Skype Reviews

Skype offers several services, each with its own pricing structure. Subscriptions are monthly calling plans that allow for unlimited or fixed-minute calls to landlines and mobiles, depending on the plan. These are automatically renewed and can be cancelled at any time. Skype Credit is a pay-as-you-go option, suitable for those who make fewer calls and prefer to pay only for what they use. A Skype Number is a phone number paid for monthly, allowing people to call you from their mobile or landline, with you answering the call in Skype. This is a good option for those living in different countries or planning to travel abroad. Subscriptions for calling cell phones or landlines in the US start at $2.99 a month. If you don't need the amount of minutes available with the monthly subscription, you can opt to buy Skype Credit to make phone calls. Plans start as low as $2.99 per month for unlimited calls to the US, going up to $7.99 for 800 minutes a month to India. A global subscription for international calls to more than one country is available for $13.99. Skype to Skype calls are free anywhere in the world. A fair usage policy applies to unlimited subscriptions and Skype Credit. Please note that the price you pay depends on the country you're calling to, not the country you're calling from. Skype is mostly free to use, with costs incurred for some features, primarily those involving communication with landline or mobile phones.

There are several ways to pay for Skype products such as Skype Credit, subscriptions, and Skype Numbers. The payment options are safe, fast, and easy. To find out how to pay for Skype products in your country, simply find your country in the list on the Skype website. If a payment fails, it might have been declined due to purchase limits. To update a credit card or other payment method in Skype, sign into your Skype My Account page. Scroll to the bottom of the page and, under Account details (Billing and Payments), select Payment methods. From Payments methods, you can add a new payment method or delete an existing one. You can delete a credit card if you have used it to buy Skype Credit, but you can’t delete a card that is being used for recurring payments (a subscription or Auto-recharge). You must cancel the recurring payment first. PayPal cannot be deleted as your payment method. To purchase Skype Credit, choose one of your stored payment methods or select Use a new payment method to enter a new one. If it’s your first time purchasing a Skype product, you'll be prompted to add a new payment method. Choose your payment type and enter your details. Select Pay now, then follow the instructions to complete the payment.

Skype Credit is a pay-as-you-go plan that offers a variety of features. It allows users to make calls and send SMS messages internationally at affordable rates. Users only pay for what they use, with no contracts or subscriptions required. Skype Credit can be used to call mobiles and landlines, and send SMS text messages. It can also be used to purchase Subscriptions and Skype Numbers.

In addition to making calls and sending messages, Skype Credit grants access to additional features such as voicemail, conference calls, call forwarding, and call recording. These features can greatly enhance communication experience and streamline business operations. Skype Credit can be bought in increments of $5, $10, or $25 at a time. It can also be gifted to friends or used to pay for other Skype services. There is an Auto-recharge feature for Skype Credit, which tops up the balance when it falls below $2.

Please note that Skype Credit cannot be used to purchase Skype products in Japan, and it cannot be used to purchase New Zealand Skype Numbers. Skype Credit offers a cost-effective and efficient way to communicate internationally, especially for reaching destinations where traditional phone services may be inaccessible or expensive.

Skype was founded in 2003 by Niklas Zennström, from Sweden, and Janus Friis, from Denmark. The software was created by Estonians Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu, Jaan Tallinn, and Toivo Annus. The idea was to reduce the cost of voice calls by using a P2P protocol similar to that of Kazaa. The name for the software is derived from "Sky peer-to-peer", which was then abbreviated to "Skyper". However, some of the domain names associated with "Skyper" were already taken. Dropping the final "r" left the current title "Skype".

In September 2005, eBay acquired Skype for $2.6 billion. In September 2009, Silver Lake, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board bought 65% of Skype for $1.9 billion from eBay, valuing the business at $2.92 billion. In May 2011, Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 billion and used it to replace their Windows Live Messenger. As of 2011, most of the development team and 44% of all the division's employees were in Tallinn and Tartu, Estonia.

Skype originally featured a hybrid peer-to-peer and client–server system. It became entirely powered by Microsoft-operated supernodes in May 2012; in 2017, it changed from a peer-to-peer service to a centralized Azure-based service. As of February 2023, it was used by 36 million people each day.

A Skype Number is a second phone number attached to a Skype account. This feature allows users to answer incoming calls on the Skype app from anywhere. People can call a Skype Number from their mobile or landline, and the call is picked up in Skype. This is a great option for those who live in different countries, plan to travel abroad, or want an affordable way to keep in touch.

A Skype Number can be a professional number for the office, providing a reliable and convenient solution for business travels or off-site work. If calls are frequently received from more than one location, up to 10 Skype Numbers can be attached to an account. A different Skype Number can be chosen for each country or area code from which calls are regularly expected.

Skype also provides simple and accessible admin to manage all Skype numbers or subscriptions. Incoming calls can be forwarded to voice messaging, another Skype account, mobile or landline number, even if not signed in to Skype. Skype Numbers are available in a wide variety of area codes, and in several countries/regions. Users can sign up for a Skype Number and pick up on any device where they use Skype. This makes it easier and cheaper for family and friends to call at a local rate. Skype Numbers are available in 25 countries/regions.

Please note that this information is based on the latest available data and may be subject to change.