is pretty much a given with most of our apps here. And Meet is no different. Where it is different though, is in its nifty Knock Knock feature. When someone rings you, you’ll be able to see a video preview of them, letting you spot quickly who’s calling. Don’t fancy chatting right now? You don’t have to answer. But you might just see their sad face! FaceTime. FaceTime is Apple’s own video calling app. And sorry Android fans, this one’s exclusive to Apple devices. You won’t have to spend ages scrabbling around in the App Store trying to find it though. When you get an iPhone, iPad or a MacBook etc, it’ll be downloaded for you already. Just look for the white camera logo on a green background to fire it up. It’s really that straightforward. Got a favourite video calling app we haven’t mentioned? Tell us all about it in the comments down below!