We get it. We really do.
On May 5th, 2025, Microsoft pulled the plug on Skype after 22 years. No real warning, no real alternative. Just a redirect to Microsoft Teams and a "good luck." Millions of people who depended on Skype to call their parents overseas, reach a bank in another country, or dial a landline number that WhatsApp will never be able to reach... left behind.
We were some of those people. And honestly, that's a big part of why avoCall exists.
Because here's the thing that none of the "Top 10 Skype Alternatives" listicles will tell you: most of the apps they recommend are worse than Skype ever was. We spent weeks reading through 35,000+ user reviews across Yolla, Rebtel, and Boss Revolution. What we found was not pretty.
But we'll get to that.
First, let's talk about what you actually lost when Skype went away, and what you need from whatever comes next.
What Made Skype Special (and What's Still Missing)
Skype wasn't just a video calling app. For millions of immigrants, expats, and international families, it was the only reliable way to call real phone numbers abroad. Landlines. Mobiles. Toll-free numbers. Bank hotlines. Government offices. Hospital switchboards. The kind of numbers that WhatsApp, FaceTime, and Zoom simply cannot dial.
And it worked from your browser. No app download required. You opened a tab, clicked a number, and you were connected. That was it.
Microsoft Teams, the thing they want you to switch to, doesn't do any of this. Teams is a workplace chat tool. It doesn't let you call a landline in Mexico City or a mobile number in Lagos. For the millions of people who used Skype for actual phone calls, Teams is not a replacement. It's a completely different product.
So where does that leave you?
We Tried the Alternatives. Here's What We Found.
After Skype shut down, we did what you probably did. We downloaded every international calling app we could find. We read the reviews. We tested the rates. And we kept running into the same problems over and over.
The "From $0.03/min" Lie
This is the biggest scam in the industry and almost every provider does it. They advertise a rate like "$0.03/min to Spain" on their website. Sounds great, right? But when you actually make the call, you get charged $0.19/min. That's a 6.3x markup over the advertised price.
How do they get away with it? The fine print. That "$0.03" rate is for one specific landline prefix in one specific city. The number you're actually calling? Different rate. And they don't tell you until after you've already burned through your credit.
We found 8 to 10 reviews on Trustpilot alone calling Yolla out for exactly this. Users used words like "scam," "fraud," and "marketing trap." And Yolla is actually one of the better apps out there.
Auto-Recharge Traps
You add $5 of credit to try an app. A week later, your card gets charged again. You didn't ask for it. You didn't agree to it. But somewhere in the signup flow, auto-recharge was enabled by default.
This is Rebtel's number one complaint. Between 25 and 30 percent of their negative reviews mention unwanted recurring charges. Boss Revolution is even worse, with 30+ reviews describing auto-recharge being turned on without their consent.
One Rebtel user on Trustpilot wrote: "I added $10 to try it. Three months later I realized they'd been charging me $10 every two weeks. I never made a single call after the first one."
Getting Charged for Calls That Never Connected
You dial a number. It rings. Nobody picks up. Or maybe it doesn't even ring. And you still get charged.
Boss Revolution has over 20 reviews specifically about being billed before the other person even answers. Some users reported a "Call Setup" fee that appeared after an app update silently switched their calls from VoIP to cellular, causing double billing: Boss Revolution credit AND carrier international charges on the same call. It was reported to the FCC.
The Fake Reviews Problem
Here's a fun one. Rebtel has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on the Google Play Store. Sounds solid, right? But on independent review sites like Trustpilot and PissedConsumer, their rating drops to 1.6 out of 5.
How? They were caught offering "$5 credit for a 5-star review." When a company has to buy its ratings, that tells you everything you need to know.
The Honest Comparison
We're not going to pretend we're perfect. Every app has tradeoffs. But we think you deserve to see the real picture, not the marketing version.
| avoCall | Yolla | Rebtel | Boss Rev. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser calling | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | ❌ No |
| Pricing | Pay as you go | Pay as you go | Subs + PAYG | PAYG + Plans |
| Transparent rates | ✅ Always | ❌ "From $X" bait | ❌ Hidden fees | ❌ Rates shift 100%+ |
| Auto-recharge | ✅ Never | Optional | ❌ On by default | ❌ On by default |
| Unanswered call charges | ✅ No | ❌ Yes | ❌ Yes | ❌ Yes |
| Countries | 148 | 190+ | 50+ | 60+ |
| Review rating | New | 3.8/5 | 1.6/5 | 2.1/5 |
| Support | Humans, fast | Good | Email only | 40 min+ hold |
A few things to be upfront about: Yolla covers more countries than we do right now (190+ vs our 148). Their customer support is genuinely good and that's something users consistently praise them for. Rebtel's unlimited plans can be a great deal if you call one country very frequently and don't mind the subscription model.
But on transparent pricing, no surprise charges, and calling from your browser? Nobody else comes close.
Try it now — check a rate
Search any country to see the real per-minute rate. Your first call is free from the browser.
Why We Built avoCall
We didn't set out to build "the next Skype." We set out to build the thing that should have existed all along.
A simple, honest international calling app. You see the rate before you dial. You only get charged when the other person actually picks up. Your credit stays in your account until you use it. No subscriptions. No auto-recharge. No tricks.
And because we know how much people loved being able to call from their computer, we built a web calling widget right into avocall.net. You can literally open the website, type a number, and call. From your browser. Just like the old days with Skype.
Except this time, the rate is right there on screen before you hit dial. No surprises.
What You Can Call
This is the part people forget when they suggest "just use WhatsApp." WhatsApp only works when both people have the app and an internet connection. That's great for some calls. But it doesn't help when you need to:
- Call a landline. Your grandmother's house phone in Puebla. Your uncle's landline in London. The family home phone that's been the same number for 30 years.
- Call a mobile phone that doesn't have WhatsApp. Not everyone has a smartphone. Not everyone has mobile data. Especially older family members in countries where data is expensive.
- Call a bank or government office. Try calling your bank in India on WhatsApp. It doesn't work. You need to dial an actual phone number.
- Call a toll-free number from abroad. Most toll-free numbers don't work internationally. With avoCall, they do.
- Call a hospital, airline, or hotel. Travel emergencies don't wait for the other person to install an app.
avoCall handles all of these. 148 countries. Landlines and mobiles. Real phone numbers. Just like Skype used to, but with pricing you can actually trust.
How It Works
Option 1: Call from your browser. Go to avocall.net, pick a country, and dial. No download, no account required for your first call. This is the closest thing to the Skype experience that exists right now.
Option 2: Download the app. Available on iOS and Android. Add credit and call from anywhere. The app is lightweight (under 30MB, compared to Boss Revolution's 101MB), and it won't drain your battery.
Rates start at $0.01/min and you can check the exact rate for any number before you call. Not "from $0.01." The actual rate. For the actual number you're dialing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is avoCall really free to try?
Yes. You can make your first call from the browser at avocall.net without downloading anything or creating an account. After that, credit packages start at $2.
How does avoCall compare to Skype's old rates?
Skype's international rates were competitive but they varied a lot. avoCall's rates are comparable or cheaper for most corridors, starting at $0.01/min. The big difference is transparency: you see the exact rate before you dial, not a "from" price that changes once you're on the call.
Do I need to download an app?
No. You can call directly from your browser at avocall.net. We also have apps for iOS and Android if you prefer that.
Will I get charged if the call doesn't connect?
No. You only get billed when the other person actually answers. If the call fails, drops, or goes unanswered, you keep your credit.
Is there a subscription or auto-recharge?
No. avoCall is strictly pay-as-you-go. We will never automatically charge your card. When your credit runs out, you add more if and when you want to.
Can I call landlines and toll-free numbers?
Yes. Unlike WhatsApp or FaceTime, avoCall connects to real phone numbers worldwide. Landlines, mobiles, and toll-free numbers in 148 countries.
What happened to Skype?
Microsoft shut down Skype on May 5, 2025 after 22 years of service. They redirected users to Microsoft Teams Free, which does not support international PSTN calling (calls to real phone numbers). About 36 million users were affected.
Look, we know switching to a new app is annoying. You've probably tried two or three since Skype shut down and gotten burned by hidden fees or bad call quality. We've been there too.
But if you're still looking for something that just works, that's honest about what it costs, and that lets you call from your browser the way Skype used to... give us a shot.
Try your first call free at avocall.net . No download. No signup. Just pick a country and dial.