Updated for 2026: rates and feature notes refreshed, NomaPhone’s section rewritten to match the launched product, and a few more alternatives added at the end.
Your bank just froze your card. You’re in Lisbon, it’s 3 PM local time, and the fraud line on the back of the card is a US 800 number. You open your laptop, type “Skype” into the search bar, and then remember: Skype doesn’t exist anymore.
Microsoft shut Skype down on May 5, 2025 and moved users to Microsoft Teams Free. Teams Free handles chats and video calls between users, but it doesn’t call landlines or mobiles. The feature that actually mattered to international callers, dialing real phone numbers with Skype Credit, is gone.
So we picked seven services that claim to replace Skype for international calling, loaded credit on them, and spent a month making real calls. This is our Skype replacement test review: what worked, what didn’t, and who each one is for.
Full disclosure: we make NomaPhone, one of the seven. We’ve included it because it’s built for exactly this job, but read its section as our description of our own product, not an independent review. We also tell you where it loses.
How We Tested
We made calls to US landlines, US mobiles, US toll-free numbers, UK landlines and mobiles, and Indian mobiles, from home Wi-Fi, coworking spaces and mobile data. We paid attention to:
- Setup friction: how long from “I’ve never used this” to “I’m on a call”
- Audio: could we have a normal conversation, or were we repeating ourselves
- Reliability: dropped calls, failed connections, one-way audio
- Pricing transparency: did the charge match the advertised rate
- What’s missing: receiving calls, texts, toll-free numbers, coverage
A month of calls is a small sample, and call quality depends heavily on your own connection and the route to each country. Treat our impressions as a starting point, not a lab result. Competitor prices are as published at the time of writing; check their sites before you buy.
We weren’t testing video calling or messaging. Just the core Skype use case: calling real phone numbers from abroad.
1. NomaPhone
What it is: A browser-based calling service that works like a public phone on the internet. You open the page, type a number, and call. No app, no account, no SIM.
Pricing: $0.03/min to the US and Canada, including toll-free 800 numbers. UK: $0.04/min to landlines and $0.06/min to mobiles. India: $0.15/min to landlines and $0.10/min to mobiles. You buy $5, $10 or $20 of prepaid credit with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card, billed per second. Rates for every country are on the rates page.
What it does well: There’s nothing to install and no account to create. You pay, and you get a phone card code (also emailed to you) that holds your credit. The code works like cash: type it on any device’s browser and you can call. The per-minute rate appears on screen as you dial, so there’s no guessing. Credit never expires, and unused credit can be refunded to your original payment method at any time.
The toll-free support is the part that matters for scenarios like the frozen card in Lisbon. Most foreign SIMs and many calling apps can’t reach US 800, 888 or 877 numbers. NomaPhone calls them at the normal US rate, and the keypad works for phone menus.
What it doesn’t do: It’s not the cheapest. DialAnyone and YadaPhone both advertise lower rates to the US, and in some countries NomaPhone’s mobile rates are high (calling mobiles in Germany or the Philippines costs noticeably more than some app-based services). It covers 60 countries, which is fewer than most competitors; if you call much of Africa, the Caribbean or Central America, it may not cover you yet.
It’s also outgoing calls only. You don’t get a phone number, so nobody can call you back on it, and it can’t send or receive SMS or 2FA codes. Calls end at 30 minutes (you can dial again), which matters on very long hold queues. And it can’t call emergency numbers.
Bottom line: The quickest way to call a real number from a browser, especially US toll-free lines. Not the budget pick, and not a phone number replacement.
2. YadaPhone
What it is: Another browser-based calling service. Same core idea: call from your browser, pay as you go.
Pricing: About $0.02/min to the US at the time of writing. Pay-as-you-go credit, plus optional virtual US/Canada numbers from around $1.95/month.
What worked: It’s cheaper than NomaPhone to the US, and call quality to the US and UK was comparable in our calls. YadaPhone also offers call recording with AI transcripts, which is genuinely useful for insurance claims or business calls you need a record of. They have team features with shared wallets and analytics, and you can rent a number if you need one.
Their free trial call made it easy to try without commitment.
What didn’t: You need an account, and the extras (numbers, recording, team tools) make it more of a small-business phone tool than a quick dialer. Check their current browser support if you don’t use Chrome.
Bottom line: A strong pick if you want browser calling plus recording or a number. Slightly cheaper than NomaPhone to the US.
3. DialAnyone
What it is: Browser-based calling with mobile apps, virtual numbers in many countries, and an eSIM data bundle. The most feature-packed service on this list.
Pricing: About $0.005/min to the US at the time of writing, which is half a cent. They also gave free credits on signup.
What worked: The pricing is hard to argue with. A 30-minute call to a US number costs around 15 cents. They cover far more countries than NomaPhone, offer browser and mobile apps, support SMS, sell numbers in dozens of countries, bundle eSIM data, and have an API if you want to build on top of it.
What didn’t: On some long-distance routes we had a failed first connection attempt or noticeable audio delay. Not unusable, and possibly down to our connection on the day, but worth a test call before something important. There’s more setup than a pure browser dialer, and no call recording.
Bottom line: Best value on paper, with a huge feature set. If price per minute is your main concern, start here.
4. Google Voice
What it is: Google’s VoIP phone service. Free calls to US and Canadian numbers, with a US number of your own.
Pricing: Free calls to the US and Canada. International rates vary by destination.
What worked: If you set up Google Voice while living in the US, it’s hard to beat for calling back to the States. Free is free. The web interface and apps work fine, and you get a real US number that can receive calls and texts.
What didn’t: Signing up requires a US phone number for verification and a US-based setup. If you’re already abroad and didn’t plan ahead, this door is usually closed. Some banks also refuse Google Voice numbers for 2FA codes. From parts of Southeast Asia we noticed more lag and echo than from Europe.
And Google being Google, there’s always a question of how long a free product stays free.
Bottom line: Great if you already have it and mostly call the US. Not an option for everyone. More in our guide to Google Voice alternatives for non-US users.
5. Viber Out
What it is: The paid calling feature inside the Viber messaging app. Lets you call landlines and mobiles worldwide.
Pricing: Credit or monthly plans; rates vary by country. US calls were around 2 cents a minute at the time of writing, cheaper than NomaPhone.
What worked: If you already use Viber for messaging (common in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and parts of Asia), adding Viber Out is convenient. One app for messages and phone calls. Calls to Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia connected reliably in our tests.
What didn’t: You have to install the Viber app and register it with a phone number. That’s a non-starter on a shared computer or a work laptop. The app is heavy if all you want is to dial a number. Check the credit terms: unused Viber credit can expire after a period of inactivity.
Bottom line: Good value if Viber is already your messaging app. Not worth installing just for the odd call. Our full Viber Out review has more.
6. Rebtel
What it is: An app-based international calling service that’s been around since 2006. It routes some calls through local access numbers and the rest over VoIP.
Pricing: Pay-as-you-go plus unlimited plans to specific countries, usually a few dollars to around $10 a month per destination.
What worked: Rebtel’s unlimited plans are genuinely useful if you call one country often. If you call family in India every day, a flat monthly price is simpler than tracking per-minute credit. Routing over the regular phone network can help where mobile data is weak.
What didn’t: The app is required. The pricing takes effort to understand: different rates per country, different plans per destination, and fair-use limits in the terms. It suits one main destination better than calling a US bank one day and a UK office the next.
Bottom line: Good for frequent callers to a single country.
7. Talk360
What it is: An app-based calling service focused on affordable calls to Africa and other regions that many services price badly. Popular with people calling South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya.
Pricing: Pay-as-you-go, with competitive rates to African countries.
What worked: If you’re calling Africa, Talk360 had the best mix of price and reliability in our testing. Calls to South African mobiles and Nigerian landlines connected quickly and sounded clear. The app is simple: a dialer and your contacts.
This is a corridor where NomaPhone is not a good choice. NomaPhone only covers four African countries (Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa), and its rates there are high: $0.99/min to landlines and $0.69/min to mobiles for South Africa, for example.
What didn’t: Outside Africa, the rates weren’t especially competitive. App only.
Bottom line: The specialist pick for calls to Africa. Not a general-purpose Skype replacement.
The Comparison Table
| Service | USA Rate | Browser-Based | App Required | Own Number / SMS | Credits Expire | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NomaPhone | $0.03/min | Yes | No (no account either) | No, outgoing calls only | Never (refundable) | Quick calls from any browser, US toll-free lines |
| YadaPhone | ~$0.02/min | Yes | No | Numbers available | Check terms | Browser calling with recording |
| DialAnyone | ~$0.005/min | Yes | Optional | Yes | Check terms | Lowest price, most features |
| Google Voice | Free (US/Canada) | Yes | No | Yes (US number) | N/A | US residents who set it up before leaving |
| Viber Out | ~$0.02/min | No | Yes | No | Can expire if unused | Existing Viber users |
| Rebtel | Varies (plans) | No | Yes | No | Plan-dependent | Unlimited calls to one country |
| Talk360 | Varies | No | Yes | No | Check terms | Calls to Africa |
Competitor rates are approximate, as published at the time of writing.
Also Worth Knowing: Yolla, WhatsApp, FaceTime and Your Carrier
We kept the test to seven, but three more options come up constantly:
- Yolla: an app-based calling service with low rates to many countries, popular for calling South Asia. Same trade-off as Viber Out and Rebtel: install the app, register, then call.
- WhatsApp and FaceTime: free, good quality, but app-to-app only. They can’t reach a bank’s landline or a toll-free number. If the person you’re calling uses them, use them.
- Your carrier’s international plan or day pass: works with no internet and keeps your own number, but it’s usually the most expensive way to make the call. Check your plan’s per-minute rate before a long call.
What We Actually Learned
Browser-based wins for convenience
Every time we needed a quick call (card frozen, bank on hold, government office closing in 20 minutes), the browser-based services were faster. No app to install, no update to download, no storage space. Open a tab, dial, done.
SMS/2FA is a separate problem
Several times during the month, the real obstacle wasn’t the call, it was a verification text that never arrived. Receiving SMS needs a phone number: your own SIM, Google Voice, or a number service. Calling services without numbers (NomaPhone included) can’t receive those codes. What they can do is get you through to the bank by voice so you can verify another way. Our guide to SMS and 2FA codes abroad covers the options.
Price isn’t everything, but it’s something
DialAnyone is objectively the cheapest to the US. On a 30-minute call, the difference between half a cent and NomaPhone’s $0.03/min comes to well under a dollar, so for one important call, choose whichever you find easiest. For hours of calls every week, the cheapest reliable rate wins. And always compare landline and mobile rates for the specific country: they can differ by ten times or more.
No single service replaces Skype perfectly
Skype gave you messaging, video and phone calls worldwide in one app. None of these services do all of that. The honest answer is two tools: WhatsApp or Signal for messaging and video, plus one of these for calling real phone numbers.
Our Recommendation
If you want to call from any browser with no app, no account and credit that never expires, and especially if you need US toll-free numbers: NomaPhone. Just know it’s outgoing-only and not the cheapest.
If price is your top priority: DialAnyone. Half a cent a minute to the US is remarkable.
If you want browser calling plus recording or a number: YadaPhone.
If you already have a US Google Voice number: keep using it for US calls. It’s free and it works.
If you call one country constantly: Rebtel’s unlimited plans might save you money.
If you call Africa regularly: Talk360 knows that market best.
If you already live in Viber: Viber Out is good value.
FAQ
Can I still use my old Skype Credit? Microsoft let paying Skype users access remaining credit and Skype Numbers through the Teams Free and Skype web portal for a limited time after the shutdown. Details and deadlines have changed, so check Microsoft’s support pages. You can’t add new credit.
Can any of these keep my Skype Number? Generally no. If you need a number to receive calls, look at Google Voice (US residents) or a dedicated number service.
Which works without installing anything? NomaPhone, YadaPhone, DialAnyone (in the browser) and Google Voice (on the web, if you have an account).
Try NomaPhone: call landlines and mobiles in 60 countries from your browser, no app, no account. Make a call