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, which is both free and Open Source. 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.org, Mumble, Jitsi Meet and Wire.

Skype alternatives are mainly Video Calling Apps but may also be Group Chat Apps or Instant Messengers. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of Skype.

Skype

2574

Freemium • Proprietary
Group Chat App

Skype is the most popular free voice-over IP and instant messaging service globally. It allows users to text, video and...

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Element
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Open Source
Group Chat App
Instant Messenger
Encrypted Chat App
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Matrix.org
Flathub
F-Droid
Cloudron
275 Element alternatives
Element is a secure collaboration and messaging app based on the Matrix protocol. It’s decentralised to deliver digital sovereignty, and based on an open standard for easy connections and interoperability. It is end-to-end encrypted by default.
- - Element is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Skype.
Suggest and vote on features
Element Features
1. DecentralizedElement is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. End-to-End EncryptionElement has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
3. Privacy focusedElement is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. VoiP CallsElement allows you to make voice calls over Internet using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
5. Dark ModeElement supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
6. Support for MarkDownElement supports MarkDown for document formatting.
7. File VersioningElement has a version system that lets you view and go back to older versions of the project/file/document.
8. No TrackingElement will not track you or use your personal data.
9. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Element simultaneously.
Federated
Matrix Protocol
Voice Chat
Federation
Direct Messaging
Custom widgets
Simple installation
Clean design
Multiple languages
Per-room avatars
Comments about Element as a Alternative to Skype
Almost everyone thinks Element is a great Skype alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
Guest
It's arguably the premier Matrix client, which is free software that is decentralized. Riot.im gives you the option to host a Matrix server yourself and connect to it. It also offers end-to-end encryption and high quality video and audio chat. Not to mention the modern UI.
Top positive comment •
5

Guest
FOSS, free, open source, own nodes etc.
Top positive comment •
1

TheEmperorArt
Discord is like Skype but better. Element is like Discord but better.
Positive comment •
0

Guest
Cross platform in terms of Apps and equally good using a browser.
Positive comment •
1

Alexey Korepov
Free, opensource and encrypted, with federation support and can be hosted on your servers.
Positive comment •
3

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5 of 6 comments
Matrix.org
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Group Chat App
Instant Messenger
Encrypted Chat App
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
WebRTC
Python
JavaScript
Go (Programming Language)
Cloudron
Java
Perl
138 Matrix.org alternatives
Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control.
Suggest and vote on features
Matrix.org Features
1. DecentralizedMatrix.org is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. End-to-End EncryptionMatrix.org has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
3. Privacy focusedMatrix.org is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
4. VoiP CallsMatrix.org allows you to make voice calls over Internet using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
5. Multiple Account supportMatrix.org support multiple accounts without the need to logout and login
6. Ad-freeMatrix.org doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
7. No TrackingMatrix.org will not track you or use your personal data.
8. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Matrix.org simultaneously.
Federation
Distributed
Security focused
Spaces
Chat Bot
Voice Chat
Support for Multiple protocols
Server side history
WebRTC
Comments about Matrix.org as a Alternative to Skype
Most users think Matrix.org is a great Skype alternative.
Alexey Korepov
Feature-full modern free opensource instant messaging server with federation.
Positive comment •
3
Mumble
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Group Chat App
Encrypted Chat App
Mac
Windows
Linux
iPhone
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
PortableApps.com
47 Mumble alternatives
Mumble was the first and is the most successful and wide spread free and open source software for VoIP. It was the first VoIP software to provide low-latency audio suitable for gaming, and at the same time was a pioneer in high audio quality.
Suggest and vote on features
Mumble Features
1. LightweightMumble consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Ad-freeMumble doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
3. PortableMumble can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Voice Chat
Group Voice Chat
In-Game Overlay
Self-Hostable decentralized P2P network
FOSS
Cross-Platform
3D voice
Dedicated Server Hosting
Positional audio
Low Latency
Comments about Mumble as a Alternative to Skype
Most users think Mumble is a great Skype alternative.
Guest
Completely open source, very high quality
Top positive comment •
4

Guest
Communication more lightweight due to new opus codec when communicating
Top positive comment •
4

Guest
Mumble requires a server to run
Top negative comment •
3

Guest
Lightweight high quality audio chat. Self-hosted and encrypted, so your communications are private.
Positive comment •
1

Guest
Mumble requires a server. Skype is end-to-end
Negative comment •
-22
Jitsi Meet
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Video Calling App
Group Chat App
Instant Messenger
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
Apple Watch
F-Droid
129 Jitsi Meet alternatives
Go ahead, video chat with the whole team. In fact, invite everyone you know. Jitsi Meet is a fully encrypted, 100% open source video conferencing solution that you can use all day, every day, for free — with no account needed.
Suggest and vote on features
Jitsi Meet Features
1. End-to-End EncryptionJitsi Meet has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
2. Screen SharingYou can use Jitsi Meet to share your screen with your colleages or friends.
3. Ad-freeJitsi Meet doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. No TrackingJitsi Meet will not track you or use your personal data.
5. Privacy focusedJitsi Meet is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
6. LightweightJitsi Meet consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Browser-based
Video Conferencing
Stream audio
Security focused
Remote Work
Unlimited users
WebRTC
Live Broadcasting
Audio Calling
Voice Chat
Comments about Jitsi Meet as a Alternative to Skype
Almost everyone thinks Jitsi Meet is a great Skype alternative.
Guest
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 •
6

Guest
Skype for free, with better quality and more secure.
Positive comment •
1

Guest
Fast, secure and Open Source.
Positive comment •
0
Wire
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Open Source
Group Chat App
Instant Messenger
Video Calling App
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
Software as a Service (SaaS)
262 Wire alternatives
Wire is the most secure collaboration platform featuring messenger, voice, video, conference calls, file-sharing, and external collaboration –all protected by the most secure end-to-end-encryption.
Suggest and vote on features
Wire Features
1. End-to-End EncryptionWire has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
2. VoiP CallsWire allows you to make voice calls over Internet using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
3. Screen SharingYou can use Wire to share your screen with your colleages or friends.
4. Privacy focusedWire is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
5. Multiple Account supportWire support multiple accounts without the need to logout and login
Security focused
Encrypted calls
Voice Chat
File Sending
Voice messages
WebRTC
Private Chat
Secure Chat
Integrated File Sharing
Secure File Sharing
Comments about Wire as a Alternative to Skype
Almost everyone thinks Wire is a great Skype alternative.
all • positive • negative relevance • date
svenjost
Group audio calls with screen sharing functionality, open source, nice UI.
Top positive comment •
10

Guest
Great security, open source, video calls, responsive developers.
Top positive comment •
9

Guest
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 •
1

Guest
Truly secure and feature reach
Positive comment •
0

someone last
It's open source, cross-platform, and free!
Positive comment •
-3

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5 of 9 comments
Mattermost
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Open Source
Group Chat App
Encrypted Chat App
Team Collaboration Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
Self-Hosted
JavaScript
Go (Programming Language)
Cloudron
117 Mattermost alternatives
Mattermost is a secure, open source platform for communication, collaboration, and workflow orchestration across tools and teams.
Suggest and vote on features
Mattermost Features
1. Extensible by Plugins/ExtensionsMattermost can be extended with add-ons, plugins and extensions.
2. Built-in viewerMattermost shows you a quick preview of an image, page or file in supported formats.
3. Full-Text SearchMattermost lets you search for specific words or phrases from inside a document or database.
4. Support for @mentionsMattermost supports the use of mentions through @ to a particular user, who will be notified personally.
5. Support for MarkDownMattermost supports MarkDown for document formatting.
Chat Bot
On-premises software
Multi Channel
Webhook support
Supports XMPP
Plugin API
Data API
File Sending
Integrated File Sharing
Slack integration
Comments about Mattermost as a Alternative to Skype
Most users think Mattermost is a great Skype alternative.
MasteLrugarius
Its oriented on enterprize
Negative comment •
0
Zulip
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Open Source
Group Chat App
Instant Messenger
Encrypted Chat App
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
BSD
iPad
Self-Hosted
223 Zulip alternatives
Zulip is the only modern team chat app that is designed for both live and asynchronous conversations. Zulip topics create a separate space for each discussion, so different conversations will never get in each other's way.
Suggest and vote on features
Zulip Features
1. Support for MarkDownZulip supports MarkDown for document formatting.
2. Syntax HighlightingZulip supports syntax highlighting for various programming and markup languages.
Threaded Conversations
Support for Hotkeys
Community-based
Integrated File Sharing
Chat Bot
GitHub integration
Secure Chat
Third party integrations
Chat organizer
Live topics
Opinions about Zulip as a Alternative to Skype
Most users think Zulip is a great Skype alternative.