{"id":16129,"date":"2019-11-13T15:19:37","date_gmt":"2019-11-13T13:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/?p=16129"},"modified":"2019-11-13T15:19:37","modified_gmt":"2019-11-13T13:19:37","slug":"skype-for-business-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/skype-for-business-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top Skype for Business Alternatives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>In many ways, Skype has been a pioneer. Released back in 2003, Skype was one of the first to offer peer-to-peer chat and voice and video calls &#8211; and during an era of unreliable internet connections!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Skype for Business didn\u2019t debut until 2016, its direct competition with parent-company Microsoft\u2019s Teams platform left the tech giant little choice but to pull the plug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That day has finally come. Microsoft recently announced that Skype for Business\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.m.io\/blog\/skype-for-business-endoflife\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">end of life<\/a> will be July 31, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So if you\u2019re a Skype for Business user, where do you turn? Below we\u2019ll help you explore ten of the top Skype for Business alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read on to find a solution that meets your organization\u2019s needs!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brosix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Brosix-7.jpg\" alt=\"Brosix\" class=\"wp-image-24167\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Skype, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/\">Brosix<\/a> is also a pioneer in its field. And we\u2019re not just saying that because it\u2019s our platform! Launched in 2006, it was one of the first to take a unified approach to enterprise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/how-to-build-collaborative-communication\/\">communication and collaboration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chat on Brosix happens individually via text chat or in groups via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/features\/chat-rooms\/\">chat rooms<\/a> where you invite the specific participants. In addition to built-in voice and video, you get a slew of collaboration tools like a whiteboard, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/features\/file-transfer\/\">unlimited size file transfer<\/a>, screen-sharing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/features\/screenshot\/\">instant screenshot<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gwjYHDIwlGQ\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>The other self-hosted Skype alternative on this list, Brosix\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/features\/networks\/\">private team network<\/a> facilitates focused teamwork. Fully encrypted peer-to-peer channels integrated with your anti-virus and malware software further safeguard communication and collaboration across the platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s all bolstered by an industry-leading <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/features\/\">enterprise toolkit<\/a>, affording you control over contacts, who can chat with whom, the features to which users have access, and even user-specific data security levels.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>[highlight_block title=&#8221;Improve your team communication today.&#8221; link1=&#8221;https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/signup\/&#8221; link2=&#8221;&#8221; link3=&#8221;&#8221; ]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Glip<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>RingCentral\u2019s contribution to the world of team chat, Glip is another worthy Skype alternative. And one that offers quite a few freebies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You get easy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/ensure-secure-file-transfer\/\">file sharing<\/a>, task management, and unlimited storage, teams, and chat. The latter happens one-on-one, publicly, privately, and even with \u201cyourself\u201d when you need to prioritize tasks. Glip integrates with document sharing and calendar tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there\u2019s access to audio and video conferencing, Glip limits the number of video minutes on both freemium and paid versions &#8211; just 500 shared minutes for the free plan and 1000 per user per month on paid plans. That\u2019s not much!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Slack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Slack-1.jpg\" alt=\"Slack\" class=\"wp-image-24173\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/slack-review\/\">Slack<\/a> is often lauded as the leader in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/team-chat-apps\/\">team chat<\/a> and messaging. We\u2019ve written <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/slack-alternatives\/\">a lot about it<\/a>, even featuring it in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/instant-messaging-apps\/\">Game of Instant Messengers<\/a>. And it\u2019s true, the platform offers more integrations than anyone and has one of the biggest user-bases around.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>[highlight_block title=&#8221;Explore our other head-to-head Slack comparisons with:&#8221; link1=&#8221;https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/slack-vs-viva-engage\/&#8221; link2=&#8221;&#8221; link3=&#8221;&#8221; ]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slack allows organizations to set up public and private channels and organize them in any way they choose &#8211; by project, department, or client, for example. Chats are thread-based, making it easier for teams to have conversations relevant to their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Screen-sharing and voice and video are built-in. Keyword alerts notify you anytime a word of your choosing is mentioned. There are also automated reminders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To meet the security requirements of large enterprises, Slack introduced Enterprise Key Management. Slack characterizes EKM as a solution featuring the security of an on-premise alternative but with the benefits of a cloud tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite this, it\u2019s not always smooth sailing with Slack. The platform is infamous for its addictive and disruptive nature. What\u2019s more, without the proper precautions in place, Slack\u2019s myriad third-party integrations could pose a security risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Microsoft Teams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Teams.jpg\" alt=\"Microsoft Teams\" class=\"wp-image-24174\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Microsoft Teamsis the obvious choice for users <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/microsoft-teams-alternatives\/\">considering an alternative<\/a> to Skype. The chat-based workspace facilitates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/group-communication\/\">group communication<\/a> via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/encrypted-messaging-apps\/\">private chatting<\/a> or chat rooms featuring threaded conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In typical Microsoft fashion, chats feature Word-like formatting such as the ability to add bulleted lists, change fonts, and so on. You also get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/collaboration-apps\/\">collaboration tools<\/a> like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/screen-sharing-apps\/\">screen sharing<\/a>, file sharing, and voice and video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MS Teams\u2019 prime offering is its integration with Microsoft Office 365. That means you can collaborate on spreadsheets and presentations without leaving the app. For a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/slack-vs-teams\/\">deeper look at Teams<\/a>, check out our recent comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While MS Teams should offer a fairly straightforward transition for Skype users, it\u2019s not yet a like-for-like replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the moment, Teams lacks in-meeting whiteboards, polls, and annotations of powerpoint slides. Users considering the switch to Teams should visit Microsoft\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.microsoft.com\/en-us\/microsoft-365\/roadmap?rtc=1&amp;filters=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transition roadmap first<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Workplace by Facebook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/facebook-workplace-1.png\" alt=\"Workplace by Facebook\" class=\"wp-image-24170\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Facebook isn\u2019t just a social media giant anymore. Since 2016, the Silicon Valley titan has been a contender in the intensifying <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/workplace-vs-slack\/\">team collaboration wars.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Workplace delivers team chat in familiar fashion. As you\u2019d expect, there\u2019s a news feed, personal pages, posts, comments, and likes. You also get live streaming, voice and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/video-calling-apps\/\">video call<\/a>s, monitoring tools for IT teams, admin controls, and some integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One-on-one communication takes place in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/office-communication\/\">Workplace Chat<\/a>. Group communication is private by default but with the option to be public. There\u2019s also Workplace Groups &#8211; for chat and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Groups can be open, closed, or secret (unable to be viewed by anyone without an invite). Think of them as a meeting spot for teamwork on a project by a specific team, department, or location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Workplace is a capable Skype alternative. But given Facebook\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nojitter.com\/workspace\/workplace-controversy\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.nojitter.com\/workspace\/workplace-controversy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">less-than-honest record<\/a> over the years, that poses a dilemma to those considering the platform &#8211; Can the company be entrusted to ensure your enterprise data and communication?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Chanty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Chanty-1.png\" alt=\"Chanty\" class=\"wp-image-24168\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unveiled in 2018, Chanty offers a Skype alternative aimed at small to medium-sized enterprises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chanty provides teams one-on-one and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/group-chatting\/\">group chat<\/a>, the latter of which can take place in both public and private channels. There\u2019s also file sharing, unlimited searchable messaging history, and some <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/team-chat-apps\/\">AI-powered chat tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s more, Chanty comes pre-loaded with task management and integrations with Zapier and GIPHY.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a relative newcomer to the field, Chanty is still a bit limited. That said, the company plans to continue rolling out new features, meaning Chanty deserves to be on your radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WhatsApp for Business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/instant-messaging-apps\/#What_is_Instant_Messaging\/\">instant messaging<\/a> increasingly plays a key role in customer support, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/whatsapp-review\/\">WhatsApp <\/a>decided to up its game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kommo.com\/blog\/whatsapp-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WhatsApp for Business<\/a> is WhatsApp\u2019s foray into the realm of business instant messaging. Launched in 2018, the platform is aimed at connecting small businesses to their customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like the standard app, you get one-on-one and group chat, file and media sharing, and voice and video. You also get a business profile, a greeting message, quick reply, and away reply. What\u2019s more, you gain access to important metrics like how many messages you send and how many you read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a live chat solution, WhatsApp for Business can help you connect with your customers in a more meaningful way. As a like-for-like Skype alternative, potential drawbacks begin to surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite its name, WhatsApp for Business is still a consumer-grade solution. As such, you need to consider the privacy and security-related risks that come with such platforms, especially when using them for enterprise communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mattermost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Mattermost-3.jpg\" alt=\"Mattermost\" class=\"wp-image-24171\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mattermost is an open-source Skype alternative offering teams a chat space that\u2019s both customizable and secure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Communication on Mattermost happens via direct messages, as well as public and private channels. Its open-source nature gives you a host of customization options like custom branding and login page design; the ability to customize the languages available in the UI; even the ability to add encryption on both communication and server-level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s more, as one of the two privately hosted options on this list, you get better security and privacy without the risks that come with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/instant-messaging-apps\/\">personal instant messengers<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hangouts Chat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hangouts Chat is Google\u2019s unified team <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/communication-platform\/\">communication platform<\/a>. Communication on Hangouts Chat happens in groups, in a room, or via direct message. Rooms are thread-based, can be started any time you have an idea, and can accommodate up to 8,000 people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hangouts Chat has been integrated with Gmail and Google Plus while Audio and video calls happen through Google Meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hangouts\u2019 functionality further extends to Google Hangouts on Air. That enables Google Plus users to live <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/broadcast-messaging\/\">broadcast<\/a> their video calls on YouTube, allowing corporate users to plan and execute online talk shows and seminars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Discord<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Discord-1.jpg\" alt=\"Discord\" class=\"wp-image-24169\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/discord-review\/\">Discord<\/a> may not be a household name for everyone, it\u2019s certainly a go-to among the gamers out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/discord-vs-slack\/\">Discord looks and functions a lot like Slack<\/a>. It follows the same type of interface design, initially separating channels by text. Chats can be further customized into public and private channels upon setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a twist, though. Discord offers the option to create voice channels. There\u2019s also a push-to-talk feature. And, for a more custom fit, Discord also be altered using CSS code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you or your team rely on integrations, you\u2019ll need to look elsewhere. But if all you\u2019re looking for is the familiarity of text, voice, and video, Discord is a deserving Skype alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>[highlight_block title=&#8221;You might also like: &#8221; link1=&#8221;https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/telegram-alternatives\/&#8221; link2=&#8221;&#8221; link3=&#8221;&#8221; ]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Wrap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the field is soon to shrink by one, enterprise instant messaging remains crucial to ensuring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/components-of-effective-communication\/\">effective communication<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/effective-collaboration-in-the-workplace\/\">collaboration in the workplace<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need to examine your organization\u2019s communication structure, needs, and habits. Take advantage of freemium versions and free trial periods, too! By doing so, you\u2019ll find there\u2019s a host of Skype alternatives capable of delivering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/ensuring-effective-communication-among-teams\/\">effective team communication<\/a> and collaboration.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In many ways, Skype has been a pioneer. Released back in 2003, Skype was one of the first to offer peer-to-peer chat and voice and video calls &#8211; and during an era of unreliable internet connections! While Skype for Business didn\u2019t debut until 2016, its direct competition with parent-company Microsoft\u2019s Teams platform left the tech [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":24172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-instant-messaging"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16129"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16129\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24172"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.brosix.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}