Skype AlternativesOnly Open Source Web apps categorised as Group Chat Apps

There are many alternatives to Skype as a web app and since it's discontinued a lot of people are looking for a replacement. The best open source Online Group Chat App alternative is Element. It's not free, so if you're looking for a free alternative, you could try Element or Wire. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Skype and many of them are open source and Group Chat Apps available as a web app so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source Online Group Chat App alternatives to Skype are Jitsi Meet, Zulip, Mirotalk and Infomaniak kMeet.

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Alternatives list

  1. Element icon

    Element

     802 likes

    Provides secure collaboration with end-to-end encryption, supporting chat, voice, and video calls. Available on all major platforms, it enables digital sovereignty with a decentralized design and interoperability through bridges to systems like Slack and Teams. Includes enterprise-grade SaaS.

    317 Element alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Matrix.org
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Snapcraft
    Video calls for desktop and mobile
     
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    6
    Element vs Skype Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    TheEmperorArt
    4

    Discord is like Skype but better. Element is like Discord but better.

    Guest
    Positive
    5

    FOSS, free, open source, own nodes etc.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    3

    Cross platform in terms of Apps and equally good using a browser.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 6 comments
    • Element is Free Personal and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedSkype is not according to our users
  2. Wire icon

    Wire

     324 likes

    Secure communication platform featuring encrypted chats and calls, file and media sharing, self-deleting messages, device verification, group collaboration, and customizable settings. Supports use across multiple devices with no phone number required for access.

    287 Wire alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Wire screenshot 1
     
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    9
    Wire vs Skype Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    svenjost
    12

    Group audio calls with screen sharing functionality, open source, nice UI.

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Wire is free, open source and easy to use and, most importantly, PRIVATE. It transmits data only in an encrypted way that even the creators of Wire cannot see, so you can be sure your content is YOURS, and not something the likes of Microsoft (who own Skype) can read, analyze, hand on to authorities or lose to hackers.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Truly secure and feature reach

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    3 of 9 comments
    • Wire is Free Personal and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Wire is Security-focused and Privacy focusedSkype is not according to our users
  4. Matrix icon

    Matrix

     400 likes

    Open standard protocol enabling decentralized, encrypted instant messaging, VoIP signaling, IoT device connectivity, and persistent data management across federated servers without central control or single points of failure, bridging communication platforms.

    177 Matrix alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • WebRTC
    • Python
    • JavaScript
    • Go (Programming Language)
    • Cloudron
    • Java
    • Perl
    Main Page
     
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    1
    Matrix vs Skype Comments
    Alexey Korepov
    Positive
    4

    Feature-full modern free opensource instant messaging server with federation.

    • Matrix is Free and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Matrix is Decentralized, Privacy focused and Security-focusedSkype is not according to our users
  5. Jitsi Meet icon

    Jitsi Meet

     292 likes

    Open-source video conferencing platform with encryption by default, up to 75 participants, live group chat, HD audio, screen and document sharing, Etherpad editing, mobile and browser support, custom deployment options, privacy-first features, and community-driven development.

    157 Jitsi Meet alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Apple Watch
    • F-Droid
    Jitsi Meet screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Jitsi Meet vs Skype Comments
    Guest
    Positive
    6

    This is an excellent Skype replacement. It's free, open source, encrypted and you don't need to install anything. You simply go to the website, choose a link and email it to the person you want to speak with. Everything happens in your browser. You can password protect your session, have group conversations, share screen, chat and collaborate on text documents. Easier even than Skype and much more private.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    1

    Skype for free, with better quality and more secure.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Fast, secure and Open Source.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    • Jitsi Meet is Free and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Jitsi Meet is Security-focused and Privacy focusedSkype is not according to our users
  6. Zulip icon

    Zulip

     268 likes

    Threaded group conversations combine live and asynchronous messaging, separating topics for organized collaboration, supporting open-source, cloud, and self-hosted deployments, secure communication with encryption, and multi-platform access for diverse teams.

    233 Zulip alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • BSD
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Zulip screenshot 1
     
  9. Infomaniak kMeet icon

    Infomaniak kMeet

     23 likes

    Encrypted video meetings with unlimited participants, screen sharing, recording with secure storage, no data sale or registration, chat, reactions, calendar and background features, hosted entirely in Switzerland on renewable energy and compliant with strict privacy laws.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • F-Droid
    Infomaniak kMeet screenshot 1
     
  10. Nextcloud Talk icon

    Nextcloud Talk

     33 likes

    Self-hosted communication platform with secure audio, video, chat, web conferencing, screensharing, advanced encryption, and metadata privacy, running on user-controlled servers, supporting web and mobile apps, and eliminating third-party data exposure.

    111 Nextcloud Talk alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Nextcloud
    • F-Droid
    • Flatpak
    • Chocolatey
    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Homebrew
    Nextcloud Talk screenshot 1
     
  11. Briefing icon

    Briefing

     29 likes

    The preservation of privacy is the main driver for this project. Secure technologies, such as WebRTC, are used to establish a direct connection between the participants. The website that provides the web application and mediates the communication stores as little data as...

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • npm
    Briefing screenshot 1
     
  12. Nerimity icon

    Nerimity

     13 likes

    Open-source chat platform providing community-focused group messaging, video calls, profile customization with animated avatars, custom emojis, tags, post creation, discovery of communities, and full source code access on GitHub. Entirely donation-funded.

    36 Nerimity alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • Android Tablet
    • Self-Hosted
    Profile Interface [PC - 2025]
     
  13. ChitChatter icon

    ChitChatter

     4 likes

    Chitchatter is a free (as in both price and freedom) communication tool. Designed to be the simplest way to connect with others privately and securely, it is:

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    ChitChatter screenshot 1
     
  14. Tinode icon

    Tinode

     10 likes

    Fully open source instant messaging server and clients. No proprietary components or non-free dependencies. Backend in pure Go (GPL 3.0), with a command-line administration tool in python + gRPC. Clients for Android, iPhone, and Web - ReactJS (all licensed under Apache 2.0).

    159 Tinode alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    iOS client
     
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