Skype is a messenger and a video conferencing service by Microsoft Corporation. It’s a popular solution for both private and business communication as it lets you exchange messages and files with individuals and groups of people. Besides, you can download Skype on all major platforms, including Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux. Skype API is also available for gaming consoles, Smart TV, and Fire OS.

Set of Functions 

Skype lets you make free audio and video calls across all the supported platforms. You can either chat with individuals or create rooms for up to 50 participants at no extra cost. At the same time, all participants can exchange files and share their screens without delays. It’s a convenient way to conduct online presentations and business briefings with remote teams. You can also utilize the feature to provide instant technical support to your customers, independently from their niche. 

File sharing capabilities of the app let you share absolutely any files that don’t exceed 300MB size. All the files you send are stored on Skype servers for no more than 30 days. After this period, all of them are deleted forever. If you want to create permanent downloading links without file size limitations, you can use any cloud storage service you like and share links directly from the service’s dashboard. 

Instant messaging features let you send text messages to individuals and groups of users. The capacity of a chat is also limited to 50 participants. 

Design 

Skype is one of the pioneers on the market of video chatting, and it sticks to the traditional interface concept for over 17 years already. Of course, it has become much more stylish, but the controls and configuration are pretty much the same. It’s very easy to navigate and adjust the app on all platforms. If you’re using it on a computer with a small screen, you may dislike that the active window cannot be minimized to the size of other messengers, but it’s not a big problem. 

Price 

The basic version of this service is available for free on all platforms, independently from your regional settings. You have to pay only if you want to enable such features as voice mailing, calls to landline and offline cell phones, and SMS messaging. The 2020 plans start at $2.99 per month and may vary depending on your region and the needed international VoIP capabilities. You can always save up a bit by purchasing a yearly subscription. 

Likes 

• •  Up to 50 participants per video chat;
• •  Supports files up to 300MB per file;
• •  VoIP module integrated;
• •  Available on many platforms;
• •  Very simple to use. 

Dislikes

• •  Requires a lot of RAM to run smoothly;
• •  Drains battery rather fast;
• •  Bugs occur, depending on a platform.