When you are looking to chat with people for free, you have different kind of apps to help you out. Two of the most popular apps that are used are Skype and Google hangouts. Microsoft and Google have often competed with each other in different fields and even when it comes to having a platform where people can chat, these two apps come head to head. Here, we will make an analysis of the top features offered by both these apps and thereby come down to the right conclusion regarding which one, among them, seems to be the best choice.
Google Hangouts Is Closing the Gap
There was a time when Skype used to single handedly dominate the world of video calling. However, things have changed and Google Hangouts with its revamped features is going to give Skype a strict run for its money. There is too much that Hangouts has to offer and we will make a run down of the key features and thereby make an apt comparison here.
Free Video Chat with Multiple People
Up until now, Skype only allowed you to video chat with a single person for free. If you were video chatting with multiple people simultaneously, at least one of you needed to pay for the service. You can obviously have a free audio conference. Google Hangouts, on the other hand, stepped up the bar by offering you the provision of having a video call with 10 people entirely free of cost.
So, if you have a big business agenda to discuss, you can invite 9 people and have an intense discussion, outline all points and do all of this, entirely free of cost. However, in a recently introduced update, Skype made group video calls free too in order to ensure that its popularity does not get diminished in any manner.
The Ease of Use
Now, if you are even a little experienced with technology, you should not face any difficulty in installing Skype. However, there are a large number of users who find it really hard to download, install and run apps. For such people, Skype is much more trouble than Google Hangouts is. You do not need to download anything additional for Hangouts as it is configured right inside Gmail itself.
However, in order to use Skype, you need to download the file that is compatible with your operating system and then run it. Though the instructions are simple to follow, yet Google Hangouts will have an upper hand when it comes to the ease of use.
Call Rates and Additional Cost
The Skype premium account does cost you significant amount of money, but then you will also be able to enjoy a great deal of benefits as well. You should diligently compare, the rates specifically to the country you are calling, before making a final choice, regarding which app seems to be the better choice for you.
Google Hangouts also has a list of different apps integrated with it. Hence, it does look like Google Hangouts is slowly going to topple Skype as the preferred app for making video calls internationally.
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