Self-Hosted Skype Alternatives

Skype is not available as a self-hosted solution but there are plenty of alternatives for power users and business that want to host a solution on-premise. The best Self-Hosted 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 available as a self-hosted solution so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Self-Hosted alternatives to Skype are Matrix, Jitsi Meet, Zulip and Mattermost.

filter to find the best alternatives

Skype alternatives are mainly Video Calling Apps, but if you're looking for Group Chat Apps or Instant Messengers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Free, Linux, Kindle Fire, Self-Hosted, Video Calling, Mac and Open Source. You can also filter by region, for example EU-based alternatives if you prefer software developed in the European Union. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Skype.

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Get a badge for your siteSkype alternatives page was last updated Aug 3, 2026

Element
839 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.
355 Element alternatives
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Matrix.org
Flathub
F-Droid
Cloudron
OpenAPK
United Kingdom
+3
Good alternative?Is Element a good alternative to Skype?

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7comments
Element vs Skype Comments
Top Positive Comment by TheEmperorArt · Oct 12, 2022
Discord is like Skype but better. Element is like Discord but better.
Positive comment by JuanClaude · Aug 3, 2026
Good but not your own server, not enough decentralized by default.
Positive comment by Guest · Jul 19, 2020
FOSS, free, open source, own nodes etc.
3 of 7 comments
Element is Free Personal and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Element is an Instant Messenger Skype is a Video Calling App
Element is Decentralized and Privacy focusedSkype is not according to our users
Wire
333 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.
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Video Calling
Origin
Switzerland
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Flathub
F-Droid
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Switzerland
Good alternative?Is Wire a good alternative to Skype?

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9comments
Wire vs Skype Comments
Top Positive Comment by svenjost · Oct 11, 2016
Group audio calls with screen sharing functionality, open source, nice UI.
Positive comment by Guest · Sep 26, 2019
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.
Positive comment by Guest · Apr 25, 2019
Truly secure and feature reach
3 of 9 comments
Wire is Free Personal and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Wire is an Instant Messenger Skype is a Video Calling App
Wire is Security-focused and Privacy focusedSkype is not according to our users
Mumble
493 likes
Free, open source voice chat featuring low-latency, high quality audio, secure encrypted communication, self-hosting options, in-game overlays, positional audio, scripting support, low resource usage, and robust user permission controls for gaming and collaboration.
74 Mumble alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Encrypted Chat
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
iPhone
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
Snapcraft
Flathub
PortableApps.com
Haiku
Germany
EU
+8
Good alternative?Is Mumble a good alternative to Skype?

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5comments
Mumble vs Skype Comments
Top Positive Comment by Guest · Nov 13, 2016
Completely open source, very high quality
Top Negative Comment by Guest · Nov 19, 2015
Mumble requires a server to run
Positive comment by Guest · Feb 21, 2018
Lightweight high quality audio chat. Self-hosted and encrypted, so your communications are private.
3 of 5 comments
Mumble is Free and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Mumble is a Group Chat Skype is a Video Calling App
Mumble is Privacy focusedSkype is not according to our users
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Matrix
417 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.
199 Matrix alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Group Chat
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
WebRTC
Python
JavaScript
Go (Programming Language)
Cloudron
Java
Perl
United Kingdom
Good alternative?Is Matrix a good alternative to Skype?

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1comment
Matrix vs Skype Comments
Positive comment by Alexey Korepov · Aug 21, 2017
Feature-full modern free opensource instant messaging server with federation.
1 of 1 comments
Matrix is Free and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Matrix is an Instant Messenger Skype is a Video Calling App
Matrix is Decentralized, Privacy focused and Security-focusedSkype is not according to our users
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.
179 Jitsi Meet alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Video Calling
Group Chat
Origin
United States
Platforms
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Apple Watch
F-Droid
United States
Good alternative?Is Jitsi Meet a good alternative to Skype?

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3comments
Jitsi Meet vs Skype Comments
Positive comment by Guest · Nov 25, 2016
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.
Positive comment by Guest · Mar 12, 2020
Skype for free, with better quality and more secure.
Positive comment by Guest · Dec 20, 2017
Fast, secure and Open Source.
3 of 3 comments
Jitsi Meet is Free and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Jitsi Meet is Privacy focused and Security-focusedSkype is not according to our users
Zulip
275 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.
252 Zulip alternatives
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (Apache-2.0)
Application typeApplication types
Instant Messenger
Group Chat
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
United States
+4
Good alternative?Is Zulip a good alternative to Skype?
Mattermost
256 likes
Self-hosted collaboration platform featuring chat, workflow automation, voice and video calling, screen sharing, AI capabilities, broad third-party integration support, cross-platform apps, compatibility with Slack imports, and flexible deployment options for secure team communication.
154 Mattermost alternatives
Cost / License
Paid
Proprietary
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Team Collaboration
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
JavaScript
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Go (Programming Language)
Cloudron
United States
+1
Good alternative?Is Mattermost a good alternative to Skype?

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1comment
Mattermost vs Skype Comments
Negative comment by MasteLrugarius · Nov 7, 2016
Its oriented on enterprize
1 of 1 comments
Mattermost is Paid and ProprietarySkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Mattermost is a Group Chat Skype is a Video Calling App
Rocket.Chat
163 likes
Open-source chat server supporting real-time group, direct, and private messaging, video calls, file sharing, helpdesk chat, API integrations, desktop notifications, emojis, LDAP authentication, cross-platform apps, and customizable extensions for teams.
168 Rocket.Chat alternatives
Cost / License
Freemium
Open Source (MIT)
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Instant Messenger
Origin
United States
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
iPad
Self-Hosted
Cloudron
United States
+5
Good alternative?Is Rocket.Chat a good alternative to Skype?

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1comment
Rocket.Chat vs Skype Comments
Positive comment by edlee · Dec 20, 2016
Good alternative to Slack because it is free and self-hosted.
1 of 1 comments
Rocket.Chat is Freemium and Open SourceSkype is Freemium and Proprietary
Rocket.Chat is a Group Chat Skype is a Video Calling App
Mirotalk
18 likes
Powered by WebRTC, Real-time video call, chat room and screen sharing entirely browser based.
89 Mirotalk alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Video Calling
Group Chat
Origin
Italy
EU
Platforms
Online
Self-Hosted
Docker Hub
YunoHost
Cloudron
Italy
EU
Good alternative?Is Mirotalk a good alternative to Skype?
Nextcloud Talk
35 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.
121 Nextcloud Talk alternatives
Cost / License
Free Personal
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Video Calling
Group Chat
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Online
Android
iPhone
iPad
Self-Hosted
Nextcloud
F-Droid
Flatpak
Chocolatey
Windows
Mac
Linux
Homebrew
Germany
EU
+5
Good alternative?Is Nextcloud Talk a good alternative to Skype?
Nerimity
16 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.
50 Nerimity alternatives
Cost / License
Free
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Group Chat
Instant Messenger
Origin
United Kingdom
Platforms
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
Android Tablet
Self-Hosted
United Kingdom
+2
Good alternative?Is Nerimity a good alternative to Skype?
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
Free
Open Source (AGPL-3.0)
Application typeApplication types
Video Calling
Group Chat
Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
Online
Self-Hosted
npm
Germany
EU
Good alternative?Is Briefing a good alternative to Skype?

12 of 34 Skype alternatives

Self-Hosted Skype Alternatives

Alternatives list

Element

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Element vs Skype Comments

Wire

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Wire vs Skype Comments

Mumble

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Mumble vs Skype Comments

Matrix

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Matrix vs Skype Comments

Jitsi Meet

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Zulip

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Mattermost

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Mattermost vs Skype Comments

Rocket.Chat

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Rocket.Chat vs Skype Comments

Mirotalk

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Nextcloud Talk

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Nerimity

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Briefing

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