Video calling has become an essential aspect of our day to day life. Whether it is business partners, co-workers, friends, or family members, we all rely on video calling apps to communicate with the people who are far away. Among many video calling apps, Google Duo and Skype are the popular apps used by millions of people around the world. Google Duo vs Skype – Which one is best to download on your device? Let’s have a look at the composition between these two apps to pick the best one.

Price

Both Google Duo and Skype are free to download and use. They don’t charge any cost for video and audio calls. However, Skype requires credit points ($10) to make phone calls to landline and mobile numbers.

Supported devices

When it comes to supported devices, Skype has the upper hand. It supports many platforms, including Android, iPhone/iPad, Windows, Linux, and Windows Phone. On the other hand, Google Duo is only supported on Android and iOS platforms. PC and laptop users can access both the service as a web version on their browsers. On the latest version of Android devices, Google Duo comes as a pre-installed application to make audio/video calls through the internet.

Smartphone users can download both apps directly from their App store. The desktop version of Skype can be downloaded from its official site (skype.com/en/get-skype). For business users, a separate business version is available for instant messaging, video calling/conferencing, and document collaboration.

Google Duo vs Skype

User Interface

The interface of Skype looks simple and provides a straightforward option to make video and audio calls with your contacts. On the other side, Google Duo opens your front camera and displays recent contacts at the bottom. Swipe up the screen to view all your contacts. By tapping on the contacts, you will get the option to make audio/video calls.

Signup/Login process

The signup or login process of Google Duo is straightforward and requires only a few minutes to complete. You need to verify your mobile number and existing Google account (optional) to make audio or video calls.

However, the signup process of Skype involves many steps as it needs a Microsoft account. Sometimes, the users may get irritated and delete the app due to the hefty signup process.

Calling quality and group calls

Both Skype and Google Duo supports making video and audio calls right from the interface. In terms of calling quality, Skype has the upper hand. It offers various features for video calling. Right from the chat screen, tap the video call icon for video calling.

On the other hand, the video quality of Google Duo lacks a little bit. But, it also has impressive features like Knock Knock. It gives you a live video preview of the caller before attending the call. It also has a dedicated low-light mode to make video calls even in low-light conditions.

Google Duo vs Skype - Group Calls

Skype has the upper hand when it comes to group calls. It supports adding 50 participants. Whereas, the Google Duo app was designed for mobile devices and supported only 8 participants. Recently, Google has increased participants’ limit from 8 to 12. If you want an app to communicate with more than 12 members, it is better to select Skype.

Messaging facility

If you want to send instant text messages, Skype is the only app you need to try. The users can send text messages right from the caller interface. Apart from text messages, you can send images, GIFs, audios, and emojis.

On the other side, Google Duo doesn’t support sending instant messages. You can send only personalized video messages to your friends and family members.

Related: Google Duo vs FaceTime: Why Duo is the Best?

Encryption

Privacy is an important aspect that you need to consider while selecting a communication app. Fortunately, both apps offer strong encryption to secure the call history and user data.

Google Duo vs Skype - Encryption

By providing end-to-end encryption, no one including the owners (Google and Microsoft) can’t view or hack your calls. To avoid scam calls, both apps offer the ability to block unknown numbers or accounts.

Which one is better?

Google Duo vs Skype – which one to choose? Well, the answer is up to you. Google Duo is the best app to chat with your friends and family members. Advanced filters and effects enhance the video calling experience. If you want an app to communicate with your business partners and advanced group call facility, go for Skype.