Skype is gone: how to call phones from a browser in 2026

What happened to Skype calling

Microsoft did not just rename Skype. It moved chat and video to Teams Free and wound the paid phone side down in stages. Going by Microsoft's own Skype retirement page:

1. May 5, 2025

   Skype is retired for free and paid users alike, and Microsoft points everyone to Microsoft Teams Free. New Skype Credit, calling subscriptions and Skype Numbers can no longer be bought, and automatic top-up stops.

2. After the shutdown

   Existing paid users keep a Skype Dial Pad in the Skype web portal and inside Teams Free, so they can spend the credit or subscription minutes they already had. Nothing new can be added to it.

3. May 1, 2026

   The Skype subscription service ends. Any subscription running past that date is cancelled and converted into Skype Credit, or refunded on request.

4. May 2026

   Every Skype Number subscription has ended, and Skype Numbers can no longer be ported out to another provider.

The part that catches people out is Teams Free. It carries over your Skype contacts and chats, so it feels like the same app, but Microsoft says paid calling plans are not supported on the free version of Teams. If you only ever used Skype to call other Skype users, Teams Free covers you. If you used it to call a landline in Manchester or a mobile in Manila, nothing in the free Microsoft lineup does that any more.

How to call a phone from your browser now

The closest thing to SkypeOut is a browser dialer that hands your call to a real phone network. With FreeCallMe it takes about a minute the first time:

1. 1

   Open the dialer in any browser

   Go to freecallme.com on a laptop, desktop or phone. Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge all work, and there is nothing to download.

2. 2

   Sign up free with your email

   No card needed. Your first call to a real phone is free, up to $0.25, which covers a test call to the most-called countries such as the US, the UK, India and Mexico. Pricier destinations start with a $5 top-up.

3. 3

   Pick the country and type the number

   Choose the country code from the list and type the local number. The exact per-minute rate for that number appears before you press Call.

4. 4

   Allow your microphone and call

   Your browser asks once. Their phone rings like any other call, and they need nothing installed on their end.

What calls cost now

These are FreeCallMe's rates for most numbers in the places Skype Credit users called most, straight from the live rate deck. Calls are billed by the minute and rounded up to the next whole minute, and the dialer shows the exact rate for your number before you call.

Rates for all 220+ countries →

Every way to replace Skype calling, ranked

• 01

  FreeCallMe

  Closest to SkypeOut

  freecallme.com

  FreeCallMe does the part of Skype that Teams dropped: you open a browser, type a phone number anywhere in 220+ countries, and their landline or mobile rings. There is no app to install and no subscription. Sign up with your email and your first call is free, up to $0.25; after that you top up $5, $10 or $20 and pay by the minute, rounded up to the next whole minute, with the rate shown before you dial. Browser-to-browser voice and video calls stay free with no account on either side, which covers the old Skype-to-Skype habit too. Two honest differences: the person you call sees a FreeCallMe number rather than your own mobile, and a number people can call you back on lives in the iPhone and Android apps, not the browser.

  Best for: Anyone who used Skype Credit to call family, landlines or businesses abroad.

• 02

  Google Voice

  Best for calls inside the US

  voice.google.com

  If most of your calls go to US and Canadian numbers, Google Voice makes them free from a browser, and quality is consistently good. Calls to other countries are billed per minute at low rates. The catch is setup: you need a Google account and a US phone number to verify it, which rules it out for many people living outside the US.

  Best for: US-based callers ringing US and Canadian numbers.

• 03

  Microsoft Teams Essentials with Teams Phone

  Microsoft's own answer, for businesses

  microsoft.com/teams

  Microsoft's replacement for paid Skype calling is a business product. Teams Free cannot call phone numbers at all; Microsoft says paid calling plans are not supported on it and points small businesses to Teams Essentials paired with Teams Phone. That works well for a company that already lives in Microsoft 365, but it is a monthly per-user subscription, not a few dollars of credit for calling home.

  Best for: Small businesses already paying for Microsoft 365.

• 04

  Viber Out

  Best if you already use Viber

  viber.com

  Viber Out is the closest surviving copy of the Skype Credit model inside an app: buy credit or a plan, then call real landlines and mobiles at per-minute rates. Viber-to-Viber calls are free. You do need the app installed and an account tied to your phone number, so it is not a just-open-a-tab option.

  Best for: People who already use Viber on their phone.

• 05

  WhatsApp

  Free, if they have it

  whatsapp.com

  WhatsApp voice and video calls are free with no time limit and sound good on a decent connection. It does not call phone numbers, though: both sides need the app, so it cannot reach a landline, a business line or someone without a smartphone, which is exactly what Skype Credit was for.

  Best for: Free calls to people who already have WhatsApp.

Quick comparison

Common questions

Can I still use my Skype Credit?

Only if you already had it. Microsoft kept a Skype Dial Pad in the Skype web portal and inside Teams Free so existing paid users can spend remaining credit, but new Skype Credit cannot be bought and automatic top-up has stopped. Once the balance runs out, there is no way to add more.

Can Microsoft Teams Free call phone numbers?

No. Microsoft says paid calling plans are not supported on the free version of Teams. It only gives former Skype customers access to telephony they had already paid for. Calling landlines and mobiles from Teams needs Teams Essentials with Teams Phone, which is a business subscription.

What happened to my Skype Number?

All Skype Number subscriptions ended in May 2026, and Microsoft no longer accepts requests to port a Skype Number out to another provider. Subscriptions that ran past May 1, 2026 were converted into Skype Credit, or refunded if you asked support.

How do I call a phone number from my browser without Skype?

Open FreeCallMe in any browser, sign up free with your email (no card needed), pick the country and type the number. Your first call is free, up to $0.25, and after that calls are pay-as-you-go by the minute, with the exact rate shown before you dial. Nothing to install on either end.

Is there still a free Skype-to-Skype style call?

Yes. FreeCallMe's browser-to-browser voice and video calls are free with no account: send the other person a link and they join from their browser. Calling a real phone number is the paid part, the same split Skype had.