What replaced Skype? Alternatives for calling real phone numbers
Compare browser calls and calling apps by what you need to get started, supported numbers and pricing.
- Hold for me · microphone off
- $0.09per minute
- Speaking · microphone on
- $0.39per minute
Skype retired on May 5, 2025. Microsoft says remaining paid users can still use Skype Credit through the Skype Dial Pad in the web portal or Teams Free. Check that option in your account before choosing another calling service.
By PayCall · Last reviewed
What replaced Skype?
Existing paid users should check their remaining-credit access in Skype Dial Pad. For a new service, compare the exact destination, account requirements, prices and app requirements.
PayCall is built for the Skype Credit use case of reaching U.S. and Canadian hotlines from abroad: no app, calls to 1-800 numbers, $0.09/min while you wait on hold and $0.39/min when you talk. A call that didn't help can be refunded within 24 hours, whatever the reason (up to $3 per call, 2 instantly). See the full comparison with Talk360, Rebtel and roaming on the calling apps comparison page.
Sources: Microsoft: Skype retirement and remaining credit · Microsoft: moving to Teams
What Skype users lost
Skype Credit and Skype Number let you dial ordinary phone numbers over the internet — and calls to U.S. toll-free numbers were free. Travelers used it to reach banks, airlines and insurers whose 1-800 lines don't work from foreign phones.
Check the distinction between ordinary app-to-app calls, remaining Skype Credit and a separate service for calling phone numbers.
Skype alternatives compared
| Tool | App needed? | U.S. number or account needed? | Calls U.S. landlines & hotlines? | Pricing model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayCall | No — runs in the browser | No | Yes, incl. 1-800 toll-free | $0.39/min, prepaid, per second |
| Google Voice | App or voice.google.com | Yes — sign-up requires a U.S. number | Yes | Free to U.S./Canada for existing users |
| Viber Out | Yes (Viber) | No | Yes | Prepaid credit or subscription |
| Rebtel | Yes | No | Yes | Prepaid credit or subscription |
| Zoom Phone | Yes (Zoom) | Business account | Yes | Monthly subscription |
| WhatsApp / FaceTime | Yes | No | No — only other app users | Free |
| Skype Dial Pad | Web or Teams Free | Existing paid user with remaining credit | Check account and destination | Remaining Skype Credit |
Which one should you use?
- You already have Google Voice: keep using it — calls to the U.S. and Canada are free.
- You call friends and family abroad regularly: an app with a subscription (Viber Out, Rebtel) can be cheapest.
- You need to reach a U.S. bank, airline, insurer or government line now — often a 1-800 number — and don't want to install anything: PayCall works in the browser and dials toll-free numbers from inside the U.S. network.
Calling a U.S. number with PayCall
- 1Enter the number on pay-call.com (any U.S. or Canadian number, including 800/888/877).
- 2Sign in and add credits.
- 3Allow your microphone and tap Call. Use the keypad for menus.
- 4Pay $0.39/min, billed per second. Unanswered calls are free.
Frequently asked questions
What replaced Skype for calling phone numbers?
Check remaining-credit access in Skype Dial Pad first. Otherwise compare a calling app, an existing Google Voice account or browser calling for your exact destination.
When did Skype shut down?
Skype retired on May 5, 2025. Remaining Skype Credit is a separate case; see Microsoft’s official guidance.
Can Microsoft Teams Free call phone numbers?
Ordinary Teams Free calling is between users, but eligible existing paid Skype users may access Skype Dial Pad with remaining credit. Check your account.
What is the best Skype alternative for calling 1-800 numbers from abroad?
If you have Google Voice, use it. Otherwise PayCall calls U.S. toll-free numbers from your browser, with no app or U.S. account: $0.09/min on hold, $0.39/min when you talk, and a call that didn't help can be refunded within 24 hours.
Check your number before you call
Check your U.S. or Canadian number first. Sign-in and PayCall Credits come next.
Who do you need to call?
10 digits, including the area code.
- Hold for me · microphone off
- $0.09per minute
- Speaking · microphone on
- $0.39per minute
All prices in USD · billed per second
$10.00 covers 1–2 typical hotline calls · no subscriptionUp to $6 back instantly, whatever the reason
Supported numbers and exclusions
Supported U.S. and Canadian landline, mobile and toll-free numbers, 1-800 lines included: PayCall places the call from the U.S. network. Premium, emergency and special services, collect calls and Canadian area code 867 are excluded.
Try PayCall
Pick the country you want to call. Only destinations marked available can be called.