Skype is shutting down for good today — the best alternatives and how to save your data

Pioneer video-calling site Skype is shutting down on Monday after 23 years as other popular apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom have swiped market share in recent years.

Users of Microsoft-owned Skype were given just 24 hours to save their contacts, which could then be automatically transferred to Teams after logging in with their Skype username and password.

Skypers could also save their data manually by going to “Your Account” under “Settings” on Skype. A prompt allows them to choose whether to export contacts, caller ID numbers or chat history.

Then, click “Submit Request” and “Continue,” and finally select “Download.”

Microsoft did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

While there are several comparable alternatives for those mourning the downfall of Skype, from Microsoft Teams and Zoom to Google Meet and WebEx, Skype’s demise marks the passing of the early days of computer webcams and video chats. 

Best Skype alternatives

For Skype users, Microsoft Teams might be the easiest platform to shift over to, since it’s owned by the same company. It offers similar features to Skype, including one-on-one and group calls, along with messaging and file sharing capabilities. Unlike Skype, Teams was made to be used in a business environment, so its calls can include up to 10,000 participants. The free version has a meeting limit of one hour. A subscription costs between $4 and $12.50 a month.

Zoom is another popular option, with the ability to include up to 100 participants for video calls and chat capabilities. It includes useful tools for work and school meetings, like notes, a whiteboard and screen-sharing. Users can record these meetings and download meeting transcripts. However, free meetings cut off after 40 minutes. For unlimited meeting time, users need to pay for a subscription, which costs between $13 to $18.

Users prioritizing convenience might enjoy Google Meet, which is free and links directly to users’ Google accounts and Gmails. Google Meet allows for up to 100 participants per meeting, and can record meetings and allow for screen-sharing. If a meeting has more than three participants, it cuts off after 60 minutes for free users. For unlimited time, users will have to pay for a Workspace account, which costs about $7 to $15 a month depending on the plan.

WebEx is another similar platform, allowing up to 100 participants per meeting and offering the ability to record meetings and share your screen. It has a 40-minute time limit for free users, and paid plans cost between $12 and $22.50 a month.

Other popular messaging platforms like Slack, Discord and Signal also offer video-call capabilities, though they can’t handle larger groups and were not designed with formal business meetings in mind.

Skype’s downfall

Founded in Luxembourg in 2003, Skype was the first platform to offer free computer-to-computer calls, soon updating after its launch to add video call capability. 

In 2005, eBay bought it for $2.6 billion in a massive deal for the time. That same year, Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook was worth just $100 million.

But just two years later, eBay took a $1.4 billion write-down on Skype and started to divest its stake in the video chat platform.

Microsoft bought the platform for $8.5 billion in 2011.

Skype enjoyed a brief surge of activity in March 2020 as quarantined individuals turned to the nostalgic video-calling site. About 40 million people were making Skype calls daily – a 70% jump from the month before.

But Microsoft’s own Teams, as well as Zoom, soon overtook Skype’s popularity for video calls, especially in the workplace.

In February, Microsoft announced it would shutter Skype on May 5, and advised users to transfer over their data.