Gone are the days of hooking up a web cam to a PC or laptop to make video calls. The Google Play Store now offers apps designed for video chat on Android. There are hundreds of these apps available for download but the right one will make the video chatting experience both enjoyable and inexpensive. Here’s our list of the best video chat apps for Android.
Best Video Chat Apps for Android
Skype
Skype has been in the video chat arena for quite some time. The company offers free apps for all major platforms including Android. One of the things that makes Skype an excellent choice is the cross-platform support. Users can interact with other Android users just as easily as iOS, PC, and Mac users. Skype also offers users free or low cost voice calling solutions as well as group video calling. This service, however, is only available with a premium membership costing $10 per month whereas other video chat apps offer this same service for no charge.
Tango
Tango is another cross-platform offering that is available for Android and iOS. Tango offers users free video calls with other Tango users and has recently added PC support as well. Tango offers users a stripped down approach to video chatting. This makes using the app very easy and has the added benefit of limited advertisements to upgrade the features available. It does not have an option to call non-Tango users or offer group video chat, but it is still a solid choice for Android users.
ooVoo
ooVoo is considered one of the more powerful Skype alternatives available. It boasts support for all major platforms and includes VoIP options to contact non-ooVoo users. Unlike Skype, ooVoo users can connect with up to six people for group video chats for free. The interface is easy to use while still providing users with more advanced options not available using Tango or other ‘simplified’ apps. ooVoo does not offer calling to quite as many countries as it’s Skype counterpart, but the rates are typically cheaper for calls to the supported countries.
Fring
Fring is another cross-platform solution although this one is limited to mobile to mobile video chat on Android or iOS. Fring even has support for legacy Nokia smartphones running on the Symbian OS. Fring is a very usable app that offers users very inexpensive VoIP calls in addition to it’s video chatting capabilities. The interface of the app can be a little awkward since some of the options can only be accessed from the Fring website. Aside from that, the video calls are impressive as far as quality. Fring also offers group video chatting for free but is limited to chatting with four people.
Although there are literally hundreds of video chat apps available, these four offer users a free or low cost solution. The quality of the video calls is good and all four of these apps can be used on any available data connection (3G, 4G, or WiFi). When determining which app is the best choice, consider the planned usage. If group video chatting is a necessity, be sure to choose an option that offers it. Tango is the only option that does not currently offer this option.
Author Bio: Adam Rothstein is a tech fanatic who is always searching for the best apps among the many that are out there. He is currently especially jazzed about Rounds’ app for video chat on Android, and thinks it could be a great tool for the video chat community.
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