We bring you a list of 11 free applications to make group video calls , so that you can always communicate with your friends, family or coworkers without any problem. When face-to-face meetings are not possible or recommended, these tools will help you not to lose contact with yours.
We will try to cover all platforms, offering desktop programs and mobile applications , and even services that are fully cross-platform for greater flexibility. The idea is that you have several alternatives to choose from, and then you stay with the one that suits you best.
We are also going to try not to overwhelm readers with dozens of options, to try to make the choice of platforms easy. However, as we always say at Xataka Basics, feel free to share with the rest of the readers of the section which are your favorite platforms or the ones that you would recommend in addition to the ones we have posted so that other users can also benefit from that experience.
Skype
Skype is one of the reference services when it comes to offering group calls, and offers the possibility of up to 10 people speaking at the same time in the free version. In addition, the service has been maintaining high standards in terms of call quality for years, both in video and audio calls. If the call is audio only, the number of people who can use it simultaneously goes up to 25.
Skype is completely cross-platform, with a version for computers, mobile applications and even a web version . It also has a wide range of options, such as the ability to share your screen , blur what’s behind you with its portrait mode , or perform real-time translations in different languages.
- Official website: skype.com
Hangouts
Hangouts is a failed experiment by Google, an attempt with which the search engine company tried to compete with WhatsApp without success. However, although this application has been abandoned for a long time, Google still does not seem willing to kill it. And one of its best functions is, of course, the video calls of up to 10 people in its version for conventional users, and 25 in the business version.
One of the great assets of Hangouts is that almost everyone has a Google account, and if you do, you already have a Hangouts account by default. Come on, you don’t have to register anywhere. In addition, you can make video calls from its web version or its mobile app , and it offers very good image and sound quality.
- Official website: hangouts.google.com
WhatsApp is one of the most used instant messaging applications in the world, and of course in countries like Spain it has very few rivals. For some years now, the Facebook application has allowed video calls , although they are limited to only four people at a time.
WhatsApp has a web version with which you can send messages from any computer. However, in the web version it is not possible to make video calls , so you will always depend on the mobile to be able to do so.
- Official website: WhatsApp.com
FaceTime
FaceTime is Apple’s voice and video calling app, and you can use it on devices running iOS 12.1 and later , as well as iPadOS and macOS. It has support for up to 32 people at a time , including you, although since it can only be used on Apple operating systems, it is quite limited.
But if you are within the Apple ecosystem, you can do the application from practically any device: iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod touch. You can also put your memojis covering your face, and being linked to the Apple account that you must have to use the devices, you don’t have to register anywhere either.
- No official website
Google Duos
Just like Apple has FaceTime, Google also has another messaging app called Google Duo. This application has allowed group video calls of up to 8 people for a few months , and it has applications for Android, iOS, iPadOS, and a web version to be able to use it from any desktop or laptop computer.
One of the particularities of this service is that you can also use it on Google Nest smart screens. In addition, it has a low light mode so that video calls work the same when you are half in the dark, it allows you to send video messages or make voice calls.
- Official website: duo.google.com
Discord
Discord is one of the messaging applications that has been breaking out with the most force in recent years. It is free and allows you to create servers with different channels in which to chat, and in them you can also reserve some specific channels for voice conversations. In addition, it also allows you to make group video calls for up to 50 users with whoever you want.
Discord is a versatile app with many tricks and features . In video calls you can share your screen to show what you want to others, it has a version for desktop and mobile applications, and it has a complete bot system to give your chat servers a wide variety of extra options.
- Official website: Discordapp.com
Zoom
Although you may not have heard much about it, this service has been making a lot of noise on the stock market for months, and is considered a technological unicorn, one of those almost magical companies that manage to accumulate great value and great investments. It allows video calls of up to 100 participants in its free modality , although without paying they are limited to 40 minutes.
You need to register to be able to create a call, and you will join it through its website, or its applications for Android and iOS. As for its options, it allows screen sharing and joining from a telephone line in voice version, desktop and application sharing, or call recording.
- Official website: zoom.us
Jitsi Meet
Jitsi is a project financed by the Atlassian company, with which a set of free and open source tools is developed with which to be able to carry out videoconferences. Among them is Jitsi Meet, a free multiplatform tool where you don’t need to create an account, you can go directly to its web client , its Android and iOS applications , or its integration with Slack .
In Jitsi Meet video calls there is no limit to the number of participants, being able to enter as many as the power and bandwidth of the server allows. The server can be theirs if you enter from their website, although you can also download a client to create one on your computer and thus maximize privacy.
- Official website: meet.jit.si
Gruveo
A fairly veteran application in the field of video calls, and that stands out above all for not needing to register or have an account to use it. You just enter their website, type a name to complete the URL of the channel and that’s it, that’s the URL that the rest of the participants have to enter in their browsers.
Gruveo can be used both from the computer and from the mobile without the need for applications, thanks to the WebRTC standard used in videoconferences. In them there can be up to 12 participants at the same time , it supports the recording of conferences and has modes such as screen sharing.
- Official website: www.gruveo.com
Despite being a photo-sharing social network, Instagram also integrates the option to chat with other people and create video calls with up to four people . The entire process is carried out from the Direct section of the application.
The operation is very similar to group video calls on WhatsApp, and you can also follow the conversation in a floating window while you do other things. However, the way to start a conversation is different: you must create a group of several people and then call. The downside is that you can only make video calls in the social network’s mobile app, since you won’t find the option in the web and desktop versions.
- Official website: Instagram.com
Snapchat
Despite the fact that Instagram ate part of its territory by launching the Stories function, Snapchat is managing to survive thanks to the creativity of its filters. This social network also allows video calls of up to 15 people at the same time , in which you can also use face glasses to maximize the fun.
The negative part is that you can only use this social network through its mobile applications, so you will not be able to use any function or its video calls with an official desktop client. Video chats can be minimized while you continue to use the social network.
- Official website: snapchat.com
Facebook messenger
Facebook Messenger included group video calls a long time ago, after voice calls of up to 50 people were already allowed. In the case of video calls, there is still a limit of 50 people, but only six of them will be able to broadcast at the same time with their camera, while the rest communicate only by voice.
Video calls are very easy to make , and in addition to the mobile versions of the messaging app you can also use them through the web version of Messenger . The good thing is that if you have a Facebook account it won’t cost you anything to use it, the bad thing is that if you don’t have one you’ll have to let yourself fall into its clutches.
- Official website: messenger.com
Sharlene Meriel is an avid gamer with a knack for technology. He has been writing about the latest technologies for the past 5 years. His contribution in technology journalism has been noteworthy. He is also a day trader with interest in the Forex market.
